Challenge yourself

Well, the Ravellenic Games started officially on Friday night (alongside the real Games) - the Cog and I watched the Danny Boyle thing with much wonder and hilarity, especially the parachuting queen and the Mr Bean parts. It was too much to be knitting at the same time (and without putting my daylight lamp on, a struggle to see stitches) but I did frog a top I made from Colinette Lasso bought from the sale room aeons ago. I remembered why I didn't hand-knit it - it's a shiny, slippy, knitted cord, which finds every rough spot on your hands to catch on. Not sure what it will become - it was only 2 skeins. I suspect there's just about enough for another charity tee.



My challenge for these games is to complete one machine-knitted item - the Wildhoney/Kate shawl. I guess it doesn't sound like much of a challenge - one item - but I'll be away next week and this shawl has a ruffle knitted onto all edges. Plus it needs washing and steaming. I'll be very lucky to have it done in time. Beginning to think I should have opted to make something simple like a hat, in fact!

Spent 20 minutes replacing damaged needles and another hour on saturday trying to get the darn thing cast on and gave up when the yarn snapped. Lost most of the morning taking the Cog's car in for air con repair (he needs a new condenser at a cool £500 - ouch!). So Saturday afternoon, I had a hissy fit, and retired to the garden (but it was a bit too cold to sit out).

Sunday went better - the shawl is made from wedges and goes straight into partial knitting after only two rows, so decided to cast on with waste yarn and get straight into it, which worked a lot better. The Cog and I went into Coventry to see the "Godiva Wakes" carnival. A 6m animated Godiva, on a pedal-powered horse. We first caught up with her in Broadgate, about to be winched onto the horse - poor lass had her bare bum stuck out and it started to rain. Decided not to wait so nipped off for a sandwich, and then popped to IKEA. By the time we'd got through the tills she'd gone past us, but had broken down as the animation had stopped (see pic below). She winks, turns her head etc.



So we used the opportunity to sneak past her and get to the front of the parade, and we got to see it all. Mum was in amongst them, and I have a shot of her looking straight at me, but we didn't see each other. To be fair, she was wearing a white pointy hat and white face paint, and I couldn't really see faces because we were staring into the sun. Apparently Lady G has a book of intent (the wishes of youngsters for how they'd like the country to be run, I think) and she's taking it down to London and picking up things along the way. She'd better get a move on though 'cause at walking pace she'll only just make it for the closing ceremony!

Got back from Cov and managed to knit the main body of the shawal and cast it off at both ends. Tonight I need to make inroads into the ruffle. Wish me luck!


Current mood: determined