Thursday, February 16, 2006

Olympic Update

Announcer 1: We now return to our live, around-the-clock coverage of the knitting olympics.
Announcer 2: Today we present a profile and update on the progress of knitter Noricum.
Announcer 1: Bob, Noricum is a relative novice knitter, isn't she?
Announcer 2: Yes Bob, although Noricum first learned to knit when she was a child, she abandoned the sport, only to return last April.
Announcer 1: Amazing! Less than a year back in the sport, and she's already attempting the olympics? What is her challenge, Bob?
Announcer 2: For her olympic knitting, Noricum has chosen to go with a Canada sweater.
Announcer 1: A sweater! Bob, is she crazy?
Announcer 2: Possibly, Bob, but beyond the sheer amount of knitting, this is a project she can tackle.
Announcer 1: Has she knit any sweaters before?
Announcer 2: Yes, Bob, this will be her third knit sweater, not counting three mini-Weasleys. In fact, although this sweater is partially of her own design, it is based on the Weasley she knit as her learn-to-knit project.
Announcer 1: A sweater! Bob, how did she settle on a sweater as her learn-to-knit project?
Announcer 2: Well, Bob, she really wanted to knit the Coronet from Knitty, but decided that a first project that involved both cables and double-pointed needles was perhaps not the wisest choice.
Announcer 1: I heartily agree, Bob. But a sweater?
Announcer 2: Well, Bob, the Weasley is quite a simple sweater, with the back being basically a large rectangle of stockinette stitch.
Announcer 1: I see. And once she's managed the back, she'd have mastered the stockinette stitch.
Announcer 2: Indeed, Bob.
Announcer 1: So, Bob, how is our intrepid knitter doing so far?
Announcer 2: She's coming along okay, although her speed isn't looking very promising.
Announcer 1: Well, she does have this weekend to try to catch up. What is her current status?
Announcer 2: Knitter Noricum started with the synchronized front and back body panel bus knitting.
Announcer 1: How is she doing with that event?
Announcer 2: She's completed over eight inches.
Announcer 1: Eight inches! Wow!
Announcer 2: Yes, and with the rapid approach of the front flag intarsia, she realized she would have to prepare for the synchronized sleeve event.
Announcer 1: Does the synchronized sleeve event qualify as bus knitting?
Announcer 2: The ribbing on the cuff does, but the intarsia maple leaf on each sleeve does not.
Announcer 1: How is progress there?
Announcer 2: Despite a migrane, Noricum started the synchronized sleeves on Tuesday evening, and then continued on the bus on Wednesday. Let's go to a shot of her early Wednesday evening progress.
Sleeves in Progress
Announcer 1: Woa... it looks like a tangle waiting to happen!
Announcer 2: Yes, Bob, at this point the coach called a time out, and directed Noricum to proceed with the individual intarisa event.
Announcer 1: And how is her progress there?
Announcer 2: By late Wednesday night, she had her first maple leaf! Let's cut over to a shot of that.
First Sleeve Maple Leaf
Announcer 1: Very impressive, Bob! Not perfect, but certainly very impressive for such a raw beginner. How much intarsia has she competed in prior to this event?
Announcer 2: Just the Weasley, Bob, and there she did stranded knitting.
Announcer 1: Wow. I'm speachless.
Announcer 2: Yes Bob, we have high hopes for this knitter. And even if she doesn't successfully complete these olympics, she will have an impressive start on this sweater by the time the closing ceremonies roll around.
Announcer 1: She will indeed. But how is her bus knitting going?
Announcer 2: Well, the front and back synchronised knitting is still in the bus-knitting phase, and she should have the second sleeve individual event finished tonight. That will ensure she has plenty of bus knitting, and can relegate the front flag intarsia to evening/weekend knitting.
Announcer 1: Sounds like a plan. Well, time to cut to a commercial break.
Announcer 2: Stay tuned for more exciting knitting olympics progress!

Amy: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. ;)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow! that is looking great! I love the maple leaf on the sleeve. :) woo hoo!

Sallie said...

LOL! Excellent commentary! I love the maple leaf. It looks really good. Your sweater is going to be a knock out when it's done.