The Olympics ended last night, both Knitting and real, and I for one was sad to see them go. It’s been a hell of a party, especially, I think – if you had the privilege of being Canadian. Everyone I know here at home has had the best time seeing the world come to Canada and see our fine country the way that we do. We are very proud of this wonderful country, if usually a little quiet about that, and watching the wave of happiness that swept the nation as Canadians threw the biggest house party ever has left even the most staid of us slapping on the maple leaf and cheering in a way that suddenly felt very Canadian, even if it usually isn’t. We were rewarded too, with houseguests that seemed to love the fine city of Vancouver and all the people in it, and partied on in a way that was so sportsmanlike and kind. Every country wins some and loses some- but as a citizen here, it was spectacular to watch Canada show off what being the true north can mean.. that the upside of freezing your arse off most of the year also can mean that you garner more gold medals than ever before… more even than any country before, and the icing on the cake was the spectacular hockey game last night when we took on our neighbours to the south and barely beat them… because a gold medal means more when you’ve got a really talented opponent who’s really hard to beat. It was a great Olympics to be Canadian… and it was a really great Knitting Olympics to be Canadian. Yesterday I had to haul flat out to finish, but finish I did, and I’m really rather proud of myself. (I’ll tell the story tomorrow.) 
I was worried, at several points in this Olympiad, that I wasn’t going to finish, and I really dealt with my feelings about that. I wasn’t going to like it, but the idea was for the Knitting Olympics to be a personal challenge, and if there wasn’t a chance that I couldn’t do it, then it wouldn’t be a challenge, and win or lose, I was going to be proud of myself for taking it on.
It’s not really important, finishing a sweater in 17 days. Not really. Nobody lives or dies because I met a personal challenge, and if you didn’t finish, you should rest assured that it’s unlikely to hold you back in your life in any meaningful way… Trying and failing really isn’t a setback. Not any more than going to the Olympics and coming in 5th place – or 23rd. If you tried and failed, well good for you. I think you’re awesome and that trying is way better than finishing a sweater in 17 days (which isn’t exactly a life skill.) If was easy, then it wasn’t a challenge, and if you truly set a challenge and didn’t meet it- then I bet you know why, and knowing something more about yourself (even if it’s that you have a completely unreasonable knitting ego) is pretty great and can only serve you. I really think that. I’m proud of everyone who gave it a shot and fell short, whether you finished or not you are now the sort of person who tries a challenge. I think (and I’m not just saying this because I’m that sort of person) that people who sign up for life have a way better ride.
If you took on the challenge and you succeeded, congratulations, I bet some of you didn’t know if you could do it or not, and I bet you surprised yourself in the best way possible. The esteemed Mr. Franklin Habit has once again made us a beautiful gold medal, and once again, it has a vaguely naked man on it which was frankly, more than I had hoped for. He’s even made two sizes.. so you can use it for all your purposes. 
Take it, use it (please, please, please save it to your own server and don’t hotlink) and put it on anything (or anyone) you want. The image is Franklin’s property and he says the following "I made this medal at your invitation for everyone to enjoy, to celebrate their accomplishments. They should feel free to use the downloadable versions to their hearts’ content. I only ask that the image not be used to prepare items for sale." Should you feel the need, Franklin’s also whacked the image on a bunch of stuff in his Cafepress shop.
Tomorrow I’ll be giving you an email address that you can send your name to so that you can be entered for a prize and a certificate, I’m just wrestling an auto-respond thingie to the ground first. (That’s something I learned from the last Knitting Olympics challenge. 4000 knitters is a lot of email.) Stand by. In the meantime, maybe get a cup of tea and sit yourself down, and click through to the athlete’s page. This list of Athletes shows everyone who took part in the Knitting Olympics, and if they have a blog, you can click on their name and go have a look. There’s some great stories there. While you’re there, if you’d like to thank David for hosting that page and help him cover his bandwidth costs (again, 4055 knitters is a lot of knitters) he’s got a little tip jar at the bottom of the page that he didn’t even tell anybody about, that’s how classy he is. (Sorry David, had to point it out. Thanks for your help buddy.)
Thanks to all of you, even the knitters who just watched and participated that way. A personal knitting challenge is both noble and dorky, and it’s easier not to go it alone. I’m grateful for the sense of community, and not just because I didn’t want to be the only dork doing it. It was a great Olympics, both knitterly and not. I had a wonderful time. Thanks for playing.
Good for you! I am so jealous, as my sweater is still on the needles.
Challenges keep life interesting.
Way to go! Awesome looking sweater! Congrats on the hockey win. It was a great game.
Sweater looks fantastic! Good for you and congrats to Canada for the hockey win. What an exciting game! Reminded me of why I love hockey.
Now, that is a breathtaking piece of work! Well done!
Woo Hoo you gave me some worry for a wile but Wow what a great job.
Well, at least if I didn’t finish, you did. Beautiful sweater! I was beat by a button band in the last hour, but the full moon last night was a good silver medal for me. Knitting Olympics forever!
Congratulations on your beautiful finish! Your sweater is easily as beautiful as any gold medal, and worth just as much!
I feel like one of the snowboarders who wiped out about 50 meters from the end of a run — I tried, I really did. I made the whole body of my sweater (from sock yarn on 2.5 mm needles) and almost all of one sleeve; but even with a couple of blizzards thoughtfully eliminating my real workload for the entire first week of the Olympics, giving me night and day to do nothing but knit (which I did), I still couldn’t get it done. So it appears that I really did take on a challenge that was too big for me — but that’s okay, I really tried (and if my husband wasn’t used to me knitting in strange places before, he certainly is now!), and I’m very proud of what I did. Also, I’m only one sleeve away from a gorgeous sweater, yee-hah!
Congrats to Canada, too, on hosting a fabulous Olympics. And wasn’t that gold medal hockey game yesterday the stuff that legends are made of? What a simply amazing game! If all I saw of the Olympics was that and Kim Yu-Na’s gold medal-winning free skate, I could die happy. So thanks to Canada for putting on a great event!
Congratulations to you and to Canada for a very exciting Olympic Adventure! It was really fun for those of us in Seattle to know that such a memorable event was happening right outside our back door. 🙂
Thanks for hosting! I’ve learned what project monogamy can accomplish, and while I don’t anticipate adopting it as a way of life, I am impressed that I made it 16 days with only fantasies of future knits to sustain me! My daughter will love her hoodie, and I love my gold medal! (thanks Franklin!)
Gorgeous sweater! I’ve been following every stitch and it’s been awesome!
Hockey game between Canada and the US – couldn’t have been better and I’m thrilled that Canada took the gold. You all deserved it. I’m proud of the way the USA played and holding the silver next to Canada’s gold is an honor.
*lifts glass of Guinness*
Cheers!
Beautiful sweater. Absolutley beautiful. Must get me some Dale Kits…
I failed. I completed the shawl, but it really wasn’t even close to a challenge, so I DQ’d myself.
My offer of prizes still stands, especially the Olympic programme and other printed stuff if you still want them.
That is one gorgeous sweater. No, I didn’t play, but a big CONGRATULATIONS to all who competed against themselves. You are an amazing lot! (And probably quite tired.)
You did it! Oh my, that’s a gorgeous sweater. And congratulations to Canada as well; well done!
Alas, my gloves fell short by a thumb and some i-cord trim. A baby is a serious handicap, and though I tried, I simply could not get the hang of knitting while nursing (and twitching tiny dpns near his eyes kind of gave me the willies).
Your sweater is truly stunning. Congrats!
Why am I not surprised that you finished that sweater? At Team Make Another One’s Closing Ceremonies party last nite we all ate cake that said “Congratulations” on it, I raise a piece to you! We also enlightened a fellow knitter who did not know about your project, it went like this:
Us: She’s knitting a whole Norwegian Sweater, man!
Her: Really?
Us: Its stranded color-work
Her: No!
Us: Dale of Norway
Her: Not one of those…(its dawning on her now)
Me: Yeah, with Fingering weight yarn!
Her: NO WAY!
All of us: ROTFLOAO!
I feel sure Canadians will wear their maple leafs with even more pride now, especially you in your sweater!
I won Gold too! Although my project pales in comparison to your beautiful sweater (and some others’ work), it was a new challenge for me and proved that I could do something I didn’t dream I could, especially in that time frame. Thank you for that supportive push (like those golden speed skaters in their pursuit) to get me to the finish line.
And, I’m so proud to be a Canadian right now!
Congratulations, Stephanie!! The sweater looks beautiful! Thanks for the words on taking on the challenge. I didn’t finish everything I set out to do but I did a darn lot and at the halfway point I estimated at what points I would take Broanz, Silver, and Gold Medals…I even threw in the unfinished sock that I would complete as a victory lap (as if). As it turns out I am proud of myself for getting the Bronze and I did finish that victory lap sock, just because it was easy fun and I needed that!
Congratulations on your Olympic gold! Your sweater is beautiful. I’m so glad I decided to go for it – I am so proud of my sweater! I don’t think I’d ever have taken the time to knit the whole thing without this challenge. Thank you!
It was an awesome ride, both on the needles and otherwise. I didn’t finish my scarf, but I DID learn something, and I will continue with it. It was grand to be a part of it all. (and your sweater is glorious!!)
Great sweater – and great olympics. I didn’t enter but did a personal challenge to finish a UFO – Swirl Shawl. All those spirals got to me but I did finish with about 3 minutes to spare. I even dealt with the multitude of ends. Perhaps we could have a category for UFO’s in the next Olympics – or that could be the summer olympics.
Thanks for pushing us.
I did my best but didn’t even come close to finishing. However–I did discover women’s curling and am now completely addicted. I love a sport where the women sort of dress up a little bit for it–it’s almost as if they don’t want to stop at the locker room on their way to the pub after the match. They can just pack up their brooms and go. I’m considering myself the Miriam Ott of the knitting olympics–I tried but it all just got away from me.
Congratulations!!! And I, too, loved that hockey game. Happy to come in 2nd to your guys!
Gorgeous sweater! And thanks for the fun times and inspiration. I didn’t finish, but that’s ok, because I probably wouldn’t have started had it not been for the Knitting Olympics!
Congrats on the crazy beautiful complicated sweater. I didn’t finish, but what is knitted is mistake free and I think that in itself is quite an accomplishment considering what the last 10 days have held.
Thanks for being an awesome host missus.
Congratulations, it looks lovely, I’m proud of all the athletes & the knitters, off to check out the other knit athletes
Can’t wait to hear your (I’m sure hilarious) tale of completing the sweater. Thank you for hosting and making us all feel welcome to join. I will wear my gold medal with pride. Congrats to everyone who finished…or tried really hard to do so!
Congratulations! Thanks for inspiration even if I fell short. By fella suggested perhaps it was for the best I didn’t pull all nighters, but in my heart I think he might be WRONG. I’ll try again in 2014!
Of course, I did not finish but am still running in place with the sock yarn blanket. I only managed 105 squares. That is almost 300, right? So I am nearly done. NOT!
What a beautiful sweater – unbelievable. Can we see some more pictures, please?
Thanks so much for the quick update on your sweater. It is spectacular. Was that pattern designed just for the Olympics I wonder? What a beauty. I thought additional patterning across the sleeve tops would be too much, but of course it’s not. Finished two pair of “challenge” socks and a shoulder shrug that supposedly had a pattern problem that would “challenge” me to figure it out (no problems with the pattern) so I added two pair of my own “plain vanilla” socks – crew socks with a lace top instead of ribbing so they stay up better on a woman’s leg.
As for the hockey game, I swear I could feel the electricity over the air waves. It was almost as exciting as a UConn Women’s Basketball Championship game (hah!)
I said it on Twitter, and I’ll say it again: CONGRATULATIONS! That is a massive piece of work, and you did an unbelievable job 🙂
And congratulations to all the Olympians, knitting and otherwise. It was a fabulous two weeks!
The most beautiful sweater! What a great game yesterday, I was so proud of the US for playing so hard, and also happy for Canada that your team won. I only finished one sock and a part of the second in my socks challenge, but it was a lot of fun. Maybe next time I’ll get a medal!
I totally pulled a Lindsey Jacobellis. I thought I was waaaay ahead of schedule, only a couple of measly little buttonbands left to go on Sunday, so I got a little cocky, went for a little walk, baked a little lemon pudding cake when I should’ve been knitting, and bam! face plant right in front of the finish line. I finished it, but about 2 hours too late. Next time, next time…
Congratulations on finishing your sweater. I was rooting for you. And congratulations to everyone else that accepted the challenge, regardless of how you fared. I didn’t have a suitably challenging project to start, so I didn’t sign up for the knitting olympics this time.
Wow! What a project to take on for such a short period of time. You did a great job. I’m impressed!
Wooo hooo! You really did it! It’s beautiful and so is Canada, and watching the closing ceremonies on UK tv this afternoon made me very wistful to revisit BC as soon as I possibly can. I also have a huge love-thing for Team Canada’s knitwear, but who hasn’t?
I didn’t come close to finishing my own sweater, and I certainly know why. I bit off more than I knew I could chew – I chose to participate in the Knitting Olympics because I couldn’t stand for it to happen and not be a part of it, this time. But I also knew my son’s 2nd birthday was on March 3rd, and I knew I wanted to make him a large cloth doll. Which I am barely going to finish, but I will manage it. So my Knitting Olympics turned into a Sewing Olympics instead, but I still feel, what with the 3am bedtimes lately, that I’ve participated. I hope you’re now able to catch up on your own sleep, and thanks for the ride!
Yay for you!! And yay for me too – I finished! Though mine is a mini yay (my first patterned pair of socks as opposed to plain vanilla ones)when compared to that beautiful sweater. Go Canada, thank you for an awesome Olympics.
stunning sweater…just stunning….
I saw the posts and the pictures on Twitter last night! So happy that you finished your sweater in time! Congrats 😀
Congratulations! That sweater is beautiful! I didn’t finish mine, but I learned exactly how long it can take to fix a mistake if you decide at first that you can live with it, and then change your mind 32 rows later.
Congratulations on the sweater! It’s gorgeous.
I finished my sweater last night, just squeaking by, and I’m wearing it today. Wearing a hand knit sweater never felt so good. 🙂
Hi Stephanie,
I´m not canadian and I truly, truly enjoyed the olympics. It´s even summer here, but still it was great to be a part of it, even if only by TV. Congratulations to all canadians are in order, and congrats to you for meeting your knitting goals.
All the best! (I loved the hockey game – the first I ever watched!)
Congratulations. The jumper looks brilliant!
I switched teams mid stream and ended up knitting a shawl instead of a cardigan, and perhaps some may think it’s cheating of a sort, but I did already have a few rows of it knitted way back when. I didn’t get to start for a day or so after the cauldron was lit, because I had pre-Olympic commitments, but by gum, I raced to the finish and am proud to stand on the podium with you all!
And those last few goals… you’re right, our opponents were awesome and it could easily have gone the other way, but, Yay Canada!
I may not have participated knitting wise, but I did watch the games and was just as happy that my northern neighbors won (and won often) as my own US of A. I also learned:
1) That speed skating is awesome.
2) Apolo Ohno is amazing–as a skater, as a classy athlete and well…he’s easy on the eyes 😉
3) The words to O Canada! (thanks Wikipedia!)
4) That I now really want to visit Canada now (Toronto, though–for the library, Niagara Falls and film fest!)
5) That while I generally ignore the existence of sports in general, I love love love the Olympics.
PS: The sweater is beautiful!
It really was a wonderful Olympics! And I must say, if we were going to be beaten by anyone in hockey, it might as well be our wonderful neighbors to the north! It was really a wonderful game to watch (and I’m not particularly fond of ice hockey), but there was action and suspense, and it all came down to a nail-biting finish!
PS – your sweater is *beautiful* – great job!
Congratulations- I am just amazed you could do that pattern at all, much less in 2 weeks. Well, not really – you can do anything. I have been waiting all day to hear how you did – then I listened to your great interview on the radio which was mentioned on your Twitter feed. Well done! My husband and I were actually hoping Canada would win the game – it seemed only fitting. Hurray for Canada and Hurray for the USA and the World. The Olympics gets to me like that.
GORGEOUS sweater! Congrats.
I did it! Congratulations to EVERYBODY! I feel positively elated, and I’m so proud of my country and my peers! You all rock! Especially you, Stephanie, for your gorgeous sweater – it’s amazing. And of course, for putting the Knitting Olympics on.
Hip! Hip! Hooray!
Nice job! I knew you could do it. And I never would have knit this pair of socks in 17 days if I wouldn’t have had the deadline. Hurray for the Knitting Olympics and congrats to Canada on the hockey win. Rematch in 4 years? 🙂
You did it! Woohoo! That sweater is absolutely stunning. I did not. I’m 3″ from finishing the body and 2 sleeves away from the gold, but I did get a lot further than I thought I would considering the acreage I have to cover. Next time.
I nearly lost it when the crowd at the men’s curling gold medal game spontaneously stood and sang “O, Canada!” I got all sniffle-y. Way to go, Canada, you rocked the Games!
Thank so much for leading us all forward on a quest of personal accomplishment. Like the last time, I choked – but I’ve got a lot more yarn worked in to kilt hose than I did this time two weeks ago. I call that a win. I think I’m going to give myself a bronze.
And thanks Franklin for the medal graphic!
That sweater is an amazing accomplishment. No, it won’t change your life, it certainly won’t earn you any money, but henceforth and forevermore you can look at it and know what you did. Brava!
I didn’t enter, officially, or even unofficially really. After I read your inspirational opening post I wanted to, but I didn’t, because I knew there was no way I could do two challenging projects in 17 days. So why didn’t I just do the one project? It was a team effort that had already been underway for quite some time, and the work remaining on it involved crochet, which I maintain is a worthy craft, but it is indisputably not knitting. Still, I got it done, and I am a teeny bit pleased with myself as well. One of these days I will even blog about it.
It was such a fun Winter Olympics I don’t even mind that Canada won the hockey game. I don’t usually watch hockey, but I could tell that was a good game. I finished my wimpy project but I gave it to its recipient already without remembering to photograph it and blog about it. Maybe next year I can do something that is more challenging.
Your sweater is gorgeous! I did finish my Whisper cardigan but I haven’t blocked it yet. I hated every minute of the process but I love the result. My two daughters are waging a war over it but it’s mine.
Congratulations to everyone who participated in Harlot’s Olympics, win, lose or frog we all did something we hadn’t done before and that’s worth celebrating. Now if I just knew who to write to to get one of those inflatable beavers….
Congratulations! That sweater is amazing! I was wondering how you fared. I can’t wait to hear more details (and see more pictures.) I enjoyed watching the Olympics for the last two weeks. Canada puts on a good show! I finished my challenge (the deep in the forest mittens) last night during the closing ceremonies. I was expecting/prepared to not finish during the middle of last week. The fact that I did finish is a knitting feat that I still don’t understand. What you said in your post is inspirational and thoughtful. I am glad I did finish, but most of all, I am glad that I picked a challenge for me and tried my best. (Also, everyone that participated should be proud of their efforts! Go knitters!)
OMIGOD! OMIGOD! OMIGOD!!! your sweater is so so so soooooooooooo beautiful! i couldn’t wait to see it done and last night in the afterglow of the hockey gold, i clicked frequently to see if you had posted your results and went to bed believing firmly in your ability to meet the deadline. myself, i knitted along happily through it all with NO illusions about meeting any deadline whatsoever, because as i explained to a good friend, i am a STARTER, not a FINISHER!
Great sweater. Also enjoyed the interview — I’ve never heard your spoken words and thoroughly enjoyed listening to your comments.
Wow, that sweater is incredible. It makes my little scarf seem so … little! But it was my first knitting project and I am really proud of myself for completing it. Thank you for the challenge.
I didn’t quite manage it but enjoyed watching and am still proud to get as far through my project as I did. Your sweater looks fantastic.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I was sad and a bit lost last night being done with my Knitting Olympics project. I had blocked and dried the shawl early in the day – on scheduled, suprise, suprise.
Thanks for the challenge. Albiet dorky, it was awesome knowing there were so many others out there clicking away!
Awesome sweater Stephanie. One day I will aspire to such heights!
Go knitters!
I love your sweater! Love the maple leaves! My sweater is also,sadly,still on the needles.It will be done by the time the Paralympics(sp?)open. I’ve been a little sidetracked here by the almost three feet of snow we’ve had this past week and since I’m Chief Snow Shoveler around here,sweater had to wait…
Congratulations to all the knitters who took on the challenge of the Knitting Olympics…you are all winners! Stephanie, that sweater is so gorgeous it is now in my queue right behind the Wild Apple Bohus, except that Dale of Norway is apparently low on yarn stock due to an unexpected demand hit in late January (hmm, I wonder if a certain Yarn Harlot had something to do with that? *smile*)
As for the Olympics, thank you Canada for giving us all a wonderful ride! Vancouver showed us her very best colours. And that hockey game? Ours was a house divided; I felt compelled to root for the US while the daughter living in Vancouver of course supported her home team. But we both won as our beloved Canucks took home three medals; Luongo-gold, Kesler-silver, Salo-bronze. Thanks for the memories, Canada!
That is one BEAUTIFUL sweater! You should be proud. I could not finish that in a lifetime. The games in Canada makes me realize that I may have been Canadian in a former life. I love hockey, (Great game last night! Ryan Miller did a great job) I am polite, and I enjoy a well crafted beer or two. My Olympic knitting and epic failure. Life got in the way, but I tried.
Wow! I can’t believe you finished it in time. Looks great!
Congrats on finishing your sweater. I can’t wait for pics. I didn’t finish my sweater, but it is very close. Taking this challenge on was so enjoyable for me, and I really did learn a lot about myself and how far my knitting skills have come. Thank you for inspiring us all and offering the opportunity for me to “sign up for life” (love that) and have some fun. I’ll finish it soon. I figure even if it takes a couple more days, I’ve still never made a sweater that quickly!
And, Dude? That last hockey game kicked ass! Everyone was so good, I wanted to root for BOTH sides! Luckily for us (Americans), you guys are so wonderfully sportsmanlike. Amazing hosts.
The hockey game was stuff that legends are made of; and I think that the US holding the silver next to Canada’s gold is an honor. Thanks for hosting such an amazing Olympics for all our athletes visiting your gorgeous country. I didn’t participate in the Knitting Olympics, simply because I felt that being on medication that makes me dizzy and sleepy at odd intervals gave me a distinct un-advantage. 🙂 Still, I knitted as much as I was able (even if purling makes the dizziness worse) and was happy to watch others’ progress. GO WORLD!
My Olympic challenge? Non-participation. It was a real accomplishment for me to refrain from adding yet another stressful deadline to my life.
(Of course, someone just did something wonderful for me, and now I really DO have to knit something in two weeks.)
Well done you!
I can’t wait to see the big photoshoot of the Olympic jersey. 🙂
Ah, I knew you could do it! I gave it my best effort, but a commissioned project has priority when your spouse is unemployed. (He went back to work today!!). Thanks for a grand opportunity, and I’m looking forward to the next one.
Congratulations to ALL of the Olympians, knitting and otherwise!
Your sweater is a gold medal performance! You are an inspiration!
Congratulations to all of Canada on the hockey win. I was cheering for the USA, but was happy when Canada won. And Canadians sure do their National Anthem proud!
The man in the medal is running with knitting needles! Isn’t that just as naughty as running with scissors? I am awestruck by your sweater. Congratulations, knitting champion!
Well, my first socks defeated me but they will be perfect in about a week. I made about five swatches, using various needles and stiches, and still chose a too-big combination. Once I pulled those sad six inches out, I have been on track. I just lost so many days that I couldn’t catch up.
Thanks so much for inviting us all to play. It make the knitting and the Olympics much more fun!
I switched my project the day after the cauldron was lit – still a scarf, but new pattern – the Heartstrings Soft Cable Mobius. I cast off during the Closing Ceremony but still need to block and stitch the ends together. Wondering if I still qualify for the Gold Medal – or should it be silver?
I was so proud that the world could see what a great country that Canada is – you’re right, it’s almost worth having almost six months of cold and snow. It was also hilarious when one of the performers said that the rest of the world also learned that we are not all on frozen tundra – we can have rain and fog, even in winter. We can laugh at ourselves and we do say Sorry a lot!
Congratulations on finishing your Whistler – love, love, love the Dale of Norway sweaters – someday I hope to have the knitting skill to actually make one of my own!
Did you happen to see “The Hurt Locker”, Stephanie? The main character says, “thanks for playing” in much dicier circumstances. I recommend the movie.
Thanks for the wonderful sweater, discussion and challenge. Though I didn’t formnally enter, I’ve got two challenges: One for April (stash-busting baby blanket to be delivered on trip to Israel) and one for July (for sister to be delivered on a trip to Michigan). The last item is the Japanese kimono from Vivian Hoxbro’s Shadow Knitting – by far the most difficult item I’ve ever knitted. I’m 1/2-way done w/ each of them. Hopefully, I can post them somewhere when complete.
Thanks for everything, wonderful blog that cheers more more days than I can count.
xxoo
Great job, Stefani! That’s a gold medal sweater, for sure. In my book, knitting a Fair Isle sweater in 17 days is a HUGE accomplishment.
Your sweater is beautiful!
Your country is gorgeous!
The Olympics were awesome!
I did not finish my Olympic project, but I will. It was too big a challenge for me, but I will love it when it’s done.
What this knitter said!!!!
Traevynn at March 1, 2010 3:48 PM
“I’m proud of the way the USA played and holding the silver next to Canada’s gold is an honor.”
And thank you, Miss Stephanie, for all you do for us.
That sweater is such a perfect Olympic accomplishment. Way to go!!
I loved watching the hockey game last night. It was so exciting, and even though I was rooting for the USA, I was happy for Canada when they won. Both teams played a fabulous game.
Thanks for hosting a fabulous Knitting Olympics, and thanks to Canada for hosting a fabulous Quadrennial Cold Weather Athletic Competition! (And thank you Stephen Colbert for the utterly ridiculous phrase which I have shamelessly stolen!)
Chanted loudly in the “Crosbeeeee , Crosbeeee , Crosbeee” tradition,
Stephaneeeeee, Stephaneeeeee, Stephaneeeeee!!!
A gold for your beautiful sweater. 🙂 We of the Blog have been cheering you on and clanking our cowbells! Way to go. And way to go all knitting Olympians!
Great sweater. You are totally right about the hockey game – no shame down here in the US winning (and I do mean winning) silver when the team that won gold was classy and tough! Good job Canada! and Good job USA too!
After watching Sid, our Pens, wonder boy captain, for the past three years, this was the only time I had my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t score (and be the hero that he usually is). But I couldn’t be sorry. It’s Sid, and he’s meant to be the hero and it was a hell of a game.
Now he’s got to get back here and do it in the playoffs!!
I have been checking obsessively today to see if you posted your results….your sweater is truly worthy of a gold. I thought of you yesterday while watching the game and knew you would be happy Canada won, and was therefore, happy for you.
Who knew hockey could be almost as interesting as curling?
Stephanie, that is a simply stunning sweater! Congratulations and I thought this was a lovely post. I agree whole heartedly!
That is one gorgeous sweater – way to go Steph. And Canada did a wonderful job with the Olympics (although it wasn’t always easy to tell from stupit NBC’s coverage). At least they showed the hockey game live – and what a battle it was! I’m somewhat disappointed my team lost, but there’s really no shame in silver, and it doesn’t sting as bad to lose to the home team.
The lace shawl I’m working on is probably only half done – the fact that I had to unknit a large chunk of it did not help, but I’m pleased with how far I’ve gotten – and I will finish it before the Stanley Cup Finals.
I opted out this year, but have been cheering from the sidelines for everyone. I want to say that even though I’m not a hockey fan (mainly because I don’t know/understand the rules), I watched as much as I could yesterday (channel surfing from basketball to hockey!!!). I think the last hockey game I watched on TV was the 1980 Olympic gold medal game. Congrats on a good game. The other compliment I need to give is for the lighting of the torch at the closing ceremony. What a great way to handle the snafu from the opening!
Double congrats to everyone who won a gold in the Knitting Olympics!
Steph your sweater is beautiful, congrats for finishing it on time. If the Olympics had ended today (like I thought they did), I too would have finished on time, but alas I had an equipment failure and did not have a darning needle with me at work last night, so I had to finish my daughters sweater today, but at least she likes it and it fits.
so I went out and bought the wool and pattern for the 2010 Dale sweater as a souvenir of the olympics here in Vancouver and of my time as a volunteer. I saw so many Norwegians with those sweaters that I just HAD to have one! Yours is stunningly beautiful. Congrats!
This was a great time! Thank you so very much. I can’t believe you finished that whole sweater. I’m in awe.
I was happy to see that, if we couldn’t win the Hockey, that YOU did. Hooray!
I was struck almost every day, when they showed film of the mountains, how absolutely breathtaking Vancouver is. I MUST, MUST, MUST get there to see it in person.
Thank you for everything you’ve done and all you always do.
Congrats on the spectacular finish to your Olympic challenge. It’s lovely.
I didn’t participate. I planned a project and when the yarn arrived in the mail a week before the opening ceremonies, I just couldn’t wait. I knit with you in spirit though.
I have been to Canada quite a few times, never to Vancouver. I must say, I am oddly homesick for Vancouver Island today. Such beauty and such friendliness and good sportsmanship. I am very glad to have you all as neighbors. The world is a much nicer place with good neighbors.
I was one of those that took up the challenge, tried my darndest, but didn’t make it to the finish line. It may have been those miscrossed cables that I had to drop down and fix (3 different times, no less!) or it may have been those times that I decided I’d better go to bed earlier rather than later, so I could arrive to workon time. But, I learned how to drop down a 16 row cable repeat and fix it! And, I learned that I am a mature adult that realises that it is better to sleep and be prepared for work rather than stay up to all hours to knit on a sweater that will just take a couple more days to finish, anyway.
Thanks, Stephanie, for the learning experience. And, congratulations on your gold medal and lovely sweater!
I think all the superlatives have already been used, both for your sweater and your country’s achievements, in hosting and in competition. In my division, the strep was a mighty opponent that could not be overcome, and alas several crucial knitting days were spent abed. I am nearly finished and have to say, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for putting this together. And a big thanks to David too
When Jacques Rogge said, “These were excellent and very friendly games,” I could only grin in delight. What wonderful upstairs neighbors we in the US have! Vancouver is a beautiful city, and I was so glad that the world got to see that: the beauty of the place and its citizens.
They were wonderful games. And the whole “Parade of Canadian Stereotypes” at the end of the closing ceremony was one of the most AWESOME things I’ve ever seen.
(My KO project was too complicated to allow me to watch sports, so I abandoned it on the 21st in favor of a stockinette cardigan and ended the games yesterday with 1.25 sleeves to go. WHEW. Didn’t make my goal, but I achieved a hell of a thing. And sore hands.)
Congratulations on your sweater and country. Both are beautiful. I finished my shawl, but only 4 out of 6 chemo caps,though I made a 5th today. I did, however, start and complete an emergency birthday moebius, so I’m giving myself a medal for overcoming adversity. The color shows up bronze on my monitor, so I’m comfortable with it.
Thanks for cheering us on.
Beautiful sweater! What an amazing feat.
I loved the challenge and enjoyed watching the events while furiously trying to finish my challenge. I have to agree, it’s not about whether you win or lose, but whether or not you played the game. Seeing the grit and determination of the athletes in the finishes of both the men’s and women’s cross country events was amazing and helped me not give up as I continually knit and reknit the same 3 rows over (silly mistakes) in order to finish.
Ah yes, I am another one of the finish line stumblers! 🙂 After knitting most of the way on the plane across the Atlantic, and most of the way on the bus to VT, my eyes were crossing and I had to stop. Arriving home from a 9-day business trip is best celebrated with your family, so the knitting was left in the suitcase for the night as the flame was extinguished. Maybe next year!
I didn’t finish– I’m barely halfway there– but I’m glad I participated. If I hadn’t set myself the challenge, I wouldn’t have started such an ambitious project (a king-sized blanket), and wouldn’t be just a couple of weeks shy of obtaining it. In the meantime, I’ve had plenty to keep me busy, and I’ve had the pleasure of using up a goodly chunk of my oversized stash.
Congratulations! To you for finishing that incredible sweater in such a short time and for hosting this huge event that inspired thousands of knitters to try their best.
And to Canada for doing such a wonderful job hosting these great games with style and class.
I have truly enjoyed the last 17 days and will collect my gold medal with a big grin. Thank you.
I was binding off the last stitches watching the closing ceremonies. Boy did I have fun both watching and knitting during this event.
When I tried on my sweater my son was watching and he decided to be the”judge”. He told me that I got a ten in my speed but my landing was a bit rough. When I asked why he pointed to all the ends that were still hanging. He was right I did not weave in my ends yet.
I knew you could do it!!!! Woohoo!!! I love our gold medal! It was a great Olympics and Canada did a great job. I loved,loved,loved it all. My little man was sad to see it end too along with me.
Congratulations Stephanie, that is an amazing piece of work.
My effort in the Knitting Olympics is rather reminiscent of the Australian bobsled team, who completed the course mostly on their heads. Full of good intentions but rather lacking in execution.
However, I will finish it, block it and give it away!
Great job! Love the sweater, very Canadian of you. How do you knit on circulars? Just curious how it works with Irish Cottage knitting.
What a beautiful sweater! I love it! Perfect for the Olympics too. I thank you for the challenge. It was great to have a goal and achieve it. My hoodie was finished as the closing ceremonies were on the tv. Maybe someday, I will be brave enough to tackle a steek! Thanks too to Canada. What a marvelous time the world had.
congratulations on the sweater! What a magnum opus.
Jonas Thor Olsen, that’s me. He was the last guy in on the 50k, and while I didn’t finish during the Olympics, I will finish… and it made me look up the name of the guy who came in last in the 50K 🙂
Yay Canada! Yay Olympics! And Yay Stephanie! So, I didn’t think you could do it. And I would have loved you anyway. But now you did it! Incredible! And such a beauty the sweater is!
My Olympic project got a DNF. I hurt my back last week and can’t possibly knit right now. 🙁 It would have been such an honor to have the medal on my blog. But I’ll be back in four years, and in the meantime I keep practising for the event.
Your sweater is a masterpiece! I’m so glad you got your gold. =) I guess I never officially joined the Knitting Olympics, but I did finish. It is such a great motivator – it got me to get past the mental blocks I had on two languishing projects.
I was secretly rooting for Canada in the hockey game, I’m so glad they won, they deserved to win on their own ice.
Thanks for the challenge, Stephanie! As your Alaskan neighbor in the north, I just have to say your beautiful country pulled off a fantastic games! We are all proud of you!
Beautiful sweater Steph!! It’s amazing that you could do that in 17 days.
Thanks for being so kind in your words about all of the athletes. I feel the same way, and was proud that there were no huge controversies during the games this time. I think Canada was an awesome venue.
I also wanted to mention the piece that Tom Brokaw did on Gander, Newfoundland!! OMG!! What an incredible group of people who live there! What I really wonder, is why haven’t we Americans heard about what they did before this? I had no idea that ALL of the planes in the air on 9/11/01 landed there. What a wonderful town of generous and kind people. I want to go visit there now. I know Joe is from Newfoundland, so just wanted to mention it. You all up there in the north are a very kind and loving group of people. Thanks from this American!
Tamara Scott
I stumbled to the real uh non knitting monsters… and an injury, but my cardigan is back out of the mothballs and on its way to being complete after six years in the making.
I am glad to have tried along with everyone else, and not in the least bit upset I didn’t make gold. But next time….
BTW Love that sweater and are you completely mad to have had that as your challenge??? Don’t answer that we know the answer… Thanks again for having us over for the Olympics.
“… if you truly set a challenge and didn’t meet it- then I bet you know why, and knowing something more about yourself …”
What I (finally) learned about myself is that I need to acknowledge that gauge and swatching are really part of knitting and not just wasted time. I’ve actually known it for awhile, but the disappointment of not being able to finish through my own mistakes/laziness was a bitter pill that finally will make me take action. Oh well, I’ll be a world-class, seeded, rated, top-flight knitting olympian by 2014 – I’ll swatch.
And I thought the other olympics that were going on were pretty fab too. I was really proud and happy for my neighbors to the north! During the torch raising at the closing ceremonies I said, “I really love Canadians.” And I do.
I’m glad to see Franklin’s naked man is running with an extremely long pair of straights. He’ll be able to tuck the ends… well, just about anywhere he wants to while he’s lever knitting.
The baby sweater I told you I’d lever knit during the Olympics back at Madrona? It’s done. My top lever knitting speed is still only 25 stitches per minute so I have a long way to go, but I’m still practicing.
And huzzah for a hard-fought (but not acrimonious) gold-medal hockey game with the win finally going to the country that really, really appreciates it. I cheered when the Americans scored to take the game to overtime, but Crosby making the winning goal felt like the perfect and just ending even to some of us south of the border.
I am speechless! What a gorgeous sweater! Most importantly thanks for doing this again, it was such a wonderful experience. 🙂
Yay for Canada, it was a nail-biter of a hockey game! Yay for being awesome hosts with a great sense of humor (inflatable mounties – where can I get me one of those?). Yay for the Knitting Olympics and that droolingly beautiful sweater.
Knitting dorks of the world, wave your needles!
Well your sweater is beautiful. I want to see a photo of you wearing it. My sweater is still on the needles. The sleeves are still in the ball of yarn. I’m maybe 30 or 40% done. But my excuse is that I am knitting with a torn rotator cuff!
Stephanie, I KNEW you could do it! Congratulations on the gold for your positively stunning sweater. It’s classy, just like the knitter.
Also, congratulations to Canada for a job well done — as host to the Winter Olympics and for your 14 gold medals. The past 17 days gave a thrill of a ride. I’m sorry it’s over, but you’ve left some grand memories.
I finished my sweater — knitting more hours in the day than ever before — and am pleased with the result. Thank you for all the encouragement, as well as the chuckles, throughout the Knitting Olympics. I do hope you decide to do this again in 2014.
Beautiful Sweater! Excellent job on the Olympics (both of them). I don’t know any other Canadians to whom I can send congratulations, so I’m sending them to you and all Canadian knitters generally. Lovely Olympics!
Incredible, Steph!! You had me on pins and needles waiting to find out if you’d finish! I’m so glad you did.
And congratulations to Canada on the hockey victory. Despite the loss for the US, I for one am absolutely tickled that Canada won! As the sportscasters said, a victory on home soil against none other than the United States in the sport that matters most…possibly the single greatest moment in Canadian sports history. It was a privilege to witness it.
Thank you ever so much for the inspiration 🙂 I really enjoyed my personal challenge and am still a wee bit smug about completing it – my family are tolerating me… for now. Utterly Outstanding Achievement on your sweater (we call it a jersey in NZ). Huge smiles to you in thanks for the smiles your blog gives.
That sweater is gorgeous. You should feel the pride of a thousand ass-whoopin’ Olympians every time you slip it on. I can’t wait to read the post about it!
I won Gold but I hated my event so I’m not sure I really deserve a medal. I knitted a lace stole–my first lace work. I hated the yarn, hated the pattern and clearly never got gauge since it appears to be a stole for an American Girl Doll. Sigh. Never been so completely dissatisfied with something I knitted.
I donated to David to support his kindness and you weren’t kidding about the tiny tip jar! If you click on “Fritos” it allows you to donate–are you ready?– $2. I actually tried to give more! Nope.
I loved the Olympics, both knitting and IRL. Thanks for being such great hosts for both.
Congratulations to you and your wonderful country.I thought these winter games were great and I was happy for Canada and all the successes! Bravo!
Congratulations Stephanie. Your sweater is beautiful.
Did you know my university has some of your books in the textiles section? I do now.
I sincerely hope my supervisor doesn’t somehow have access to my University records as it may be somewhat difficult to explain how The Free Range Knitter relates to my thesis.
P.S. If you’re ever interested in some interdisciplinary knitting + artificial intelligence work, I’m on board. I’m Canadian too so it might make applying for funding a bit easier 😉
Your sweater is FANTASTIC as is the way you have with words. Thank you for this posting and also making me proud to be Canadian
Congratulations on completing your sweater. I knew you could do it. It’s just lovely too. I am happy to report that I exceeded my goal and now have 2 (almost 3) sweaters to wear. Thanks for inspiring me to challenge myself.
Congrats on getting your sweater done. It is gorgeous. I really enjoyed the Olympics. What a hockey game and that ice dancing couple. How cute are they? It was really lovely listening to a stadium full of people singing ‘Oh, Canada’. I have to say the skating fans have the sweetest voices but the hockey fans have the most gusto.
just listened to the radio interview. charming and funny as always. thanks for letting us non-canadians know about it.
Heh. Told you you’d make it. Expectations are awful things, eh? It’s a great pullover 🙂
Made four out of five of my targets, so I am pleased.
I was thinking of you, Stephanie, while watching Canada and USA in the Hockey Finals. I hope you were done with the sweater so you could enjoy the game, because it was amazing!
Congratulations to you, too! Well done!!
I cannot even begin to express how amazed I am that you finished that gorgeous sweater! Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story. For me, knitting a pair of socks in 17 days seemed like a huge challenge, and I definitely surprised myself that I finished the knitting a few days early. Took me til the last minute to actually do the seaming and weaving of ends, though, which was no surprise.
Congratulations to Canada for hosting (and winning often) a great Olympics, and congratulations to you Stephanie, for hosting and winning gold in the Knitting Olympics.
Congratulations Stephanie, your sweater is too beautiful for mere words.
My sweater took a gold medal, I am very pleased as it was quite a challenge for me and I had a home team advantage as I work a 12 hr night shift. I am missing the Olympics now and was honorord to participate in the Knitting Olympics. It was nice to be part of something so “big”, “huge” even and I seem to be very emotional now that its over.
As a Canadian I have always been very proud of my country…but now there is more. I don’t have the words, they won’t come out past the lump in my throat. I must go knit.
WooHoo for you!!!! Wasn’t the hockey game EPIC!?!? I was ice skating with my little dude and kept running out to the concessions area to check the score.
Here I thought you were going to need until the Canadians stop celebrating the hockey win. As a person from south of the border, I was hoping it would go into overtime. Then I didn’t care who won.
That is one gorgeous sweater. Would love to see a picture of you wearing it, which would make an already very Canadian sweater even more Canadian.
This may sound odd but I am also curious to see what the wrong side looks like… I have started doing color work in crochet and imagine there are decisions about carrying vs. dropping colors that would be interesting. Also, wouldn’t it be funny if you got a bunch of knitters to show up someplace wearing their most intricate creations inside out? After all, there’s just as much artistry on the inside as the outside. However, I am fully prepared to be the only person who finds this idea entertaining.
On the podium she stands, flanked by sweaty Canadian hockey players, with her awesome maple leaf sweater clutched firmly in her cramped hands. She swoops her head every so gracefully to accept the gold medal as the 60,000 fans of Hockey Place cheer. Tears flow down her cheeks as the entire stadium finishes “O, Canada” with a firm “O Canada we stand on guard for thee.”
Yes, Stephanie, is a gracious gold medal winner and a proud Canadian. As the hockey team moves together around her for the team picture her patriotic pride has reached in zenith.
Thank you Canada for sharing you love of country and graciousness with the world. We now know what is meant by True North.
Awesome sweater Stephanie! Did anyone else find the little note on the bottom of the athlete’s page completely charming? Code Monkey like Fritos. 🙂 I would have donated a little bit more but it only allowed me a $2 tip. That was two dollars very well spent in my opinion. Nice work!
I didn’t finish my sweater, but I’m not terribly disappointed. (Though I got ridiculously cold on the way home from school and was desperately wishing that I had in fact finished the darn thing.)
I’m sorta hoping I’ll be done by Wednesday, or Friday at the absolute latest. Because, you know, here in Texas there’s only so much sweater weather, and I’m certain we’re about to run out of it.
I wish someone were able to do a montage of all the hats and mittens worn by the Olympians. Loved the Cowichan-inspired sweaters the Canadians wore in the closing ceremonies.
Your sweater is gorgeous! Congratulations on a photo finish, and thanks for the inspiration. I couldn’t believe what I finished when I put my mind to it. I’m glad it’s another four years before we do this again, but I’m even more glad that I went for it. Thanks 🙂
What an awesome hockey game! Being from the USA, I am a little bummed that we didn’t win. But, hey, we could not have lost to a more worthy opponant. Team USA played hard and well and didn’t make it easy for Team Canada to earn those gold medals. But earn them, they did. And being from Michigan in general, and the Detroit Metro Area in particular, I must admit to being more than a little happy that Mike Babcock and our beloved Stevie Y had more than a little to do with the caliber of Team Canada.
Awesome game, awesome olympics! Good job to every competitor.
Now, with regard to our olympics…. does it count as gold if the project was still on the blocking boards when the tourch went out?
I had a great time too… even if I didn’t win!
Can we see more pictures of the sweater, pretty please? It’s lovely.
Oh, your sweater is amazing! I love it! I didn’t start anything new for the Olympics (I’m still hoping my cardigan from January will be done in time for Spring…sigh…), but I loved reading about all the great Olympic knitting of others!
It’s been a great party. My son lives in Vancouver, in the thick of it, and had a great time. But yesterday he said he was heading down to Robson St to say thank you to everyone for coming and could they please go home now? Yup, great party – and more to come. The paralympics starts 12 March. They won’t get the hoopla the traditional games have received, but they should.
Fantabulous sweater, Stephanie! Congratulations on your gold medal. Alas, I fell (again) and did not finish my vest on time. I tried, oh yes, I tried, and learned new terms, how to read a pattern, new stitches, how to unknit a mistake, how to match one mistake with another so it looks like I planned it that way, how to knit just about everywhere possible, how to persuade my husband to cook and clean for 17 days straight (he’s a gem!) AND, how to accept defeat gracefully. For a relatively new knitter (14 months) I think I did great, and I’ll be in better knitting shape for the next Olympics. Great challenge. Thanks for your inspiration.
Well – congratulations Stephanie for an awesome job with the sweater, for inviting us to challenge ourselves, and especially to Canada for a truly wonderful Olympics. I can’t wait for the next one! On a personal note – does it count if you finished your sweater but then had to frog the neckband? Today’s job is to do a better job, then I’ll be satisfied – and I wont need a medal because I’ll be wearing my challenge with pleasure and pride. Great party everyone 🙂
Congratulations to you on finishing your sweater. It is so beautiful.
And a big congratulation to Canada for its well-earned 14 gold medals and for hosting the Olympics in such a friendly and fun style.
While I did not earn a knitting medal, I had so much fun watching the Olympics! Ripping back repeatedly didn’t seem like a big deal after watching the effort the athletes put into their performances. The opening and closing ceremonies were top-notch, original entertainment. My entire family wants to visit Canada soon.
No one is going to swoon over my vest like they will your sweater, but I am proud of it just the same and wore it today; it felt like a warm hug! Thanks for doing this; I wasn’t even a knitter four years ago so I appreciated getting my chance to “compete”!
As always, your pictures caused me deep envy. The sweater is so completely beautiful, and I seriously am in awe that you finished it in 16 days. Thank you for inspiring us all. The Knitting Olympics added even more joy to watching the Winter Olympics. I was so sorry to see the flame go out. Thank you to Franklin for the medal. I’ve already proudly pinned it to my project picture. Every time I see it I will smile at the memories of the Olympics and the network of knitters joined by a common challenge..and lead by the inimitable Yarn Harlot.
Now that is OLYMPIC-quality knitting. Good on ya, Stephanie! C’est manifique! I didn’t compete but I sure enjoyed ‘watching’ you. I concur that the Olympics were grand. My husband and I gained a new-found appreciation for curling. Probably won’t be a lot of opportunities for us to curl in Central Texas, but it was great fun to learn about it. (And you can knit while you watch it, my kinda sport…) The hockey game was a heart-stopper, and it seems right that you-all should win in “your” Olympics!
Stunning sweater and your country is stunning too! Canada was a wonderful and gracious host for these Olympics. My notion of Canada being colder than Michigan in the winter has changed—-I believe I could really enjoy living in Vancouver or Victoria!
Wow, that’s a beautiful sweater! Congratulations, that’s quite an accomplishment.
The sweater is gorgeous, congratulations on finishing it. I would wear it with pride if it was me. And once again, you have written something that makes me feel good and I didn’t even participate! Next time, I absolutely will.
Wonderful sweater!!! Just amazing!! Congrats on your countries golds!! The hockey game was amazing!! I live in upstate NY- so I was wanting to see both teams win!! But I was so glad that Canada got the gold. Canada did a great job hosting the Olympics.
Yeah to our North Neighbors!!
Stacy
Gorgeous sweater, Stephanie! An awesome job.
I finished my main project – mittens. They weren’t as challenging as I thought they were going to be – but I will concede some horrible stitching around the base of the thumb.
Never was able to do 2nd project – let’s just say it is due to lack of funding.
My replacement project is a pair of socks – still on the needles. *sigh*
So – I did win a medal for finishing – but not multiple medals.
Next Olympics for sure!
Your sweater is so beautiful. Congratulations!
The sweater looks lovely-definitely gold medal quality. Loved the fritos tip jar. Today seems a little dull-no Olympics to watch; no Olympic project to knit. I guess I’m going to have to bite the bullet on Knitted Lace of Estonia and those ultra pesky NUPPS. Cheers and red wine, Hazel.
Congrats, Stephanie!
I have to say I was following you on Twitter while watching the final Hockey game (& confusing my boyfriend by yelling “WE SCORED” regardless of the team).
My all time favorite part of the Knitting Olympics were my coworkers – who have fully embraced the dork that I am – only a few of them are knitters but ALL of them supported me and were extremely excited to see my FINISHED Olympic socks do a victory lap around my department today.
So, thank you, for making me seem “normal” & for putting the challenge out there –
your sweater puts my colorwork to shame but i’ll be ready for that level in four years!
see you in 2014! and congrats on finishing!
What a beautiful sweater! I am in awe. And “people who sign up for life have a way better ride” – I love that. Yay, Canada! Yay Harlot!
AWESOME AWESOME sweater!!!! Congratulations!
What a lovely post! What a fabulous sweater! Congratulations to you and to Canada!
Congrats on the sweater, it looks great.
Sadly I did not finish my project however I did have a great time. Thank you.
Congratulations!
Gorgeous Sweater! I am in awe of your mad knitting skills. I had a gauge accident in my first event and I went off course and was disqualified 😉 I thought during the big hockey game that if “we” had to lose to someone, it was OK if it was Canada. It must have been so thrilling for Team Canada to hear all those thousands of people singing “O Canada” for them. You folks to the north put on a wonderful Olympics! Wear your sweater with pride.
Congratulations on a beautifully executed sweater — Gold Medal worthy and then some. Yes, a very proud moment to be a Canadian and a Canadian knitter at that.
Love, love, love your colors and pattern and the Canadian-ness of it all. I think you should call it “Maple Leaf Forever, Eh?”
Thanks for inviting us all to play with you. I finished my Selbu Modern Hat and I’m proud to have crossed the finish line even if I was in 23rd place!
Just wanted to point out that it’s St. David’s Day today. 😉
Now, to go hang my head in shame over the Bohus yoke I didn’t quite finish (12 rounds short). I blame the drugs from the poorly-timed colonoscopy, and my new job. My apologies to Sweden if in any way I misrepresented them during this Olympic event.
Thank you so much.
I, too, had a wonderful time. I finished a shawl/scarf but that wasn’t my challenge. I made it picking (I was a thrower) in combined knitting, which was new to me. Now I am comfortable with all of the above. I love having so many more choices.
Canada should be very proud. The Olympics were wonderful as were the athletes. And I am now a devoted curling fan. Now I have to figure out how to get that on my tv here in the states.
My mother was raised in St. Luc, Quebec and moved here to the USA at 12. Every single year of my life my entire family has gone to St. Luc to visit family. Canada holds so very many dear memories for me. Now, my aging aunt and uncle are not up to visitors any more and the years have pulled the cousins apart. The Knitting Olympics hosted by you and the real Olympics happening in Canada and then my dearest friend moving to Montreal… well full circle is putting it lightly.
I didn’t finish my project. I learned lessons. I cheered Canada on in the hockey game because it always felt like it was Canada’s sport and the gold just belonged to you.
I’m so proud of my Canadian heritage. I’m proud of my mother’s beautiful French name and her amazing, easy going attitude that brought us through so much. In fact, it was her who gave me her knitting needles a year ago after the loss of my nephew. It was her knitting skills that I traded on, it was her size 8 aluminum Susan Bates bought in the 1950s that helped me find a place for my grief. So, no. I didn’t finish. But I feel like came full circle and that’s a whole lot better anyway.
Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for linking these two parts of my mom for me: her home and her craft.
What a wonderful sweater! What a wonderful thing feeling it must be to have met that challenge.
I was sad that I couldn’t see any Olympics coverage, because I don’t have TV, and I can’t watch an Internet broadcast because I only have dial-up. I was lucky, however, to hear the last period of the hockey final over a very crackly radio connection. My goodness. A competition of that caliber is the cornerstone of the Olympics.
I met my Olympic challenge, which was a bit backward – to gain control over my time, regain knitting time, and finish a wrap. Well, I did it, except for the buttons, because who can go button-shopping on a Sunday when you live in the country? I will get the buttons next week. I have my knitting time back.
Finding shopping time is a whole different challenge.
Thanks for helping us push expand our boundaries a little further.
Your sweater is spectacular!!! I finished today, which doesn’t count, but there was no way I could knit through the most exciting hockey game I have ever seen. I was born in Ottawa but live in the US so I won either way!!
I thought the Games were particularly terrific this year too. Maybe it was because the time zone was close to home (NY for me) or I made sure to take the time to watch every night or that Canada looked especially pretty and interesting. I will have to get my passport and visit! I wasn’t following you 4 years ago so didn’t know about the knitting Olympics enough ahead of time to plan something but I will the next time. Do you do it for the Summer Olympics too?
Awesome, amazing, incredible, outstanding sweater. You are a true north, gold medal Canadian every day of the week, but especially now. I simply can’t believe that you can make those things that fast – when I take mine on, it sure won’t be for the Olympics, because it will likely take me a year. But my man says he wants a Dale sweater one of these days – ulp. I may need a support group – can I count on you?
I finished my spinning project, but not my knitting one (really, it was insane to take on two things) so I although I registered my projects here I can’t accept your beautiful knitting medal. Got one from Bob, though.
Congratulations to you and Canada for an absolutely fabulous Olympics. (I admit to being a bit bummed that we didn’t win the hockey game. But it would have been such a downer for Canada that I can’t get too upset about it, eh?)
What a sweater!! It’s gorgeous! I, sadly, am not collecting a medal. Why? I was a slacker. A slacker knitter. How pathetic! 🙁
Oh, your sweater is beautiful! Well done, and can’t wait to hear the story. Congrats to Canada overall.
DNF but I am still terribly proud of myself. Still need a sleeve, a hood and button bands for Cassidy but I am so much farther than I ever thought possible.
However, I am even more proud of Canada and the splendiferous job they did in hosting this Olympics! I had the privilege of being in the Vancouver area for a week starting a couple of days before the games and it was fabulous! Everyone I ran across was so proud of this fine country and the great job they were doing. And the turnouts for the torch?!? Amazing!
I am a Canadian citizen living in California but believe you me, everyone here knew who I was rooting for! GO CANADA!!!
Fabulous sweater, fabulous hockey ( if we had to lose, at least it was to Sid the Squid – our honorary Pittsburgher). But do we really have to wait FOUR WHOLE YEARS for another? Maybe a summer olympics??? I know, I know, let you catch your breath and get your hands uncramped…
Thanks for all the fun.
Your sweater is beautiful, and I am now determined to make my Dale of Norway Olympic sweater (vintage 2002). I also took gold, finishing up Sunday at about 3:00 p.m. (which was pretty darn close to not making it!) – my baby hoodie will be given to my friend at her baby shower March 21. Thanks for giving me the incentive to do it!
Steph, the sweater is GORGEOUS. Absolutely stunningly beautiful.
These Olympics were among the best I have seen. The caliber of the athletes, the level of competition were simply amazing. I found myself cheering as much for my neighbor to the south (I live in the one spot in the lower 48 that’s north of Canada, haha) as for my own country. I found myself thrilled to tears at Canada’s first gold on home soil. When Joannie Rochette skated out on the ice, I again wept. And when she stepped on to that podium, I was filled with admiration for her poise, her dedication, and her unmatchable courage. She will epitomize this Olympics forever.
The hockey game, however, was the icing (pun most absolutely intended) on this most amazing cake. The hard-fought, hard-won battle that was largely free of bad sportsmanship is what the Games should be all about.
Oh, and I finished my knitting project. 🙂
Whoo hoo! You did it. It looks beautiful but I look forward to hearing more about it.
Thanks to Mr. Habit and David for their help in making this happen and to you, Harlot, for hosting the event. Lots of fun!
That is one truly stunning and magnificent sweater, well met Stephanie! and Huge Congratulations and Thank You to Canada for winning so many medals and for being such a gracious host(ess):^) to all that made it there or watched through television. Hearing Joni sing in the Openings and seeing/hearing Neil at the Closings… well.. they’re favourites of mine.
Lilleput is still on my needles, (too many other ‘life’ responsibilities to tend to) but hey, I’m close and loving every stitch.
Thank you, Stephanie.
I was really cheering for the Canadian curling team – ladies and men – they sure made it an interesting event and now I’m hooked! And the Canadian/American hockey game was great. While I’m American, I was so happy for the Canadian teams – they played hard and sure deserved their wins.
Good on you, Harlot, for the gorgeous sweater and the hockey win. I wanted Canada to win the game. It was your Olympics.
Congratulations on your gorgeous sweater. The colors are so put together. Watched you working on it and knew you would finish. Great Job. You sure can be proud of that sweater.
I am still holding out hope that it took a REALLY long time to extinguish the torch, especially since my husband happily made it possible for me to have 14 hours of child-free knitting time on Saturday, and another 6 on Sunday. I didn’t finish until 8:00pm.
My lovely family, though, definately gets the gold. Their love & patience are legendary!
Great Job Steph! You pulled it off at the 11th hour. Your sweater is wonderful.
Thank you ever so much for letting 4000 of your closest friends play. 😉
What a fabulous sweater !
Would you consider sharing the pattern?
I for one would be interested in purchasing it
Judy
Well done, all of us!
Thanks for the inspiration! I worked through a pile of FOs and now they won’t nag me. However, the UFO blue sock was one pattern repeat longer than its pre-Olympics, FO partner- but it’s done.
I’m glad our hockey team scored a last minute goal sending the game into OT and making it a challenge for your hockey team! Next time!
Congratulations: Olympics AND that beautiful sweater!
I was hoping Canada would get the hockey gold. It was just right for that to happen.
What a gorgeous sweater. Good going!
Way to go Stephanie! I too was able to finish. I am really rather proud of my creation, whether I finished in 17 days or 17 weeks. Thanks for pushing us all to try our best.
Jeez! That’s quite the sweater. And I am perpetually amazed at how fast you knit! Congrats on getting your sweater done, and cue “O Canada!”
Gorgeous sweater! Congrats on the finish, both of them 🙂
I didn’t quite make it, but I’m so glad I attempted the stranded knitting. Now I have a new favorite thing to do in the wonderful world that is knitting.
Beautiful, beautiful sweater! Definitely gold medal worthy. Having lived in Newfoundland for 6 years during my formative years (long time ago), I would have been disappointed if Canada had not won the gold medal in yesterday’s hockey game (despite being American). Hockey=Canada. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to complete my projects for the knitting olympics, but I worked hard and am further along than before, so I’ll count that as a victory! Happy knitting. K
I have discovered that, at this time, I can only knit half a sweater during the Winter Olympics so no medal for me. However Canada was amazing, fantastic, stupendous as hosts for the games this year. Congratulations on the hockey wins and on the gold medal count. You needed to make up for all the other years Canada had hosted games and not gotten Gold. Wonderful games.
Looking forward to trying again in four year. Thank you (and David and Franklin) for hosting a wonderful 2010 Winter Knitting Olympics.
GREAT sweater! and it was indeed a WONDERFUL Olympics, the very best ever. It was a delight to see Canada loved by all. We Buffalonians spent this last weekend in Niag-on-the-Lake and thoroughly enjoyed watching the show and the hockey on CTV. While we Sabres-lovers cried for Ryan Miller’s loss, we loved that the world saw him for a first-rate goalie. What a game, so much flat-out action. And while it might have been nice to have a US gold, it was even BETTER to see Canada cap their very own Olympic games with the last medal of the games, and with their very own game of hockey, eh?! If we had to be beaten by anyone, it was best to be Canada. You guys understand hockey! Thanks for a super party. I love Canada, and I loooove super natural BC.
Wow…gorgeous sweater….And thanks to Canada for a lovely Olympics…well done throughout. What an exciting hockey game! You could see that both teams played their hearts out and I really wanted both to win. I’m from the US (and our team was really bummed about the loss) but I can understand that Team Canada wanted this win on home ground. Congratulations!
congratulations!! that is an epic, epic victory. and thank you to your lovely country for hosting such a lovely olympics.
I’m so glad you made it. I didn’t, a killer migraine took me out at a crucial moment. Oh well. There’s always 2014…
That sweater is so beautifully gorgeous that it almost makes me want to forsake my passionate love of knitting small objects that can be completed in my projected lifetime and cast on for a sweater………I said ALMOST, folksies!
Congratulations, YH, on an awe inspiring achievement.
What a beautiful sweater! Well, no gold medals for me. I didn’t quite get my sweater finished. I wonder if there are silver medals if we finish by the end of the Paralymics???
Thank you for a wonderful & fun opportunity. Beautiful sweater. Watching the Olympics was great fun – I’m looking forward to our next road trip from AK so we can visit Canada again. We’ll make a point of checking out Vancouver. Congrats!
That is quite the beautiful sweater and I burn with envy. 🙂 Congratulations on making it in time!
My goal was a modest single pair of socks, but it was a challenge, and one I completed 2 hours before the closing ceremonies!
Congratulations on the sweater and the 2010 Olympics! You Canadians are awesome. Fabulous hockey game – my team lost to a formidable foe.
I, and the world, loved coming to Canada (in my case virtual visit – I watched more than ever before).
You are such gracious hosts, and can be so proud of it all – 2010 Knitting Olympics and Winter Olympics. I’m so glad you did both! (and sadly, I didn’t medal…close though!)
Thank you Canada – lovely Olympic hosts and principled contenders…let alone lookin’ good in the gold. Thank you Stephanie for the K.O. (thanks to David too). I did not finish my goal, but am pretty close and the items will be enjoyed sooner than if I had not entered!!
You finished, and your sweater is drop-dead gorgeous! I finished and I love my Redhook vest entirely too much, maybe because I knit it for the Olympics and in 16 days. It felt really good to be true to one project. I may have to try it more often. But first, I have a few WIPS that have been languishing on the side-lines…
p.s. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I wish I lived in Canada. You all know how to do it right!
I failed to finish. Still plugging along. Stupid work (paycheck kind) and tendonitis and just plain frustration got in the way. Feel like an olympic athlete though, the tendonitis is a knitting injury!
I’m so glad that you decided to go forward with the Knitting Olympics this year. It was a great experience, and I now have a finished blouse (or something, not sure what to call it) to show for it. The medal is just an awesome bonus.
Steph, I am tremendously proud. I didn’t compete this year, as it seems like getting through the last few weeks was enough of a challenge without pattern-following. All of you are inspiring to me, and even though I’m not always a person who tries things, I think I just may start. GO TEAM KNIT!
The sweater is beautiful! Well done!
What I want to know is: To whom do we address our thank you notes? Our Canadian hosts did an amazing job of hosting this spectacular event – even for those of us who visited only via television. It was beyond words – I can’t believe how sad I am that it is over!!
I guess I’ll just write “Canada” on the envelope and hope that each and every citizen knows how much their hospitality was appreciated!
That is a totally awesome sweater. Very well done. You get the gold in my book. Mine was simple – learn the toe up method to knit socks. I started late because I had something else I had to finish first, but finished early (hey, they were socks. Not a big thing). Though I did try to make them a bit more time consuming by making them cabled all the way up. Love the toe up method – no fiddly kitchner on little stitches! It was fun.
And so were the Olympics – if tiring watching all that activity. Canada was a wonderful host in a beautiful country.
i’d signed onto a ravelympics team before your olympics was announced, but i’m proud to say i medaled in charity curling.
will there be summer knitting olympics in ’12?
if so, let me be the first to sign up (after you, of course).
btw, i am one of the few yanks i know who can sing “o canada” all the way through (why, yes, i WAS a mad hockey fan for a time. why do you ask?), and i was singing it mentally while pub-knitting when canada won the gold in hockey.
my city will have the super bowl in ’12, and i hope we do as awesome a job as canada did with these olympics!
Stephanie, your sweater is gorgeous. I knew you would finish.
Breathtaking sweater Stephanie!! I’m truly amazed that something like that can be accomplished in such a short time. I took a clue from your posts around christmas every year and made a schedule.
I tried to stick to it and found myself ahead. Turns out what I thought was a big challenge was not so much of one. I finished Sat. morning. I will have to dream bigger 4 years from now.
I started knitting 5 years ago and was thinking today that I would like to thank you for having a hand in keeping me knitting. About 3 months after I started knitting I found myself in a book store with time to kill (I do not know how that happened as I had a 2 year old son at the time) I found the store had a knitting section and a little book with a funny title caught my eye, it was “Yarn Harlot”. I picked up that book and within minutes I was laughing so hard I had to sit down on the floor in the shop. There in print were many of the frustrating things I had been going through spoken of in a way that made it funny and gave me a great feeling of not being an idiot. I realized that the mistakes and tangles happened to all knitters and not just nubbie me, and that, like it or not they were part of the journey.
I also realized that day, when I got home and read your blog, that there was a community out there that I could be a part of. I have read every post you have written since that day only commenting once or twice. Now I work in my LYS, and I get to help people with their tangles. Long story I know but I just wanted to say THANKS, I don’t know if I would be calling myself a capital K Knitter without you.
Oh and thanks Canada for a great time!
Congrats on a stunning sweater, and now I have to thank you for having the Knitting Olympics. Because of you, I have finally finished Level I of the Master Program–something I have procrastinated on for three years! I finished yesterday (except for a pom-pom) and got it in the mail today.
Thank you for that! And thank you for your blog–always makes my day.
I didn’t officially sign up here, but my challenge was a colorwork purse thingie from (that online discount knitting store which causes some knitters to get upset when you mention its name). I’d never done intarsia before, or purling stranded knitting (huh, when they said “you go back and forth”, that meant purling. oddly, I hadn’t put 2 and 2 together until that evening…). Never have I steeked so quickly or so soberly. Usually it’s a few glasses of wine and a couple hours of “the crochet chains are in place, right?” checks. Not this time, it was zip, zip, crochet good? Where’s the scissors? No, not the kid’s blunt points, we need the good ones.
At any rate, I got myself *nearly* done before they extinguished the torch. Just one more border which a couple hours later is half done.
I told my 5 year old that I hadn’t met my goal. But I’d tried, and that was the important part. She told me I got a bronze medal. Then she paused. Then she asked, Mommy, what’s bronze? Ah, yes, the important questions reveal themselves in time.
Thanks for the challenge. I may even officially sign up next olympiad.
Steph – Thanks for the kind words about the hockey game. It was a really good game and lots of fun to watch.
I am American, but since there are many Canadians on the Dallas STARS team – I wasn’t too torn up that the Americans didn’t get the gold. I am so proud of our Brenden Morrow. He really represented Canada well.
Great, great job on the sweater. Congratulations!!!
LOVE, love love that sweater. It is awesome Stephanie. Who is the lucky recipient of that wonderful sweater? Go Canada! I am an Australian and I loved watching the winter Olympics. Stephanie when are you coming down under?
Jeanette
Congratulations on both the sweater and the hockey game!
Kathy said this – and it’s my bitter pill too, as well as “equipment failure” – not enough yarn. However, 2/3ds of the way to a complete sweater, that will fit, is the challenge I met – now, if I could just get over my “hate” of swatching … Our LYSO at Wool Revival has preached swatching (and blocking) for years – I might have to convert!
Thank you Stephanie, David, and Franklin – thank you, 4055+ knitters who registered, and who-knows-how-many who knit along anonymously – Knitters Rule! (If it’s ok with Franklin, I will save the medal for my bulletin board – incentive for 2014, you know?)
I also have to tell you all: there was a horrible WTH moment at 24 seconds left in the game – I swear we heard it from coast to coast to coast. I KNOW that our screams when Crosby scored in OT were heard in Afghanistan – we had Skype up, and our buddy was listening! Who knew we could yell that loud?
Congratulations Knitters, Congratulations Canada for classy games and then fun at the end, as we teased ourselves, and thank you Michael J. Fox for adopting so many “Canadians” – and their medals!!! (VBG)
Yay, great sweater! And a great race!
In hindsight I am very happy I did NOT sign up for the Knitting Olypmics. I wanted to knit my very first pair of socks in that time. Then I realized, I don’t have needles that are up to the job and it took them ten days to arrive. The first sock is cast on and almost covers my toes 😀
Thank you so much for hosting again. Knitting for me has always been pure recreation, so as soon as I have hit a snag of any sort I have stopped and picked up something more fun. Well needless to say I have a sizable UFO pile. But I did make my goal of half that pile by the extinguishing of the flame, and I was surprised to actually feel proud. Thank you for that. Now I’m on a roll and have set another deadline of finishing the other half of the UFO pile by the end of the paralympics. This is changing my life! (…or at the very least my office/guest room ;). Love and peace as always and olympic size congrats on your beautiful sweater!
Your sweater is GORGEOUS. I also had a photo finish, snipping the last end of the last seam of my vintage-pattern aran sweater during the “Made in Canada” bit of the closing ceremonies. Thanks for my pep talk and medal!
You’ll be happy to know that the Americans in my house were happy FOR Canada to win, even hockey. Even against us. Because you guys ARE really nice and you deserve it. Especially in hockey.
Congratulations! That is a beautiful sweater – now wear it with pride.
I agree, Canada threw a great party! It made my lack of passport or international travel downright unconscionable! You can bet I’ve put Vancouver and Canada on my places to go list!
I thought I’d make a shawl, but I made socks for my Dad instead. The best part was either when he *immediately* put them on and wore them proudly all night, or two days later when he said he finally took them off because his feet were too warm! Warm feet equals a lot of merino love!
Congratulations to all the Winners!
I didn’t finish my sweater by the time the torch was extinguished, although I did finish by midnight on the 28th. So, while I may not be a Winner with a capital W entitled to a gold medal, I am definitely still a winner since I have a wonderful new sweater that I love to pieces.
To all of you who crossed the finish line in time, a heart-felt CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to everyone who took part, and to those who patiently spectated the fevered knitting too :o)
All the coverage – and the BBC did us proud – made me want to go back to B.C. so much. Even three years after our visit the memories of Vancouver and Whistler are fresh in my mind (and some of the souvenir yarn is still *coughs* unknit…)
Thanks for this; I made a mighty effort, but didn’t finish until 1:30 Monday morning. I felt like the guy who came in last in the 50k cross country, but I’m still proud of having done it, and learned so much.
So yesterday, when my Canadian neighbor came over to gloat about winning the hockey gold, I didn’t even know what she was talking about. Not only does the Winter Olympics receive almost no coverage here in Portugal (only one Olympic participant and because of licensing laws even computer access is limited) but the disaster in Madeira has knocked almost everything else out of the news. I congratulated her and then very ungraciously pointed out to her, despite her protests to the contrary, that except in maybe Minnesota and upstate New York, ice hockey is not our (America’s) top natonal sport, coming at least fourth to baseball, football and basketball. Consequently I was immensely proud that we got the silver. She countered with the Boston Bruins and I told her that was just an abberation. To compensate however, I dragged her into the office to the computer to look at the nearly finished sweater with the beautiful maple leaf on it. She’s a non-knitter but was equally as stunned and thrilled by it as I am. Today I’m sending her the link to your website to see the finished project. I AM NOT making her one. She has a huge family in Canada, just north of Toronto. There must be at least on knitter there…
I do not think that you deserve the gold for your sweater. I think you get the platinum studded in precious stones. Not only did you create this magnificent sweater (I think I can speak for everyone and say that we want to see a picture of it on you), but you “created” the knitting Olympics and you kept blogging and encouraging us all the way through it. I mean taking photos as you knit while you walked down snow covered streets! That’s Hall of Fame stuff!
Megathanks!! Stephanie and David for connecting us like this–what a grand time–and Congratulations to all. Here’s a small wish: it would be lovely if there were a page somewhere where we could post pictures of our FO. It’d be neat to be able to see what everyone did. (those of us who are blogless and/or unRaveled, that is… Of course, being blogless might indicate how much I don’t know about the job involved in making such a page–but just wishin’)
The sweater is stunning! Wow. Congrats, Steph, and to everyone who participated. A heartfelt congrats, too, to Canada–the Olympics were wonderful, the Canadian atheletes kicked some serious butt, and the Canada-US hockey game was the best hockey game I’ve ever seen. What a fantastic finish!
I, too, am rather sad to see the Winter Olympics go (I like them much more than the Summer). There is just so much joy in seeing someone do something really well(jaw-dropping sweater by the way). I rooted for Canada in the Ice Hockey game, h*ll, I even watched it and I don’t know the rules (killing is not allowed, is it?). These were marvellous Olympics (Knitting too)and everyone who got up and took part was a champion.
Congratulations – a very well deserved gold medal for you and everyone else that made it to the finish line. Me, I only got half way after despite all of my best efforts, but as I’ve also taken on the truly Olympian task of growing a baby, I think I can wait for four years for another stab at the prize – my needles and I will return another day!
The sweater is awesome! I love it.
One thing that I learned from this year’s challenge is that I’ve grown an awful lot as a knitter over the last four years. Four years ago, a cat bed was a challenge for me. This year, I chose a lace shawl (a simple one, but one which I planned on adding repeats to) and I knew that it would be a challenge to me because I have problems with lace, and I have trouble focusing on a single project. I finished the shawl with 2 days left, so added blocking to the final challenge and even had it blocked in a timely manner. I now know that I need to move to a more complicated lace shawl, or a sweater, or something else to really kick myself in the arse the next time around.
Thank you for making me take a look at my abilities like this…because that, in itself, is a bit of a challenge, too…to admit you’re somewhat better than you think. 🙂
Wow! Your sweater is gorgeous!!!!! I’m so impressed that you made that in 17 days. You’re an inspiration.
Ack! I just checked the list of athletes and somehow I’m not on it 🙁 Not quite sure what happened.
That is one beautiful sweater! Congratulations on finishing on time with all those tiny little stitches and charts and whatnot. We too enjoyed the hockey game, and the defeat stings a little less knowing that 3 of my Chicago Blackhawks helped the Canadian team bring home the gold. Awesome job on the Olympics, both the knitting version and the sports version!
What a terrific sweater! So beautiful. Congratulations. I didn’t participate this Olympics, but I am so glad that you went ahead with them. I was almost tempted. The first Knitting Olympics gave me the impetus to challenge myself and I’m glad I did. I’m sure others feel the same. Thank you! ENJOY your beautiful sweater. Should be a warm remembrance of this special Canadian Olympics.
Thanks so much for hosting us all, while you clearly had some other stuff going on. And special thanks to Franklin Habit for the perfect medal, which I saved as an image file and now adorns my project page in Ravelry. What a thrill!
So are you now wearing that sweater everywhere you go?
Your sweater is amazingly beautiful. Congrats to another Canadian who won gold in these 2010 olympics!
I entered the Knitting Olympics, my fridge broke, my daughter was sick with stomach flu, I was sick with major head cold, and I failed. :o( I had to rip back 7 inches of knitting twice! Finally last Friday, I threw it back in the bag and concentrated on something new, motivating, less depressing.
See, I said you’d be fine, and there it is – a fantastic looking sweater, and all within the time frame. Congratulations!!
Hooray for you! Hooray for all participants! beautiful sweater! great job i for one was sweating to the end but am ecstatic that you finished!
Another $10 for your count! I’m donating $10 to MSF because of the earthquake in Chile. I hope that other knitters can hear Chile’s pain just like Haiti’s.
I knew you would finish. Although I did not finish, I did learn some things about myself. Not that I am a failure or a bad knitter, but that I have a really busy life and don’t cut myself enough slack. Thanks Steph! Can’t wait until the next Olympics!
Well done Stepahnie and well done Canada! I am taking your words with me today about people signing up for life having a better ride. I needed to heat that today. I didn’t get to really participate in the knitting Olympics -been a hard 3 weeks of sheep with pneumonia and lost two of my good ewes yesterday. I kept kntting before the vet came for the 2nd time yesterday to distract me from my anxiety and was struck again by how knitting can be so many things in different situations. Can’t wait to hear about your sweater.
Congratulations! I knew you would make it; you might be battered and bruised but that was a Gold Medal performance. Unfortunately I failed and completed only one and a half socks. That is my personal best and I learned a lot along the way (when you have ripped back and are picking up stitches which are in danger of dropping down another row yelling “Don’t you f@#$!g dare!” sometimes works). I am already looking forward to the next Knitting Olympics. I will spend the next 4 years training for the “Sweater” event. Thanks for the memories!
Your sweater is awesome. I love everything about it. I’m sad to see the Olympics end – Canada did a great job. My husband was involved in the security effort of the SLC Olympics and so I have some idea of what it took to pull it off. The hockey game was great and I don’t even watch hockey.
My crest of the waves scarf is almost done and would have been finished if I hadn’t been seduced to knit a sock for a few days. Yarn is so enticing!
I learned how to knit as my Olympic challenge. I took Annie Modesitt’s free class on line and I love it. . .not yet as much as crochet but learning this new skill is very exciting.
Your sweater is beautiful and maybe in a few years I’ll be able to make things like that.
Thanks for the Olympic challenge
The sense of global community is what I love the most about the Olympics. Having knitting incorporated into that is just, well, awesome. This Olympics only increased my already favorable opinion of Canada. Although my heart cheered “U.S.A” throughout the hockey game, a smile could be found on my face as the country sang your national anthem with gold around their necks. Heck, no one thought we’d even medal. And to play Canada for the chance of gold- priceless. No Olympic knitting gold for me either, but man was it fun to play!
Congrats on finishing that gorgeous sweater.
I did not finish my sweater, but I’m OK with that. I have enjoyed my knitting a bit more than if I decided to panic when it was clear that I was behind and I think I learned an important lesson. Not about biting off more than I can chew (I always do that), but about letting things go and not making myself crazy. Probably something I should have learned years ago.
Congratulations! Your sweater looks amazing!
I pledged to complete 6 IDF hats and spin 1/2 pound of silk. I got the hats done, and some but not all of the silk. Do I still get my medal for the hats?
That is one amazing sweater, Stephanie! Congratulations, can’t wait to hear the rest of the story…
And thank you. My first Olympics and what a game it was! Congrats to Canada, too, for a job well done, all around!
((((hugs))))
Congratulations Steph for all of it. For the beautiful sweater, for the idea, for the trouble, etc., and thanks for being our gracious and hospitable neighbor. And, thank you Canada.
Fantastic sweater Steph !
I am so flipped over your sweater. It is simply gorgeous. Of course, that you made it in absolutely record time is incidental. Would love to see a picture of it on you! And, it occurred to me when you showed the photo of the sleeve in work that you might consider making matching socks using the sleeve pattern. Wow!!
Gorgeous, gorgeous sweater! Inspiring!
thank you canada i had a great time
i just knitted on my own rooted for
team usa – i live not all that far from
ellenton where the skaters train
hockey and figure skateing florida usa
That was a GREAT interview!!! it’s Tues at 1130am here and I just saw your Twitter posting and went right away. Very enlightening for the rest of the world (as well as for Marc!). He’s a great speaker. I must listen often.
You done good, girl!
Congratulations, Stephanie, on that gorgeous sweater. Congratulations, Canada, on hosting a wonderful Olympics. Congratulations, all you Olympic Knitters who undertook the challenge. I salute you. I opted out this year when I looked at what I had on my plate those two weeks, remembered that knitting is my stress-relief salvation, and decided against the pressure. My admiration for all of you who did it is enormous! I’m in training for 2014!
Thanks for the kind comments about the hockey game. We feel the Blackhawks won- Such worthy opponents!
I look forwards to hearing the story of your sweater! I was planning to knit a hat for the Ravelympics (which I did) and a pair of matching mittens for your Knitting Olympics (which I didn’t even start…) So I was rather overambitious, but I do have a hat that I’m please as punch with. And I loved watching the Olympics, well done Canada!
Stephanie, what an amazing sweater! you did a fabulous job.
I didn’t enter this year due to life insanity but did make myself finish several WIPs. Hooray for Canada!
Congratulations on your sweater! It looks positively gorgeous!
I feel so inadequate looking at what you’ve produced, and looking at my half finished sock. 2010 just wasn’t my year for Knit Olympics, it seems. After casting on three times, falling down the stairs the next day, and then slipping on ice two days later, I decided that it just wasn’t happening. I knew it was the Olympics, but I didn’t know it was going to be so physically strenuous on the body! lol
I’m going to make a real go at this next time, for sure. And I’m going to finish.
Congrats again on all of your accomplishments!
Well done on the sweater! It looks beautiful (and toasty warm). I made a valiant effort at socks, but came up short. I had about 1 inch plus the toe on one sock left. I did finish them last night though, and must say they turned out pretty good. Congratulations to everyone who participated and thank you, Stephanie, for hosting the event!
“Really rather proud of myself”? Perfect Canadian modesty. Saying “I am an awe-inspiring knitter” would have been equally true. What lovely Games these were, both Winter and Knitting Olympics.
I just looked again at the original of the Whistler and the way you did it, and I see changes. I’m dying to pick up the bands at the ends of the sleeves element – stripe top and bottom and the little hearts – for a baby hat, and was hoping to find it somewhere in Dale, but I think you may have invented it yourself.
Please please please, how did you do it? (I’m too much a newbie to replicate it on my own).
And thank you for all the crazy fun in the KO!
I think I only deserve the little one. I didn’t do a large project like yours but I did some lace stuff and as everyone knows about me, lace and charts are a real challenge. My poor shawl was totally frogged when it was almost done and restarted the night of the opening ceremonies. It still got finished on time…ciao
I almost made it ….kinda – I was halfway at the halfway point – made a whole sock! and then I got distracted and started knitting tutu’s instead – goodness. maybe next time I’ll make it – back to practicing….
I made it, much to my surprise!
Oh-oh….you’re gonna get in trouble for being proud of being Canadian again!
I was proud just living NEAR the Canadian border (on the US side). I was SO proud of JoAnnie Rochette’s grace in adversity. And the opening and closing ceremonies (especially the closing ceremonies – they were such a hoot!) I was proud of both the Canadians AND Americans playing such a great hockey game. And I know Boo about hockey!
That is gorgeous, Stephanie! Well done! And well done Canada. I live in the Seattle area and we have a great deal in common with Vancouver…so much so that every time I’ve crossed the border it feels like one of those dreams, like “I was in the States, only it wasn’t the States, and there were maple leaves everywhere.”
Wouldn’t that have made a lovely sweater for our Olympic athletes! It’s a beauty!!
That was the perfect sweater for these Games. And that great hockey game was the perfect ending as well — two fantastic teams fighting to the very end for glory.
I’m hoping to finish my sweater’s sleeves in the next two weeks, then finish the neck. These Olympics were a sucess for me — this pretty yarn isn’t nearly as hard to knit with as I thought!
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Knitting Olympics! I was cheering you on!!
congratulations! The sweater is beautiful!
So glad you decided to hold THE Knitting Olympics again this year. Everything is/was beautiful and entertaining and it is so interesting to see how past experience has prompted changes in your processes.
Beautiful sweater!
Thanks for hosting THE K.Olympics again. We look forward to 2014!!
Sending warm fuzzy congratulations to all of the knitters who participated…it was fun to watch through Stephanie’s blog. I didn’t participate myself because I have a four year old and a one year old full time, so knitting period is a challenge in itself. Maybe next time!
What a stunning sweater! Something to be proud of making whether it took 17 days or 17 weeks. (Or in my case, it would be something more like 17 years…) Congratulations!
Such a gorgeous sweater!! I challenged myself to knit a charted lace sock on two circs. I despaired at a couple of points, lost my way in the damned chart, frogged more than once but finished the night before the closing ceremonies so I could watch with freedom. Not sure I like two circs but charted lace is no longer a fearsome thing!!
Your sweater is awesome!! Congratulations to you and to Canada 😀
While demonstrations that you can walk while knitting, traverse snowpiles while knitting, drink stout while knitting, etc… are impressive, what I marvel at is that you can knit, under pressure, and write humor at the same time – without major punctuation and grammar errors! Wow!
Thanks for sharing, Lillian
Beautiful sweater, awesome hockey game, even though we lost. You guys deserved the win. I almost made the finish line but discovered a mistake in one sleeve, had to rip it and start over. I”ll finish this weekend. Thanks for the challenge, it was fun.
I just want to congratulate Canada on it’s Olympic Hockey Victory. We, in Michigan, USA are so pleased that Canada won.
And, Canada you are a class act …. if I had to live in a different country it would be CANADA !!!
It wasn’t that I doubted your capability, but, for just a bit, I was concerned. As your picture of that just beautiful sweater shows, the worry was not justified. What a wonderful accomplishment! Congratulations!
We pretty much rock. This is one of those times I wish I were Canadian.
Congrats on the beautiful sweater! I finished my knee socks in “overtime” by watching the closing ceremonies on Monday morning. Can’t wait ’til Sochi in 2014!
Beautiful, amazing sweater! Beautiful, amazing Olympics! (In beautiful B.C.!) I said before the games started, “Oh, I hope Canada wins lots of medals!” And you did. That is just so great.
I just want to say that is a beautiful, beautiful sweater. And thank you for once again sponsoring the Knitting Olympics–I love doing it, even if I’m more of a Special Olympics speed in finishing. 🙂
I knew you could do it – heck, we ALL knew you could. And you did, of course. Even if we were sort of sweating it for you :-). That sweater is *truly* the most beautiful knitted thing I think I’ve ever seen. I don’t even wear sweaters and I want it. It’s glorious – simply glorious. Wear that with pride, lady!
I’m in complete agreement with what somebody up there said: Canada is *definitely* a Class Act. And, Stephanie, so are you.
You sure know how to throw a heckuva Party up there – I wish I’d been able to go. Imo, B.C. is the most beautiful location on this side of the world – truly.
I was totally into the Games this year, and felt pretty anxious for that first week because it seemed our kind neighbors to the North just couldn’t get a break no matter how hard they tried. It didn’t seem fair at all. Strange, but even though I’m an American, the kids and I were rooting for the Canadians a large part of the time – go figure. And then…it all turned around somehow…and now ya’ll have well-deserved Bragging Rights! WOW, what a Hockey game, too! I’d never seen one before (no, I’m not kidding) but it didn’t take long to get sucked into it and figure out the rules (kinda). We cheered when you won – because it just seemed Right, somehow. Fitting. A HUGE Congratulations to you Canadians – a job well done all around!
P.S. NEVER hesitate to brag up Canada – you SHOULD! LOL – ya’ll ought to charge Admission for others to come gawk. heh heh
Saw your tweet about the piles of loot you are making from your blog adds. I have noticed that some people assume popular means income in other areas. It seems to be an underdog, defensive stance. Keep your chin up. I see no adds.
Hi Stephanie,
I am an American, altho I’m in ND, so I’m close and I have informed my family that we will be emigrating to Canada if Sarah Palin is ever elected president, but I digress… I think that Canada really showed the world how to do the Olympics. I couldn’t be sad with the wins in hockey, ice dancing etc. because it seemed like Canada really deserved them and was a country will such good vibes and CLASS! Good Game Guys!!!
Congratulations on the beautiful sweater! Canada was an AWESOME host for the Olympics, great to watch. I finished my socks 20mins before opening ceremonies. The first being a figure skating, precise endevour. While the second was done in the more Alpine downhill technique. Not always pretty, but went really fast. Had a great time, thanks!
SUCH A GORGEOUS MEDAL!!!
As the K.O. wound on, I decided that spending time with my fiber buddy and best friend of nearly two (count ’em) TWO decades, to celebrate her birthday, was more important in the grand scheme of life than conquering my personal knitting hurdle. We set up her (our — I have joing custody) new swift and HER (prezzie) ball winder. She’s a grand friend; she’s kept me from unraveling SO many times. In the friendship olympics, she gets a 10, even from the Russian judge.
That is a gorgeous sweater. Mine is a body and half a sleeve, not bad, all things considered.
That hockey game couldn’t have been written any better by a Hollywood screenwriter. If you tried to sell a script that ended with Sidney Crosby scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to win the Gold Medal for Canada, you’d be laughed out the door. Classic. That kid is unbelievable.
Thank you for once again giving me the opportunity to leave my knitting comfort zone, and find that I am a better knitter than I thought I was. And Thank You Canada for a great Olympic Games!
Ads? No! Popular? Yes!!!!(in spades). And a few weirdos pop out of the woodwork to rain on your parade. The rest of the blog will be your umbrella. Cheers and red wine, Hazel.
Once again, I must say – ‘I salute you!’
Magnificent work…did you cross the finish line and flop on the ground gasping for breath?
Congratulations, Stephanie!
Stephanie, you are MAGIC! Awesome job on the sweater…and brilliant maple-leafy sweater! The Maple Leaf as nat’l symbol is yet ANOTHER thing I envy about Canadians (along with having the best-ever nat’l anthem, single-payer health system, and the list goes on & on).
Though I didn’t finish my project, I *did* achieve several personal firsts: 1) learned to knit continental (don’t know as I could purl yet, but hey, I’ve got it 50% conquered); 2) learned to do a one-row button hole; 3) made my first-ever sleeves which involved 4)first time placing stitches on a stitch holder and then retrieving them from stitch holders and knitting them.
To master knitters, these achievements must seem like small spuds, but to me…well, I made it to the Olympics. I may not have won; I may not even have medaled; but I gave it a shot. THANK YOU, Stephanie, for inspiring me to knit to the best of my abilities.
Cheers!
Dear Stephanie, I’m working on a hat of your design from Ravelry, and whether the Canadians won or lost at hocky, I’m grateful that you are there to inspire us to greatness.
Thank you.
Peg
Woo Flipping Hoo! That is one amazing sweater. My 12-year-old daughter (who knows what it means to knit) stared at it and her jaw dropped.
Congratulations on finishing, and congrats to all the knitting athletes who gave it a go. You guys are awesome.
God, that’s a gorgeous sweater. I wish I had even half your skill.
That is one gold medal sweater, Stephanie! A herculean effort, richly rewarded with a beautiful one-of-a-kind piece of warmth (you did make the usual “design features” part of the process, yes? so it’s unique!) See yourself standing on the podium and hear us all singing “O Canada” for you – we’ve all learned it over the past two weeks, since your fellow citizens insisted on winning all those gold medals! Well done, o finest of harlots!
Me, not so well; the snowdrop shawl will be weeks getting finished, but I gave it my best Olympic try! No medal for finishing, but the knowledge that sooner or later I will beat this thing into submission… Next games I will sign up for 4-person bobsled or pairs ice skating – it would have to be easier than my first lace shawl!
I finished!!!- sewn up n crocheted- on Sunday morning
At some point I will get a photo done and it will be on ravelry – I`m registered as yogasarah from Falkirk.
Once I get my medal printed out I will proudly wear it forever.
x
Congratulations, Stephanie! G-O-L-D!!!
Did anyone watch the mens curling – final game Norway – Canada and see the lady sitting right in front of Steven Harper – knitting – double points – looked like a childs sweater. To quote the Globe and Mail Only in Canada – can you see double points sitting a row in front of Obama?
Hope she didn’t drop any stitches when Martin went in with the Hammer last end to take it for gold. I know I did !!
Did any one watch the mens curling – final game Norway – Canada – and see the lady with the double points and wha tlooked like a childs sweater – seated right in front of Steven Harper?
Can you imagine someone with double points being allowed to be that close to Obama?
Hope she didn’t drop any stiches when Martin came in with the hammer shot in the last end and got gold. I did!
May we request a photo of you modeling the finished sweater? Would love to see!
Congratulations to all the finishers! I sat out this one, but cheered you on. The sweater is fabulous.
My son-in-law took his two boys from Seattle up to Vancouver for the day with no tickets. They had a wonderful time in Canada . They got to watch the first US-Canada match (which the US won) in a high school stadium with two big screen TVs. A very partisan crowd cheered for Canada. They cheered (quietly) for the US. They learned to curl, they went into town and partied. Hooray for Canada. They deserved the gold medal in a great final game !
Congrats! I too am thrilled to have had this push and opportunity because I finished my little lace project and I am proud! Thanks!
Congratulations, Steph and Canada! What a beautiful sweater!
Love the Maple Leaf! What a beautiful sweater! Congratulations on the podium!
Beautiful sweater! I could never have finished that project in 2 weeks time. Contratulations.
I am sorry to report that i did not complete my project. However I am proud to have participated. My 15yo daughter is now firmly convinced that her health is more important than a lace shawl. (She informed me that she was not sure)Hopefully now that surgery has removed a 2.2 cm gall stone we can get back to our normal (Crazy) routine. congratulation to all who competed.
I just saw that you will be speaking in Detroit on Sat Mar 13th. Oh Joy!! I can’t wait… PLEASE wear The Olympic Sweater!!
I was part of a team that decided to participate in the Knitting Olympics (MKWDMK – you know who you are). I performed my own version of the quad jump by going for the optional loop edging on my shawl during the closing ceremonies and I landed it for the gold medal – yeah! As a team though, I think we are all showed true Canadian olympic team spirit – some easily reached the podium, some squeaked by, and some fell right out of the starting blocks and were carried off the hill, but were applauded by the rest of the group for their courage in facing adversity. That’s what teams are all about.
Great sweater well done. Good on ya. I can’t imagine doing something like that in less than a year. I bit off more than I could chew, plus I decided that I HAD to get myself over to Vancouver and spend some time in the madness. I’m so glad I did because it was amazing. Seeing the flame, all the tourists, and athletes and locals wandering around like tourists too. The streets were full day and night. Not much knitting got done except the travelling sock. I’m going to have to copy ‘JudyB at March 1, 2010 5:00 PM’ and suggest that my challenge has now morphed into a Stanley Cup challenge. The sweater WILL be done by then.
Hi Stephanie,
BEAUTIFUL SWEATER!!!!!
I have this pattern collection and have been wanting to knit one (or more) of these for a long time… This is probably a stupid question but, is there any way I can buy the yarn as a kit or do I just order the required number of skeins? How do I get the little patches that are on the sweaters and the hats?
Thanks
Rowan
Congrulations! To All!
Although I did not participate, my joy in all that has been accomplished (finished or not) is not diminished one stitch. Hurrah for Olympic Knitters, and hugs to Mr. Franklin Habit for the reward of his work of art.
Canada just did such a great job with this Olympics. I really liked Canada even more once it was done. Your sweater looks amazing.
Your sweater is just beautiful! The fit looks perfect! I am in awe.
Just wanted to add a note of congratulations to you as the representation of “all things Canadian”. As a native of Pittsburg Penguins-land, I never wanted to lose a hockey game more than last Sunday! The gold belonged to Canada, in every way. Thank you for hosting a wonderful Olympics, just the right tenor — not “too too” over the top, but just the right combination of celebration of sport and country and national pride and hard work to achieve one’s personal and national goals. Viva la Canada!
Oh, and of course, congratulations on a pretty spectacular sweater, no matter how much time it took to knit!
I considered myself an honorary Canadian during these games and was your sister knitter!
Love the connectedness; love the sweater; love my sweater!!
G.O.L.D.
got it.
Hi Stephanie,
I love your blog and have read almost all of your books. I’m working my way through them and enjoying every minute. I do have a question; I’m hoping you can help me. I recently knitted a sweater (raglan;knitted from the top down on circular needles all in one piece). The sweater turned out to be way too big! I would like to rip it out and use another pattern, but I knitted with two strands of yarn held together. Do you have any tips on how to rip out the yarn and rewind it without having a huge mess of knotted yarn? I’d really appreciate any tips you can suggest; otherwise I know I’m going to be in my laundry room with my ball winder going nuts for days and days! Thanks, Brenda from Georgia
Nobody ever lost their lives because they didn’t speedskate fast enough either, right? Although I guess sports involving slippery ice and speed can get a little dicey. The point is that our cause is every bit as noble, and more so because we produce something by the end of it that we can keep using for always.
And the more I learn about Vancouver, the more I love it too. Would the wonderful Canadians be offended if I came to live there? I pay my taxes and shower regularly…
And thank you for the knitting challenge. I can’t imagine my nerdy little life without this knitting community. I wouldn’t be able to knit in public, anxiety would build….and kapow. Thanks for leading us knitting knerds 🙂