The Knitting Olympics

Some of you may know that I’m a knitter. (Lisa says this is a bit like Lance Armstrong saying, “I kind of like to win the Tour de France,” or Imelda Marcos saying, “I have a few pairs of shoes.) Be that as it may, after an orgy of Christmas-present socks, I’ve succumbed to the latest suggestion from the Yarn Harlot: the Knitting Olympics. Basically, the idea is that you should choose a project that is an achievable challenge, cast on during the opening ceremonies, and have it finished by the time the olympic flame is extinguished. At first, I thought it was fun and funny, and then I realized that, since I was going to be watching the Games and knitting anyway, it might make sense to participate. Then Lisa brought me home a book from her company’s book swap, called Shadow Knitting, which looked as though it made really interesting fabric. And then I found out about Team Wales, for which I qualify on several counts.

So I had to do it.

I ordered my yarn from KnitPicks last week, and despite my failure to use expedited shipping, it arrived yesterday. I didn’t get the faster shipping because KnitPicks has always gotten my orders here in about a week, despite their warning it could take 14 days, so I figured it would be fine. But, of course, I didn’t think about the other 3299 (and counting) people doing the Olympics and probably ordering yarn.... Then this morning I checked the pattern again and realized that the sweater is knit on US1 and US2 needles, not US2 and US3 as I had thought. So I hustled right out and bought the US1s that I needed. For fellow knitters, this means I haven’t done a swatch, and am just going to cast on and wing it. The motto of Team Wales is “the Jamaican bobsledders of the knitting world,” and, so far, I’m living up to it.

I cast on for the back at 2 PM, about when the opening ceremonies were happening. Then I knit, oh, about 30 rows while we watched the pre-opening ceremonies (OK, we actually mostly watched a special on Lance Armstrong, but that has to count). The gauge looks good — that is, it looks as though this piece is a reasonable side for the back — so I think I’m on my way. And now I’m taking my yarn and my needles and going to bed.

More from the Knitting Olympiad later....