by carmen | Aug 15, 2008 | Uncategorized
I may have to call an end to my Knitting Olympics as my laundry list of things to be done piling up. My tree hat is taking much longer than I remember it taking in the past, and this is only one of my web orders. I also have some tea to mail and an order to ship.
Top that off with heading out tonight with Pearl and John to Whistler for the weekend. Don’t get me wrong. I missed being at the market for two weeks, but I find the set up and the planning monumental. I just don’t go to the market and toss up the tent and my stuff on the table.
The set up is actually based on that week’s inventory, weather, season and which vehicle is going –grid wall challenges. So today I have to spend a good amount of time deciding what gets put into a van tonight, as well as a weekend’s worth of clothing, knitting to finish, linens, snacks, making sure the cats are taken care of ….you name it.
Oh and finding the charger for my sexy brand new wireless visa machine. Oh and flowers to crochet and yarns to ply. I think I am going to lay down and have a small seizure now. Pearl, I don’t think you’ll see me in the store for several hours, if possibly not at all….I didn’t realize how much I had to do today…Friday is the day I usually go to work with Pearl so I can be surrounded by yarn. That may not help me today.
Finish the tree, finish the tree!!!!
UPDATE—-The tree is done…Off to the post office.
by carmen | Aug 14, 2008 | Uncategorized
After a wild ride and the elation of giving myself gold, how do you settle for a bronze? Mike and I haven’t gotten together in ages, so I piled all my knitting into a bag and headed for the beach…
Yes, this is what the inside of my knitting bag looks like. There is a drop spindle, buttons, labels and about 6 pairs of needles also in this chaos. I considered the beach knitting an homage to add the great beach volleyball players currently working towards medal standings. Kidding, again, not considering that an Olympic sport any more than my knitting really is.
And while only achieving a bronze due to having fun and hanging out….I am proud of the work put out there.
A hat from my own hand spun stash….
A cherry blossom scarf finished, the weaving in of ends alone was deserving…..
Two fall hand spuns. Time to start introducing the greens and rusts back into the fold.
And for my own non competition round…continuing on my free form scarf. Which Habib is enjoying hiding under…
I am at least going for silver today…..Well rested ample ambition and inspired by the absolutely wonderful performances of our men’s gymnastic guys yesterday. Really strong performances, great outfits, but just not quite enough………Baseball however—–we rock—-seriously 10-0 game….Go Canada!
by carmen | Aug 13, 2008 | Uncategorized
and I made it! No falling on my back, no short 1/100th of a second. It was clear sailing to the finish line. I feel giddy, sleep deprived and insanely delighted. WOWZer.
Like all Olympic hopefuls, it’s all about the training.
- you have to warm up (raise crochet needles in both hands and wave them like conductor with baton.
- you have to practice every day
- you have to be committed
- you have to have a good coach (thanks Pearl)
- drink lots of water (thanks John)
- you have to see in your mind’s eye the end result
- you have to WANT IT BAD
Yesterday I completed
2 neck wraps
5 felts, 2 kids hats
3 hand spun
Top of the podium and I’ll take my gold, thank you very much. Unfortunately, I had to knit, spin and felt from 7am to 5am this morning. Was it worth it? You bet your ass it was. And since I’m probably only going to get gold once in this competition—I am going to enjoy it (and then possibly have a nap).
Here are pics of some of the FO’s.
A Web Order
More embellishment
Child’s Play
I am slowly working on a new design that I am absolutely in love with. Incorporating my hand spun camel and silk blend, Handmaiden sock merino and baby alpaca. So much massaging my hands that it should be illegal.
Today I will have to focus on children’s hats, which means I most likely will not get a medal. Sometimes you have to sacrifice for the team.
by carmen | Aug 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
Yesterday I cheered, I knit, I spun, I did all the things you should do to meet fine Olympic standing. I was so pleased with myself and then went to photo the spoils of the day and realized that I had no scarves.
None, zero, it was like “hey, I’m sure I must have done them, I’m so on my game” and then more like….oh shit, I see lots of spinning here. There is no A for effort in the Olympics folks, the podium is only meant for the best, and yesterday I would only be able to watch from the sidelines.
Hats that happened but not enough.
On a more cheerful note, Toni came over and I would like to give her an honourary GOLD for her shawl project in the new Noro yarn. It is delightful. On track, on point and sticking with the plan today, after I finish my felting and my web orders…
The Canadian rowing teams are awesome. Please give us some medals. You do your part and I’ll do mine…Thanks
by carmen | Aug 11, 2008 | Uncategorized
Playing catchup, staying at the studio and trying to finish web orders. Also, my compulsive need to watch all events –with the exception of the beach volleyball…I’m sorry but I really have a hard time seeing this as an Olympic caliber event.
Yesterday’s focus was on spinning because of all of the goodies I picked up at the fibre festival. Here we go…delish..
One ply – 100% suri alpaca
2nd ply – 50% alpaca, 30% silk top, 20% merino
I can’t even describe how this spun up. I am in love and would have gladly given up a medal to spend the night with this roving….
170 grams
slight thick to thin spin
90 yards.
I held back on my two ounces of camel silk and spun an alpaca merino fleece artist roving. Nice, but after the suri and silk….you know, not as exciting…but I am down to no rovings, fleece scraps nothing left to spin….And that’s when the door bell rang.
Canada Post on a Sunday……..and eight pounds of fleece for me.
Pansies
Let’s just say I’m no longer worried about the yarn portion of my floor exercise program.
A free form hat comes to fruition while watching the United States gymnastics team qualifier.
A very subtle design, unlike the U.S. leotards. Primarily in peruvian wool with a bit of handspun thrown in. I was really having a beige day.
And finally two more neck wraps
Six, count them 6 cozy neck wraps!!!
Total stats for the day
2 Neck wraps
3 hand spun 410 grams
1 free form hat
Medal – Silver
All that hard work and still only a silver. I think the Russian judge in me is being a little harsh.
by carmen | Aug 10, 2008 | Uncategorized
Day two of my personal Olympics went extremely well. And how could it not? I was surrounded by fibre at the Surrey Museum PicKnit. I was also surrounded by alpacas, purchased their fleece and stepped in their poop. All in all a perfect day.
Birkeland Bros. set up a booth along with many other yarn shops and my designer friend Holli. Here are a few pics…
A display of Peruvia—-knit with this wool!
Pearl manning the booth.
Holli inside with her wonderful kits. She is in Vogue Knitting this month.
Pearl teaches and demos…
Check out my new best friends
And this is why he’s bald…. I have 3 ounces of my little suri friend.
And now for the Olympic stats
Hats 1
Neck Wraps 2
Hand spun 2 – 200 grams
135 grams
70 yards
hand dyed BFL from Fleece Artist in “stone” plied with natural merino.
so soft and sexy.
Completed neck wrap in hand spun natural merino…
So tally me up with another silver! Now come on Canada…..let’s see some medals on the score board!
