Taking Big Bites

Okay, I confess.  I "bit off more than I could chew" with this Olympic Challenge thing.  As my mother would say, "my eyes were bigger than my stomach."  Don't you hate it when your mother is right?  It was the entrelac that put the gold medal out of reach for me, but being so dad gum indecisive about which pattern, what to make, and which yarn to start with sure didn't help the situation one bit!

Like our Olympic athletes, I tried my best and did what I could to accomplish a major feat, but I had to make some adjustments to the field.  I realized that I could finish a hat or a scarf or cowl by the end of the Games, but only if I changed my mind about creating it in an entrelac pattern.  But, taking entrelac completely out of the equation made it just too easy and without competition, so to speak....a "no brainer"...and I would not have felt good about "winning."  For those of you who are unfamiliar with entrelac, I realize I need to show you an example so that you will understand my dilemma!  So here you are:

Here it is "growing" on your needles

A lovely scarf in entrelac....

..... a hat or cap in entrelac....

....and even socks in entrelac!  OMG!

So, now you can see just why I really want to master this technique.  The beauty!  The possibilities!  And you may also see how difficult and involved it looks. I can't even imagine how long it took to do ONE sock, let alone, TWO!  Could I learn this technique within the confines of my self-imposed challenge that included time constraints as well as spinning all the yarn for said project. I don't always catch on right away and I tend to get extremely nervous when the clock is ticking!

I mulled all this over in my mind until late last Sunday night, and decided I would do my best, as I always do, but that completing the project by the end of the Games was probably a long shot.  (Just being realistic here, not pessimistic.) I finally decided that I could, and would, be content with having spun the lovely yarns and learning a new technique....much like when the athletes say that they would love to medal, but that the real prize was just being able to compete in the Olympic venue.  I would not throw in the towel and succumb to knitting a simple pattern in order to win the Gold!  No!  I must give it my all and I must be true to my Self....and see how much I can accomplish, even if I don't come anywhere near to completing the project!   YES!

It is at this juncture that I must confess that although it may not appear to you to be so, from all that I have just related, I am not a competitive person, and never have been, ever, in the true sense of the word. I do, however, give myself challenges once in awhile, and I do hate to give up on things.  I came really close on this one.  It was the time constraint, plain and simple, that caused my extreme anxiety, for I also really hate to be rushed!

By Tuesday evening when I sat down to knit after work, I was ever so pleased with what was already on my needles, and I took heart.  It is indeed true that entrelac is not as hard to knit as it looks, but it does take some concentration, at least at first.  I love the colors of my yarns and how they are knitting up.  I intend to finish this project, although I still haven't decided whether this will be a full-fledged scarf (somehow I don't think there is enough of the brown alpaca for a scarf the length I prefer), or a panel for a purse or bag.  Maybe I will frame it and hang it on my studio wall?!

Back to my knitting here on HeartSong Farm.