Ravelympics Results 2008

I signed up for all kinds of projects to attempt to both START and FINISH for this years Ravelympics. When I first heard about the premise behind it, I was just totally thrilled and eager to participate.

As a kid, I was an avid watcher of the Olympics. My favorite categories were, Swimming, Gymnastics, and Ice Skating. In fact, I took a form of Gymnastics (Acrobatics) during my dancing years (K -10thgrade), along with other dance classes (Jazz , Tap, & Solo).

I never took any professional ice skating classes, but I've always loved ice skating, it is one of my favorite activities. I'll admit that I haven't went ice skating in ages, and it's funny because I think of it all the time, always imagining myself skating & feeling the air against my face and the sweet smell of the ice.

Alot of people think ice skating is difficult, but it really isn't. It's kind of similar to learning to swim, you know how when you first look at a body of water and wonder, how do I not sink to the bottom? You take the plunge, and wait, oh no! Your going down, and do you know why? It's because your nervous, that nervous tension causes you to sink; if you calm down and try to relax, ly on your back, you'll see we humans are capable of floating, right? Well it's the same with ice skating, when you put your skates on, you think, how in the world will I be able to stand up on those thin killer looking blades? So, you strap them on, and try to stand, but start wobbling back/forth, grabbing on to anything that will allow you to stand up without falling; well, if you relax and just slowly stand up straight, try to imagine you don't have skates on, as if you still have your everyday shoes on, and slowly let go of what your holding onto, voila!, you'll see you can stand just fine, and once you realize this, you'll be able to take your first steps on those killer blades.

It's much the same when actually skating, but can still be difficult getting used to the real slick ice, but boy, once you get the hang of it, you'll love the speed and the wind you generate, and as an added benefit it's a great cardio and calorie burner 8-) All this, has made me want to go ice skating again, hmm... one day soon.

As for swimming, I was briefly a member of my high school swim team during my 10th/11th grade years. I can still remember my hubby (then just my boyfriend) always hanging around the fence that enclosed our pool, just waiting to see me in my bathing suit 8) What a perv! LOL... so funny the things you remember. Swimming is so much fun, I only wish I had a pool, I'd be out there daily, just doing some laps, floating on my back, some handstands... ahhh..! Did I mention my children are fishes? Say the word "lake or pool".. and there like Superman, **bam**, in their swimming gear ready to take a dip.

What can I still do at my ripe age of 32??? I can still swim fluidly, I can still tap dance, and I can still do a slow motion back flip, crab stand, cart wheel, no handed cart wheel, but I can't do the splits anymore 8-( Oh well.. I'll need to get back in it.. it's on my list and my list is long.

Ok, enough digressing, I apologize, I do....for the Ravelympics I signed up for Mitten Medley, Cowljump, Sockput, Shawl Relay, Amigurumitoss, Hand-dyed Hurdles, holidayhandball, felltedfreestyle,and Handspunhepthalon.

I really really thought I could at the very least get 50% of my goals done, but I realized that other forces would take over and steal my thunder. Those forces were, mis compleanos, Yarnsmackdown, Sock Wars III, Spinning classes, Tech Square Afghan Knit -Along, Visiting family, and oh yeah, my personal life, work, kids, cleaning... the list is long.

Anywho, one of the goals I had for the Amigurumi was to learn to crochet, I figured Amigurumi would be a fun way, and if I messed up, it wouldn't be that bad. I bought me a complete steel crochet set, a Crochet for Dummies book, and some cheapy yarn from Michael's, in a bunch of colors for my Amigurumi pets. I was able to learn to crochet, took me about an hour or so to really understand the method. Before that I only knew how to make a crochet chain, that's it. After looking through my books, surfing You Tube, and many many tests with my hook and yarn, I was able to make a Magic Ring, which is pretty cool, a single crochet, double crochet, increase, decrease, and other things. I got the body of my lil' guy done, but never completed him, thus I didn't finish that event. All my other events, were just not even touched, I hang my head in shame for this **head down**
But I am just proud of the drop spinning, at least I managed to complete one of my events! And, BobicusMaximus (great name!) magic linked me the other day to honor me (along with fellow spinners)with a Ravelympics Hand Spun 08 Badge **applause**

And my *cheesy* speech goes something like this "I'll have to thank god and my family for this, and the great Sandy from Purlescence for her mastery at teaching, without which I might not of finished my event or any event for that matter" (LOL)
So here yah go, my one but precious badge earned from the Ravelympics! **squee**



If you stuck with my post this long, thank you.. I hope you don't mind the long post and ummm digressions I made 8-)

Everything Handspun (**plus Vesper spoiler**)

For the Ravelympics I gave myself a goal to learn to spin. Coincidentally, Purlescence Yarns, was also offering a Drop Spinning class as well. I signed up for the class, bought my drop spindle, some spinning books, and I was ready to go.



I had fiber from a few fiber clubs I joined, plus some that I bought just cause they looked pretty 8) I know it's funny that I would invest in fiber without evening knowing how to spin, but I thought if I had fiber around it would force me to spin. Not really force because I really wanted to spin, regardless. It's been something I've wanted to do for awhile now.



I had some pretty teal/greenish' Coriadale wool from The Sweet Sheep, which I thought would be perfect to start spinning with, at least based off of my research.



Sandy from Purlescence I have to say, is a great teacher. She really did give me alot of information about the fibers, the staple lengths, drafting, carding, you name it. At the end of my first lesson she gave me a huge amount of **mystery** fibers to spin. She wouldn't tell me what they were and wouldn't tell me how to spin it.



She wanted it to be a real learning experience, and it was. I can't thank her enough. For each fiber I took a few notes, and put a small piece of the fiber in my notepad. There was the Silk, which is just soft, but very delicate and easy to break, and the cotton top, which is gosh darn easy to break, hard to draft, and the alpaca hair, which is easy to spin and draft, but has a fuzzy kind of hair spin to it.



Look at all these different fibers. For my spinning, I decided to spin each fiber as I pulled them out of the bag. I didn't want to pick & choose, I rather let it come to me. It's really amazing how the finished product came out, it's just so pretty.



In the picture, from Left to Right, Top to Bottom, are the following fibers.. I think there's a few missing that I spun completely:



Alpaca Top, easy to spin, don't need much twist, long staple length.
Camel hair, easy to spin, but still hairy, long staple length.
Silk Top w/nods.. very hard, there's a trick to it, it comes in a square shape, which you stretch into a donut, then spin.. I didn't know this, but found out after.
Merino Silk, easy to spin, can break.
Long Wool, easy to spin.
Cashmere Silk, so soft, spins slow, breaks easily.
Merino Cashmere, soft, spins medium, can break.
Silk Top, hard to spin, very delicate, but super soft.
Bison, so hard to spin, breaks easily, short staple length
Cotton Punt, hard to spin because the staple length is short, and breaks easily.
Merino Silk, spins good, soft.
Cotton Top, hard to spin, breaks easily.
Tencel, spins ok.
Super fine Alpaca, so soft, easy to spin.

After having that sort of crash course in fibers, and I just eager to keep spinning and really become good at it.

All those fibers produced this beautiful skein, which I'm calling "Everything" handspun 8-)


And I still have some left over to ply another fiber with... I can't wait!


In other news.. I received the August shipment from the Vesper Sock Club, I love the colors it has, so pretty...the orange in it really stands out nicely.

Yarnsmackdown 08' Diamond Lace Dishcloths

I finished all my events in Yarnsmackdown successfully, without getting killed beforehand...whew!
I was taking my sweet time with knitting up these Diamond Lace Dishcloths, until I got stalked and magic linked on Raverly from Yarncandie, informing me that she sent me my dishcloths.



As soon as I read that post, I immediately cast on for these, and in 2 hours, I whipped these out. The pattern was so easy, and the yarn knit up fast, once I got comfortable with it.



Do you ever feel that way with different types of yarn? I bought blue, because my target's favorite color is blue, I bought cotton, because what better to knit a dishcloth with. I visited Green Planet Yarn on Monday, and found that they have this wonderful Blue Sky Alpaca 100% Organic Cotton. It is very soft, and easy to knit, it can tend to split a little, but I think that's because I wasn't using the Addi Turbo lace needles.



I really need to stock up on the Lace needles, they are just so much better than knitting with the dull ends.



So here's an interesting little tidbit, Sandy, (she teaches at GPY), and I were talking for bit after one of the classes, and she said that her friend happened to be at a retreat, or some class or show, can't remember which, and the lady from Addi Turbo's was there, and her friend told her how great the needles were, but only had one complaint, there too blunt. So, voila, a year later Addi Turbo Lace needles were born. If only I knew Sandy's friend, I'd send her some goodies to thank her for giving that suggestion. Who knows, would we have had the Lace needles without it? I don't know the dates or anything, but I thought it was an interesting little tidbit.



Anywho, I sent these dishcloths off the other day with some of my signature goodies, some kisses & tea 8-)



In other news, Purlescence Yarns is having a spinning class this coming weekend! I signed up on Friday the 8th. If you can make, I'd love to see you there! It's only $50 smackeroos too! Great deal!