Knitting Olympics Update: UFO Fest
This weekend, over 4000 knitters picked up their needles to cast on for the 2006 Knitting Olympics. Alas, I was not one of those knitters. Instead, I'm taking this opportunity to finish three UFOs from my ancient knitting past. I suppose this should make me a participant in the UFOlympics, but I didn't sign up in time, and, well, the Yarn Harlot's just seems better for some reason, even though I am technically breaking the rules.
The hat so far has received the most attention. Originally an annoying pattern by FiberTrends that has somewhat tarnished my ability to love knitting cables, I have converted it into a chart (twice, as I lost one of them). This is my third attempt at knitting it. The first one involved me modifying the pattern to use a provisional cast-on to join the ends instead of sewing them up. After realizing this wouldn't work, as I only knew how to graft stockinettely, I frogged. (I have since learned how to graft any kind of knitting together, including cable crossings, so, um, grrr...) About 5 repeats through the second attempt, I realized that the hat was going to be vertically enormous, even when folded up. So I frogged again, eliminated about 10 stitches from the pattern, and the third attempt is the incarnation you see here. I actually just bound this off and am about to pick up stitches around the top of the hat. I bet I will be done with this by Tuesday evening, assuming that we have a set of size 6 dpns at home...
The argyle socks are slowly but surely being crossed with duplicate stitch. A word of warning to anyone who wants to duplicate stitch fabric: do not attempt to duplicate stitch loosely-knit fingering weight black yarn. It will drive you up a tree. In retrospect, intarsia would have been easier, but I wanted to keep that part as simple as possible since this was my first intarsia project.
The challenge is going to be to get Fiesta Feet done in the time left. Right now, that's 13 days, and the clock keeps ticking. I figure I'll be able to do this if I can get the hat and argyles done by the 16th, possibly even the 18th. If they come in much later than that, I think I'm screwed, as all I have finished are the cuffs (one isn't even complete yet). I had said long ago that I was going to use the purple for the main color and various color scraps for the variegated yarn. That is still my plan, though I'm not sure exactly how it is going to pan out.
It's going to be a bumpy ride, so fasten your seat belts!
The hat so far has received the most attention. Originally an annoying pattern by FiberTrends that has somewhat tarnished my ability to love knitting cables, I have converted it into a chart (twice, as I lost one of them). This is my third attempt at knitting it. The first one involved me modifying the pattern to use a provisional cast-on to join the ends instead of sewing them up. After realizing this wouldn't work, as I only knew how to graft stockinettely, I frogged. (I have since learned how to graft any kind of knitting together, including cable crossings, so, um, grrr...) About 5 repeats through the second attempt, I realized that the hat was going to be vertically enormous, even when folded up. So I frogged again, eliminated about 10 stitches from the pattern, and the third attempt is the incarnation you see here. I actually just bound this off and am about to pick up stitches around the top of the hat. I bet I will be done with this by Tuesday evening, assuming that we have a set of size 6 dpns at home...
The argyle socks are slowly but surely being crossed with duplicate stitch. A word of warning to anyone who wants to duplicate stitch fabric: do not attempt to duplicate stitch loosely-knit fingering weight black yarn. It will drive you up a tree. In retrospect, intarsia would have been easier, but I wanted to keep that part as simple as possible since this was my first intarsia project.
The challenge is going to be to get Fiesta Feet done in the time left. Right now, that's 13 days, and the clock keeps ticking. I figure I'll be able to do this if I can get the hat and argyles done by the 16th, possibly even the 18th. If they come in much later than that, I think I'm screwed, as all I have finished are the cuffs (one isn't even complete yet). I had said long ago that I was going to use the purple for the main color and various color scraps for the variegated yarn. That is still my plan, though I'm not sure exactly how it is going to pan out.
It's going to be a bumpy ride, so fasten your seat belts!
Comments
My Olympic "Branching Out" is giving me fits and i've taken to stringing a lifeline for the very first time. Why, oh why did i ever decide on my very first lace project for this?
If you'd send me some Lou Malnati's it might help!! Just kidding! ;)
~Suz~