Ravelmpics: Closing Ceremony

I am happy to report I finished three of my four events. Obviously, my eyes (and eagerness) were bigger than my evaluation of the time I had available.

All in all it was a great way to participate in and watch all the Olympic hopefuls do their very best in their chosen events.

Now I will be working on the project for my fourth event, the Scallop Edge Beaded Scarf because it is being used as a demonstration in a class coming up in March.

I hope everyone found fun ways to enjoy the 21st Winter Olympics~!

Let the Frosting Begin

The Cupcake Mitts are complete and ready for frosting. I am looking forward to spreading out my various threads, beads and fun buttons to make these a very unique pair of handwarmers.

I was so excited about them that I knit another similar pair from the leftover yarn of my Ravelympic Beret so I can frost them as well.

These will make the nicest gifts to knit because they knit up fast. Then the decoration can be personalized.

I will probably be knitting these at Loopy Ewe Spring Fling because they are ultimately portable and easy to memorize. And they can be knit on acrylic dpns so they are TSA friendly. It doesn't get any better than that.

I hope everyone has found their next favorite thing~!

First Blank Canvas

Here is the first of the Cupcake Mitts, now waiting for the "frosting" as Karendipity's pattern calls for.

These are a really fun knit. I am halfway throught the second one and can hardly wait to start decorating them.

My Olympic knitting has slowed with unforseen events this week. I am still on track to finish the third event with no trouble.

The fourth one might become a WIP. I can say that I have done my best and will continue to do so. I hope everyone is having a great early Spring with fun pursuits~!

Good Day to Knit

With this on the outside and Olympics on the inside, it was a great day to stay indoors and knit.

I started on my third event, Mitten Moguls, that can be anything in the handwarming category.

I am working on the very exciting Cupcake Mitts by Karendipity. They are lots of fun and the pattern in super easy.

So far I am already thinking about other color combos for more mitts.

I hope everyone had a fun, warm, excitement-filled weekend~!

Phat Tuesday and LOST

Tonight is a bye night from Ravelympic knitting and Olympic watching because LOST is on. I will be finishing Dad's second mitten and starting on my mittens that will match my Hat Halfpipe beret. Those are the most mindless projects I can manage during LOST and even then I have to put the needles down between commercials for fear I will miss something.

And today was Phat Tuesday, so I wore my beads and very party scarf to work. It added a little fun to the day. I hope everyone is having a great week so far~!

Last Day for Training

One, two, three, four....repeat for speed, stretch, breathe, apply muscle salve for sore spots and get a good night's sleep. Thank's, Coach, for the training tips. I am psyched up and ready to participate in Ravelympics Vancouver 2010.

Tonight I will be watching Cool Runnings in preparation for the big event. It is my favorite of the sport-themed movies that I own.


The mass Cast On is scheduled for the opening of the games tomorrow. I have all my events prepped, all my tools gathered and I am starting off with the Single Skein Speed Skate event. My goal is to complete the project during opening ceremonies starting at 7 p.m. tomorrow night in my time zone.

Good luck to all the athletes and let's make the USA proud of our endeavors~!

February? When Did This Happen?

My, how the year is flying. It is already February and I have done 7 classes, learned how to knit mittens through trial and error, prepped at least 4 projects for Olympic events and have begun making preparations for the Loopy Spring Fling in April.

I think that is a lot done for one month. Sometimes I have to sit down and evaluate it like that or I believe that I have not been as productive as I would like to be. Anyone else have that problem?

The weather here has been mild for winter so I expect some great spring snows with any luck at all. We really need the moisture.

And I am beginning the month on a positive note: Lots to knit during the Olympics, more fun classes, and lots of progress on some shop sample projects. All in all, a great way to spend the shortest month of the year. Best get to it. Happy projecting to all~!

Top Memories for 2008 (in pictures with commentary)

I have to give the nod to CrazyAuntPurl for the idea to sprinkle my 2008 memory blog with pics of favorite folks and furries.

So far, my top memory for this last day of the 2008 is that I do not have to wait up tonight for fireworks. I just saw the celebration in Auckland, New Zealand this AM while they were shooting off fireworks to mark their midnight. Ain't technology grand?!



In May, I had my first official knitting class with students. It was lots of fun.












In June, I was in Georgia to see the Evil Elf meet Loopy in a yarn store before my folks and I began the road trip home with their new-to-them van.


At Bancroft Park in Old Colorado City, I joined a great group of knitters for Knit in Public Day. I plan to be there again this year. The official date for 2009 is June 13th.








Pedro and I spent many summer afternoons with our favorite neighbors and friends.




And I knit, and knit while I watched the Summer Olympics. In the end, I medaled with seven completed projects, or FOs, over the course of two weeks.






And Loopy and I went off to Taos in October for the Wool Festival where we met up with CatwithCats for a fun-filled weekend of fiber and critters and a huge Ravelry meetup.




And through all the good weather, we had a constant visitor that came for nuts and for Pedro to have his own entertainment in the front window.






And I knit and knit.



And then we cooked and cooked.



And, afterwards, we rested.







And through it all, I had the constant companionship of my bestest bud, Pedro.

He and I wish for you all the best things for the New Year! We will be starting tomorrow to build our memory bank for 2009, won't you join us?

As Promised: The Knitted Gifts Gallery

After five months of concerted effort and diligent knitting I can present the holiday knitted gifts gallery. I started my planning in March with a list of folks for my holiday knit list. Then I reviewed patterns, chose the ones I wanted and shopped for yarn with specific people in mind. Once it was all gathered, I began knitting the small stuff first. Then life got in the way and I got slowed down.

By August I was re-evaluating my list and had joined Ravelympics. My plan was to get another batch of gifts finished and I managed to do that, seven projects finished in seventeen days.

I have knitted beaded hats and scarves** for all four nieces, plus hats and tudoras for the parents.

I also designed and created a nightcap** for the self-proclaimed oldest living elf in captivity. I am waiting for the report from him about how it works when he wears it to bed.








There are some gifts that failed to get photoed because of the last minute rush to get them finished and wrapped. And there are still a couple on my needles, plus the one for my mom that got wrapped as two skeins of sock yarn with a note - Let there be socks TBK - that will get started next week.

As you can imagine, I am working on my list for 2009 beginning this week. First I have to clean my knitting shelf so I can find the patterns I wanted to do for the 2009 Holiday season. And I have requests from the Evil Elf in Germany that there are needs for more knitted items for his family.

**The beaded hat/scarf and nightcap patterns will be available soon from my blog and linked to Ravelry for anyone who needs to treat the special people in their life to fun knits.

Ravelympics: Update

Two projects for Holiday Handball down. Four projects to go.

I started on the first Tudora today. So far it seems simpe with only one style cable.

Looks like the Olympic golds are gathering quickly for the USA. Way to go.

Ravelympics: Ready, Set, Go

6 a.m. MDT: Casting on for the first event! I asked Pedro to carry the flame but decided that might be a bad idea. All I could visualize was him running through the house with his tail on fire. So I opted for his participation in spirit only.

I cast on the first felted Moebius basket and got mostly through the handle before I had to head out for my dayjob. My goal for this weekend is to finishing the knitting of the two baskets.

I plan to watch the opening ceremonies tonight while knitting round and round on the body of the basket. Pedro will be helping by laying on my TV tray and patting at the yarn as it comes out of the ziplock bag.

Members of my coaching staff were ready to go before the official cast on and just wanted to wave hello to all watching the festivities.

Hope you are planning fun events for this weekend!

Ravelympics: My Events

I am signed up for three events. The first that I will be casting on at 6 a.m. Friday, August 8th is the Holiday Handball. While the name has really nothing to do with the project(s) themselves, it does reflect that I am making these items for holiday gifts this year.

The projects registered for this event are: 2 small felted Moebius baskets using the "diabolical" MCO (moebius cast on) courtesy of Cat Bordhi in the Second Treasury of Magical Knitting.

This morning I spent the early dark hours watching the You Tube video of the MCO to refresh my cast on technique. The instructions in the book are great, except I am a visual learner and it was so helpful to see it done again in the video. I have made two baskets previously however this particular cast on is one that is "use it or lose it."

Cross entered in this first event are 2 Tudoras also intended for gifts. They are first entered in the Scarf Stroke with one more which is for me. This pattern has intrigued me ever since I saw it in Knitty.com. I like scarves. I just do not want to always have to wrap the excess out of the way to drive, drink, eat, see, etc. So this looks like it will give warmth, elegance and flair to cold days. This pattern is a first attempt for me.

The last event is the Cowl Jump. I am being selfish here and planning to knit the Aibhlinn Cowl, also from Knitty.com. This is also a first attempt and has a bobbles, something I have not tried to knit yet.

So, with multiples and some new techniques I forge ahead...looking for gold!

Hope you have some gold medal plans for the month of August.