A Little Yarn On The Side

The seventh embroidered towel for the year is in progress: and now that I have THREE completed "12s," I'm starting to feel like this might really be doable.  Of course, it feels very weird to have my cross-stitch goal achieved before the machine embroidery one--but then again, it feels weird to even have a cross-stitch goal.  Normally, I think my goals would generally involve staying AWAY from such a slow hobby.  It's not that there's anything wrong with cross-stitch, it just doesn't really work as a hobby for me because I'm always thinking of the next project, which is hard enough with knitting as this sort of foolishly-forward thinking has generated a 10-year stash of knitting.  As the cross-stitch is going to take AT LEAST 10 more years to finish--and probably much longer--my desire to look at the next cross-stitch project would simply do me in.  One more of these babies and I'll have a lifetime supply of them.  I probably do already, to be h...

Bob:  We're here at the end of the 2012 Ravellenic Games with Ms. Sutton, who finished her third knitting games with 9 medals--certainly a personal best.  Ms. Sutton, how are you feeling after such a performance? Toni:  Well, I'm certainly pleased to have gained 9 medals--that's exciting.  I was, of course, trying to finish a few more WIPs and would have liked to have reached 10 medals, but with work and the garden and having company for several days during the games, I'm pleased with what I did get done.   Ron:  Now during the last part of the games, you did branch out into some other hobbies as well--finishing your 13th thread for the year on the never-ending cross-stitch and some new embroidered Christmas ornaments and towels.  Was that a strategic move or were you having trouble concentrating? Toni:  I think I was starting to lose a bit of steam in my knitting, and nothing is more motivating to me as a knitter than to remind myself that...

Bob:  With just 15 minutes to spare, Ms. Sutton has squeaked out a 9th medal in WIPs Wrestling: Ron:  She falls short of the 10-medal goal, but what an astounding last-minute effort.  Two medals earned on the final day of the games--that's some dedication.   Bob:  It really is, Ron.  There were some tense moments when the extra row of garter stitch Ms. Sutton added so the cast-off edge would roll to the inside instead of the outside caused some problems with the direction of the first row of the neckband, but her perseverance has paid off.  The problems did cost her the opportunity to go for that 10th medal, but three finished WIPs is still an outstanding effort.  Any word on what Ms. Sutton's next plans are? Ron:  No official word, but if this reporter had to guess.......   Bob:  Perhaps we'd better wait until tomorrow for the wrap-up interview...........

 Ron:  With 3 and a half hours remaining in the games, the shrug now has one sleeve attached: and the second is being pinned as we speak.  Will she finish it in time, and if so, can she complete a second project to reach 10 medals? Bob:  It may be a photo finish--there's a neckband and two button bands to be done.  Additionally, Ms. Sutton's resolve could be shaken by this:  It's the remaining yarn from a 600+ yard ball of cotton yarn.  When Ms. Sutton finishes small objects like washcloths and ornaments, she doesn't normally count the yardage as the amounts can be difficult to determine.  So, one more project could give her stash total a 600-yard jump.  As it THAT weren't enough temptation, Ms. Sutton's Ravelry page currently shows that she has 282 projects (counting WIPs) as well as 282 entries in her stash.  With one dishcloth, Ms. Sutton could put her project count ahead of her stash count for the first time EVER.  If...

Bob:  Stop presses!  Or, er--stop the internet streaming!  With just under 6 hours left in the games, we have a surprising last-minute entry for Ms. Sutton in the Homestuff Hammerthrow: This Starfish dishcloth earns Ms. Sutton her eighth event medal, with two WIPs left within striking distance.  Will she be able to pull off a 10-medal sweep? Ron:  Anything is still possible, though with the finished embroidered towel from yesterday    Ms. Sutton seams to perhaps be a bit distracted by other hobbies.  Or at least by this particular towel pattern,  as a second one is already in progress.  Now we have occasionally seen Ms. Sutton knit while her embroidery machine is going, so it is possible that we will see at least one more medal before 5:00 PM MDT.  We'll be checking in later today for any progress.

Bob:  With less than one day remaining in the 2012 Ravellenic Games, we're seeing what may well be the final burst of activity from Ms. Sutton with another completed WIP: which I believe is a balaclava, though it does bear a striking resemblance to the "Yip-Yips" of Sesame Street fame as well . Ron:  It does indeed, Bob, and Ms. Sutton is known to be rather a fan of the Muppets, though in this reporter's view, a silk-blend yarn is less appropriate for a Yip-Yip than that problematic stash of Fun Fur Ms. Sutton likes to ignore.   Bob:  She does indeed, Ron, though I think by now most knitters have generally chosen to try to hide or ignore any possible experimentation with Fun Fur and novelty yarns.  Not a proud moment in any knitter's life to admit to possessing any yarn that looks like it was spun from the hair of a shaved toy monkey.  It's a bit like the macrame vests of the 1960s and 1970s--we know of their certain existence, but no one has eve...

Bob:  We're here in the final days of Ravellenics, and it looks like the early burst of speed has definitely faded.  While the balaclava has seen some progress,    Ms. Sutton was seen in the sewing room today, and her dedication may be wavering.   Ron:  It certainly seems that way.  Will she fade entirely, or will she find enough dedication to finish the balaclava or the shrug before the closing ceremonies at 5:00 PM on Sunday?  Or are 6 medals Ms. Sutton's limit?  Keep it tuned here for all the latest updates?