Knitting Winter Games 2014 - complete

 
Pattern: Headger VI
Designer: Catherine Lowe - Site
Yarn: Wollmeise The "Pure" 100% Merino Superwash - Buxkranzl

Hard to believe that the winter Olympics are over. This is one of the first times I have watched the games where I just couldn't get that excited and I didn't feel like what they meant to me was represented. So I had the think long and hard about whether or not to knit an Olympic project this time around. I knew I didn't want to officially sign up for any group on Revelry, that was for certain.

In the end though I decided that it was important to carry on that tradition on this blog. One of the most memorable and meaningful things I knit with MG was the Kiri Shawl in 2006. We had so much fun challenging ourselves to complete it during the 2 weeks. MG even sat down and calculated how many stitches we had to do a day to meet our task. I had really hoped she would knit with me again this Olympic, but in the end she didn't.

I had great hopes of doing multiple simple accessories for the challenge but in the end I complete the Follow your Arrow Mystery KAL and Headger VI by Catherine Lowe. The KAL really couldn't be counted since only Clue 5 was knit during the Olympics. I also started to knit two other hats, but they were not the shape that really wanted. It kind of surprises me how few true beret patterns are available. Most of the ones on Ravelry are really more like Tam o' Shanter instead.

The Catherine Lowe hat may be the hardest thing I have ever tried to knit. The fluted Stitch and Selvage stitch worked out to about 10 rows every 45 minutes. It really was rather insane since I am not a slow knitter when I actually have time to knit. Heck I could have knit another shawl in the time it took to knit the headband.

The one major mistake I made was that I was so caught up in finishing the hat that I didn't check my gauge for the main body of the hat. The reality is though that it was knit on US 1's so I really only could have gone down much more in needle size. The gauge for my band was spot on. So the hat is pretty floppy. I could try to shrink it by throwing it in the dryer, but right now I am just happy I was able to complete it during the Olympics. It hasn't been blocked at this point while I wait to decide what to do. In the end, I am pretty happy with it, floppiness and all.

So this brings to an end another Winter Games Challenge on the blog!!!! I would say I got a gold for completion.

Follow your Arrow Mystery KAL

Pattern: Follow your arrow mystery kal

Designer: Ysolda Teague


Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering - Little Reata

How many times have I started this KAL or that KAL over the years. This is the first time I can say that I actually finished the KAL and in record time. Though I have to be honest I just don't think KAL's are for me. I am to much of a control freak. It will make a happy gift for someone in the future.

Ready for a cuppa tea?

Pattern: Tea-Jenny
Designer: Kate Davies
Yarn: Foula Wool (3ply / Double Knitting weight / Shetland wool)
Colour: Black (A), Moorit, (B) Fawn (C) , Mioget (D), Grey (E), Light Grey (F), White


It looks like all my holiday knitting this year centered around Kate Davies patterns. For a tea drinker with a sense of humor I can think of nothing funnier than wearing a hat with tea pots gracing the sides and crowns. Luckily this one is going off to a friend that fills that bill.

I purchased the kit when it was frist announced from Foulawool, but there was such a demand my kit didn't come until the middle of January.The yarn is really lovely and a pleasure to knit since you can still feel the lanolin in the fiber. I love the different shades that were used in the hat. Though there is no way I would have purchased the individual hanks had a kit not been available the cost would have been rather insane for such little yarn used. I really do want to order enough of the yarn to knit a sweater for myself once it comes back in stock.

It was a really a fast knit. I finished it in just onder two nights. The biggest issue was the fact that the only US size 6 DPN's that I own were those plastic ones that were designed for people with arthritist. I really have never understood why they are suppose to be so good for your hand. Mine just hurt for days after using them. I also find that my stitches are a lot more uneven when ever I use them.