Free Pattern Friday: Tempest (and Knitting Olympics insanity)

If you haven't knit a Tempest yet, what are you waiting for? I mean, you have delectable sock yarn that you're "saving" for the right project, right? This is it! A lightweight cardi knit out of two skeins (well, four if you're using Koigu or Claudia Handpaint's or something that is, like, one skein per sock) of sock yarn. I lovelovelove my Tempest. And since it's written by Ann Weaver and published by the lovely Knitty people, you know it's a good one. And you work it on larger-than-usual-for-sock-yarn needles, so it does not drag on forever. Wait, did I tell you that I love mine? I'm wearing it tomorrow. [Pattern link / Ravelry link]

The other reason I'm recommending Tempest this week is because I'm insane. I've decided to enter the Knitting Olympics to knit up a sweater of my own design in the next 17 days in Madeline Tosh merino light, a lovely fingering-weight single (that's a skinny sock yarn with only one ply for you non-knitters reading this on Facebook - I know who you are, people!), so I've been checking out other fingering-weight sweater patterns on Ravelry. I have various plans, and I have swatched this yarn (on US5s, so it's not complete insanity, not like deciding to do a Bohus for the Olympics or something, so this should be a doable but challenging challenge, which is the point of the Knitting Olympics. Wish me luck. I so want that medal!

And I forgot to mention in my last post that I also knit up a pair of Amy March's Slippers in my little fit of knitting little things, since the pair I worked for myself some time ago resides in Maine, while I'm in New York in a blizzard. My feet are much happier now, though I may re-knit them, double-stranding the yarn. I used Sheep Shop Sheep 1 in a pale blue (shocker, I know), which is an aran weight yarn, and it's a little thin (the pattern calls for bulky). Yes, as I'm typing this I'm realizing that I really should reknit, holding the yarn double, to make them perfect.

Apologies for the lateness of this post, but I've been working my derriere off on a work project. Working from home is amazing, but I am a tough lady to work for! My standards are very high, and I've been slacking off for too long, so I have to whip myself back into shape. InDesign4 is a whole different kettle of fish from my "old" days at Course Technology.