A Little Yarn On The Side

Ron:  We're here at the 2012 Ravellenic Games, and it looks like Ms. Sutton has just broken her medals streak.  With 6 medals so far, unless there is some furious knitting tonight, her medal-a-day streak has come to an end.  Bob:  It's been an impressive run, but I think you're right, Ron.  There has been some knitting today, but nothing completed, and nothing nearing completion.  Ron:  With some big WIP contenders such as the Kauni cardigan, her streak was unlikely to continue throughout the games, but it was probably highly motivating.  6 medals is certainly a new record for Ms. Sutton, which could impact the rather impressive dedication we've seen so far.  Will she try for one more?  Three more?  No more?  It's too early to tell, of course, but we have heard rumors of company coming to visit this weekend, which could have a serious impact on Ms. Sutton's performance.  Will it slow her down, or even knock her out of...

Bob:  We're here at the Ravellenic Games on Day 4, and Ms. Sutton has just earned THREE medals with a single Gingerbread Hat: Ron:  That's right, Bob.  Not only does it earn medals in Cable Steeplechase and the Hat Dash, because this yarn has been in what is known as "deep stash," (owned for more than a year), it qualifies for Synchronized Stash Busting.  Bob:  This was definitely deep stash, Ron.  Ms. Sutton had actually believed that all of this particular yarn had been used up and had removed it from her Ravelry stash page, so we might call this "subterranean stash." Ron:  How right you are, Bob.  With the discovery of TWO balls of this yarn as well as the leftover balls from the ABC sweater, Ms. Sutton's stash has actually grown on Ravelry during these games.  This could lead to an inquiry into Ms. Sutton's standing as an effective "Cold Sheeper" for 2012. Bob:  It does at least raise questions about Ms. Sutton's organiza...

Bob:  We're here at day 3 of the Ravellenic games, and I don't mind telling you, today has stunned this reporter. Ron:   In completely unexpected show of knitterly dedication, Ms. Sutton finished her first WIP by 7:30 this morning: which gives her three medals in three days, and instead of being distracted by other projects, Ms. Sutton is more than halfway through a Gingerbread hat, which is cross-competing in no less than THREE events.  If Ms. Sutton finishes this tomorrow, she will have racked up six medals in the first FOUR days of the games--certainly a record for this knitlete and a strong showing for a knitter who has been known to take 4 years to finish just the seams and buttons on a sweater. Bob:  It is indeed, Ron.  If we continue to see this level of unexpected dedication, Ms. Sutton could possibly finish the 5 remaining WIPs she has entered for the games. Ron:  She could indeed, Bob, though that will be a stretch of both knitte...

Ron:  We're here at the first full day of the Ravellenic Games, and in a stunning display of knitterly discipline, Ms. Sutton has just earned her second medal by finishing a mitten ornament for the Holiday Hurdles.   Bob:  Two medals in two days--that is impressive, though could this mean that our contestant is getting distracted from WIP Wrestling even earlier than anticipated? Ron:  Shockingly, she seems to have retained her WIP finishing focus, and is down to just the seams and buttons: on the first WIP entry.  At 8:41 she's still seaming furiously, so we may see a finished item before the day has ended.   Bob:  Three medals in two days?  That would be a new record for Ms. Sutton as a knitlete--do you think the addition of a training camp has made the difference this year? Ron:  It's hard to say this early, but even finishing one WIP will be more dedication than Ms. Sutton has shown so far this year.  Still, she has five...

Bob:  We're here at the first day of the 2012 Ravellenic games.  Ms. Sutton has shown an early burst of speed with an early medal in the Frogging Trampoline. Ron:  That's right, Bob.  Not only has she frogged with great speed and agility, the icky blue acrylic yarn has been tossed into a donation bin.  We haven't seen Ms. Sutton part with yarn willingly very often--if ever--and that was a surprising early move.   Bob:  It certainly was.  Considering the bin full of Red Heart acrylic yarn she insists is for ornaments and other crafting items--not to mention the stash of Fun Fur recently uncovered--it's surprising to learn there is any yarn so icky that Ms Sutton might part with it.   Ron:  Too true, Bob!  Perhaps the recent sewing room shelf project has truly created a sense of moderation in our competitor. Bob:  That seems unlikely, Ron, as Ms. Sutton was seen to be briefly browsing lace shawl patterns shortly before ...

Bob:   With the 2012 Ravellenic Games less than 24 hours away, we're here with one of the contestants.  Ms. Sutton, as a previous knitlete, what can you tell us about this year's games? Toni:  Well, as you know, Bob, there's been some contention with the U.S. Olympic Committee that Americans knitting in something called the "Ravelympics" denigrates U.S. Olympic athletes, while having their uniforms made in China by underpaid workers does not.  In the end, it was decided that since the knitters had no unskilled workers to exploit for profit or sponsorships to sell to fast food and chemical companies , it would be best to rename the knitting games to preserve the purity of the Ravellenic spirit. Ron:  Has the controversy changed the games at all? Toni:  Yes--this year we have more than 11,000 knitters worldwide set to denigrate the U.S. athletes, and an event that normally gathers no press coverage has been covered by NPR, the Atlantic Monthly , Busi...