Ravelympics

Knitting fans everywhere are gearing up for the first ever Ravelympics. Ok, maybe not, but WE are and that's what matters most, right?



In case you haven't heard, the "real" Olympics start this Friday in Beijing, (a word that is cool because of all those dots), and realistically, this affects about .0001% of the actual population. I mean, how many of us really know an Olympian?? Which may explain why you may not have heard that the Olympics start this week. Hello! BUT. I think it's safe to say that everyone knows someone, who at least knows someone, who knits--or at least crochets. Which means that some of that number are bound to be participating in a Knitting Olympics of some sort, and if they're lucky, the Ravelympics in particular. If I've not publicly stated on this blog how great I think Ravelry is, then let me just say it now. I think Ravelry is great! The ability to cross-reference a pattern or yarn with thousands of other knitters who are using that pattern or yarn, is power, pure fiber power.

As for the Ravelympics, we on Team Kudzu (it's tough, pervasive, found in the South, and hard to get rid of--why didn't we consider it as a mascot before now??) are in training for the opening ceremonies this Friday. In Beijing, that's 8:00 P.M., and here, that's 8:00 A.M. Which just further illustrates what I'm always saying about knitting being so educational--we had to find out what time it would be here when it's starting time there, which led to discussions about time zones and date lines and our whole wacky world. So, what all this meant to us in practical terms (ie, what's this got to do with knitting?), is that we can start our Ravelympics events at 8:00 AM our time.

Events, you ask? What events? Well, SuperCraftyDancerGirl and I are both participating in the WIPs Wrestling Event, which means that projects that have been languishing (is that ever a good word to use in South Carolina in August!) will get brought out and, hopefully, finished by the end of the Olympics. For me it's a certain Shawl, and for her it's a market bag that went into hibernation when a toddler pulled her knitting needle out of all the stitches. I have to mention that SCDG handled this unfortunate event with amazing grace and maturity beyond her years. I think I might have passed out if it had been me!

I will also be participating in the ScarfStroke Event, knitting a "V for Victory" scarf from the National WWII Museum. If I didn't hate humidity so much I'd want to work there. SCDG is also participating in the FreeForAllFreestyle Event, creating some fingerless gloves. Because that's the kind of knitter she is, and I cannot take any credit for it--I prefer to follow a pattern or at least start with one.

So if you're reading this and you're on Ravelry and you haven't signed up for the Ravelympics yet, you'd better get busy! There is a deadline, after all. And while I can't guarantee daily updates or even media coverage, we will keep you posted on our events, our projects and our Ravelympic adventure.