During the Ravelympics I kept a journal (of sorts) for each of my teams and the corresponding projects.  Since the Ravelympics are over for this year, and to consolidate the theme, I have moved the content of the individual pages to this main page.

Team Big Damn Heroes

The project – Jayne Hat/Frog It Shawl.

The team – Big Damn Heroes.

The event – Hat Halfpipe/Aerial Unwind.

2/20/2010 continued

The Jayne Hat Is Done!  Has to be a record.  Started crocheting it at about 6 p.m. and finished around 10:30 p.m.  It was very easy pattern so can’t take credit for having wicked fast crochet skills.  In fact, it is done in SC which is my slowest and least favorite stitch, so even more amazing that I was able to finish it so quickly.

“And what does that make us?”

“Big Damn Heroes, sir.”

2/20/2010

Finished the Frog It Shawl on Thursday.  It wasn’t the most challenging of my projects for the Ravelympics but it certainly has been the one waiting the longest to be finished.  Next up will be the Jayne Hat.  That won’t be so easy!

2/10/2010

For the Big Damn Heroes team I am making a Jayne Hat and also frogging a shawl I started a few years back.

The hat is from a popular episode of the short-lived but much-loved Firefly TV series.  The colors I’ve chosen aren’t exact however they suit me and they are what I could find in the time alloted and the price was right.  I am using the Knitting Ninja pattern which is on Ravelry here.

My second project is to frog the big red and grey blob you see in the photos below.  It was going to be a shawl.  Don’t know what I was thinking because it’s the size of an afghan.  Part of the size issue is the way it was knit.  I had just picked up the sticks again and was re-learning the craft.  I was also displeased with the way I learned (throwing method) and was trying to teach myself to knit in the Portuguese method.  Hence, the tension is all over the place.  Needless to say, a good frogging will reclaim all that yarn, about 3 skeins worth, I’m guessing, and I can start all over again on a new project.  Quite possibly this pattern, but that’s for another time.

I will probably start the Ravelympics with the frogging project simply because I want to watch the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics and I’ll not want to do complicated stuff while my attention is divided.

Team Athena

The project – Hats, hats, and more hats.  One scarf.  And more.

The team – Team Athena.

The event -Charity Curling/Hat Halfpipe (5)/Scarf Super G (.5)/Single Skein Speed Skate (3)/Felting Freestyle(1)/Platter Lift(1)/Designer Biathlon(.75)

2/28/2010

The Ravelympics are closed and the finish lines are filling up with projects.  I decided on one more item, a felted eyeglass case, and that was the last of my projects.  The grand total is something like 5 hats, 1 eyeglass case, 1 bag, 1 afghan, part of a scarf, lots of stash busting, almost a pattern, but that’s about it.  Time to start strategizing for next time!  Until then…

2/25/2010

Finished the hat from h*** yesterday and now am working on another…hat, that is.  If this one proves to be from the netherworld I’m burning all my yarn.  JK!

Am debating whether to enter any more items in the Ravelympics.  After all, there are events I haven’t made a project for. Of course, there are events I can’t enter a project for, like machine knitting, dyeing, designing (decided not to go there at this time), socks (been there, never finished that), beading (no, h***, no), spinning, weaving, lace (would a doily count?), and colorwork events.

I could conceivably make a sweater or shawl if, I suddenly found myself with super powers.  However, not really banking on that, so figure if I’m going to do another event it is either going to be a scarf, a toy, something felted, or I could brave the FO closet and find a WIP to finish.  So many decisions and so little time!

2/23/2010

And another one.  This is the one I was going to enter in the Designer Biathlon.  Haven’t quite made up my mind but am leaning toward not publishing the pattern.  Notes have been taken and the pattern is almost completely written up but there are quite a few steps to go through and I don’t know if I have the time.  Anyway, here it is-the Tam Hat.

Also have worked up a swatch for a scarf.  I’m not going to make the whole thing though.  The chain link doesn’t make for a very warm scarf so it’s strictly decorative which I have no use for.  I’m not that in love with it either though I think the chain link effect is kind of nice.

2/20/2010

Started a new hat last night and finished this morning.  Back on track.  Of course, that doesn’t account for the last three days of working on 3 other hats that all ended up in the frog pile.  Such is life.  Here’s the latest.

2/16/2010

If at first you don’t succeed…frog and do something else.

The dreaded scarf in DBRA is history.  Frogged my last attempt back to the beginning and began a new project with it.  This time a shawl in crochet.  I know.  I said I didn’t like to crochet with it.  Well, it seems I don’t like to knit with it either so may as well stick with what I find easier and try to use it up that way.  If this doesn’t work out it can always go in the FSOT category.

So far I have one skein gone and about 12″ of  what I thought was going to be a shawl done but am not sure of the progress on this item.  The pattern is pretty enough, and I’ve been keeping notes so I can recreate it, but the yarn just doesn’t do it for me here either.  This is such a soft and smooshy yarn that you’d think it would feel good after it’s stitched up but it just seems to lose what life it has in the process.  Guess I’ll see what it’s like after it’s wetted down and blocked.  From the comments on Rav I’m expecting it to loosen up and relax a bit.  Guess we’ll see.

What there is so far:

2/15/2010

This scarf is killing me.  I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t like the DBRA worked in anything other than stockinette.  I’ve tried it on several sizes of needles with varying results but in the end, when the pattern stitch is worked, they all look like crap.  The yarn has a lot of stretch to it and is smooshy (for lack of a better word) and the stitches just don’t keep their detail.

So, on to another yarn.  This one is stitching up nicely but now I have to decide on increases and decreases and balancing my choices.  For all the swatching I did before hand there is still a lot of testing to be done.

2/14/2010 ETA

So. How about another yarn?  Better?

2/14/2010

Happy Valentine’s Day.  My husband brought me flowers and did the grocery shopping.  Gotta love him.

Ravelympic update-not having a great day.  The yarn I chose for the scarf/hat combo (Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran) is not going to be a love.  I think it would be nice for the scarf I originally bought it for but for my project it just ain’t got it.  The stitch I made for this pattern is kind of a dud worked up in this yarn and the stitch is what the project’s all about.  Otherwise I may as well have used someone else’s pattern!

Here’s the difference:

Stitch in cotton:Stitch in DBRA:

What do you think?

2/13/2010

First finished object (FO) – Red, White, and Blue Hat

Worked on it all day.  It’s made from Hobby Lobby I Love this Yarn and Red Heart Super Saver yarn.   Simple freeform half-double crochet (HDC) pattern on a G hook.

2/11/2010

Already there are changes!  Had to alter my plans for one of my other teams. The yarn I’d planned to use is better suited for knitting so I am moving the project into this group from Team Crochet.

Adding scarf/hat combo made with Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran and Plymouth Yarn Gabrielle.

I will attempt to create a hat and scarf set plus write up the pattern and publish it on Ravelry.  This is, and isn’t, a tall order.  First, I can bang out simple hats and scarves quickly, a feat most knitters, even beginners, can perform.  The not so easy part is going to be making it up as I go along.  Now I do this all the time with crochet, so that part isn’t new, it just isn’t always that easy.  What is new is keeping notes while I’m going it.  Good notes.  You know, the kind you can read a month later and actually know what you were talking about.  I can be incredibly organized but I can also be quite the ditz so this should be interesting.  That’s the tall order, along with writing a pattern that others can read and use!

2/10/2010

Team Athena, a group of South Dakotans knitting for charity, has been organized by the Sioux Falls yarn shop, Athena Fibers.  Our goal is to stitch hats for charity.  Our events are Charity Curling and the Hat Halfpipe.  I think some of my projects will also qualify for the Single Skein Speed Skate (aka one skein projects).

My personal goals are simple.  Make as many hats as possible but at least 7.  I’m using Red Heart and Hobby Lobby yarns and going for a patriotic red, white, and blue theme.  My charity is The Ships Project.  If I meet my initial goal, I will probably make a few extra hats, time allowing, for local charities.

Team Crochet

Team Flaming Hooks