Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Ravelympics 2010 and other miscellaney knitting

I've decided to toss my hat into Ravelympics over at Ravelry. I joined the Hazel Knuts group, who's one rule is you have to use Hazel Knits yarn, and the Yarn Harlot group. The whole point is you're supposed to knit something challenging starting on the first day of the Olympics and finishing your project by the last day.

While talking to Faythe about what to knit (her only suggestion being anything other than sock), I came up with a couple ideas. I've always balked stranded socks aka intarsia aka fair isle. Maybe I should give that a try? Or maybe mittens? If I do, this will be my project for the Hazel Knuts group. My other project, and I'm already setting myself up for failure just by choosing it, is a lace shawl. Whenever I try something with lace yarn, I fail miserably. My count gets off, I drop stitches, the yarn tangles...you name it, it happens.

In other news, after several queries and comments about the size of my stash, I have decided to make 2010 the year of multicolor stash busting. I'm not a fan of multi's but I keep acquiring them either because they come in yarn clubs or because everyone likes them so I am trying to force myself to like them too. (Much like wine. Everyone likes wine so I keep making myself drink it, even though I just don't get it. Though I have recently discovered something tasty that appears to be the acrylic of wines, considering the word "chemical" has been used to describe it on one site. )

My latest project using a multicolor yarn that is taking up space is a Hazel Knits sock club yarn called May Flower. It came with a small hank of green yarn to be used for accents, such as the heel and toe. That is exactly what I'm doing. That and knitting a simple lace flower pattern in the flowery colored yarn. Hopefully they'll pop once they're on a foot.

May Flowers

Ooh, speaking of pop. You have to check this out. These are mom's favorite socks at the moment.

I don't think it means what you think it means.

I think they're rather hideous, but she loves them. She calls them her "mummer socks." She thinks a "mummer" is a person that likes colorful things. I don't have the energy to explain what it really means.

Anyone else participating in Ravelympics?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010