Olympic Efforts

I'm finally getting around to sharing two of my four (!?!) Olympic projects with you.  Our Internet connection at home has been wonky, so I uploaded photos before I left for work this morning, and am writing the post during my lunch hour at work.  So much for technology, huh?

Anyway, as I mentioned before, the Olympics really helped me get going on some knitting.  Between having a couple of hours on some days to sit and watch the events on TV, and sometimes more time on the weekends, and signing up for Kathy's dishcloth swap, I was knitting up a storm!

The funny thing is that I am 100% certain if I'd signed myself up for the Ravellenic Games, I wouldn't have finished anything.  As much as I love the idea of KAL, and have signed up for some in the past, it seems that the minute I do that, I no longer feel like knitting, or I suddenly have other commitments.  So though I was tempted this year, I didn't - and it really worked out.

I'll post about the dishcloths once I know my swap partner has opened the package (which was finally mailed yesterday).

Here are the more "major" projects I finished during the Olympics.  Something that still shocks the heck out of me, to be honest ...

First up: Four of my nieces really appreciate handknit items.  I decided to knit each of them and their husbands Christmas gifts (the same patterns, different colors).

Here is the first one.

Draped

Folded

Item:  Annie's Gold Medal Portfolio Scarf
Pattern:  Portfolio Scarf, by Erika Flory
Yarn:  Loop Studio, colorway Easel (most of a single skein)
Needles:  Size 7US
Modifications:  None
Notes:  I made this pattern for myself in a different colorway a little more than a year ago, and not only received lots of compliments on it, but found it to be a great pattern.  There's enough going on to keep it interesting, but once you get the hang of it and the rhythm, it goes really really quickly.  I would usually knit a section at a time while watching the Olympics.  The yarn is lovely in color, feel, and drape.  This is a pattern that I think would be good for a beginning knitter who wanted to learn some new techniques (increase, decrease, basic lace pattern).

One down, three to go (I've already started the next one)!

Next up, for the nieces' husbands, who are all getting a Turn a Square Hat.  (I have just realized that I never blogged the first one I finished a bit ago - so I'll have to get going on that.)  This is the second one, for my niece Elizabeth's husband, Greg.  One of the best things about this is that it was made using stash yarn.  Since the pattern doesn't use large amounts of either color, you can get more than one hat out of a skein.

Folded

 Blocking

From the top

Item:  Greg's Turn a Square Hat
Pattern:  Turn a Square Hat, by Jared Flood (a freebie)
Yarns:  Berocco Vintage, Sour Cherry colorway; madelinetosh Tosh DK, colorway Ink
Needles:  Size 6US, Size 7US
Modifications:  None
Notes:  I really enjoy this pattern, and have knit many of these hats over the years.  They are always well-received and worn by the recipients.  This is a pretty quick knit, and another pattern that would be a good confidence-builder for a new knitter.

I do have to say that my photos make the colors much brighter than they are in real life.  The blue is more of a medium navy, and the red is closer to burgundy.

I have one more of these to knit, so I'm well on my way with the guys' gifts.  :-)

I'm so glad that my knitting mojo returned.  I really do love to knit, and if I end up with nice gifts to boot, it's win-win!