Finished!

I did it! I finished while watching the closing ceremonies Sunday night. I lost way to much time this weekend since my folks were in. We had a great time seeing the sites around town, and I did get more knitting in then I expected, but once they left Sunday I put in a huge final push. I started to worry Sunday evening when DH was too sick to go grocery shopping, leaving me to do it myself, but I still managed. Once it was all over I understood why athletes always collapse once they cross the finish line. One wrist ached, the other elbow hurt, and my lower back was killing me.

The experience was worth all the pain. The feeling I had as I bound off the last stitches was unbelievable. Despite having a goal, I really didn't think I'd make it, especially as the end neared.

The pattern is wonderful. The straight sections do get to be a bit much after a while, but it (obviously) does knit up pretty quickly. The yarn was awful. I must have had a lapse of sanity when I ordered, because the cotton was such a pain (literally and figuratively). It had no give to it, making all those increases really difficult. That said, I've already lined up yarn (Lorna's Laces Lion and the Lamb) to make one for myself, since this one is going to my mother.

A few more pictures

detail of the drop stitches

and more dropped stitches.

hehe! I'm an Olympian!

Checking in on our athlete...

I'm really starting to think I'm not going to a gold, but that's ok. I've still challenged myself beyond my wildest knitting dreams, and DH has promised he will make me a special button should I not finish by Sunday. Here are the two latest pictures



Thats ten stitches dropped. This thing is driving me crazy. Can you believe I'm thinking about making another one?

An Olympic Update

I am almost 1/2 with the Clap, at about the 1/2 point of the Olympics. Not bad, eh? Here's the latest pic. That's 4 dropped stitches, and just over 220 yards of yarn.

I really better get cracking tomorrow and Monday, since there is more than the gold at stake. My folks are coming to visit next weekend, and since this is for Mom, I'd like to be able to give it to her (fully blocked) when they are here.

I have also officially joined Team Clapotis for the KO. I was feeling rather alone in my project until I found them. I can't believe how many of the knitters have already finished - I really must get working!

Off the deep end

It was a moment we'll tell the grandkids about.

"Remember back in 06 when Granny Princess' knitting got the best of her?"

According to MapQuest it's just under 30 miles from home to work. This evening, DH and I got about 15 miles in when I realized I left Clapotis at the office. Discussion ensued; do we return or do we go home. We tore apart the car looking for it to no avail. I did the math today at work and calculated that I need to knit at least 18 rows each day in order to get the gold. I've knit five yesterday and today (work takes too much time away...). What's a knitter to do?

I tossed common sense to the wind, and turned the car around. If it was ordinary knitting I could have managed for a night. There's plenty of yarn at home, and I could probably use a night off. Working under a time constraint is another issue all together.

Tonight, my DH got the best Valentine's gift ever... his first acceptance letter to law school! I am so proud I could burst.

Snow and Olympics

Is there any better way to spend a weekend? I feel like I've been working on the Clap all weekend. The snow storm yesterday/last night really helped me focus. Here's the latest, I'm up to row 8 of repeat number 4 of section 2. I think I may actually be able to do this. The purl rows are tough (100 stitches straight all purl!), but the knit rows flow nicely. Can't wait to begin section 3!

We got about 8 inches of snow last night. In this area, it's enough to paralyze everything. The streets look pretty clear, but they are already announcing school closings for tomorrow. I could really use a snow day for so many reasons... Clapotis being one of them. Here's another pic of the snow on our balcony.

The scarf that never ends

I've reached the conclusion that I won't finish the ball of yarn I'm working on for DH's scarf by tomorrow. Maybe I can get a few minutes in the car on the way to the office (don't worry - we carpool, I won't be driving) and another couple at lunch, but unless I don't go in tomorrow I'll have surplus of yarn to hours. I guess it's a good thing DH has accepted that he probably won't have this scarf this winter.

Tomorrow is the Olympics. Good luck to all athletes and knitters!

Pre-Game Jitters

I like to think I've been keeping my cool with the whole Knitting Olympics (probably DH would disagree, as it's been all I can talk about since the Harlot invented it). I put a lot of effort into selecting a challenging enough (but not too challenging) pattern, gathering materials, even reading the whole pattern through to avoid any surprises. But now I'm wondering if this is enough.

I wasn't planning on swatching; I have a bad habit of not doing it, and I figured that with Clapotis I'd have to get too far into the pattern. Now I'm having second thoughts. With only 16 days I don't have time for mistakes or confusion. Other bloggers have written about physical preparations and time trials to see how fast they can knit. Am I the only one taking this (relatively) lightly?

Well... here I go swatch... wish me luck. Let the games (almost) begin.

Inch by Inch, Row by Row

In a previous life I taught Hebrew School. Every year for the holiday of Tu B'Shevat, the new year of the trees, we would have the kids sing a song with the refrain "Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow." According to a google search the song is The Garden Song, and is attributed to either Arlo Guthrie or John Denver, obviously not as a Tu B'Shevat song.

I mention this for two reasons: 1. since it is February my spidey (or should that be Princessey? or yarney?) senses tell me Tu B'Shevat must be soon. It is - February 12. (Make a note to buy some carob chips and trail mix next weekend) And, reason 2. I've been working on this scarf for DH for a month now. The song describes how my WIP is going - inch by inch, row by row.

The pattern is the Unisex Scarf from the September 05 Creative Knitting, made in Peru DK Luxury. It's a lovely pattern and masculine enough for the Prince. But alas, our Princess is fickle and her project ADHD is setting in. I've secured the Princes' consent to work intermittently on this, but I honestly just wish the Knitting Elves would come in the middle of the night and knit it for me! I've also unofficially resolved to finish all my projects this year.

The pattern is a diagonal rib which has a really cool effect, but it means that every row is a variation on 2x2 rib. Every two stitches I have to purl (ok, considering my selection for the Knitting Olympics this is probably a good thing, less to trip me up with a time constraint, but it's still a pain in the @$$).

I've set a goal with myself to finish the ball I'm currently working on by Friday(trust me, it's not a lot of yarn). I want to go into the Olympics with a clean conscious.

Welcome to the Kingdom!

As resident Princess, I welcome all to the kingdom of Knitting! I've been thinking about a blog for a while, as I need an outlet for my fiber addiction besides my DH (aka, the Prince). I have a ton of WIP's, and way too many planned items for the future. While I'm pretty new to the whole knitting thing (it'll be a year next month), no other hobby has struck with such ferocity that I wish to cease all activity except for it.

As a dutiful Princess, I have joined the Harlot and am participating in the Knitting Olympics. Totally crazy, since I have to work 9 of the 16 days, but then the Princess has never been known to play with a full deck. I'm knitting the Clapotis from Knitty in Shine from Knit Picks. Let me know in the comments if you're a fellow Olympian!