Ravelympic Games (Ravellenics) finish line

I guess this is now a retrospective, but I did have had some work and sleep to catch up on!

The idea of the Ravellenics (originally Ravelympics, which is a much better name, but outlawed by the Olympic committe - thanks guys) is that you challenge yourself and then craft away while the Olympic Games are on. Ravelry has some clever functionality which recognises your achievement(s) and awards medals and laurels.

This time I decided to make Illas Cíes by Anne Hanson which I'd fallen in love with, finally decided to make in a pale grey colour as per the one on the pattern, and bought some silvery silk/alpaca for the purpose at Fibre East.

This meant that I could enter the  'Synchronised Spinning' and 'Sweater Triathlon'. If I finished, I'd qualify for the 'Fleece to FO' laurel (even though it was processed fibre rather than raw fleece).

Here's my progress in pictures. Initially I was working for half the day and crafting for the other half. During the last few days it became obvious that I needed to put in as much time as I could if I was to cross the finish line.

The beautiful fibre spun from the fold like molten silver:

A few hours' spinning while the opening ceremony was going on and the first complete bobbin (of 6)

I did all the spinning (1200 yds based on the yardage requirement printed in the pattern) before casting on. That happened on the first Weds.

Back and front done, first sleeve starting. There's a lot of fabric in a sleeve! Almost as much knitting as a front or back.

I did flag on the penultimate day. I sat up late feeling very tired and achey. Not fun any more.

Victory! Trying on the finished garment near the start of the closing ceremony. It even fits! (A little tighter than I'd like, but I'm hoping it'll give a little after blocking and then wearing a bit.)

Still ends to weave in here, but I thought I could get away with that.

It's a lovely looking jumper. The lace panels look really splendid and the design is perfect for me. I really wish now I'd chosen a seamless design for this event though. Purling and seaming are both a bit counter-productive when time isn't on your side.

Opening of Ravellenic Games and lace jumper project

Opening of Olympic games. You mean Olympics, right?

Well yes, the Olympics did open last night but alongside that is a massive knitting event which used to be called Ravelympics. in 2014 the Olympic committee objected, so our event is now called Ravellenics which isn't half such a good name.

But the good bit is that over 6,000 knitters were signed up and many of them will have cast-on when the lightshow started in Rio. A very moving occasion with the emphasis on the environment and efficiency. If I thought it would change anyone's ways I'd be even more happy.

Last week at Fibre East, I bought this alpaca/silk mix in the perfect silvery-grey colour.

At midnight our time, the opening ceremony started and so did my spinning (and the mass cast-on around the world). The fibre turned into liquid silver as I spun. It's a real pleasure to work with.

 By the time the teams were all in and the cauldron lit, I'd spun my first bobbin-ful. Tired but happy.

This is the pattern, Anne Hanson's Illas Cíes

How to spin a braid in a single sitting

Continuing from the last post in which I tried thwacking a sample skein for the first time, here are the pictures from my Ravelympics (aka Ravellenics) Handspun Heptathlon.

The fibre is spiral-dyed fibre which I bought from Marianne / picperfic at Fibre East. The colour graduates from dark to light through the length of the roving and this graduation will of course be reflected in the finished shawl, to be knit using singles.

I didn't quite spin it in a single sitting; after the opening ceremony I went to bed and continued the next morning, so the next best thing. Here's what kept it interesting,

• spinning singles is quick and fun - you don't have the benefit of the plying helping to even out the thickness but you end up with twice the length
• the colour graduation keeps you looking for the next yard - you're constantly seeing new colour come through
• a challenge or a time limit - in this case the Ravelympics but I know from others' blog posts that knit-a-longs (especially mystery KALs) or fibre clubs are a great way to keep you working
• fibre that you love and can't wait to see knitted

I finished with 350yds after spinning, exactly right for my planned Oaklet Shawl. The whole 100g fit onto one bobbin - just!

Just as I'd practised (see sampling for lace shawl), I set the singles by fulling them. This involves switching from hot to cold water and bashing the skein against a hard surface. Everything you'd avoid doing when scouring / washing a fleece. But here, a little bit of felting plumps up and softens the yarn a little and sets it.

There are a lot of photos here so I'll split the knitting into a separate post.