One of the things that is very popular in the online knitting world is an activity called a knit-along — or KAL, for short. These vary widely in theme and duration, but the gist is that a group doing a KAL selects a project and participants try to complete it by a set deadline — while providing encouragement for one another.
I have never done a knit-along, mostly because deadlines stress me out. But this morning I decided to join the Ravelympics — an Olympic-themed KAL being run through Ravelry, the knitters’ social network and project management site. The rules are simple: cast on during or after the opening ceremonies and finish before the torch is extinguished. Everyone involved picks a team and event — or teams and events (dual citizenship and multiple skills are allowed). Since I was planning to start my skirt this weekend anyway, I thought it would be fun to see if I could get it done in the alloted 17 days. This makes my event “Synchronized Flirty Skirts” and I joined Team 51, which my friend sprite is running. (Props to those of you who can guess the meaning of our team name.)
I already have my swatching done, so I am good to go for tomorrow morning. Preparing ahead by swatching, by the way, isn’t cheating. Per the rules, it counts as “training.”
In honor of my team, I’ll see if I can find a go-go version of the Star Spangled Banner” for my medal ceremony. Wish me luck!
The photo is of my nephew playing peek-a-boo with my swatch.
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Please forgive any typos, spelling errors, or wonky formatting — and the lack of links — in this post. It’s my first attempt at doing a full post from the WordPress iPhone application. Generally, I just use it for drafts and polish everything up nicely on the computer before I post. But I’m on the highway halfway between home and Mom’s house with no proper computer access.
Que sera, Sarah 
Do tell about the team name!!!
Best of luck to you. Maybe you could get your picture on a Wheaties box if you “bring home the gold”?
Yay! I was so glad to see this morning that you’d decided to join us!
Dude, you HATE the Olympics!
No, Joanne, I don’t hate the Olympics. I just didn’t like having someone come into my dorm room and tell me that she was going to spend every day there for two weeks to watch the Olympics (whether I liked it or not) because I had cable and she didn’t. 😉
Ah, the good old days.
This KAL isn’t so much about the Olympics, anyway, as challenging myself to knit faster.
Ha! Joanne and the Olympics… 1992 Winter Games, if I remember correctly. Plopped on Sarah’s or my bed, telling us to shut up because she couldn’t hear the scores over our talking. Good times. Good times. 🙂
Good luck on the knit-along Sarah! I’m still quite envious, since I haven’t managed to get past the cast-on.
Yes, well, this time I’m going to watch the Olympics because I’m expecting a big train wreck. Should be fun to watch.
And you’ve told me you hated the Olympics many times.
I think hate might be too strong a word. I do think they tend to be boring and not worth the hype. I like the opening ceremonies, though — the parade of nations is always interesting. I am, however, most annoyed with NBC right now. Since they’re such ratings whores, they’re tape-delaying the opening ceremonies, while filling the Today show with the usual trite crap. Gah!
I admit to indulging in Joanne’s Olympic obsession when it came to the figure skating. I admit it, I love it. I just can’t stand all of the filler. Blah, blah, blah.
Haha – I remember the ’92 games in Hines Hall too. I also remember getting shushed. 🙂 We do love you Joanne.
The Olympics were airing whilst you all were at the Formal that Dripped Blood. I remember sitting in my room feeling sorry for myself (wasn’t invited to the formal) watching Joanne watch the Olympics. I was NOT happy. But, to echo Sionna – we love you 🙂
And I just watched the drumming thing at the opening ceremony – it was a little disturbing seeing 2,008 people doing the exact same thing at the exact same time, in the exact same way. Gotta love Communism.