…Or Knitting Olympics, or just plain knitting-while-you-watch-the-olympics… whatever you want to call it, I’m doing it! The whole idea is to set yourself a challenge and try to complete it within the olympic window (17 days). As I said before, I set myself the challenge to finish off my Minimalist Cardigan. Needless to say, I haven’t even touched and instead, have launched myself with full gusto into the Flying Camel spinning event.
Remember the red stuff I posted at the weekend? It’s all plied up now and drying on the line. It turned out lovely and I can’t wait to knit with it. Yesterday was a bit of a struggle for me because I wasn’t feeling very well. Luckily for me, I remembered that I had a mixed batt from Laura Hogan sitting in my stash. I promised myself that if I did all my work and got through my lesson in the evening, I could start spinning this up when I got home.
You can’t see it very well on the bobbin but it is a mixed batt of regular merino dyed green, white and bright pink with blue silk mixed through it and some creamy, fluffy, silky bits through… AND some blue sparkly bits too! The sparkly bits tend to show up out of the blue (I’m so funny!), which delights me no end. Of course, the whole point of the Knitting Olympics is to challenge yourself. I’m using this batt to teach myself some new things: I’m spinning ‘from the fold’, I’m using a long draw drafting technique and I’m planning on Navajo or chain plying the bobbin when I’m finished. If you’re not into spinning, all this means is that I’m hoping to end up with a fluffy, light yarn as opposed to a smooth, dense yarn (which was the way I spun the red stuff).
Of course, I couldn’t just procrastinate on the Minimalist on one front. I cast on for a balaclava on Saturday, too, for the Hat Halfpipe event.
It’s From Russia With Love. Doesn’t it look snug? I’m using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and so far, have already used nearly two balls for just the neck part. Just as well my head isn’t very big. I hope everyone elses’ projects for the Olympics are going smoothly!
Ooh, I love the lush cables on that hat.
Mmmmm Laura Hogan mixed fiber batts – they’re even more fun than a ‘Noro Surprise'(knitting from the centre of the ball so you don’t know what colour is next).
Hi, I wish I knew all about spinning and wool rovings and tops and batts, etc, I don’t, other than a very short course in spinning many winters ago, but I like your blog, you seem to be a very prolific knitter and spinner!
The cables on the hat look like you could sink into them, they’re fantastic…. and the wool on the bobbin looks yummy,
although I really liked the red yarn from the weekend…
Hope it’s ok with you if I link to you in my blog? If not, just let me know…
Ta
liz