Ravelympics fever!

I am half way through my Ravelympics event, having completed the first Afghan in my two part Afghan Marathon. Whew. It was not easy either!

Name: Vangie's Blanket
Pattern: Oma'a Lace by Judy Gibson
Yarn: Farmhouse Yarns Autumn Spun in Burgundy, 2 skeins
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony, size 10
Notes: This blanket is based on a circular Shawl pattern that I found on Ravelry. It is really easy - mostly feather and fan- a trait highly desirable in Olympic knitting. Not because it is fast, but because it is tv watching knitting. As to my usual form, I had to keep tinking back. I always mess up the uber-easy patterns. The hard stuff is a piece of cake, but give me feather and fan, and I rip and rip and rip and rip.....

I like that this blanket isn't fussy. It's straight forward, but yet somehow a little elegant. I didn't do all the repeats of F & F called for in the pattern. I would have a carpet instead of a blanket. I stopped after section 4. (The pattern goes to section 9.) Since originally this pattern was a shawl, this makes sense, but was going to be way bigger than I wanted. I knew from all of my training in circular blankets, that I wanted to use about 2 skeins of Farmhouse Autumn spun to get a good size blanket. Usually, this comes out to around 100 rows. I ended with 92.

The blanket is about 5 feet in diameter, perfect for a lap blanket, and the Farmhouse Yarns Autumn Spun is super cozy, since it is wool, silk, and cotton. A little really goes a long way towards staying warm.

I really like this blanket, and while it is not the most intricate one I've done, I love the color, and I'm sure the recipient, Vangie, will too. With that, I get to cross off another Summer Knitting Goal, and half a Ravelympic goal. Now, I have to stretch and get ready for my second Ravelympics Marathon!!

off to a good start

I am an Olympics junkie. I really am. I love them. It really doesn't matter what sport is on tv, I am watching it. Now. I am really not a sporty girl. (Like, at all.) I played my fair share of sports in High School, and I try to maintain a basic fitness routine involving the elliptical machine and weight machines, but, athletic, I am not. In fact, if you were to think of an adjective that describes me, athletic would not be in the top ten of most people's list. That is OK though, because for 2 weeks every two years I get to be at the biggest athletic competition in the world. I get totally sucked into the "behind the scenes" stories, and the rivalry drama. Sometimes the action is so tense, and the competition so close, that I can't help but to scream at the TV! (Did you see the swimming final last night for the Men's 400 Meter Freestyle? Holy Hell. That was good. Not to mention, Phelps is a cutie.)
And, I do it all while knitting. Now, I'd be knitting anyway, but just to add some pressure to the Olympics, I've joined the "Ravelymipcs" as a Ravelete in the Afghan Marathon. Running I don't do, but knitting two entire Afghans in two weeks? Count me in. Last Friday I cast on for the first part of my event. I feel like the first one is the Qualifier, since it is the easier of the two. My qualifier is about half finished, and moving ahead nicely. I feel I am keeping a good pace, not too fast - don't want to burn myself out - and not to slow - don't want to fall behind. I am nearing a rough section of the event though, since I have to actually work, and cannot just knit all day like I did this past weekend. Don't worry though, I have a good downhill section to look forward to, and should pick up speed then!

Back to the grind! Good luck to the other Raveletes! (and to the actual Olympians. You know the ones that are athletic. Not me.)