That is a beautiful sleeve! Sounds like you had a great time in spite of missing the opening ceremonies. Would it help if I told you I ended up casting on a full 24 hours late?

Oh- and the lace weight- I am in awe.

What, no comments yet? Everybody must be busy knitting! Anyway, I'm doing pretty good for someone who hasn't had enough time to knit the last few days. I have been watching some of the Olympics while I work on the leaf lace shawl though. If there are others doing this pattern, beware there is a mistake in Row 29. The asterisk should be directly after the first k2, just like in every other row. It took me 4 tries to figure out that it wasn't me! I bought my pattern over a year ago so if you bought it more recently it may be corrected already. Best of luck!

Oh, you'll finish! I've seen how fast you knit, live and in person here in NYC. I have no worries about you getting the gold. Sleeve is lovely btw. You look like you had a wonderful and fiber-pack experience! I'm knitting full speed for Team Spider Lace!

Oh, and the lace weight yarn is beautiful!

You're in league with all the big time designers and knitters now, aren't ya? Go Steph!

Dear Stephanie: For the record it makes those of use who had the pleasure of meeting you this past weekend feel better for stalking you and make fools of ourselves when we tried to speak to you. You were kind and gracious, and well deserving of the title knitting goddess. And even better, I use the knowledge you gave me to fix a mistake in my KO project. Go Cable Team!

You crack me up, as always. I'm sure none of the knitters you stalked - excuse me, followed adoringly - minded in the least. After all, that's what all of us would do to you given the chance, so they probably just figured that the whole situation was the universe balancing itself. The sleeve looks wonderful, btw. Maybe someday I'll grow up to knit like you.

So, do you think we're nuts and should apologize when we follow you around adoringly at your book tour gigs? ("cuz if so, I'm going to need to write something down for tour #3)
I love the sleeve, and can't wait to see the whole thing done.My lil ol' sock is coming along nicely, but GEEZ, the days are whizzing by.
Looks like a fun party - I wish *I* were going to be in Toronto for the closing ceremonies!

It's funny to hear you talk about how you act around your knitting idols, when I'd probably act even stupider (yes, it's a word...well, it is now!) if I met you. Do you think you'll ever come to Cleveland, Ohio so I can make a fool of myself over you?!

I am in awe of your lace weight and your sleeve! Wanna know the best part about the Knitting Olympics? They can happen every TWO years. :D And I think it's safe to say you would not be the only one not getting a metal. But just participating is grand. :D

Hardangervidda looks like it's off to a great start! You'll medal, I know you will. I too know how fast you can knit. Just make sure to slow down if the wool starts to smoke...

The laceweight looks lovely. You think I can get a moment or two with Ms. MacKenzie McCuin? Would you put in a good word for me? Tell her I'll try not to babble at her too much.

Sounds like you had a great time. And don't feel too bad about missing the party. So did I. Onward with the sleeve!

The laceweight definitly deserves a velvet box. The sleeve is looking extremely nice, and I love the colors you're using.

P.S. You already have a gold medal, for heading this whole knitting olympics up.

Toni Neil posted to Jeanie Townsend's Yahoo group about hearing you talk. Wish I could have been there... I agree completely about Judith MacMc. She is a gem! Love the fiber alignment in your laceweight. What's the breed? Your next skein will have the correct amount of twist -- you could run this one through again and give it a tad of uptwist... Most of us spin for miles before creating something half as lovely as your maiden lace skein!

Hey Melissa you're right... every *two* years! :)

YOur sleeve looks GREAT love the colors.My knitting ---well No excuses BUT my sisters "cat from hell" got into the bag and took pleasure in taking the little bit I had done and making it into a ball of KNOTS.Not to worry I'm starting again after 1/2 hour with two of us unwinding the "bowl of spagetti" Thank God it was only one color. GO team CAnada GO

I'm finding that traveling AND keeping up with my Olympic Knitting is tougher than I thought it would be. You are doing better than I am; I'm sure you'll get a medal. Since you even had to speak in front of a group and spin lovely laceweight & I'm just visiting my brother, I'm qualified to say, "No sweat. You'll pull it out in the finals."

Seems we Knitlympic competitors can have the same resetting of expectations about our projects as the Gymnastic Olympic competitors have been having.

Your sleeve looks great, even though you had other places to be and other things to do. I've also seen you knit in person and I'm confident you'll catch up.

Now, that lace weight? Wow. Can you teach others how to do that?

Good Luck!

Hi Steph. What size needles are you using? That gauge looks pretty fine.

That sleeve looks darn good. I am laughing about your getting "caught" -- the only thing that's making it possible to do things like blog and go to work is that my hands aren't strong enough to knit all day. Who knew that knitting for 6+ hours on circulars could cause cramps?

If you need a little kick in the pants near the end, you could always pretend you are knitting for Chirstmas. You know what crazy drive that gives you when the time is near. But I don't think that will be called for. I have every confidence you will pull it off.
I am just hoping to get close to a finish. Although I really want to be completely done.
:)

Ohhhhh, looky at that laceweight. Well done!

I saw Jessica's post about getting busted. Nice job pretending to be thinking lace. I expect that with Nancy around it wasn't too hard to look interested.

It sounds like a grand time, and I too was jealous of the Toronto opening ceremonies celebration, though I'm more used to watching the fun from afar. I suppose I shouldn't complain, living as I do in fiber fest heaven. Shutting up now...

What beautiful lace weight yarn! It just makes me want to knit something flowing. The sleeve is also great! Keep on knitting!

I'm way too clumsy to spin anything let alone laceweight! I'm busily knitting for Team Canada on my Pomatomus socks. Go Team, Go!

I'm so jealous of you. Judith used to be a regular instructor at our local weaving/spinning guild and yes, she is an amazing person. Unfortunately it has been years since I used my spinning wheel and a refresher course with Judith would be great. I'm planning to dust the wheel off so that I can bring it upstairs though.
On the Olympic knitting front: I don't think you'll be the only one not finishing on time. I'm still working on Eris' collar.

I loved the Spinning & Knitting Estonian Lace with Judith and Nancy. I took with them at SOAR 2003. Judith improved my lace spinning hugely (and I was a lace knitter and spinner before this class). Judith makes everyone's spinning improve. I too worship at the alter of Judith's spinning knowledge. And Nancy's love of the history and people of Estonia carries over too. I cheered when the Estonian woman won the first gold medal ever won by an Estonian woman this past Sunday, purely based on my knowledge of Estonia that was imparted by Nancy in this class. And nupps rock!! But don't worry too much about goofing off in class - Marcy (yeah, that Marcy!), Theresa (of the At the Still Point of the Turning World fame) and I were hopelessly silly in this class. However, we did spin and knit Estonian lace, so.....

On row 5 (or is it 6) of the cable of the first sock!! But I'm getting the hang of it, and will persevere in true Olympic spirit.

I second Carrie: I cannot apologize for following you around, trying to get my picture taken with you, giving signed copies of your books to all the knitters I know, and referring to myself as a Harlotista, because then I would have to promise with some degree of sincerity not to do it again ha ha ha ha ha HA.

I just started my sweater, which let us note is quite a simple baby sweater, for the second time, in a different color. Let's just say I was having gauge issues.

I was killing time at the (Seattle Public) library, silly me, I thought it would be a quick trip when my daughter said she needed a book, and I didn't take my knitting. I started searching for knitting books and found your Bookbookbook 2, all five copies are checked out and there is a waiting list of twelve. Yay! Maybe they will get tired of waiting and buy the book. ;-) I noticed the sidebar was a search by subject and one of the subjects was "Knitting - Humor", no kidding, I clicked on it and, alas, there is only one book. I guess you own that subject.

Thank you for coming to the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and hearing you, laughing beyond tears. I brought my daughter and a cousin along. The daughter doesn't knit (yet), maybe I can get her into it for the humor. The cousin lived in Canada for several years and would give my an elbow every time you refered to a particularly Canadian trait. As we left, my fifteen-year-old non-knitting daughter said, "Canadians are so cool." So you have that going for you.

That's pretty gutsy, casting on during class. There should be a medal for guts.

Could there be a medal for frogging and re-frogging your project?

Sign me "falling behind but not giving up!"

Pretty. Ranger Susie likes the green sleeve.

I will now go back to working on my pink and purple sock. And coveting your ability to spin laceweight.

Steph, it looks like you're doing fine on your Olympics project and, like your other fans, I'll bet you finish well ahead of closing ceremonies.
My mittens are coming along and learning lots even though I know I'm making mistakes. If you care to check the progress, here's my blog address http://cs.gazetteonline.com/blogs/in_stitches/default.aspx

The sleeve is gorgeous! I really like that deep green, and the colorwork is cool. And look - me commenting still. :) Hang in there!

Glad you're back! You will undoubtedly finish your sweater - because you are 1) hard working 2) a fast knitter and 3) kind of crazy enough to deprive yourself of sleep etc.. for your knitting. See, no problem!

The Hard-Danger sweater is looking great!! And the laceweight...it definitely deserves a velvet box on a shrine.

Absolutely No Fun Without You. Really. Any merriment you may have thought you'd heard or seen was entirely forced. Staged for your benefit to be honest, so you wouldn't feel bad about leaving us to our sad, boring, unfun selves for the start of the Olympics.

And I'm with those who bet you'll finish your sweater. Possibly not without inflicting physical or emotional harm to yourself or others in the process mind you... ;o)

Love the sweater sleeve colours - yummy. And the laceweight? delicious. Umm, yeah, it's lunchtime.
The Florence scarf is coming along - even with the frogging because I get too wrapped up in the other Olympians.
And the stalking/admiring? That's kinda what we do with you...

Steph, congratulations on the lace weight. It looks great! Judging by your danger sleeve the sweater will be beautiful, as well as finished by closing ceremonies.

Looks like you had a great time. Lace is fantastical. As for danger, we know you're just warming up!

fantastic laceweight--totally worth the "following around" bits.

as for your olympic knitting, would it help if i say it took me 3 hours of olympic television cheese-fest to cast on 51 sts and knit 8 rows of laceweight on size 2 needles? and that was WITHOUT and particular olympic handicap.

I told you that you would love Judith, isn't she wonderful and she could be teaching me math and I would be interested...I love to listen to her speak. Spinning, she is out of this world. I'm glad you got to meet and enjoy her. I'm kind of jealous.

Stephanie,

This is my first time posting a comment on your blog, but I just couldn't keep quiet any longer. I am wondering how you selected the colors for your Hardangervidda. They are colors I wouldn't have put together on my own, yet when I see how well they work together, I love them. Did you swatch? ...or wing it? ...or see something else somewhere?

Thank you so much for your very entertaining blog! And also, for helping a passionate knitter such as myself feel a little more "normal", whatever that is.....

Nah, I probably won't finish either being as how I'm only on the second of 31 repeats on my shawl. And I have been watching curling non-stop. Just not knitting at the same time - darned tax season. Alas, Canada just went down in flames to the Swedes. Why the bad draw in the 8th lads? Didn't you hear me (and the announcer) screaming NOOOOOO! No no - you just handed the Swedes that victory - I cry in my Molsons for ya.

Love the Team Canada jerseys. 8-) Knit on and if you are still there, tell Nancy Bush her Madli shawl rocks - even if it won't get done by the end of the Olympics.

Steph,

Glad to hear you liked Judith, she truly is amazing. She has been a favorite of mine for years. Your lace weight yarn is gorgeous. You are not behind in your sweater at all. If you saw my pitiful attempts at knitting lace you'd feel better about your sleeve. My shawl should really look 3 times the size it is. If I could only count all the sitiches I have taken out. In fact I have to admit I have cursed you a few times for ever coming up with this idea in the first place. I got over it. I keep thinking why did I pick lace. I should have known better but then I think, oh this is supposed to be a challenge. After last nights Olympic coverage I realize if the Chinese skater could get up after falling on her knees and continue her program and get a medal I can at least keep at this lace thing.

I didn't sign up for the Knitting Olympics because what I wanted to make as a challenge is not really all that challenging. But it's got proper cables, which I've never done, so I'm playing the home game.

Whenever I lose a DPN, it ends up being somewhere on my head. Tucked behind an ear, stuck in a ponytail...whatever. There are no exceptions.

You'd think I'd learn to check there first.

As the coordinator and originator of the Knitting Olympics, I say you win a gold medal, regardless.

I was just wondering whether you cast on a 2:00pm Tacoma time or Toronto time. If Tacoma time then I think you were late in starting because Tacoma is in another time zone.

I decided not to participate in the knitting olympics but seem to be confusing it with the real olympics anyway. I was watching the men's downhill skiing on the weekend and found myself cheering for the Latvian - Latvian mittens that is.

I am going to take the Chinese silver-medalist figure skating pair (Zhang and Zhang) as my models for spectacular Olympic recovery (did y'all SEE THAT on Monday night? poor woman smashed up her knee, finished the program, and won the freakin' silver medal). I started strong (one full pattern repeat during the opening ceremonies), but have crashed spectacularly since then. (Blasted "real" work.)

I am going to pick up my needles again this evening and get back on the ice! (Go, Team Wales!)

Given my own sketchy progress, should you not finish (which I doubt), you will certainly be in good non-medal company.

But you'll finish. This I believe.

I think I have carpe tunnel. Not carpal, as in bones, but carpe, as in "seize the knitting", followed by carpe clock as I holler, "It can't be this late already!" By the by, your laceweight rocks! Wanna trade for some silk?

Sleeve is looking good. Man, them's a lot of stitches...

If it's not too much, maybe in between Hardangerstitches, and after you've settled in and had some family and laundry time, could you update my project on the list? I was undecided for ever so long but shortly before Opening Ceremonies I decided to spin-dye-knit-a-scarf. Thanks ever so much and so sorry to make you look at the list again... :)

Ann, you too!? Yes, hurray (insert sarcasm here) for tax season. Don't worry Stephanie, wherever you finish, I'll be one place behind you. 'Cause I loyally cast on my Na Craga then got called to work. And work, and work (even during the Nor-easter!). Damn, I've only knit three inches on the back of the danged sweater. At this rate, I may be wearing it next season.

Sooo, does this mean we should all apologize in advance for stalking -- I mean, following closely behind -- you all next tour? And nice recovery to not get caught!

Oh dear Steph. You will not be all alone at the end standing there staring up at the podium, seeing all those gold medal finishers. I will be there beside you. You see, I frogged what little olympic knitting I managed to get done over the weekend. So far it has not been cast on again.

Your Danger looks great. I had to rip out mine when after laboriously checking my gauge more oftne then I ever had it turned out not only to short but also to tight for my husband. He thought my suggestion to have a few vertabrae removed and lose some weight was going overboard. So I ripped out 20 inches of the body and 1 sleeve.

I had planned on starting over as an olympic activity, but my size 2 dpns and my size 3 12" circs are missing since my night of frogging.

I wish you the best of luck in finishing your danger, and hope that I am eventually able to start again.

(Is it bad, that even though I have had a horrible time knitting this sweater I have already ordered yarn for St. Moritz and St. Anton? I love Dale sweaters)

Wonderful entry- I enjoyed reading about your adventures with the many knitting goddesses mentioned.

Thank you, Yarn Harlot, for letting me cut in front of you in the security line at SEA TAC. Your demeanor at 7:00am can be summed up in one word-Gracious. You're a doll!

Whew. I was kind of dreading this next post from you: "oh, here is my knitting all done up to the yoke." I knit and knit and the project seems to grow a bit (after I give up and go to sleep, it seems bigger in the morning) but the first ball of yarn is not getting any smaller (and there are three others to go). Rumpelstiltskin?

I took a course from Nancy Bush at Stitches Midwest last summer. She managed to be charming and enthusiastic even though she had food poisoning and kept having to dash out of the room every ten minutes or so! Now that is an athlete.

Poor Jessica looks like she's about to cry! I hope her KO project is going a bit smoother now.

Your laceweight is beautiful!

There must have been a very positive rush of energy with the start of the knitting Olympics that propelled me into reaching my goal quickly. I've tried continental knitting before with no success. Amazingly, by Friday night I was knitting round after round with two colors and my hands didn't hurt and the stitches looked nice. Thanks everyone!

The sleeve looks great! And I've decided, since I myself am far, far off pace to finish my sweater by the 26th, that it is really *quality* and not quantity that matters in Olympic Knitting.

Speaking of which, is it too late to change my entry from the entire cardigan to just the back and the two fronts? Just askin'.

Keep the torch burning!

not being a spinner i didnt know laceweight was hard to spin.

however it does look scrumptious.
and i would knit something with it.

the sleeve looks wonderful.

dont worry along with my dog getting skunked and me being sick i was unable to cast on at 2p on friday so i am about 8 hours behind everyone else.

so you may not be the only one to finish:)

I'm in good company, then, being "off the pace" -- but I did spend valuable knitting time this morning starting a blog to record my "pace". It's http://pamsknitting.blogspot.com/ - come check my progress.

That lace weight is just incredible, and the sleeve looks great too! Nancy Bush and Sally Melville in the same room? That's a bit much to take.

Glad you're managing to multi-task the Olympic knitting and everything else you've got going on. You are a marvel.

Sounds as if you had a wonderful time at Madrona. The whimpering you hear in the background is my envy of those who were able to attend the retreat.

Your sleeve is lovely, and with your knitting speed and capacity for "IT" you should finish up right on time.

I also cast on a full 24 hours late, and I had not fully worked out my pattern yet.

This is just great that so many are picking up needles. I am working furiously on a lap afghan, really committed to getting finished (this is my challenge-to finish a project by the end of the closing ceremonies). So dedicated that I actually skipped church on Friday evening to watch the opening and cast on. I think my husband thinks I am a little loopy. Keep knitting everyone! Best from here in the states! Thanks Stephanie-

Time Mag has a blurb about the Knitting Olympics on page 17!!!!! Congrads to all you Olympians!!
Knit On.

Bluejinx

If anyone has to worry about 'stalking' someone at Madrona, I'm sure I was stalking you... My mother and I really enjoyed meeting you. Oh, and we're both keeping our eyes open for those double-ended crochet hooks!

Time?!? No way! That's awesome! Steph, your sleeve looks phenomenal. Wish my fair isle was that beautimous. Just wanted to share an anecdote. I was picking my daughter up from her sitter Friday night after my knitting group meeting and the sitter's husband said "you know there's a Knitting Olympics?" Apparently he'd heard you talking on NPR and he thought I was pretty cool for already being signed up. :)

Steph, I am only knitting SOCKS and I am not even finished the cuff on the first one, so your sleeve is looking like great progress to me!
Mmm, laceweight. Must wprk out how to spin laceweight. One Crazy Fiber lady has been showing off her laceweight too....

I didn't realize you were taking a class with Judith, too, or I'd have asked you to send her a hug from me! Incidentally, I've already put in the request to be adopted by her, so get in line! I took The Great Sock Caper with JMM and Nancy Bush at SOAR, and then took plying with Judith the next day...she is my goddess.

I won't be medalling, either. I'm WAY behind!

I am so ashamed to say that I have made little progress with the move and all that. I am going to work harder tonight and tomorrow. I think that if I knit for 6 hours straight each day, I can catch up. I just hope that my Valentine won't mind too much.

What gorgeous colours, you almost make me want to risk trying colouwork next! That sleeve is wonderful.

I casted on about 3 days late for the olympics, and I now realize that I have no idea what I am doing.

My poor competitive skills (especially with myself), and my inability to get back up after a fall make me realize why I was never an actual olympic athlete.

The sleeve looks beautiful. Good luck with the project and keep on trucking!

Apology accepted. I made sure to sit in the very back row of Nancy's Sunday class. ;)
I had such a blast this weekend. Thanks.

You couldn't possibly be the only one who doesn't get a medal in any case, since my bootikins are only an ankle at this point and I'm about ready to throw the whole mess in a lake and call it well done. You've knit a sleeve that is already more than my whole project put together! :-)

Did you meet Cat Bordhi?

That sleeve is beautifully intimidating. Every row I knit of this %$#@#! lace pattern comes out wrong with a different number of stitches. I can't understand it - I have knit lace before, but this...but if those chinese kids can pick themselves off the ice and skate to a medal I guess I can keep going. I have no hopes of finishing - I'll settle for one perfect 24-row pattern repeat! Good luck knitletes the world over!

thank you for adding to such a wonderful fiber retreat. btw, I have come to the conclusion that admiring you for yourself is much better than worshipping the ground you walk on. (although that was nice too). oh, and the sleeve looks lovely.

Stephanie, have no fear. I have but a lowly lace sock to complete, and as of yet, I have not cast on. This stupid grad class project is kicking my butt and stealing all my knitting time. You are not the only one that risks not getting a metal. It doesn't help that my swatching was flawed, and I don't know what to do about it.

That sleeve is beautiful! One day I shall knit the Hardangervidda. In the mean time I will stick to my felted purses! Good luck!

P.S. You are probably further along than I am.

You will finish! Love the laceweight. I will not finish because even though I am a cheater and decided to finish a WIP I am only making progress of about 3 rows a day due to new puppies, 2 year olds, sleep deprivation...I may need to drop out like a certain skater.

The sleeve looks great, and Stephanie? You're inspiring anyway!!

While it would be amusingly ironic if you didn't finish your KO project (but in a good way, of course), we all know you will achieve Olympic glory. You perform amazing feats of knitterly magic so it'll happen.

at least you haven't had to frog your entire project ;)

what are you going to make with the laceweight? or is it to spend eternity as eye-candy?

Hey Steph, your sleeve is gorgeous. I'm sure you'll finish in time. Who needs sleep, right? The laceweight is pretty. Is there a shawl coming in the future? Just so you know, I stalked you for 25 minutes at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival last May before I got enough nerve to ask you to sign my book. My husband thought I was nuts. Thanks for the constant inspiration and humor.

After 2 false starts, I'm now on my 2nd row of bobbilicious bobbles. (It's a lot harder than it looks!) I'm hoping I'm not going to have to DQ and join the Kwan-lympics. I don't know if I could find a 17 year old replacement on such short notice!!

so... are there any rules in the olympics about switching projects?

Hi Steph,
I wonder if everyone else has the crazy mental picture of the Tacoma/Madrona parade, headed by either Judith M.M. or Nancy Bush, followed by you, followed by every other knitter at the retreat, stalking you, stalking them.
If you put down your knitting long enough, you might tell them about being stalked in the washroom.
Loved meeting you. You're better than your blog, and it's the greatest!

Steph!!! You definitely get the gold. Just think, you have over 4000 knitters following your lead. Peering over your shoulder and following you around!

As for me . . . frogged 5 times before I got sequence of lace correct on my scarf. But hey I made the team!

Hey, lots of things can happen that prevent obtaining the gold. Its in striving for the "Faster, Higher, Stronger" that you find out what you actually *can* accomplish. Look at Kelly Clark, US womens snowboarding half-pipe 2002 Olympic gold medalist - no medal this year due to a sitdown on her final run, but she single-handedly is blurring the differences between between men and women's half-pipe with her strength and determination. No other woman from any country had her power and height, but is she any less of a person/athlete because of that? No!
Don't any of you give up because you are discouraged that you won't or might not finish. You might not knit faster, you might fail at elevating your knitting skills but we all can grow Stronger by finding the inner strength to stick with a project we started/committed to/dreamed of. Deal with the setbacks, the frogging, having to scale back and change projects due to yarn problems or injury. Very few of us are going to finish and earn a Knitting Olympic Gold Medal. But all of us can earn a personal best, a personal gold, by continuing to be part of this amazing, wonderful cosmic gathering of knitterly karma - can't you almost feel us move the earth?

BTW, no way in %^#@ I'm gonna finish my project, just in case you were wondering.. ;-)

Oh, I have no doubt you'll finish on time. That is, if you don't get distracted and starting getting love letters from other yarn. But, no, that would never happen.... ;)

Go Steph! Still lots of time to knit. Heck, even the Italian women's hockey team got a goal today so anything is possible. (I love that team -- such heart) and I loved the Canadian women's team who apologized for the number of goals they scored against them because they need point totals in case of playoffs. So Canadian.

Love the Harderwhatever yarn. I'm doing a piece which I'm calling my Olympics though I missed the deadline for signup. (Being a teacher, I have to live by what I preach!)

Knit on!!

Just read the comment about every two years for the Knitting Olympics. (Maybe not for the sake of the list compilers.) But, if it was the summer Olympics.. would I have to knit... I hate to even say it (personal aversion)... cotton??

the sleeve is to die for...I might eventually get to that stage of knittingdom but I doubt it.
I am LOVING the olympics, the knitting olympics that is. My family is very respectful of all the time I must devote to my sport and are cautious about disturbing me while I am in the olympic village( LR on couch next to Ott lite)

Having taken classes from both Sally and Nancy, I can vouch for their genuine niceness. My thrummed socks got cast on at 2 p.m. PST in California. I closed my office door and just did it. But then they got frogged during the opening ceremonies because, despite having swatched, the socks were for a giant. So I cast on again during the opening ceremonies. I finally have mastered making the thrums. So, maybe the toe will get made during the Valentine's Day school band concert tonight. Or maybe not. But I have to get the second sock on the needles before Stitches, otherwise I will be toast. Fleece Artist yarn is so gorgeous. Thanks, Stephanie, for going on and on about it.

Wonderful meeting you at Madrona! Wished that the Rescue Round table had lasted much longer... even if it did cut into Olympic Knitting time. I got brave and cast on a small swatch upon returning home and tried out a few of your techniques. I know that they will be forever useful. Looking forward to stalking... er meeting you again when you are in this area.
Happy knitting
Lana

Intarsia is exactly the challenge that I thought it would be, but my Wildflower sweater is coming along just great! This is so exciting! My support team deserve a medal too, it's all "what can we do for you so that you can knit?" And the best part of all -- they are showing curling on TV even here in the U.S.!!!

Don't worry Steph, others are behind schedule too. I won't go into detail, but let me say that IBS can really slow down your knitting progress. Ow. Ow. Ow.

To everyone who's knitting merrily along, I raise my heating pad to you in salute. Y'all rock.

So glad to hear that you gush over teachers. I make an absolute idiot of myself every year at The Wool Connection's Knitter's Weekend in Avon, CT. I see Nora Gaughan, Melissa Leapman, and a few others, and I'm a mumbling fool!
The sleeve is gorgeous BTW.

Why oh why are you so prolific? While you are spinning, making lace, making progress on your olympic entry, others of us are frogging, running out of yarn, and having other problems similar to those of the US teams in general!! Keep up the good work, you are a model for us all!

Your description of "getting caught" knitting in class was great. All I can think is thank goodness I didn't learn how to knit until after college and grad school - I never would have taken notes or gotten anything done, and likely would have been caught redhanded!

Your description of "getting caught" knitting in class was great. All I can think is thank goodness I didn't learn how to knit until after college and grad school - I never would have taken notes or gotten anything done, and likely would have been caught redhanded!

Oh my gosh, I'm about ready to cry.

I finished my first sock and it absolutely worked! It is only one color and it's too big (but it fits nicely over my regular sock so it's now been christened a slipper sock) AND I've cast on the second one and I'm just as pumped as with the first one.

I never ever thought I'd have the smarts to learn to knit with dpns and I'm so excited about my future knitting. My husband and children even gave me knitting books for my birthday!

Thanks for opening this new world to me. I am overwhelmed.

dear yarn harlot,
i fear i must respectfully bow out of the knitting olympics. i had this theory, you see. i had my tonsils out last week. i thought- i'll be off work for two weeks! time to tackle a really fun project (i.e. madli's shawl by the amazing ms. bush). i made a mistake. i underestimated the pain of the tonsillectomy and the power of the percocet. i wish to not hold back the rest of the amazing team, and so, i will be on the sidelines with some plain socks, cheering you all one. if you'd remove my name from the team- that would be fine. it should be a reflection of the true knitletes.

and can you show us HOW you learned to spin laceweight??

Perhaps I set the bar too low. Or perhaps three snow days in a row spent knitting and watching the Olympics on TV were a gift from the gourds! I just pinned out my Flower Basket Shawl. Yeah! It's blocking in my spare room - I know because I keep checking on it to make sure it's really done. I have oficially crossed the finish line of the Knitting Olympics!

I'm not an athelete in the Knitting Olympics this year--life's too crazy right now--but I have been following the run-up. As I was paging throught my new Time magazine, I noticed the Knitting Olympics have made Time. I thought you might be interested to know, if you didn't already. Page 17, bottom left.

Steph- thanks for attending Tacoma's Madrona Fiber Arts Festival.. and thanks for gracefully ignoring all of us who were drooling over the delightful sweater you're knitting... and thanks for pretending not to notice all of us who just "happened" to stroll over to talk to our friends Lauren Lindeman & Charlene Schurch while you were having a conversation with them in Lauren's booth :-).. all the while tripping on my tongue whilst struggling for something intelligent to say..
OMG, how obvious could I be?!
and thanks for shopping in our booth.. you truly are a Yarn Goddess - and such great stories about your daughter. It was pure inspiration to meet you (even if only for a few moments)

I have discovered that my Olympic project isn't going to take too long, so I have added a pair of felted slippers (they're more portable), and I will TRY to finish the pair of socks I was working on when the Olympics started.

I think I might have to agree with Battlemaidens. If I had taken up knitting in grad school, I might have gotten in trouble. As it is, I already have a reputation as the gal who knits during real estate classes. But it's a funny thing, my brain "hears" better when my hands are busy. Keeps my mind from wandering too far - like what to make for dinner, or how much laundry I have to do.

Glad you are back! We missed you during our first trying days of Olympic knitting!
Whenever you come to Dallas, I promise to write as heart-rending an apology for stalking (strike that) hanging on every word you utter! As Lucia wrote, may we all become "Las Harlotistas!"
Harddanger is GORGEOUS!!! Makes my Katia sweater stitches look HUGE! I have faith...you'll finish! KNIT ON!

Don't worry, Steph - if you don't get your gold button, you can borrow mine. I finished the thrummed moebius on Monday. I'd budgeted... oh, about 10 days to figure the darn thing out, then the rest of the time to knit it. Instead, it 'magically' worked itself out on the first try!

So, for my knitting biathlon - I'm finishing the shawl I designed for my grandmother. Since I was less than 100 yds into a 1200-yard project, AND I really hadn't finalized the design... I think it could count for something. (Like, keeping my wonderful grandma warm.)

Nice laceweight, btw. :-)

Thought I was going to be the only one to say you are not going to be the only one to not get a medal.

Try doing the following: cast on late, have the wrong sized needles, have to make a yarn substitution to even come near getting gauge, and then mis-place the pattern. Plus work got in the way.
If you can say yes to all of the above, then we're on a level playing field.

Maybe we can borrow a saying from the Special Olympics - "It's not the winning, but trying well that counts."

But I haven't given up.

I am finding that if I have to think about anything else AT ALL, I make a mistake in this lace. This easy, easy lace. This is why it's my event, I guess. I'm three days behind where I wanted to be, tink, tink, tink.

I've posted my first progress pic from the 2006 knitting olympics. I almost panicked when my Hyrna Herborgar shawl diagram had an error in the 6th row, but I think I managet to sort it out so far...

I'm cheering for Hardangervidda - and the Norwegian curling teams!

Just notifying you that my knitting olympic project was finnished. I tried felting it but it came out stretched and holey. I dont know why and cant be bothered with it. What a desaster! I could have used that 12ply yarn to make something else. What a shitter!!!

Oh my...as I work on the ladybug set I realize that there are approximately seven million ends that will need to be woven in...I may not finish on time either...but is it ever cute...I will persevere!

Well - time permitting I will update my blog with a progress pic tonight. I'm quite impressed with my progress since the ripping out of everything after discovering a twist in the circular knitting incident, but I'm not sure I'm keeping up with the pace I'll need to maintain to reach my goal of getting to the armholes. Now that my daughter's birthday is a thing of the past I will hopefully no longer have to waste valuable knitting time on cake baking, party hostessing, and all the other tasks assigned to the mom of a 6YO birthday girl.

Other than that - your laceweight is GORGEOUS, as is your sleeve, and I am SO JEALOUS of how fast you knit.

Oooh, the laceweight is gorgeous. I'm not sure why I didn't know you're also a spinner---brain fade, I suppose. But after seeing your beeeautiful hank of handspun, I'm going to have to take a few spinning classes next year at Madrona!

It was great seeing you---I'm so happy for you & your success!

I'm sure Sally Mellville didn't mind you laughing, I mean you've done practically the same thing ... You lost a dpn behind your ear once, did you not? *lol* Same thing. You were laughing "with" her, right?

Your sleeve looks fantabulous. I'm sure you'll get it done. It's all about the pressure, right? No worries. I see a gold medal in your future. :)

hurry stephanie! you must finish the sweater!
(it would look i little bit funny if a kid finished before you;)
and the laceweight... absoulutly beutiful
how about a safe rather than a velvet box:)

lets see a gold medal on your blog!

I cast on late too. But dude. It's a "We Call Them Deadheads" hat. It just wouldn't be right to start one of those on time, you know?

I love spinning laceweight. Makes me get all goofy and misty-eyed. What fibre did you use? Yours is lovely. I'd go for the velvet box, for certain, and put the penny inside the lid of the box so that every time you open it, you can gasp with delight.

Hi Stephanie!

I got this week's issue of Time magazine this morning and guess what I found??? On page 17 at the bottom is a reference to THE KNITTING OYMPICS!!! quote:"No idle hands for the 16-day Knitting Olympics, some 4,000 crafty couch potatoes have set a series of stitching goals they want to reach while watching the Games. Charitable projects include making clothes for US pregnancy centers and for tots in Mongolia." The catoon next to it is of three knitters on the podium knitting. Go check it out.

Knit on!!

I believe in you - I am confindent that you will get it done. There are some great expanses of monochrome (and unpatterened?) knitting there that should just zip along!

Wouldn't it be great to follow Judith around? It would probably be like that Verizon commercial--a crowd of people. Some one once said that they'd take a class from Judith if it was "Boiling Water 101". I'd be there. Same as if you hosted a blog about finger nail clippings--it would still be hilarious--no matter what the topic.

I don't think I will be done with my lace scarf by the deadline. I didn't know that when reading a chart, right to left on right sides, and left to right on wrong sides. I can't tell you how many times I kept going thinking, well maybe it's not supposed to look like anything. EECK!! I finally read the instructions in the back of the book, I guess I should have done that first. Now I am just happy I know, do I get a medal for trying? Well I haven't given up just yet though.
Anyway- I know this isn't a board for meeting people, but is anyone from NJ? Or am I in a team of 1? I feel lonely.

I cannot believe you will be knitting a whole sweater! The sleeve looks amazing, and it also looks like it is on very small needles. I aspire to be you one day.

Dear Stephanie... my goal/challenge was to knit on and complete ONE project rather than flitting off to start another half-way through. During the opening ceremonies, my husband saw me still working on the previous project (a lace baby blanket for the grandchild due March 15th) rather than casting on a new one for the Olympics, he gave me a hard time. I just told him "My event doesn't start until Monday" and kept knitting lace. Finished it Sunday night at 3 am, cast on Monday morning and I'm knitting away on my ONE project, feeling like a winner already!

Thanks for the inspiration!

ok I'm into it wishing I had picked something else. Steph I am so impressed with your progress and the pattern is beautiful. I should finnish the back of my sweater today if I knit and get off the computer.

It's looking so beautiful, at least (I'm talking about the sleeve.)! Good luck!

In support of all those who strive and do not medal, I just found the coolest site--it celebrates the last place finishers at the Olympics. After all, they are still Olympians. Or as the blog's tagline says, "Because they're there and you're not."
http://www.mcwetboy.net/dfl/

I saw the Time magazine blurb about the Knitting Olympics. Woo hoo! (It's the one with the Google guys on the cover.) The look on Jessica's face is priceless!

Ever have one of those moments where you just feel like a total dork? Because, yeah. See, that laceweight? And the penny? I'm sitting here going "OMG what a cuuuuuute little coin and it's got LEAVES ON IT OMG how adorable is that, that unusual tiny little, what is it, a penny? with the maple leaves on it, I hope she knows that nobody will take that penny and she can't use it in vending machines because nobody takes Canadian mone..... right."

It naturally follows that a Canadian would have, um, Canadian money. And I guess your vending machines probably take it too.

For the record? Your pennies are prettier than our pennies. I go knit now.

every time you write the name of that sweater, i start to sing 'inna gadda davida.'

What do we do when we finish our olympic knitting? I horribly underestimated my ability to knit socks (and deal with size 2's I was convinced that they would attack and kill me) and finished finishing my socks this evening.

Oh, don't worry, Harlot! You won't be the only one who doesn't get a medal. I was completely insane to think I could knit a lace stole in 16 days and still eat, sleep, take care of my kids, my hubby & my house, never mind the dog....

hi stephanie,this is Devorah i was sitting behind you and jessica in lace class at mfa. My husband just pointed out to me that THE KNITTING OLYMPICS are mentioned in Time Magazine 2/20/06!! Way to Go!!
though they call us some 4000 crafty couch potatoes.
Check it out .Its under Gold-Medal Motives p.19

Hey Steph! In Raleigh, they're calling this the Knitter Olympics:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/notions/index.php?title=knitter_olympics_day_7&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Gah! Had to frog the second sleeve of my Olympic sweater. I cast on 37 instead of 47 stitches and only found that out halfway up the sleeve. Oops.

I'm so loving this challange. I never thought I could knit so much in so little time.

It was great to meet you at Madrona! I felt like like I was meeting rock stars getting to meet you, Sally M. and Cat B. I don't mind being in a picture with your sleeve, its an honor.

Stephanie, Your blog got a mention in The Economist, the international news magazine. Page 29 of the Feb. 4-10 issue. You're becoming world famous!

I too am taking a few minutes(make that seconds)off to read some of your comments (I'll go back to the ones I missed after the K.O.'s are over. Having just learned to make socks, and in fact just finishing my first sock before the Olympics started, I settled on a pair (I hope) of Vintage Socks for my Olympics project. I'm kind of cheating by choosing the one pair in Nancy Bush's book that had no heels or gussets, but I figure that the fact that they're 15" long and I'm using size 2 needles, when I'm used to using size 11s, makes up for that.

LOVE that sleeve... :)

Just a note to let ya know that I have Finished My Olympic Sweater.. Hooray..
One for the Knit Chicks team !!!!
I really enjoyed being in this challenge and I would not have made myself that sweater if it had not been for your Genius idea of having The Knitting Olympics!!!
Thanks Yarn Harlot!!!
Knit On !!!!!

You are both from the same home town...