My Ravelympics Fail

I failed at the 2010 Ravlympics 1000x before they even started, beginning with forgetting to register with any teams. Probably better that I didn’t since I ended up being a giant fail.

For lack of being on a team, I thought I’d be start my own team (Team Awesome) do a pair of Skew Socks for the Sock Dancing event and a Chocolate Square Neck Top for…I dunno…some event.

Then life happens and sometimes it’s not nice and I found myself knitting and sewing chemo caps and scarves for someone who is an honorary member of Team Awesome. By the way, cancer is stupid and I want to punch it in the junk. So Ravelympics slipped down a couple notches on the list of priorities. I did get one Skew sock complete and I did cast on for a second one. I also got through about ½ of the Square Neck top by the closing ceremonies. The top is now complete and the second Skew is cast on, but working on Team Awesome scarves and caps is still my #1 priority.

Here’s the Skew Sock. You might say, “Wow, Sophie. You knit a plain stockinette sock. Whoop-di-freaking-do!” But no, wait, look closer. The socks are knit diagonally, which only really become apparent with the variegated yarn, and the heel is knit sideways and closed in that the designer calls the “origami” moment. The ankle/cuff are knit in short rows. It was a little tough. Not too bad.  Too much math. Grrr, math. I hatez the math. Good results, though, and I’m looking forward to finishing the second one. I have about 3 inches done so far.

And here’s the top. I’m modded the pattern, however, due to my volcanic hatred of seaming. I never knit anything flat if I can knit it in the round, so that’s what I did for the top. I had to split it when I got to the armhole shaping, though, but that still reduced my seaming from “the whole thing” to “a few inches at the shoulders.”  I also raised the back neckline and lengthened the torso by about 5 inches. Also I think I’m going to add sleeves at some point. For funsies.

Also, I’m laughing in the picture because my cat tripped over her own tail and looked incredibley surprised to have done so.

And here’s an in-progress shot from the closing ceremonies, when I conceded defeat.

And now let’s talk about the yarn for a sec. The yummy, yummy yarn.

For the Skew socks, I decided to use this skein of Sheep Feet Knits that I’d been saving. I’m an unrepentant Lost Nerd  (as well as a Regular Nerd) so when I saw that they had a line of Lost themed-yarns, I snatched me up some Polar Bear In The Jungle on All Your Base. It’s a super cooshy, warm, soft yarn and I love how it’s coming up as I knit. I generally stick to solid colors and rarely do variegated yarns, but the pattern here really calls for it. No knots, splinters or rough spots in the whole skein.

For the Square Neck top, I dug up some Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool. I love all of her yarns, but this is by far my favorite.

So when are the next Winter Olympics? 2014? Four years to get my act together? eeeeehhhh….that’s a longshot. Mr. Begonia has expressed interest in attending the 2018 Winter Olympics if they are in Germany or France, so that might be a more reasonable goal and rational motivator for me. I also fully expect Mr. Begonia to make the 2018 USA Olympic Men’s Curling team. (No pressure, sweetie. No pressure at all).