Olympic Knitting and a Bit of Rug Hooking

I'm guessing here, but I'll bet the Olympics are a boon for crafters everywhere.

So far, we've had night after night of compelling sport watching, and my crafting is through the roof.

The Olympics, while really good, are still games that don't have to be followed too closely. The games are not, for example, a television series ike Downton Abbey. That is a show that can't be watched while crafting. It has to be followed second by second or you're lost. Miss a minute of this over-the-top melodrama and you have no idea if Mary is upset her intended has drowned with the Titanic and she has to marry her working class cousin or if she is really in love with him and happy about the prospect. This is an important fact you need to catch if you plan to follow the storyline.

Really, how can one be expected to knit and pay attention to stitches while all that is going on.

But the Olympics are different.

You can knit an entire row while the beach volleyball athletes are tugging at their tiny suits, making sure no wardrobe malfunctions will occur while spiking the ball at 90 miles an hour. A whole scarf could be made while the marathon is on. They are, after all, just running. Look up from your craft after five minutes and sure enough, they are still running. Nothing major has happened; they've just run another mile.

I am determined to finish a felted scarf during the games.

I started with this indigo-dyed alpaca yarn.

I will not set an Olympic speed knitting record, but I've come this far:

Once it's done, I'll throw it in the washer and it will instantly felt and become this:

Except mine will be blue, and it will have a different button. Oh yeah, and that's not me in the jean jacket. But other than those difference, it will be exactly like this.

A few rug hooking friends came by the farm today to do a little hooking.

Check out this rug in shades of black, grey and off white.

Here's the picture of what it will become when done.

I've never worked on a monochromatic rug before. I think it would be very difficult to get all those details in while working only with shades of the same color. And yet I have no doubt this rug will be stunning when finished.

As will this one:

I'm working on another rug as well, but haven't gotten very far.

At my current rug crafting rate, this will be done by the 2016 Olympic games.

But I will have a finished scarf to show for the 2012 Olympics. You'll see.