akabini

Am I the only one out here who starts obsessing about completely irrelevant things when under the gun on a deadline?

I mean, frankly, there's nothing like giving your brain a break from the things that really matter (like getting 12 Unpatterns ready for launch in two months' time) (and designing a trade show booth) (and getting sexy marketing materials organized and printed) (and re-designing a workshop for trade show participants) by planning what you're going to knit in …

February.

But I got a little taste of Olympic fever when we were up north across the border (Victoria being deliciously close to Whistler, host of the Winter 2010 Olympics). So now, there's a part of my brain that's planning for the Winter Knitting Olympics, which probably starts when we're at Madrona.

For Torino 2006, I set myself the absurd challenge of whipping up Alice Starmore's "St. Brigid" in 17 days. And, to be honest, I got a bronze for effort: back and most of the front done in time. Had I not hit the speed bump of needing to add a full repeat for length (which meant ripping back the front neckline, a heinous bit of shaping - in pattern), I might have muscled through. As it was, I finished it before the … Summer Olympics were finished (yes, in 2008):

So this time around, I'm playing a bit more conservative with my goals.
Sweater? Sure. Charts? Perhaps. But no all-over cable craziness!

In the last 24 hours, I've settled on three top contenders, and decided to take it to the vote with you all (mainly so I can reclaim my prefrontal cortex for more important matters, like, um, work).

In the first corner: "Tweedie"
by Hanne Falkenberg.
Pros:
• size 4 needle or so (my fastest size … really!);
• no charts to speak of, just color wrangling every 3 rows;
• cachet of putting "Falkenberg" on my knitting C.V.;
• plus, I actually already own the kit!

Cons: well, none, really.
Bought this kit at Stitches West a few years ago after seeing one of the Madrona gals sporting it. Loved it, loved the shape, loved the colorway, and it would make a great addition to the wardrobe.
(Besides, I've been assured by others that if I knit this, my ass will indeed look that good in jeans.)

In the next corner: "Ivy League Vest"
by Eunny Jang.
Pros:
•Fair Isle a serious opportunity to show off chops;
•no sleeves to speak of (thereby vastly increasing chances of actually finishing);
•great color play opportunity before Olympics, and chance to use what I've learned from Feral Knitter in color workshops;
•plus a chance to use some of my Shetland stash!

Cons: well, none, really.

In the third corner: "Seneca"
by Jared Flood.
Pros:
• a chance to hop on the "I [heart] Jared" bandwagon;
• lots of stockinette makes up for the presence of sleeves;
• cool cablework, but only in a few select places;
• plus, I actually already own the yarn and the booklet!

Cons: well, none, really.

In the fourth and final corner:
One of the Official Vancouver 2010 designs
by Kristina Hjelde for Dale of Norway.
Pros:
• actually knitting an actual Olympic sweater less than 500 miles from the Games!
• lots of stockinette plus strategically-placed colorwork
• an official patch to put on the sleeve when you're done (we loves us our schwag).

Cons: don't own the yarn, don't own the pattern book – but Yarn Barn does let you choose a unique colorway! I'm thinking charcoal gray for the main color, plus natural and orange for the contrast colors.

So what say you, Gentle Knitters?
Vote in the comments.
The brain you save may be my own!