KO

Over the past three weeks, I have been teaching knitting classes at an LYS. I'm teaching what I would refer to as "advanced beginner" classes. You need to know how to cast on and off, knit, and purl. The first class was making the Gardening Mittens from the Louisa Harding Accessories book. It's a great intro to sweaters. You have to master ribbing, seaming, knitting part of the mitten and then putting on a holder to proceed to another part of the work, and you have to learn to pick up stitches.

My class asked me to teach a sweater class and the owner of the LYS asked me to design the pattern. We're thinking classes would start March 3. So, I have to design and knit a sample ASAP, so people will be encouraged to sign up for the class.

Just to add a bit of excitement to the mix, I am on the board of a local charity. Our major fundraiser is on February 18th. Last year, over the first three weeks of Feb. , I worked about 60 hours on the fundraiser. That comes out of knitting time.

So, do I pick a project for the Knitting Olympics that is a true challenge regardless of time available, knowing I'll probably be busted for KUI* and thrown off the team? Or, do I decide, given my constraints, to opt for the downhill and not participate in the Super G and Slalom as well?

It's all downhill, baby.

I'm knitting the Cotton Candy Sweater from Rowan Babies for Bean. It's not a total copout. I'm knitting the largest size! And it's stripes! And it's Rowan and you know I'll have to write half the pattern myself! And it's in Rowan Denim so the pattern is written 10% bigger to account for shrinkage when you wash it! (Heh, shrinkage.)

OK, it probably is a copout, but there is still a pretty good chance I won't finish in time. I may get to knit a bit on it the first week, but I won't really get anything started until the 19th. More likely the 20th because I'm planning on having a hangover on the 19th since the fundraiser has an open bar!

*Knitting Under the Influence