My team placed 25th in the Dragonboat Festival last weekend. We were 24th going into the finals, the top 25 teams (out of 77) got to compete in the final round. Our poor showing in the last heat was for the most part due to timing. It occurred less than an hour after our previous heat; we hadn't had as much time to recover as the other teams.  After the initial disappointment of coming in last in a heat for the first time all day, we bounced back feeling proud that we'd made the finals. Not bad for our first year!

But we didn't leave empty-handed, we won first place in the Best Team Song category! And none other than your favorite tech-blogger Rob wrote the song! It was a witty sea shanty that poked lots of fun at our team captain and our (mostly fictional) capacity for alcohol. I knew we'd win when after our performance one of the judges told me that she was the songwriter for Dragonheart (the festival hosts).

*from the prizewinning Dragon Boat Shanty by Rob Rohr.

Our team photographer was using real film which has not yet been developed. Perhaps I'll share some pix when I get them from him.

 

On to the knitting. A pair of finished Fetching.

I started these last winter. They've been in time-out since then as the palm of the mitt only came halfway up my palm; uncomfortable and not very warm. Last week at SnB I ripped out the cables at the top and reknit adding at least an additional inch to the palm between the thumb and the final row of cables. I'm pleased with the mods, in case you want to try it.

Specs:

  • Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath in Knitty Fall 2006
  • Yarn: Cascade 220, bracken ~55gms
  • Needles: size 5 dpns
  • Mods: see above

 

My rainbow socks were knit mostly at Falcon Ridge and at the Dragonboat Festival (in between races).

We had a chilly & damp evening last week in which I tested them out. The verdict? Toasty!

Specs:

  • Pattern: based on the Ribbed Sock pattern in Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch (sans ribbing)
  • size: ~10.5
  • Yarn: Opal 6ply, color 1125
  • Needles: size 2 dpns (Lantern Moon ebony)

 

I think I may have enough to make another pair for my big feet! My initial weighing on my kitchen scale indicates that I used slightly less than half of the 150 gm ball. I want to measure the leftover yarn on a digital scale before I cast on for a new pair. If not enough for me, I'm sure I know a little person who would love a pair or rainbow socks.

 

Next up on the needles is a stashbusting project. I had originally planned to make haiku for my dear friends' daughter Addie, but it turns out that I don't have enough easy care yarn in a single color for her size. I was jonesin' to make the sweater, so I'm making the smaller size for an as yet to be determined child. Though I have a good idea who it might be.

I still want to make one for Addie, but I need to get some more yarn first.