Training: The Pre-Olympics Post
This morning when I got up at my usual time (which is ungodly early anyway), I noticed it was just a little bit lighter than it normally is. The days are starting to be noticably longer and my brain is appreciative of this fact.
Preparations for the upcoming Olympics are underway here at the Village. Last night I finished plying the last of my rovings. I had originally intended to use this roving to make a shawl with my handspun and so have been spinning lace weight (though in truth, it is a little closer to fingering once plied). However, I realized recently that there is probably only about 800 yards at most there and I know I need a good 1,000 or so to get a shawl of the size I’m thinking. So, I have decided to use it for my Olympics project instead. If I hold two strands together as I knit, I should have just the thickness I need.
I decided, also, on a project. Since my feet from January until about April are usually like blocks of ice attached to my legs, I am going to make a pair of felted slippers to help keep them warm. I have said for the last two winters that I should felt myself a pair of those toasty slippers and still haven’t managed to do so. Now is my chance. I have in mind a small pair of pointy toed, striped slippers — very elven.
So I have been doodling and dreaming and looking at other people’s projects. Next up I need to knit a swatch, measure it, felt that swatch and measure it again to see how much I am going to lose. This is where knitting becomes about math and, as someone who has math anxiety, this is not my favorit part. Then, I need to figure out how to create the slipper itself. It’s a challenge alright, but it wouldn’t be fun if it wasn’t.
January 26th, 2006 at 10:49 am
I think it’s extremely cool that you’re designing your own pattern for this project. Can’t wait to watch it take shape.
January 26th, 2006 at 11:00 am
Thanks, Franklin. I will admit, even in my own mind, it definitely has the potential for cool. I also suspect it may have a strong penchant for pending disaster… I guess we’ll just see which direction it decides to move in…
January 26th, 2006 at 11:01 am
Excellent! I’m spinning the yarn for my Olympic project, too…good to know I’m not the only one
And when you figure out how to get the perfect felted pointy-toed slipper, let me know. My feet are freeeeeezing and yet I’m not so sure I want a massive Fuzzy Foot on each little block of ice, you know? Elven would be more my style…
January 26th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Lee Ann, I’m not in the least bit surprised to hear you are using handspun. I’m crafting the pattern with a mind to publish it on the blog, so I will be sure to let you know when (and if) that actually happens.
Speaking of Elven, I’ve been thinking of firing up W.O.W. again… You interested in traipsing around the Azeroth countryside a little?
January 26th, 2006 at 11:30 am
Okay, you little small footed people have lost me completely. What the heck is W.O.W.? or Azeroth, even? I’m feeling a bit scared to ask.
January 26th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
W.O.W is short for World of Warcraft, a massively multi-player online role playing game (or MMORPG for short) that has sucked more than a few hours from my life. When it first came out, I spent as much time (if not more) obsessing about it as I do about yarn. Eventually I weaned myself off a bit and ultimately stopped playing, but it has been calling to me lately (which is not in the least bit helped by my sweetie who recently renewed his subscription and has been making me jealous of all his fun playtime). I fear that to renew my own subscription before the Knitting Olympics is a bad idea… This does not, however, mean I won’t.
Oh, and Azeroth is the fictional world where the story takes place.
See, not so scary. Or, maybe very, very, very scary.
January 26th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
Definitelly very very very scary. Not my thing at all. But some of my best friends play that sort of thing (honest). I just don’t feel the draw myself. Have fun.