I realaize how much I love having my knitting to come home to. On Sunday night I thought I would be so sick of knitting, but it's just the opposite. I feel so proud and energized. I think I realized that it really is a part of me. Knitting is who I am and how I express myself.

Nice scarf. And surprising monogamy. I would have thought the word 'promiscuity' would make it into that post but maybe that makes for crappy google hits.

I think a certain amount of non-monogamy is good particularly if it involved different size needles for variety in the pressure on muscles and tendons, and different amounts of thought (like garter stitch vs. lace).

ooohh... fleece artist... *drools* Good choice!

I've surprisingly had no desire to knit...a little knitting holiday for me, I guess. Just need the weekend to recuperate.

Beautiful scarf, by the way.

Hi,

I couldn't stick to the one project, my Athena vest, and had a pair of socks on the go. Part way through though I found myself looking for unfinished projects and the night that I finished the knitting but had not yet cut the steeks(because one doesn't cut steeks at night) I immediately cast on the front of a Elsbeth Lavold top that I knit the back for last year. I am now longing to finish up 3 or 4 summer tops that have been hanging around. I wonder if this will pass, or I will actually finish them.
Tricia

I definitely want to knit more, and I am feeling simultaneous startitis and finishitis. We'll see how it all ends up...

Olympic whiplash? Yes, I would say so. I have 2 pair of socks started, will soon start on spinning/knitting a pair of mittens, will continue to spin on some pre-olympic fiber and am contemplating starting a different pair of mittens and maybe a scarf to match either a hat I already have or the mittens that haven't been started yet. I seem to have whiplashed into harlot-ness, but will try to keep projects to less than 10 or so. I used to only have one spinning project and 2 knitting projects (one easy/carry around, one more complicated) at a time.

I "had" to start the 1st pair of socks (jaywalkers), then put them aside because my souvenir yarn (from Lettuce Knits--Trekking) was calling to me. It's still cold, so still want to make warm wooly things (but in lighter colors). Are there such things as spring-like mittens?

Dude, that is some scarf.

I learned:
I can (almost) follow a pattern written by someone else.
Sweater shaping really isn't that hard.
It is possible to seam reverse stockinette, although it's harder than sweater shaping.
I need way more sleep than you do.

I have this overwhelming desire to start something and finish it. Only one thing at a time right now. While I'm not as nuts as you when it comes to the variety of projects I've got going at once, this is still a bit startling, even for me.

Mine is about the same - I've retreated back into sockland and have no intentions of ever returning. And I've worn mine to bed too, although I may have lied about that in public.

I learned I'm a knitting hussy. Yes, I was monogamous -- for the most part -- for 16 days but when the divorce finally came through (at the end of the seaming up) I was willing to throw out all the preknitual agreements and give it anything it wanted just so I could go back to my swinging knit ways.

Worn my *sweater* to bed. Sheesh. However, I'm not doing as badly as you are - garter stitch would have a lot of trouble getting a foothold here. (Famous last words, right?)

My olympic whiplash is somewhat disconcerting... I spent the last 2 days designing a fair isle pattern for a felted bag. My first design effort - this is what crazy things I feel like tackling after the Olympic effort! Thanks again for encouraging us all to insane efforts of creativity.

Nice scarf too!

I'm very much a project knitter, so far at least. It's only since just before Christmas (when I moved back in with the folks for the term) that I've started to become a little obsessive about the whole knitting thing.

The only real whiplash, side effects, whatever, I'm getting from the Knitting Olympics is the want to buy and make EVERYTHING. I'm not a very frugal person to start off with, I'm the type they put the shiny things by the cash register for, and this really isn't helping. I'm trying to finance an education for myself, and instead I'm building my stash. (The fact that it's actually starting to become a stash is also exciting). But hey, if I don't build it now, I'll have nothing to knit during school, and that would be sad.

No, because I haven't yet finished my lace shawl, BUT - I have incipient future project planning whiplash, because I've chosen a Dale pattern to order and attempt and all I can think about is that...and I'm sure once I have the kit in my hot little mitts I'll have cardiac arrest when looking at the directions...but hey, the fate of the world won't rest on how many times I have to rip it out and start over and I've learned I can knit anything if I try hard enough. I'm sure it will send me to scale another knitting mountain, namely, a real knitting lesson (ulp!) with an expert (eek!) who really won't laugh at my ineptitude (until after I've gone home.)

I want to cast on for a million different projects. I actually have 2 gifts that I want to knit for my cousin in Iceland who I am visiting in April. Unfortunately that means that those two projects have priority and it's really ticking me off. I need to work on some socks, or a circular blanket or...well you get the idea.

yeah I don't want to knit anything that requires thinking I am making a shawl from some ribbon yarn two increases per row that's all I can handle

My Post Olympic Whiplash is Strep Throat, so I'm not knitting anything. Oh well, I have 4 new pairs of socks to keep my feet warm now.

I love that scarf. Yummy colors!

I found that things progress surprisingly quickly if you stick to them. The Debbie New socks turned out not to be a challenge time-wise, so I entered a biathlon event also - I spun and knit a shawl. Part of my success came from a snow day and 2 sick days, but more from sticking to one thing. Having Olympics to watch helped focus the knitting, gave added purpose.

I know I don't have it in me to stick to one project hence my choice to knit two baby sets. They are very different, so when one got to *that* point, I turned to the other.

My Knitting Olympic side effect: I have found out how people fall in love with knitting socks. I thought sock-knitters were crazy people, or maybe just masochistic. Now I understand. I foresee a great many of my friends/family members getting hand-knit socks as gifts in the near future.

Plus, I knit faster and more than I did before. And also, I'm more addicted to knitting and annoy my friends with knitting talk quite a bit more. :)

I've learned that, when presented with having to focus on one fairly simple project to the exclusion of all else, my brain will rebel. In that 16 days of knitting, I managed to get the itch to design two pairs of socks and one shawl. If I ever feel "designer's block again," I'm going to cast on a garter stitch jacket and knit until my eyes bleed. That should stimulate the creative juices.

I'm definitely feeling the urge to cast on for different projects, but so far I'm resisting. I really want to get some projects done and off the needles that they've been languishing on for the past ummm...few months, ahem, years. I am determined to finish my Olympic project first though. I didn't get it quite finished in the 16 days and that was disappointing to me, but I'm still proud because I did the best I could and I picked a challenging project. A garment with parts and everything:) This has been great fun Stephanie, thanks again!!

During the Knitting Olympics I devoted WAY more time to knitting than I usually do.
And I liked it.
So my whiplash is figuring out how to continue that frequency of knitting while also cooking, working, playing children, etc. (I left out cleaning b/c I already gave that up).
Do you think that growing another pair of arms is a possibility?
p.s. gorgeous Dale sweater. ;)

And here I thought we were going to see the clapoteases... Well, never you mind, lamb. You are obviously starved for jewel colors (this is the fiber equivalent of nutritional deficiency compensation, like eating starch or clay -- very BEAUTIFUL clay, mind you) and are just saturating yourself with them before settling into a stretch of gray/grey gansey spinning to compensate for all those Tuesdays you missed. Not that I would dream of suggesting that the entire Olympiad was an elaborate avoidance technique. Certainly not.

You, Dear Harlot, are pure evil. I did not need another scarf until you wagged yours under my nose. As far as Olympic Whiplash goes, I have found myself longing to go back to unfinished projects and get them done. Almost project monogamy except for the pocketbook sock.

I find myself wanting to finish up the lingering projects myself.

But, then something catches my eye (oh look, a squirrel) and I have little flashes of guilt. I'm going to try to limit myself to one small, one medium, and one large project at a time.

Unexpected side effects? Yes, I have a few. I learned that I could in fact do some color work, a thought that scared the bejezus out of me before. I learned that trying something new is worthwhile. I learned that I can do what I set my mind to.

Another effect? I posted pictures of the sweaters I made on a message board of moms that I belong to and am now seriously contemplating (heck, I'm going to do it) selling my work to a select few who are commisioning me to knit. I never in a million years considered this before!

I learned that just because I never wear lace (and no one else I know wears lace) and just because I never wear shawls (and no one else I know wears shawls) is no excuse not to begin pondering which lace shawl I can make next (now that I completed a large lace one for the Olympics).

In the meantime, my whiplash, such as it is, is being grateful to get back to all the projects I had to abandon when the Olympics started.

Unfortunately, I've not gotten much knitting whiplash. (Although my 90% finished Spork has asked if it will ever be finished.) I just know that I've to get cracking on a commissioned item that was put aside for two weeks. LOL

I thought it was scathingly brilliant of you to cast on all the bits of your sweater. Pretty much like having a lot of different projects to choose between, eh? An excellent (and may I add *entirely* moral) way to defeat the monogamy issue......

-- Vicki in Michigan

Although I did not officially enter the olympics, I had my goal: finish as many of my 90-99% done projects as I could in those 16 days. I finished many pairs of socks and 2 sweaters. My whiplash insight--is that I can design a sweater for myself! (Up to now I had always followed patterns, afraid to make any changes. With hit or miss results, I may add.)

I had this NORO sweater with beautiful colors but that did not fit me at all, made me look like a badly wrapped tamale. I ripped the body and decided to make a sweater to fit the already knit sleeves. I did not plan anything, just started knitting! I turned out a beautifully fitting sweater. Then I had my moment: if I could do this well on my first attempt at designing and on the needles to boot, then I am curious as to what I can come up with a little bit of planning and note taking. This is very exciting.

PS: I awarded myself a medal and I am not ashamed to display it, even if it is a naked man.
(See Franklin's blog.)

I had some whiplash. I went out and found the most difficult sock pattern I could find and started the things. I just felt like it would be wussing out to do something "easy". I'm having fun though (even though I can't pronounce the name of the socks).

You crack me up woman. I must admit I wasn't expecting that. Rock on!

Besides injury causing my KO vest to go unfinished I also had guilt. I had not finished a Christmas gift for my dear sister, Latvian mittens. Once my injuries were better I picked up the mittens and have been finishing them. I really want to finish the vest though, I'm not sure if it's the loser in me or that I want to wear it or both. And then there's the other two unfinished socks sitting in the basket that I want to finish.... oh and the new STR yarn I a dying to cast on. Even though I didn't gold this year, I do feel a change and more of a perseverance to complete projects. I’m thinking 16 days, though tough, is worth it for what you get in the end. I sometimes feel that I don’t get anything done and being faithful to a project lends itself to feeling more of an accomplishment.

Have just returned from a happy hour, perusing yarn in our local wool shop.......and I found myself coming home to my on-going knitting projects with pleasure. Yes, I think I may be learning staying power!

My whiplash? I have an overwhelming urge to dispense with my usual project-monogamy and knit willy-nilly on a dozen different projects. After I finished the hat I devoted myself slavishly to a lace scarf for a few days, but now there's a sweater that's whispering sweet nothings, and lace socks, and cabled gauntlets, and and and.... I used to be so faithful, and you've turned me into a knitting slut!

Who knew?

Aside from the marvelous amount of guilt I feel because I didn't finish (it wasn't my fault, you can't hold knitting needles if your neighbour slashed up your fingers while you were gardening!) I have no real whiplash. Just this crazy desire to pick the stitches out of my hand so I can finish this bleedin' sweater.

Well, aside from the dr.'s appointment to have him look at my hand, I find myself at a loss in some ways. I spent so long on one single project, the longest and largest project I've ever done, that now that I'm "free" of it, I don't know quite what to do with myself.

The simple prayer shawl pattern I wrote and am test knitting for the second time? Boring. The Broadripple sock I need to finish so I'll have a pair? Eh.

I DID however plan out my holiday knitting last night, and while flipping though "Tina's Big Book of Borrowing" (internet printed, bought, and/or photocopied patterns) find that I looked at a White Lies Designs top and think "I could DO that." in all seriousness.

Whoah. A fitted, short row laden, plus size top? From White Lies Designs no less, that intimidating place of all sized wonder?

Yes, I do think I can do it. Go me. :)

I have a similar whiplash. I have found I want to knit only one unfinished project at a time. The problem is that I NEED to cast on a pair of socks (commitment knitting), but I keep getting pulled back to my unfinished project!

Your fault. Before the KO, I would have had no problem laying that unfinshed project aside!

After-effects for me were the desire to work with something heavier than sock yarn and needles bigger than 2.5mm. After finishing Socks for Bigfoot, I really believed it would be weeks, if not months, before I'd do another sock, so I cast on a watch cap out of some worsted from the stash. Two days later, a skein of Socks that Rock reached out, grabbed me by the throat, and demanded to be cast on. Project monogamy? Not in my house.

I got wicked arthritic stiffness in my two index fingers, so then I got down to business and made about 60 stitch markers because knitting hurt. And then my palms hurt from all of that plyer-time. I went overboard on the port side, fished myself out of the water, and then I just jumped off the rails to the starboard.

I learned that I could teach someone to knit successfully! Even though that wasn't my Olympic project, the Olympic project insipired my student. Very cool.

By the way, I'm not sure that you can count that scarf as monogamy. Each stitch is so unique that it is almost like a thousand tiny different projects rolled into one.

Oh yeah, whiplash galore. What was hardest for me the whole 16 days was how there were days I wanted to knit anything (dishcloth anyone?) but my sweater. However, now that I am done, I am much more focused-at least for the time being.

Garter stitch sounds pretty good to me.

I really understood your comments during the Olypmics about monogamy because I usually have a dozen projects going at one time. I was so naive about the task of knitting a Norwegian ski sweater that I thought I would have a spare hour or so to go back and work on the edge of my lace stole. (Siberian Winter from Wool You Order) I learned that that would be a pipe dream after the first day. But then as I was getting near the end of the sweater, I kept thinking about the other projects I could sneak a little work on. I mean, I was so close so would it really matter if I took off a few hours and worked on a sock or the stole or even another sweater. I did keep the faith and finished the Dale sweater first because I literally had nightmares about being close but something happening so I would not have those last few hours I would need to complete it in time. Now that it's finished, I have cast on four new projects so I'm back to variety. Maybe I'll even finish some of the others that are sitting in various knitting bags in my living room. I have discovered that I am an "out of sight, out of mind" knitter so if I don't see the project, I can easily forget I have it. Living alone means no one has to trip over the numerous bags of wips. I did make a Lenten resolution not to buy any new yarn or knitting books until Easter. I saw so many gorgeous things on the blogs I read during the Olympics that I wanted way too many things. This way I can step back and consider rationally (?) what I'd like to really have. Your sweater is so beautiful that I can understand your not wanting to take it off; mine has been on since I finished it Saturday except for the hours I needed to block it. And then I was upstairs, admiring it every hour or so. Thank you for a wonderful experience. Vancouver here we come! Ginny

Unexpected side effects...hmmmm. I learned that I am a monogamous knitter; I couldn't put down the sampler/needle roll thingie I started to work on my olympic project: first socks. I learned that when I am paid to sit at a computer for 8 hours a day I hate it, but when I am sitting at home in my nightclothes, I can easily surf the web for 8-plus hours looking at knitting related sites (yarn, patterns, needles, blogs) and be amazed when it turns dark and it is time for bed again. I learned that I can cut my grocery budget in half in order to spend the other half on new knitting books; however, I also learned that now I have no money to buy wool or needles...can't wait for next month! Is there a rehab clinic for yarn addicts?

If by "whiplash" you mean horrendously evil flu virus that makes me too weak to knit anything, then yeah, I got that.
The sad part? I think it was worth it.

My most obvious sign of Olympic whiplash is terminal hat hair. The completed cap goes everywhere with me. Removal of said hat is a scary thing. :S That's one helluva scarf!

I'm done with my shawl except for the blocking - and I have enough yarn left to make a second shawl. A friend wants the yarn for a hat, so all I want to do is ply it up and get it out of the house! Some non-knitting projects are clamoring for attention: card-weaving, dyeing, some new Hawaiian print fabrics, puzzle pirate island design, ...

I was one of those "I didn't think I could do it in 16 days" people. I also learned the Cat Bordhi moebius technique. I'm also very, very addicted to the whole moebius thing now and am in need of a support group or 12 step program. But I also have an issue with project monogamy, and I dedicated a lot of time to the cat bed...and then today, I seamed a sweater, started a baby sock, started a scarf, and started a moebius bowl. I need a lot of help. apparently project monogamy sends me into a really big desire for lots of yarn porn....or something like that.

There's something to be said for project polygamy, and that's a new lesson I recently learned. Sure, I used to be one of those monogamous knitters, but a few projects ago I got so stuck on something warm, comfy and just a bit dull, that I barely worked on it and was seldom even knitting anymore! I missed it, but I just couldn't bring myself to look at that particular shade of grey any longer. Turned out all I needed was a little variety to spice things up.
How like life.

ohlord! I just clicked on the hotlink to Stefanie's garter stitch scarf above and fell in love again. I wonder if Stephanie has been accused of being an enabler 'cuz that is what she is to me. My "favorites" list of "I want this yarn!" is getting so big I'll have to add more memory to my PC! Keep up the good work Stephanie!

What I have learned....I've learned that my friends here in a mostly non-knitting town now KNOW that I'm crazy. No one I talked to or who had observed me knitting on-the-go had ever HEARD of the Knitting Olympics. I had one friend tell me she saw coverage of the Knitting Olympics on CNN Sunday night, as if to say she's "sorry" for thinking I'd made the whole thing up. I have learned that I can stick to one project, although I still think it's fun to have at least 2 going to break up the boredom of working constantly on one....

Thanks, Stephanie, for bringing some joy and knitting comraderie into my day.

Lisathemom

Side effect of NOT participating in the Knitting Olympics:
I feel caught up in the excitement and pride of the closing ceremonies and am compelled to knit something impressive like all of you ladies did. This wouldn't be a problem, but I have so many other things to do now that I can't afford to spend an entire evening doggedly finishing the body of a sweater.

I can, however, take my knitting to work for the first time and secretly enjoy the astonished and somewhat jealous looks of my co-workers. Heh.

I also learned about project monogamy. I have decided to have no more than 1 large project going at any given time, and I will allow myself a small diversion project (socks, hat, purse) to ward off boredom. I too have several "larger" projects not being finished and it's very stressful to my knitting psyche to continue this way. Thank you for helping me come to this very valuable realization.

Your sweater is great, I totally understand your need to not part with it. And sleeping in it is not weird, at all.

My after-affect is an FO high, and a deep need to keep it coming. We'll see how long that lasts.

There ought to be a term for "incipient future project planning" hyperactive disorder (IFPP?) or something. For me it's definatly not whiplash--I have it ALL THE TIME. How many projects ahead do *normal* people have planned?

I was in such a lather to start my KO project, that when it was done (in about 10 days) it was a let down. What I learned is that just because a pattern looks hard doesn't mean it is. I learned that I shouldn't sell my skills short, I am a much more advanced knitter than I give myself credit for.

During the closing ceremonies, I finished an entrelac tote (weaving in the endless ends), a sock to finish off a pair, and a lace scarf/shawl which I put aside when the KO started. Then I noticed the KO backlash. I had problems deciding what to knit next. I've never had that problem. I promised Viking costumes to my two nephews so I started them (but am not excited about them) and two pairs of socks.

I think I'm having post-olympic depression. (heehee)

I learned the same thing! Sure the obvious lesson was learning FI and that colorwork and steeks are nothing to be scared of, but the bigger lesson was that I could finish something if I actually focused on it. Amazing. I've decided to whittle down my WIPs, declare the perpetually unfinished DOA or move em back to the active pile. This certainly was not an foreseen result from knitting something in 16 days and yes, I did a little sock knitting on the side during that time :)

Whiplash is a good way to describe it. Here are my side effects:

(1) Wow. It doesn't take 2 years to knit a project. (Note: assumes monogamy.)

(2) I could finish that languishing project in 16 days (or 30 if I actually did laundry and cooked food). And that project. And that one, and...

(3) Wow, I have a lot of yarn in my stash. No, I mean a LOT of yarn. Even the stuff just squirreled in the corners of our bedroom would take me two years to knit through. (My husband, wise in the ways of knitters after -almost- 15 years of marriage, merely raised his eyebrows when I said "I've realized I have a lot of yarn.")

(4) My stash yarn is amazing and beautiful. If I opened my stash as a yarn store, people would want to shop there. I want to knit my stash yarn. I should shop my stash my often.

(5) Ooh. Look at the pretty new things coming out for spring...

I had BIG problems with monogamy, and even posted about it on the same day as you did (before you, though, I didn't cheat)
Now that the Olympics is done, I've enjoyed just meandering from project to project. I've walked around holding crack just to feel the incredible softness. I've frogged and tinked if a sock just didn't suit my mood, and I've put my stash back where it belongs - next to my spot on the family room sofa. Life is almost back to normal. I just need to regain total feeling in my arms.......(kidding, a bit)

I got the same side effect you did. "Wow, I can really complete things pretty quick if I don't act like a bumblebee flitting from knit to knit."

I can't wait to finish the project I put on hold to make my Olympic sweater.

I'm still getting over my Olympic Whiplash. At first I felt lost with nothing on my needles and I was paralyzed by all of the possibilities now that I was no longer tethered to my shawl. Now I've got a pair of socks and a teddy bear in progress and I feel much better. I did learn that I am far more capable than I thought and I'm feeling the urge to return to projects that I thought were dead and finish them off.

My first whiplash experience was the urge to finish 4 UFOs from last summer--but I waited a few minutes and that passed.

I'm down to only two WIPs, but I have yarn and patterns for several more waiting.

My first side-effect was the desire to immediately start another challenging project (I really want to knit Tubey, I'm lurking at the Tubey KAL site, I've got pattern modifications in mind, yum)... but I'm also trying to be a good gal and finish a couple wip, and of course there are the other projects-to-be calling to me (not nearly as loudly as Tubey tho).

BTW, shall we call you the Yarn Monogamist for now?

I learned not to be so afraid of new things - there were 5 new things for me in my project and I finished it ahead of time (not a large project but all new things anyway)

That said I am excited and TERRIFIED about starting my 1st ever sweater this week. So terrified that I have put off balling any yarn for it or doing my swatch yet. (insert whine here) But it is such a BIG project and it cost LOTS of money for the yarn and what if I mess up (whine over)-- YIKES -- going to go do my swatch right now so I lose that fear!!

rho

lessons: holy crap, lace is monotonous. But not -unthinking-monotonous. Mistakes are okay, very few people will see them other than you. And the next time I give myself 16 days and a big project, I am fully allowed to take on a tequila habit instead.

whiplash: Like you, I'm on FIRE with the desire to finish all these projects now. And I ....hold your hat here.... CLEANED MY HOUSE. Like, WELL. It was a scary, unexpected side benefit of seeing what 16 days of no cleaning would do to the husband and dogs. :)

Fabulous sweater! I'd never take it off either! And the scarf is nice, too. :D I find that I am anxious to start on the purple lace moebius scarf, but refuse to do so until I finish this last half a sock that has been laying abandoned since the week before KO. So I'm working as quick as I can so I can cast on my new extra long circular needle with the handspun mohair. :D

I thought I would be soooooooooo ready for a break from knitting, but I now have a sock on the needles, a hat half done and a prayer shawl started............I knew I always had to have more than one project going, but man........I thought I would need ...guess not! Thanks again, for encouraging us to get to know ourselves........

Well, I've been off socks for a while but now my Jaywalkers are progressing nicely, thank you. Also I'm doing some dyeing. My drum carder might even get used soon...Lace again will take a while.

Glad you're enjoying your sweater so much!

I learned that I don't like knitting monogamy. At all. I need variety, so once I finished the shawl, I now have 2 different socks on the go (soon to be three, the orange is calling me...), 2 different mitts, and another shawl. And a sweater. And some other stuff from before the Olympics. And I like it.
I learned that I so thoroughly enjoyed the concept, I am waiting patiently for Beijing - I've got my Team Canada jersey, and will pick a pattern in two years that will again challenge me.
I learned the joy in seeing a friend ecstatic about finishing a pair of socks after saying for months "I could never do socks!". That's a very cool feeling.
I also learned that there are a whole bunch of knitters out there that I feel a whole lot closer to thatn I did a month ago.
Oh, yeah, I learned that my family really needs me! They cheered the closing ceremonies by asking what I was making for dinner that night!

Oh, hey I have that scarf, in that colourway sitting around here somewhere. Hmmm, maybe I should dig it out and finish it.

As for side effects well, I knit (most) of a baby sweater in patterned sock yarn on 2.5 mm needles and at the end of things? I signed up for spinning classes. Yeah, that's pretty much a 180 degree turn.

Liza {who's off to see if she can unearth that scarf}

The Knitting Olympics seems to have burned out my ability to focus on anything for greater than... um, sorry, what was the question again?

Hey look, pretty colours. I like pretty col... Do you have any chocolate?

Hey Stephanie
I know just how you feel after that Dale project, it's like you need a little decompression in the form of HUGE needles and FAT yarn. My mind swimms for days after finishing - i'm still thinking of color and the yarn and pattern all coming together. They do make excellent pillows! If you can manage to take it off long enough, although I now set a 4 day maximum for wearing it, otherwise people start thinking I'm a homeless person...

I've gone on a yarn binge. Afghans for Afghans is going to get at least one child's cap and possibly a couple of sets of baby socks out of me now. My green alpaca sweater that I've been knitting slowly since the holidays is going red with indignation.

Knitting whiplash? Oh, yeah! I needed to cast on another hat like my Olympic hat. Immediately. Things I learned: I underestimated myself. Fair Isle knitting is like falling off a bicycle, you never forget how. Even though it was 15 years since I did it, I stuck every landing. Another thing I learned, never give up your dual citizenship: I will be back knitting for Team Canada at Bejing. (Unless I stick with Team What The Hell Was I Thinking? Like I said, never burn your bridges.)

I just realized that the beige sweater I'm wearing at work has a big blurry red area on my belly from the time spent with the fluffy red yarn that became my Olympic sweater. May I say that the effect is less than flattering? I look like a butcher.

Does that count?

I learned the monogamy lesson as well. I nearly chose to knit the toddler dress from the cover of the Yarn Girls' Guide to Kid Knits (or some such title) for my Olympic project. I had the yarn and the pattern and was ready to go, but decided on fair isle instead. So Sunday night, I cast on the dress. Wednesday morning I finished the first half. Wow! I've learned that my knitting can and has gotten faster. And I learned that I totally underestimate how willing I am to sit on my tush and do nothing but knit! :) (Helps that I'm 7 months pregnant and having some issues that make getting off the couch a bit more painful than normal....great excuse to knit though!) I also learned that I really like Fair Isle and that I need to find another FI project to keep me busy. You know, for when I'm sleep-deprived with a newborn. Isn't that the best time to knit Fair Isle?

I am having the same problem with projects, I have found myself tackling ufo's with reckless abandon, carrying a list in my head of things I have to finish before embarking on a million and a half new ideas. And one compeletely unforeseen side effect was finding the patience to ease my eldest through her aversion to anything more complicated than a garter stitch scarf out of fluffy yarn. Who would of thunk?

I learned that the very thing I dreaded for decades (very old UFO's) and thought I couldn't do, mainly seaming, was indeed possible and more than that extremely enjoyable, to boot. I even dreamed about it towards the end. Now that is some whiplash, don't you think? LOL

I had one night where I was sick with strep and an ear infection and didn't trust myself to work on my lacey-patterned sock, so I worked on other stuff. That only took *one* night and I returned. Then another night I was trying to solve a big problem with sizing, so I knitted something easy while I thought through the issue. But I got right back to my one project, and I'm not a one-project gal either. Now that it's after I've been cranking things out, and my whiplash is that after all the sizing and modifications I made, I'm not afraid to change the pattern I'm using to suit me. That is huge for me - to continue but modify instead of giving up.

Really huge. Thanks, Steph!

Cool scarf, or warm scarf...I like the scarf! (yeah, that's it).

I learned that I can follow someone elses pattern and that I really enjoy the knitting community.

Steph, please, please don't become monogomous! It's your inspiring promiscuity that has freed me to have multiple wip. Remember that post about all those good reasons to have different projects? Go read it again-it really makes lots of sense! This monogomy is just a little post olympic shock, that's all. Go have some chocolate and a little lie down and everything will be all back to normal tomorrow. Won't it? Oh, please say yes!

I didn't finish the objects I started although did finish 2 hats. However I learned to knit on 4 and on 5 needles which I DID set out to do, so a silver maybe??? It was fun and great to see so many joining in
amber in england

Somehow knitting a scarf that you probably finished in under 3 hours doesn't really sound like monogomy. A one night stand is monogamous, at least until the light of day . . .

Geez, Louise! I guess that is whiplash. The only way that could be any more the antithesis of your Olympic project would be to put a little fun fur on it. Please don't, though. It's wonderful just the way it is.

I don't know if it's whiplash or the spring approaching, but I feel the need to knit lace. Preferably with beads. Something insanely complicated, that has nothing to do with rough thickish wool and colorwork.

I didn't finish my sweater on time not because I couldn't (I had time) but because I was afraid to. I didn't think I could do a good enough job on the sewing up. Well, I did finish it and I love it! I'm wearing it! My sewing wasn't perfect but it was good enough. Now I want to finish all the other things I was afraid I would screw up! Thanks Steph.

My Olympic whiplash appears to be a slightly twitchy feeling if I do not have knitting in my hands. Sort of, "Well I'm just sitting here, shouldn't I be knitting?" (Do I need to explain where I was sitting????) No, seriously once you have spent 2 weeks knitting in every free moment (I mean EVERY moment) it's hard to break the habit. And I don't think I want to!

I had no idea that I would enjoy knitting with teeny needles - but I really like it. now 15's feel huge in my hands.

I was surprised at the huge letdown when I finished - not disappointed in being part of it or disappointed in my project, but as in "Whoa, I'm done..................... um, ok, what do I do next?"

Wow, that's gorgeous. And you just had to post the link, didn't you. I'm saving money over here for my new spinning wheel and then you go talk about Handmaiden stuff. Jeeze.

I thought that perhaps I would not want to see a knitting project or hold circular needles (the only kind I knit on) for months. But, no. I got right back in the saddle, as it were, and pulled out a one color, no slip stitch sweater I had forsaken for the Olympics. It has been my constant companion.

I did learn that I can do a heck of a lot more knitting in 16 days than I thought I could. I have truly amazed myself!

It was just fun knowing that all over the world, there were women and men knitting feverishly on a single project at the same time I was. This is what I love about the internet. Bringing people together, for whatever positive purpose.

My post KO whiplash has led me to realize that I want to knit more sweaters. Unfortunately, I have to remember that they aren't as portable as socks and hats. I hated carrying that big bundle of knit-in the-round with me.

I caught a glimpse of your olympic sweater on TV yesterday, and am heartborken that it never got unfolded and shown off!! I kept waiting, never taking my eyes of the screen, and the sweater kept waiting, never being removed from the table.

We will get to see it modeled, won't we, since it's getting so much action?

Yes, I got "whip lashed". As in taking up the knitting needles the very next night instead of the crocet hook that is sitting there with the start of an afgan on it! I still don't think I'm a "knitter" but I find I do enjoy it, as long as it's easy! LOL
Alice

Crack me up - I'm working on one of these:
http://www.colorsongyarn.com/accessories/felted_bag.htm

I guess I'm not the only one who has Fleece Artist on the brain.

I learned that I have knitting a.d.d., and that Rogue does not travel well to a birth. However, a size 1 sweater for the baby being born travels nicely. Also, the Lady B knitting bag that I'd received for my birthday just days before makes the perfect overnight birthing bag, holding snacks, herbal tea bags, knitting, and my down jacket.

I also learned the full meaning of "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." when I was interrupted by a design project, a premature birth, a pretty heinous stomach virus, and a sick grand-toddler. But by God I finished the thing.

Yes! I didn't challenge myself enough. I finished my fairisle sweater in a week. I was going to do a lace project,(something I've never tried before) but I was nervous of it being too difficult. I've ordered some laceweight yarn and have been perusing patterns. My next project will be lace!!

I spent a couple hours organizing my stash and creating a list of projects I had waiting to be started or finished. Then I pulled out some cotton and knit a dishcloth. My ten projects I still need to do? They're still waiting...

No, my side effects were almost entirely expected - I now love knitting socks, and I have spent hours scouring the internet for hand-dyed cotton sock yarn. (I can't wear wool. Yes, I'm one of those, and I swear, I've tested it in a double-blind study.) In order to keep myself from buying it all and skipping the mortgage, I have tied the purchase of said yarn to other not-fun goals like exercise. Ugh. But we can't be called couch potatoes in the future, if I have anything to do with it.

It was so great to realize that I could make a sweater in 16 days-even less in this case. (It was 3.5 sts per inch...) Now I'm being more monogamous to my knitting too. I have to say that I am SO impressed with your Dale of Norway. Whoa! Imagine creating something like that in 16 days with all the travelling you did AND having to do steeks. Good god, Woman. Go get yourself some chocolate.

Oh, i've learned a thing or two: I enjoy my knitting time - it keeps me sane; I have a ton of stash and should probably knit some of it before it runs away from home; I should knit something for ME and not always give stuff away. Exception: I like thinking about the person who will receive the knitted item...'specially the baby stuff for babies not yet born. and finally, i get a bit slutty about yarn...hence the stash "problem" - yes stephanie is an enabeler - there is no 12 step program for yarn harlots, and even if there was - would we join?? Until the Summer Games - GET YOUR KNIT ON!!

Knitting Olympics has made me proud. Until I started knitting new projects. Apparently I can't read, count, or see. I have frogged MITTENS. I have frogged BASIC SOCKS. I felt smart for one whole day Stephanie, ONE WHOLE DAY. :-)

To get organized, last night I laid out in my little teeny tiny apartment (which is currently being redecorated btw which means it was a big mess BEFORE I did the laying out) the patterns and yarns for future projects.

Sweaters? 3 Alice Starmores (Amphora, Elizabeth white and Celtic ice blue). 2 Elsebeth Lavolds (the flappy one and the grey cover from Viking Knits). A Jo Sharp for a birthday present and 2 Rowans. 2 pair of fingerless gloves, plus a laceup gauntlet pair. 3 more felted bags (and thank you to everyone for the help with the first one!), two shawls, 5 pillows, 11 count 'em 11! scarves and 4 hats. And help me, help me -- I bought yarn for two pairs of socks.

And, that's only about 1/3 of the stash . . .

Whiplash!?! Oh, boy, do I ever have it -- caused purely by my head whipping back and forth to look at all the pretty patterns and yarns trying to decide what comes next. While, I note, I'm knitting away on my Na Craga, finally confident enough in the cable thing to not be obsessively staring at the needles 24/7.

I need a life.

Yep,
I didn't think I would want to see a pair of socks on my needles any time soon after the creation of enormous Estonian socks (make it stockings that would fit Santa Claus)
but, that passed and I am happily knitting socks for my DIL (that's daughter in law) and have some special yarn ordered from the Sundara Yarns for socks for as yet unassigned recipient. The lesson being, I can't be helped. vj

That scarf is beautiful enough to almost inspire me to knit...no, wait...find a friend who knits. Yes that's it, and can be bribed with chocolate... hmmmmm. Enjoy the color!

Thank you for doing the Olympics. I loved it! My family got a kick out of it and we even watched our first Olympic Winter game(s) on TV too. My whiplash is wanting to produce a knitted item every other day or so...soon this family is going to be eating off of knitted plates.

Yeah, mine mostly involves math regarding the size of my stash, remaining knitting time in my life, and the size of my WIPs pile.

Don't you dare laugh at me. (Well. Not outloud, anyway...) My Olympic whiplash...is a clean sink. And the ability to see the top of my desk. And dinner getting on the table once in a while before 8:30.

The experience made me question why I so seldom apply my 'personal best' to things. Seeing what I could accomplish when I FOCUSED and really tried kind of woke me up to how much I kind of sit back and let life happen around me, instead of getting in there and giving it my full attention.

Like the 16 days of knitting, life isn't going to last forever. We have a fairly limited time to do the best we can, right?

So. My whiplash is that I find myself trying a little harder to put a best effort forward on the things that make up my dull little life.

It isn't doing my kitchen floor a bit of harm, believe you me...

I am now totally addicted to knitting socks after finishing my first pair during the Olympics. I just ordered a bunch of different kinds from the internet and my husband thinks that I've went nuts!

I actually cast on a pair of socks during the whole sweater thing, only to have my husband snickering at me about the obscene pressure I had put myself under, and the possiblity/probability of actually finishing the sweater, and fidelity, and - well, you get the picture. And then there is the abyssmal test score this week. Apparently, I should have been studying. Cramming didn't work. I passed, but not my best work. But, hey, that is one beautiful sweater! (Priorities????)

You were jonesing for a button band? That is bad.

Well, I had a snow day today and was rubbing my hands and tee-heeing in anticipation, and I didn't knit a stitch all day! What's wrong with me? Is this whiplash?

Or am I now serene in the knowledge that it's always there for me, like my devoted puppy, and I can just give it loving glances and pats and wait to play with it later?

NAA.

I'm just hard to get!

My goodness, how is it that I keep comming out of lurkdom? Its just that your asking about whiplash really hit home. I have an assembly line of projects on my couch right now, so when I get sick of one I don't even have to get up for a new bit of knit spice. (Lazy me, but the kitty does so hate it when I disturb her).

The real whiplash will hit soon, though. In two weeks I'm flying from CT to FL, hopping in my dear friend's car, and we are hitting the road for a yarn rampage through western North Carolina. Of course, I have a slew of new projects to buy for, and have oh so been tempted to break my promise and buy just a wee bit of wool before then (shhhh!). If her little Honda comes back less than packed...well, we'll have failed our mission. Honestly, I would never have felt quite right about such naughtiness if it weren't for you.

Your Dale sweater really really rocks :)

Yup, knitting olympics whiplash. I suddenly found an extra 1/2 hour every morning before work. I knit for 30 undisturbed peaceful minutes every day and find my projects getting done faster as a result. I also get that zen knit-mind to go teach for the day. Awesome!

Olympic whiplash - I'm seriously jonesing for a new project! I didn't finish my Celtic Fantasy Shawl - :( because there is a new technique involved, looks like filet crochet but knitted and it's a PAIN to do, and there is a shrug pattern in super-bulky that is screaming "come knit me!!" I have hand-dyed wool for it, too, but can't cast on for it until the shawl's done!

Deborah C.

I've got whiplash. I can't seem to start anything else now that the Olympic shawl is finished. I wander around the house aimlessly, looking at my stash now and then or flipping through a book but not able to put yarn and needles together. I finished a pair of socks, but that's completely unsatisfactory. I need a big project with a major deadline! Help!

Manogamoose? No. Managamas? No. Monogaemus? No. Monogamice? Nope. Can't spell the word, much less be that. I was pretty sure that I wasn't "one of those" knitters before, and this clinched it. Although I did make it 14 days before I just HAD to grab something else (in this case socks).

I found 2 side effects from this--1 good, 1 not so much.

1. I don't have to cast on every single new yarn I get the minute it arrives. Although it wasn't easy, the STR yarn is still sitting quietly in the stash as is the gorgeous burgandy laceweight that my secret pal sent me. (But the projects are queued up, ready at a moment's notice.)

2. I now want to make (almost) every single thing I saw my fellow knitletes making. Good thing we're saving up for vacation, or I'd be melting my credit card on yarn and pattern purchases.

Even though I didn't finish my shawl, I am still working on it a few rows a night, as well as working hard at finishing my other WIP's.

A couple of things I got out of the experience:-

1. If it wasn't for the Knitting Olympics there is no way I'd have finished Clapotis in one fell swoop. I'd have got bored and it would have taken for ever.

2. I also experienced whiplash and am incredibly focussed on finishing the few WIPs I have.

3. Watched Olympic events that I wouldn't have viewed at all and Wow! the flying tomato and the rest of the USA snowboarders will hopefully inspire a whole generation of kids to take up sport.

Thanks so much for coming up with the idea and it was great to know I was part of an event in which 4,000 odd other people were taking part in.

Unintended side-effects? Oh, glory, yes!
For one thing, I discovered knitting blogs. (No, I'm not kidding...I'd really managed to ignore the whole blogging thing before this. Now I wants one of my own, my preciousssss ) I'm doomed. ;O)
I also discovered that I can knit faster than I thought, and that socks really ARE boring after the adrenaline rush of turning the heel.
I discovered "Knitters Without Borders," who have become this year's charity for my Lenten observances. Which means No New Yarn Until Easter! Aauugh! I'm languishing already! Especially after checking out the link attached to your scarf! Oh, lordie, I have enough troubles with Canadian yarns already, being quite the willing victim of Treenways and Philosopher's Wool. And now I know what Fleece Artist looks like? This *must* be some devious plot to Canadianize the whole continent!
Hi. My name is Sue, and I'm a yarn hussy.....

I was on the edge of Knitting Obsession before the Olympics. I'm not anymore. I've definitely become obessessed. I love to knit. I love to show off my knitting. I love to think about my knitting. I love to talk about my knitting.

I'm not sure this is a side-effect so much as a syndrome.

And the best part is that I've infected others along the way!!! Gotta go home and mentor a newbie. Have a good one.

Yup, stunned by the attack of needing to finish my UFO's! I am so determined to finish things that I a) immediately hauled out a project which had been languishing in my stash trunk for about a year and finished it off and b) went out today and bought a steamer. Seems I'm not so good at the blocking, so a shiny new appliance ought to do the trick, right...? If not at least it will help me clean around the toilet. *shrug*

My whiplash is that I want to keep spinning but cut my "regular" work to spin and now I'm backed up so have to catch up before I can spin again. My fear is that I will have moved on to something else and my wheel will sit for another year before it's used again. To help that not happen, I am leaving it next to my chair with the roving still there at the bobbin just waiting for me to go a few rounds. I'm hoping this weekend for some fine spinning time. I also want to take a picture of my completed skeins and someday I will get a blog and have my olympic spun skeins for everyone to see. I love your scarf and I don't blame you for wearing your sweater everywhere, it's wonderful. I am already thinking of my next project for the next winter olympics - in Canada!!!! - I think it will be something mighty and reflect that Canada is my 2nd beloved home from childhood. Another whiplash might be that I sent a picture of the gold medal to all my non-knitter friends and those who did not participate just so they can see what they missed and that this was some kinda' serious stuff. I will be smiling from this for a while to come.

Whiplash? You bet. I have no focus at all. None. I have a load of new projects in mind, I feel the urge to go back and finish some old ones, I really want to sew up the seams of the sweater I finished right before the Olympics. What have I knit? One inch on a matching hat to go with Birch. Plus, I also really miss watching the Olympics on TV. I know I'll snap out of it, but right now its kind of making me crazy. What I'm really craving is Steeks. Never done them, they scare me to death. Steph, I think you've turned me into an extreme knitter -- X-knitting anyone?

hmmm, project monogomy ---- nope.
i'm still a yarn wh--ummm lady of multiple choices :D

I got that whole monogamy-stay-focused-finish-UFOs rush 3 or 4 days into the Olympics (I think it was all the curling I watched over breakfast. Teaches patience.)It interfered with my Olympic Knitting but I still learned something. Stephanie, you were right. All those little details that make a Dale a Dale are so cool. Thanks for sharing them. And I love the suggestion of making Knitters W/O Borders my Lenten charity.

Congrats on your sweater. I have been working on Samus from Knitty since September. I am glad you are enjoying it. It is 73 degrees F here right now. That scarf is marvelous. Love the colors.

I just want to knit. All day every day. I want to make bags, and another sweater, and do some felting and maybe try and work out a couple of patterns for myself, and ......

I've had 2 immediate side effects: 1. knitting a completely boring 100% stockinette on slightly larger needles than usual (US2) socks in self-patterning yarn so I don't have to actually THINK, and 2. teaching myself continental style knitting technique so I can eventually blaze through stockinette even faster than I already do and to give my hands a break by alternating styles :D

Yeah! The state of my house! I didn't realize what a mess it was becoming! I have no food, a mountain of laundry, catboxes that should be condemned and a desk piled high with household paperwork and bills to pay! I guess dh was too busy WATCHING me knit his sweater to attend to the housework. LOL Eh, small price for knitting glory, I guess. I should be caught up by April or so (I hope). ;-)

Somehow I just trashed my rant. I have ripped down two scarves (into managable squares for patchwork afghans). I have knit two teddies for orphanages in Ukraine (but with amazingly intricate sweaters - thanks Steph). Then....back to the sock. Yes, THAT sock. Have rounded the heel. If I can figure out the stitch placement on the needles (which IS the FIRST needle?), I'll make a run for the finish.

Your scarf is GORGEOUS. Just beautiful. I'll bet it looks great with the sweater! Who needs blankets at night?!

Finishing whiplash. I'm a finishing fiend, post-Olympics! Also, I think I have a wider scope. I'm looking at (and knitting one!) sweaters for big people now and they don't seem so scary. Lots of big ideas. Who knows, colorwork could be next!

Whiplash? Yeah, I'd say so. On Sunday afternoon I raced through two other unfinished projects, gleefully handling cotton yarn and fat yarn (instead of wool sock yarn) and then Monday came around and I needed to knit, needed to, but felt a concurrent lack of purpose--I needed to knit, but I also felt an intense desire for a reason and a deadline. Funny. The KO project, which happened to be lace socks, also alit in me an intense lace thing and a desire to go out and find something _hard_ to knit, and something I never thought I'd knit. I was kind of rabid for a few days.

I have to echo another poster's comment: "My after-affect is an FO high, and a deep need to keep it coming." Yup. I finally wove in the ends on Coronet, tinked back the end of a scarf that I'd been casting off and *ran out of yarn* (and bound it off), and started the bunny from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts with gusto. I need it to be done so I can start my friends' bunting! Go, go, go. (Oh, and I learned that I estimated my skill level correctly--barely finished my socks in time, and that was after drafting my 5 y.o. to make our lunch!)

Whiplash? Yeah. Like a lot of others have already said, I want to finish up the UFOs that have been sitting around way too long. I've even (twice this week!) backed out of a yarn purchase. Both times, just before hitting "submit order" I've had this scary thought: Don't you have enough on the needles already and isn't there something similar already waiting in the stash? This could be very bad for the yarn sellers.

I haven't worn my new sweater to bed, but I did wear it day after day after day, until it finally got too hot here (in the 80s today). But I might have to set the A/C on Igloo tonight so I can wear it for a few minutes. ; )

I learned that if I'm going to be crazy enough to knit an adult-size jacket (Vivian Hoxbro's Rainbow Jacket) in fingering-weight yarn on size 3.00mm needles, I damned-well better start on Day 1. I can't do a total of about 10 rows during the first 3 days and then finish on time. I sure hope you'll do this again for the next Olympics... if not the summer Olympics, then the Vancouver games in 2010. I had fun!! Thanks! Joanne, the Canuck in Colorado.

I found that socks were not as hard as I'd made them out to be- that they are, in fact, quite addicting. I have two other socks on the needles, but they're for two different pairs. Also, I seem to have the attention span of a gnat, and no urge to knit the second socks yet.

My surprising side affect: I had to have something in my hands to knit, but it had to be something brainless. Almost the instant I finished Babushka, I rolled some handspun into a ball and cast on a garter stitch scarf on big needles. I got half done and decided it was too stiff, I needed bigger needles, so I ripped it and started again. And loved it because I had the whole thing to do over again. I finished it fairly quickly, then went back to knitting lace.

My experience was a little different. I feel more disoriented than anything. My Olympic experience was a little like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. You know, where they blindfold you, spin you till you're dizzy, point you in a direction and let you go off on your own? When you're done you take off your blindfold, see if you hit the mark, then stumble back to your chair. Really a lot of fun (especially when you hit the mark), but it throws you off a bit.

Yep, that was my Olympic experience.

yes! after i blocked my shawl, i immediately started 4 or 5 new porjects in one day. fortuantely a few of them are done already. oh yes, they are mostly SMALL projects . . . only one sweater begun since the olympics.

Well, I got a couple of UFOs done apart from the scarf I was doing. One of the UFOs was one side of my very first sock...I finished that first side and started directly on the second side that was done in about 6 days. So now I've got a pair of hand knitted socks!

Where's the damn camera? I know there's one somewhere. After basking in the glow for a few days of actually finishing a few projects, I backslid last night and spent waay too much time browsing yarn on EBay and you caught me. Whiplash, indeed.

This is too funny... I was actually taking a break from my chunky wool garter stitch scarf on size 19 needles (not a typical project for me, either) to check my email and read your blog! SO happy I'm not alone!

My name is Judy and I'm a sockaholic. I had gone 16 days without partaking of a single sock stitch. But I was white-knuckling it. It couldn't last. When that torch went out, I threw down my size 8 needles and I grabbed up my tiny size 0 circular and.....well, let's just say I'm quickly redeveloping my right pointer-finger callous. The pain is sweet, so very sweet... I'll soon be at the gussets of these 2-on-one circular toe-up babies.

I have always been a monogamous project knitter. Buy the yarn (always too much for the project, builds the stash and I have a phobia of running out of yarn), knit the work, give it someone I love. 1, 2, 3. No muss, no fuss. Always. Suddenly after the Olympics and enforced monogamy, I have a scarf, felted slippers, and socks on the needles.

While this is no surprise to anyone who knows me, apparently I don't respond well to limits. Even ones I set for myself. So after the enforced monogamy of my Chargers Sweater, I am a knitting floozy... throwing the wool around like nobody's business!

Eth

PS Love the scarf!

Ah, the lessons learned...

1. Having friends who knit is awesome. My Stitch and Bitch group rocks - 6 of us signed up for the KO, with 3 of us making the same lace scarf. None of us had attempted lace before, but learning how to do it with my knitty sisters insured that I succeeded with time to spare (even if I did curse profusely along the way).

2. After relearning to knit a couple years ago, I finally feel like a "real" knitter. More complex patterns are now like flowers unfolding, offering me a wondrous yarn garden in which to play.

3. Project monogamy IS tough. I hate to be told what to do - even if it's me doing the telling - and wanted to rebel halfway through. However, I didn't, and am darn proud of sticking with it. Of course, as soon as my scarf was done, I was back on the multiple project bandwagon; there's just no way I can stick to one thing at a time!

4. My love of knitting has deepened. Before the KO, I was in a knitting rut, bored by everything I attempted in January. Now, I am reinspired and revitalized.

5. Boy, do I heart yarn. Guess I knew that before, but didn't realize how deep my affection is.

i'm experiencing academic whiplash from the knitting olympics :|
but, this doesn't stop me from continuing to knit in class with this ridiculous determination...
(oddly, today while I was working on the neverending ribbing of my dad's sweater, I did have this overwhelming urge to knit a garter stitch scarf. To the point where in my mind, I was knitting a garter stitch scarf, which kind of made the ribbing a bit of a challenge...)

I've found (for some totally odd and unrelated-to-my-Olympic-knitting-project) that I really want to design my own pattern.

Yes, I think I'm delirious.

I'm feeling torn in 2 directions... I feel as if I should be knitting, which I think is left over from the drive to get my sweater done, but at the same time the thought of knitting again just yet makes my hands hurt. It's giving me a knitting freefall kind of feeling. Maybe some spinning will help.

Yeppers it's whiplash alright .!! I'm very glad you gave it a name . Whip into the stash and get ALL the UFO's out .Couldn't believe there were so many!! At he same time, found a stash of about 200-300 hundred knitting magazines and that was my downfall. the UFO's are all loveingly back in there hiding beds and the magazines are spread out all over everything. Trying to decide which ones to keep and which ones to get rid of is nigh on to impossible . Each page holds yet another masterpiece to be drooled over. So be-- it my wrists need the rest and I just cannot settle to what it is I want to finish first . The thought of sping coming is turning my head to all the summer tops in these magazines BUT all my UFO's are for winter . WHAT a delima just cannot make any decisions re knitting since this OLYMPICS ended . Maybe the next challenge should be to FINISH at least TWO UFO's before starting on anything new . Thanks again for the challenge Steohanie we all love you for it Joan (eau) LOVE the colors in that scarf

I guess I could say that I learned not to be "afraid" of not understanding a pattern. The whole reason why I chose the hourglass sweater as my Olympic Knitting. I learned to just shut up and knit, its just yarn you can rip out your mistakes! (or just hide them and not tell anyone about them! *L*) : D
I love your scarf! The colors are amazing

I'm experiencing two whiplash effects:

1) I (falsely) think I can knit pretty much anything if I want to and have jumped into two complicated high skill projects.

2) Knitting to tv isn't the same without the Olympics. Law & Order just doesn't inspire my needles to click away like curling or moguls.

I am trying to learn to focus on multi-tasking while knitting. I am trying to watch television more. My mum says that I need more "normal" things in life like trying to take care of my new apartment, or feeding the cat, or spending some quality time with my mate. Please!!!

Well, since I didn't quite finish my Olympic Knitting on time, maybe my knitting whiplash isn't so pronounced. I junped right back to the socks I was knitting before the Olympics started. I want to get them done over the weekend, mainly because I am going to Arizona for a week on the 10th, and I want to take "new" travel knitting with me for the trip. I have four skeins of two different colors of Lorna's Laces Shephard Sock that I think are flying to Phoenix with me. But then again, I have some lovely Nashua Creative Focus worsted to knit a vest with that might come with me. My whiplash is more that I want to knit things besides socks (but socks are better for travel, right Steph?). I want to tackle intarsia - there is a baby blanket in on of those "Vogue On The Go" books that I want to try. I just want to try, try, try!! Maybe by the time the summer Olympics come around, I will be ready for lace!!

My KO whiplash comes in the form of monogamously knitting a unplanned freeform whoknowshowit'll turn out purse (I think) No pattern. Just knit and change colours any old time and go in any direction that I want to go in at all times. Having to read and think about staying true to a pattern was a hard task for me but I learned I can do it if I have to. I relearned that I ame much more creative than analytical.

My vow was to start and complete a knitted blanket and finish a crocheted one for Project Linus since I selfishly did a sweater for myself for the KO. I had the discipline to see the sweater through and then finish the almost complete Joel's scarf (Sally Melville). I discovered that I am the same at the heart of things, when it comes to cleaning and working on any needlework: "Oooh, look a squirrel!" (Thank you Sandy for summing it up so well.) The computer desk is still cluttered, but a trail of "I'll just put this away and wipe this down" follow the good intention to clean it around the apartment. The desk is still a mess, but 15 random things are in their proper place. I have yet to betray the two Project Linus blankets, but there are distracting "squirrels" burrowing in every yarn cubby, book, and magazine, chittering noisily at me, ready to lead me astray.

Hmm - post-event whiplash; very much like doing a distance running event, I felt a little letdown when it was all done. I had to force a 2-day knitting break to give my hands a rest, but then was right back at it working on a sock and a sweater and a hat and a wristwarmer... basically, just like running, I need a few 'easy' days and then have to get back 'in training'. So on the weekend I'll be starting a sweater with a six-week deadline (dad's birthday). Discipline and structure DOES make for productivity, but I'm allowing myself some "free knitting time" too. So the whiplash, and the learning is - stick to what works. Plan the work, work the plan.

1- first thing I did was clean my kitchen.

2- I really loved working with my handspun. More than I thought I would. I now want to start spinning more yarn for a second lace for myself!

It's funny because I used to be a monogamous knitter - but everything used to take longer to get done. as the years went by, i began to take up 3 projects at a time. going back to knitting one thing only wasn't painful, but I felt a little put off sometimes, especially when something went wrong.

After the olympics, I thought that I wouldn't want to pick up the needles right away, and I didn't. I took up my fairisle sweater that needed end weaving attention and now I am one or two weeks away from having another sweater. And you know what....sewing in all those ends wasn't impossible, and it wasn't that bad!

If anything, this has made me more willing to sit down and clear things off my plate.

Since I got a DNF in my Knitting Olympics event, I'm still focused mightily on getting that beaded sweater done. But I'm still crazy in love and have eyes for no other projects.

Well, okay, my eyes may have wandered just the tiniest bit. During the Olympics (oh, the timing!) my sister gave me *four pounds* of her own gorgeous handspun (major, major score!)--I must have done something good in a past life to have a spinner for a sister--and I'm thinking of cheating, you know, just the once, and it won't mean anything I swear, with that yarn and the Cabled Riding Jacket from Loop-D-Loop.

Whiplash? Or just proof that I'm still a Yarn Ho?

I learned: I'm a KNITTER hear me ROAR. I can knit ANYTHING!!!
and: I might forget keys, purse or pants but NOT my knitting.
I miss the Olympics. Life without constant curling has lost a dimension.

I seem to have totally switched the way I do things. Before, I would knit after I got all the other evening tasks done. Now I knit and maybe do the dishes. I did spend significant time digging out the place last weekend, and now am just trying to put things away so it won't look bad even if it is a bit dusty. I think my cats and dog appreciate the fact that they get to snuggle a bunch more. There all of us are piled up on the loveseat, needles clicking. I desperately need to do some serious basement sorting/trashing and reorganization but the only way I can inspire myself is to promise some yummy yarn when it's done. I find myself wanting to try 60 bazillion things, all at the same time and most of them aren't things I have any clue how to do but I am surely having fun experimenting. I've got a sock on the needles (I've never made one before)and seem to spend a lot of time rummageing through all the pages I've downloaded and magazine how-tos hoping that some of them will click. Also have a scarf started inspired by someone's comment on someone's blog that sounded interesting. We shall see...and have a good time at that.

I think the Olympics, for me, gave my knitting more validation...and as for your scarf...that yarn is to die for! I have trouble handling great big needles but for something like that I think I'd surely give it a good try.

And now besides your yarn, I'm lusting after a digital camera. This taking 24 pictures of a cast on booga bag so I can get the pics developed for my new blog is a bitch!

My knitting whiplash is loneliness; I LIVED with that sweater on my lap or near me continuously. Sure, I can wear it now, but I miss KNITTING it. And nothing new has quite called me. So I am now having trouble committing to a project -- or indeed to many. (Started socks, stopped, picked up a sweater I working on before the KO, put it down, etc. -- did finish a pair of socks, however, so maybe all is not lost.)

The upside? My wheel WAS feeling neglected ...

I enjoyed working on my Irish Hiking Scarf and found the cable stitch to be way easier than I thought it would be. I want to make more and more cabled things now LOL.

I also upped my challenge and tried dying wool with kool aid...didn't think I could do it, but I did (and after doing 4 balls I find out that apparently it's not colour fast and will fade!!!!!!!!!! I did mix vinnegar in with it but I don't have any clue if that will help or not). I'll make them into scarves or hats I think as even if it does fade it'll be off white and still look ok...I hope lol.

I also learned that at some point I want to make myself a sweater or something like that...think I should lose some weight first so I can make a cute smaller one that will look good on me...

Yes! My whiplash seems to bbe an utter incapability to work on any project at all, accompanied by an insatiable urge to do nothing bUT knit. I've ripped out the same sock four times in the past 2 days.

That scarf looks like so much fun, though!

I totally sympathize with you. I have this urge to complete unfinished projects but weirdly enough, even though I did a baby blanket for the Olympics, I have the urge to start another blankets. Which I guess is a good thing because between now and August there are 5 babies on the way and two already here.

I didn't finish, but I learned a new cast on, a new heel, a new toe and that if I work for four hours straight on US size1 needles, my hand will start to develop tendonitis. I also received strange stares and several email asking if the "Knitting Olympics" is for real.

Monogamy? Not me! Had to have a no-brainer on the needles, as well. I highly recommend the Berocco "Softy" baby blanket for such a purpose.

I did love the challenge. And I love that scarf!

I finished my olympic project much more quickly than expected, and promptly took out a sweater I'd been half-heartedly working on and finished that (mostly to have something to do with my hands while I wondered how on earth I'd just knit a pair of socks in eight days.) It's a striped raglan sweater, and I am now totally sick of stockinette stitch.

Of course, I now feel an overwhelming need to design myself a lace shawl. I just bought Barbara Walker's first Knitting Treasury and I've been eyeing the lace patterns and mentally designing something wide and rectangular and airy.

I mean, I knit a pair of socks with a mild lace pattern in eight days: I can totally handle a large lace project. I've discovered that I can tackle more than I think I can, these past two weeks. It's awesome.

It took me about 14 days, but I learned that if Lene could knit 1 stitch a day, then there was no reason why I could do little bits that wouldn't hurt my wrist too much, and that knitting something, but not too much could be a goal.

I learned that even if I can only do a row or two at a time, I CAN knit a sweater to fit me. I'm still working on the front, finally finished the back, but it's coming along and I know I can get 'er done.

And I learned that even if the KO is officially over, as long as you have the right mindset it's never really over.

Oh do make the scarf! I am a Fleece Artist addict/junkie (can't decide which).

Olympic whiplash:

1)When I finished the last scarf on Sat night, I had no clue what to do - I couldn't decide whether to pick up a crochet hook or the dpns! I spent the rest of the night trying to decide and did nothing *g* When I picked up a hook for the first time in 16 days on Sun morning, it felt quite odd (for about 10 seconds ;>)... At the closing ceremonies I kept flipping back and forth between the hook and the needles.

2)For Lent I decided to finish the projects sitting next to the computer desk; the only things I could start were 8" squares for crochet guild or 12" squares for comfortghans... So far so good, but it's been complicated by:

3)The fact that I bought an Addi Turbo 40" circular last night at Lettuce Knit *snerk* This was actually caused by my thinking that for 2008 or 2010 I could knit a blanket (if the KO happens again, that is *g*), which led to the thought "Why can't I knit one now?" I haven't broken the circ out of the package yet, but I've amended the Lent resolution to not being able to start something until at least one project is finished... (Needless to say there was much joking about me being "assimilated" after buying it *lol*)

There's a slippery slope here, and I think I'm sliding down ;)

I still have to finish the lap blanket that I started at the beginning of Knitting Olympics. The best lesson I learned was that, even though I did not finish, I had a consistancy about my knitting. I usually knit very small projects (hats and booties for charity) and they get done quickly. To commit to a larger project was a big leap of faith, which I still have, because I will finish the blanket! Blessings, Julie

Sure do! When I finished Sock Fugly (and it was - search that on my blog and you'll find it) I wanted to do a REAL sock, a beauteous sock..a PERFECT sock and before my needles were cold, I had cast on another sock and was at it again. I call this one The Curling Sock since I watched curling non-stop while I did the first one...and this time, it will be a PAIR! In fact, I am nearly done with the second one! And then I ordered self-striping sock yarn and size 1 dpns from KnitPicks. I am the Sock Queen now!!! Hear me KNITTTTT!!!!!

Lesson learned: A focus on one main project allowed me to complete nearly twice as many dipsh@t hats (for Ship Support) during the month.

Why? How?

Don't know. Know only _that_!

I absolutely got some side effects. After finishing the sweater, while it was drying from being blocked I promptly finished one WIP and whipped out four more brand spankin' new projects and finished them one at a time. It feels so good to accomplish something like that and now that I knit a sweater in 16 days I can certainly whip out mittens or a bag in a few hours. I'm going to be very nicely outfitted at this pace! Thanks again Stephanie for providing this opportunity!

For about 24 hours, I had the post Olympic blues, I think. I kept looking at my stash, thinking "what am I going to DO with all this yarn?!?" Once I recovered, I ordered a Dale of Norway pattern for the Torino sweater, some STR yarn from Blue Moon and am knitting Jaywalkers on 2 needles with some KPPM from the stash....I think I'm one of those that NEED a challenge :)

I wasn't completely monogamous during the KO; I couldn't be - I went to Stitches West and took a class on Bohus Knitting. Had to work on the class sample. Still, I put it down as soon as class was over and went back to my fair isle mitten.

I learned that I can *finally* hold the yarn in my right hand "the right way." I learned to knit about mumblemumble years ago, holding in my right hand, but what I really did was to pinch the yarn between thumb and index finger and use that as the tensioning method. It worked for many years, til I decided to learn to knit continental. So I retrained myself. All fine, but when I took a Stitches class last year on 2 handed knitting, I was still using the pinch.

To compete in the KO, I vowed to learn a "proper" way of holding yarn in the right hand. I did it!! And it *really* helped with the fair isle. (Well, duh!) I'm pretty proud of that.

I also learned that I needed the pressure to finish the mitten. I'd have left it in a knitting bag, otherwise. But it's done and I'm about 1/3 of the way through its mate!

Whiplash, you ask? I cast on TWO new projects yesterday. And I bought 4 (FOUR!!!) Bohus kits. Gulp. But I'm working on my Bohus sample (half done) and my second mitten. I think I ricochetted into harlot-ish-ness. Sigh.

I set out to start and finish the BACK of a vest for my son, with the Nasty Dog Dragon from Scarf Style on it. I made it with a day to spare, and even added fire coming out of his mouth! (Pix on my blog)

I work in a yarn shop here in Portland, Oregon, and my shop knitting went woefully neglected for those 16 days. I'm finishing up projects for spring classes now, but all I really want to do is FINISH THAT VEST! I think project monogamy will be a side effect for me too, even though I'm being forced into unwanted affairs with other projects right now (or maybe the dragon was the affair?!)

I do. I took a couple days away from it all. I was a little upset I didn't meet my goal. Then I picked up another project I wanted to play with and did about an hour of that. Just to let myself pretend I didn't have any more lace to work on. But then I found myself really wanting to get back into knitting my shawl. I have never felt this way about lace before. I have started shawls and even a stole, and never got much farther than the first chart. But something about this one has done something to me. I want to knit it, and only it. I always love to knit on bunches of things at once. This is totally wierd to me. I even have some more lace waiting to be started after this one (patterns and the yarn for them). I think the Olympics did something to me. I think it may be for the better.
:)

I re-learned something I really already knew - I work best under pressure. I have a hard time turning down a challenge, even ridiculous ones....

I was really committed to my KO beaded socks and got them done in 10 days even with out of town house guests. Now I am finding it really hard to commit to finishing 3 fingers and a thumb on my husband's second glove. They are soft. They are pretty. They don't want to be finished.

i've yet to report in...i finished the finger-tip-less gloves for my son early and b'cause i underestimated myself(chronic, really)i was able to start his hat before the closing ceremonies(a six hour amtrack delay on friday helped)... hey knitting fingers aren't that hard!!!! i was amazed!!! thank you steph for stretching us to try something new....thanks for letting us climb the mountain-top and visit our v. own yarn guru... the hat is done and i cast on lace socks on monday but had decided early on(before KO) that ufos were gonna be my lenten discipline... i mean they are really like little broken promises, thing is there are 40 whole days in lent and... i have more than 40 things on the list (they aren't ALL knitting)wow, have i let this get out of control or what??? having said all this i drove by the yarn shop today and really really wanted to go inside!!!....ps..when i folded dh's laundry today there were 15 pairs of underwear... does that mean he went without some of the days????

Thank goodness. I slept in The Sweater on Sunday waiting for Closing Ceremonies. I wore it to work on Tuesday. I pull it on when I get home, while I knit the striped ribbed scarf from hell that I owe someone, becaue I know I will finish if I just work on that one thing. In my Sweater.

Also, I love Merlot. I owe my Olympic success to knitting under the influence.

I learned that socks are a lot easier than I thought(not that I've finished #2, mind you) and now I have the courage to try all kinds of things involving short rows, picking up stitches, kitchening and other good stuff. As for monogamy, I am close to finishing sock #2 but took a break this afternoon for baby booties(I had a good excuse having to do with a new mom I'm going to see next week) and I also have a lovely mohair scarf on needles patiently waiting for my return...marital monogamy is good- knitting monogamy, not so much! and now my repertoire will be so much more varied, thanks to you, Stephanie!

I learned that I'm not scared of Kitchener anymore, and, this is the scary part: I think it's really easy, and ohmygosh, what in the world was I afraid of? Lead on, McDuff!

I have learned that I can knit socks. In fact they were not near as hard as I had thought they would be or was lead to believe. (Also, one can whittle perfect size 2 double points from bamboo chicken skewers if need be).
The problem now is that I yearn for them! As soon as I finished the 1st pr., I started another. I find myself looking through countless sock links & my family keeps saying things like: "more socks mom??" I rationed with them by saying "one can never have too many" & "they never go out of style".
Knitting has become something that that I look forward to. It helps calm the mind at the end of the day.
Thank you so much Stephanie!

Whew! I was getting worried there for a minute! Worried that you'd completely gone over to the one project at a time camp.

The sweater is amazing. Your garter stitch scarf is beautiful, too.

hi:)
this is off subject.
i was reading your book & was wondering what happened to that green afghan?
are there any pics of the squares/finished ( if it was)?
i enjoy reading you, both in book & blog
peace&blessings
mary~

The side effect for me is that I have a lot more confidence in my ability and now I have this real desire to push myself to learn new things. I started an intarsia bag and also a pair of socks that I am doing Lucy Neatby's garter stitch heel. I have left my comfort zone and I hope I don't return! Thanks, Stephanie...your sweater is sooo beautiful!

I actually have another project that I'm having to be insanely, singularly focused on (frankly, even more so than the Knitting Olympics projects), and it's really driving me crazy. It's an 8 row repeat, all WS rows are just purl, and the 4 RS rows are really just 2 different row, but offset. The monotony of it is killing me.

But the ODDEST thing about it is that, in response to the boredom I'm feeling because of the pattern, what I want to do is just plain stockinette in the round... which really is even more boring, but I think why I'm craving it is that I wouldn't have to think about where in the pattern I was... no counting, no remembering or figuring out what the next stitch I need to make is, just go and go and go.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything like that I can do without swatching first, and swatching would not be the meditative, relaxing thing I'm looking for... and besides, while I could just pick up a stockinette in the round sock and work on it a row or a minute or two or whatever and then go back to the other project feeling a little refreshed, swatching would feel like I was wasting too much time on something else, when I should be working on the other project.

So, lesson learned... ALWAYS have a mindless project alredy started when you get going on a big project that needs to be finished by a deadline.

not only do i not *want* to really knit a lot, i actually want to sleep and clean house! that's so not me.

My friends mother died not too long ago, and my friend inherited alot of half finished (absolutely meticilously and GORGEOUSLY knitted up until the last half sleeve) sweaters which she MADE me look at, and said "SEE what will happen to YOU ONE DAY. Someone will have to finish YOUR projects!!" I don't wish my half-assed projects on anyone; especially the dusty two sweaters that have lived at the bottom of my knitting pile for the last four years (one sleeve missing only on both of them I might add); so now at least one of them is actually done. (Well I'm missing buttons, but I wear it anyway (in PUBLIC), that counts for being done). The Knitting Olympics creates such a sense of accomplishment of a BIG project, it somehow makes it alot smaller. So when I picked up my new sweater I had just started before the Olympics (about 10 minutes after the flame went out), I was like "oh, it's just a sweater, not the MONSTROUS CABLED SAMPLER BLANKET; this should be QUICK";it sort of put things in perspective. NO knitting project is ever too big not to finish. In time.

I took my lace designing skills to a new level. It was akin to a language immersion program. I went to Laceland for two weeks and now it's in the same are of my brain that beadwork is. I can make the yarn do what I want, end up with my desired texture, contrast, drape... It feels good.

OTH, I have a serious case of knitlazies this week. My hands are really tired, but it's not as if I can *stop* knitting, so I'm knitting slowly for one of my favorite people in the world. I am plodding through a simple shawl for Grandmother and definitely won't have the edging complete in time for her 96th birthday luncheon on Saturday. She's a knitter so she'll laugh and reassure me in her wonderful way that she's been late a few times over the years, too.

This was my first project other than knitting a scarf in the round (which is my FIRST first project, and still not finished yet), and over halfway through, I dropped a stitch, and because of the cables, I had no idea how to fix it because it was twisted, or something. I fixed it somehow, (after a little whining and a few tears), and the finished project had cables that twisted the wrong way, a few very 'interesting' looking bobbles, and the hat was 3 sizes too big for the head it was intended for. However, seeing my daughter crow about how I made it for her to anyone who would listen, and her absolute refusal to take it off her head despite the 72 degree temps, and her desperate bid to let her sleep with it, was a pretty good payoff.

So, yeah, I'm obsessed.

Well, chalk me up as another vote for the "need a brainless project for a break" group. I'm still working on the Starmore, a few rows here and there, but right now I NEED mindless knitting in THICK (or sock) yarn. At least I'm making progress with my Eris pullover. I thought the body would take forever - guess I should have made it my Olympic project.

So far it seems like some knitting monogamy has taken hold, because I'm working on finishing up some projects. There is however, always the mohair, merino, and alpaca fleece just waiting for my attention and a chance on the drop spindle, and the colors are so lovely. The KO helped jump start a beautiful prayer shawl project for my aunt, using some red boucle mohair from my stash (I discovered your blog one day after the olympics began), so I'm trying to think of more ways to use my stash - the flip side of that being that then I get to add new items to it!

OMG!!!!LOL

I love that scarf! WHAT a change hehehe

chunky yarn is my friend, even though I am presently hugging some fingering weight stuff mmmmmmmmmm cotton/angora mmmmmmmmmmm

As soon as I finished the Jaywalkers I walked away to my spinning wheel for at least three days. But curiously, I have cast on another sock......

Love the scarf...

Whiplash? No. Surprises? Yes!
I found that I can also be ALMOST monogamous, but not quite, since I found that knitting lace while being tired took more time because I had to redo several sections, but I did have small or easy projects to work on so I didn't feel guilty. But that worked, and the shawl is now done, and beautiful!!!
Thanks for the challenge!!!
(Oh, and it took more yarn than I planned on for the shawl, and my spouse did not really like it when I drop spindled in bed... I don't understand!!!)
Lorie in Ohio

Well whiplash is a good name for it but all I know is that my brain is buzzing with ideas and I am having trouble convincing myself to finish WIP. One is a birthday present for April, another a present for Mothers day in May and several small projects. Not to mention the 3-4 in the planning stage. I also have a commisson I should finsh asap.

Any heh I am still just sewing up my KO cape.!!

Also there is all the "exciting" yarns and patterns I have discovered while reading blogs during the KO.

Oh well back to it, love the scarf and the yarn!!

Knit on. >^..^<

Eight skeins of kid mohair roving from Fleece Artist bought in (gasp) Montréal. Partially the shock of finding it there, partially whiplash.

Two of them are in forest greens. Two are in royal purples and golds. None of them are in black. That would be the whiplash talking.

whiplash? learning to read well written pattern thoroughly before knitting. re-reading properly. re-reading again, just to be sure. (and the lace ribbing looks *good* now!) that, and despite attempts to purl otherwise, i'm a combination knitter and that's okay.

did someone mention... beijing?

Funny, I thought I was in for a real challenge by making things for the Knitting and Crocheting Olympics, but I finished both with little problems. Now I feel guilty, and I haven't done much knitting or crocheting this week.

I learned, over those 16 days, that I "can" complete challenging projects quickly. Now, though, there's "whiplash", indeed: a brand-new, guilt-driven urge to try and complete a startlingly large collection of UFO's! (Simultaneously!)

Your sweater is drop dead gorgeous, and your scarf is bright and cheery! So you want to knit scarves or do garter stitch for a while. They can be very comforting.

Sadly, I have learned that I cannot stick to one thing at a time. The sweater is being finished while I tackle spinning and rip up the carpet in my home. Sigh......

Love the color boldness and texture in the scarf! It's art. After I finished my KO project I found myself in the midst of needles, stash and projects organizing as never before. Went to the LYS yesterday and touched new fibers for a little fix, but felt no need to purchase as I am totally at peace finishing old projects.

After 16 days with one project, I got the same feeling - WHY does it take me so long to finish all these dinky projects? I've got half a hat, one sock, and 3/4 of a wristwarmer just waiting for a little love.

After a bright, but mostly gray, Lopi poncho, I am now knitting the second sock (the first has been waiting since September!) of a pair, in the brightest, craziest Koigu I could find. The combination of unpredictable colors, and soft, fine yarn is a great contradiction to the bulky Fair Isle of the last weeks.

After spending 10 days on a sweater (my project was a sweater and legwarmer set for my daughter- sweater was 10 days, then 4 on the leg warmers), I am finding that nothing else entertains me. I am determined to finish the hooded baby blanket I'm working on, but it's so bloody boring now! I have a huge box of wool and a fisherman's sweater pattern for my husband in my living room just taunting me as I work on row after boring stinking row of seed and stockingette stitch in plain old worsted weight baby yarn. ACK!

after 16 days of lace, 16 days of reading each row line, by line, by two or 3 stitches. i was jublient to return to a plain old sleeve in mindless knit in the round. and on size 11's instead of the 5's i was on.

Another mention of the Knitting Olympics

http://www.berroco.com/knitbits/knitbits_125_oly.html

I thought that I would be "over" knitting, but I started a sweater for my hubby and can't put it down! :)

I'm still sloughing through my KO project. I feel like Frode Estril, the Norwegian Skier. He passed 77 other skiers in the 15M to get the Silver... but came in 28th in the 30M.

I so totally get that...

I learned that socks aren't the Great Evil I once thought them to be and it's actually really nice to have a little project I can sling around with me. I also learned that I rack up sock yarn for my stash at about six times the rate I rack up sweater or scarf yarns...

I love how you can go from something insanely difficult and beautiful directly to something charming and simple.

I'm one of the folks who learned I can do more than I expected. As my post-Knitting Olympics project, I put away my fear of picking up stitches and picked up 154 of them for the 2x2 ribbed shawl-type collar for a baby sweater. Every time I look at the edge of the sweater I think "I did that! I CAN pick up stitches!" Thanks for the push -- I have a feeling it will carry over to the non-knitting parts of my life as well.

I only knit 1 thing at a time,if its a wearable.I just finished knitting a sweater and if I had 2 things going, then I would run from the seaming.........If I knit a purse or something, then I can work on a scarf or socks at the same time.............Congrats on sweater

Finishing is a joy-always believed it but this just urged me on. Really, how many more years do i want to complain about "having" to do this cotton aran vest? None! I'm moving on with it past the Olympic goal of the back! Have got to figure out the prize i give myself when it's done...

Funny Rams should mention the spinning. I was thinking (almost) the same thing. Olympics closed Sunday. Where Tuesdays not for spinning??? Just wondering. And apparently didn't learn that monogamy lesson either. Maybe if I had, then I would be wearing my Olympic sweater. Surely had I not cast on that pair of socks or crocheted the lap blankie before the cat attack, I could have limped my way to the finish line.

Love the scarf, and I think it's awesome that you're wearing the sweater to bed. A little separation anxiety is entirely appropriate for this situation. :-) The unexpected lesson I learned from this whole situation - well, besides the one where I realized my head is really big - is that I loved being challenged. I loved the whole deadline thing, the pressure of knitting under time constraints with cramped-up hands and my kids standing there begging to be fed. Loved it. So much that I went out and bought the wool for a second sweater before I was quite done with the first one. My husband finds this all quite amusing, but do I care? Next lesson, learning to knit with beads so I can combine my two passions. Ain't life grand?

Well, I have to admit that I didn't compete in the olympics, per se, although I did finish a record number of projects, on a deadline, during the olympics timeline. But I'm a very monogomous (sp?) knitter anyway. I like to work on a project until it's finished. Of course, this does make me continuously lament that people have two feet instead of one and (shudder) two arms instead of one. Because the making of a second sleeve is just a horror. Especially since that act generally immediately proceeds seaming. Another horror.

My Olympic whiplash is not wanting to knit at all.

Oh, so I did knit a little at the hockey game on Tuesday night, and while on the phone with a girlfriend on Wednesday, but other than that? I've been knit-free since February 24th.

I'm sure I'll stop beeing a teetotaler sometime, though...

I discovered that when I run into a bit of a problem, I need the pressure of something like the Knitting Olympics to make me plow ahead and solve the problem and finish the project instead of setting it aside [never to see the light of day again] for another day. Results: something to WEAR now. Thanks for the challenge!

I have since picked up needles to knit only a scarf. Brainless, quiet, soothing knitting. Something to zone out on. Zennnnnnnnful, knitting. Hummmmmmmmmm.

I discovered that project monogamy is completely impossible for me... while I was finishing my blanket, my travel project (it must be small, especially now because I'm 8 months pregnant and suck up all of the spare room in the room)was a pair of socks for my daughter. (My first actual PAIR--and you know, they don't sock suck--I may actually be an addict... another Olympic first...) I actually had to take a night off from Olympic knitting to finish her sock because I wouldn't be able to do the decreases and grafting (which I bollixed but she loves the socks anyway)on the road... and that if I'd actually just LEFT the sock until the day after the Olympics, someone would have had to kill me because I would have been impossible to live with..../

I ran the WIP Marathon, and learned, I can finish a project. Not only can I finish a project but I can finish three of them. (of the 6 active in progress) This is huge for me. The vest was actually a project that involved shaping, something I'd never done before.
I'm working on the second sock as part of the pair, then moving on to the rest of my works in progress. The second bag and 2 scarfs will get their love then I'll finally feel good about pickign a new project

Well, the plaintive cry of the long-neglected drop spindle and its dyed silk grew louder and louder as the Olympics wore on... and knitting blah-brown cabled socks now seems delightful (I was hating them before).

Side effects, check.

After knitting an adult sized cable sweater in 16 days (14 actually, I finished a little early) I was wholly unfazed to learn I needed to finish a baby sweater in 10. Once that would have scared me. Now? Not a problem. It's day 3 and the body and the first sleeve are done. I learned that I can get things done *a lot* faster than I thought I could and not just in knitting. This whole experience has really empowered me in many areas of my life.

Love the colours in the scarf. :)

I have to thank you and the challenge for driving me to find a lovely new yarn I didn't know existed, even if my lack of lace knowledge did mean I ordered three times as much of it as I needed! (I learned I'm not ready for the lace and mohair combo - not yet.) Strange side-effect: having discovered I could knit a lace scarf in a *week* with this yarn (admittedly, blocking not included but you could get away without it at a pinch), it was less than two days before I cast on and started another shawl with the second skein. So - that was certainly worth knowing. :)

Well, I've learned that I work best under pressure, but I already knew that, really. Saturday evening before the closing ceremonies, with 2 sleeves and a cowln neck to go, I decided that really, I could do it if I just focussed. I don't think I quite made the deadline, but I did finish the sweater I was working on Sunday evening, so I think that's pretty close to a silver finish :)
I also learned that after typing at school all day, my wrists don't like coming home to work on heavy sweater knitting - they complain and make me work on a fun red scarf on smaller, lighter needles instead. I lack monogamy. But because of this, I'm also learning more about how to use my computer to reduce wrist strain so that I can knit more!

p.s. Love the scarf!

Side effects... When I've gone into the "knitting trance" I dream up new projects/designs- so I'm in big trouble now!

Wow, great minds think alike. The first thing I did after finishing up my armwarmers and a couple of other projects that I had 1/2 way--was exactly that. Knit up a scarf using 5 threads in garter stitch using size 50 needles!

Talk about instant gratification!

I'm glad to see that I am not the only one with post Olympic depression. Yesterday, I shook it off and went to the yarn store though. Gauntlets for me out of expensive yarn! The sweater I finished for the KO was my first and I used cheap yarn- I didn't want to waste money on a sweater that didn't fit. But I love it and I learned that I deserve nice things! I'm now thinking that I will knit a sweater for myself every year. They will each be tied to memories of what happened during the year that I knit them. I can't wait. I'm also knitting a sweater for my mom now that I know I can create a garment that someone could actually love and wear!

Harlotness. Harlotness is my Olympic whiplash. After knitting one (seemingly never-ending) thing for 16 days, I want to work on many projects. I want to order much yarn and start it all simultaneously. I desperately want to knit something that isn't blue (and that's amazing, because blue is my favorite color).

But I haven't even gotten to pick up my knitting this week because the boyfriend had LASEK surgery and there have been many allergic reactions since, so I've been playing seeing-eye-dog all week. I don't mind it that much (although it would be easier if he would just STAY SITTING and let me do things instead of wandering around trying to be independent), but I do miss the knitting.

you're right, the monogamy thing is something to think about. sometimes i knit like a chicken with my head chopped off!!!!

Whiplash? Like, like, doing the opposite? Not exactly. I'm certainly NOT going to try a teeny yarn intricate lace pattern again, no matter how easy (patterning only on one side) it is. It just doesn't fit with my current babe-in-arms lifestyle.

But I did learn a lot. I can do the lace, just not when interrupted, and I CAN make time to knit every day, substantial time, without having my life collapse around me. I had hoped to have lots of free time during the Olympics, but didn't for all kinds of reasons. (Now, of course, I have reams of time. Who knew?) I will probably be about as monogamous as I have been, which is pretty much, unless I hate the project.

And I learned that no matter how slowly you knit, lots of knitting ensues if you just sit down and make yourself do some rows. Stunned, I am.

Thanks for a great learning opportunity!

Love the Textures scarf. I knit the Dragonfly colorway last year and it was a fun knit. I get lots of compliments on it as well, which can be frustrating when I had on a gorgeous lace scarf the day before and no one said. "Boo." Ah well.

Reaction: I couldn't spin for over two weeks and all the colors and textures of spinning are about twice as bright to my eyes now, I just have to spin all the time! I haven't knit a stitch since the socks were completed, but I've been spinning every chance I get and I'm just eating it up. Next will come the desire to knit it up into something I'm sure!

"whiplash"....Knowing that I can knit, read blogs and email and listen to/watch TV all at the same time, although I do miss some of what is happening on TV. As a result of this I am knitting more in the evening so the stash pile is decreasing more rapidly. My vocabulary has increased by learning the meaning of a number of things, e.g., tinking, frogging, LYS, Kal, SnB and steeking. It has been an eyeopener to know that there are so many knitters out there. Thank you all for all that I have learned and a thank you with hugs to Stephanie.
Choc

Before the KO I had to talk myself into doing lace. Okay so it was lace knee high socks, but it was still lace. Now I had done lace stitch patterns in worsted and bulky yarns for afgans and baby blankies. But never in a fiber as small as sock yarn!

Well I am now finding that I long to make more lace! I managed to talk my mother into letting me make her a lace shawl to wear on her cruise in May. I have asked for lace weight fibers in two knitting swaps that I am in. And have a number of projects lined up, all of them lace!

I learned that I like doing lace, like it alot in fact, and that it isn't nearly as hard as thought it would be. I learned that I like having a deadline to keep me on track. I learned that the KO brought the world of knitters together in strange and unexpected but wonderful ways. I learned that my hubby *wants* me to knit not because I make him things, but because it makes me happy. But what I like even more than all of this: I met even more new knitty friends!

Thanks for the KO!

Project Monogamy. What a concept. It made me ornery. I tended not to knit so much as usual. I fell asleep alot with teensy dpns and half a sock in my lap. I don't want to knit something HUGE... I just want to knit at my own speed. I apparently hate to feel rushed. My WIP's are calling me a bit more urgently, however. Finishing is SO satisfying, even if everyone else is ahead of you.

Be careful - that scarf sheds like mad. I love mine though.

Beautiful scarf, but don't wear it with black!!

I'd say now that I'm done with my Olympics project (Christmas in Tallinn stocking by Nancy Bush) I'm suffering from withdrawal and the inability to commit. The dilemma: 1)I don't know what to watch on TV now that the Olympics are over, and 2) I don't know what to cast on! I have oodles of yarn, needles everywhere and dozens of patterns (not that a pattern is necessary), but I can't come up with the next project. It's total commitment angst.

Hi. A friend sent me an article about the knitting olympics albeit a little late to have entered; however, I did manage to finish one project (a prayer shawl) and started a baby blanket - which I
finished by the Tues. following the closing ceremonies. I enjoyed the many comments on this site. Whenever I am watching the tv I always have
some sort of project going; I also enjoy crocheting and counted cross-stitch.

Great site. thanks.
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