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Crochet Games of Ancient Greece CAL


Amy

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It's almost time for the Summer Olympics to start. In past years, we've organized a big event where members selected a project that would be a challenge for them to complete between the opening and closing ceremonies. Unfortunately, time got away from us this year, and we weren't able to get that organized. (But be on the lookout for an event for the 2018 Winter Olympics!)

 

This year, let's celebrate the Olympics with a crochet-along (CAL)! Grab a project or two or three, and let's hang out together and talk about the Olympic Games. Work on whatever projects you like, with no pressure to start or complete anything at any certain time. This year we're all about fun, fun, fun and absolutely no pressure or stress of any kind!

 

* Tell us about your current project.

 

* Tell us about your favorite event and/or athlete.

 

* Talk about anything else related to the Olympics, your current project, or crochet-related.

 

Let's have some fun!

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For anyone who's wondering why I didn't just call this the "Olympic Games CAL," it's because there is extra-broad trademark protection on use of the terms Olympics and Olympic Games. The various worldwide Olympic Committees are quite fierce about protecting their trademarks, so we don't use the term Olympics in our event titles. I have no interest in receiving a cease and desist letter!

 

It's still totally fine for everyone to discuss the actual Olympic Games and to use the term Olympics when referring to those events. So feel free to discuss away with no worries. If you have questions about any of this, feel free to ask away. :)

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Oh my, I forgot about our version of this event!  I will have to thumb thru my patterns and find something...I'm currently working on a (knit) washcloth, but that just won't do!

 

As far as events, I'm going to make sure I don't miss the women's gymnastics; that looks like it will be interesting, at least there's a lot of press happening ahead of the games.

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I'm working on a temperature blanket--my "tv" project. I hope I have time to catch at least some of the events--especially gymnastics, swimming and diving. Our two GDs just moved to town--a couple of houses down from our backyard--so there hasn't been a lot of free time lately.

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I think I found a pattern to try. I started it last year (and ripped it out) when visiting relatives; it was a bit of a challenge because

(1) I was probably more distracted than when in my normal crochet 'zone' at home

(2) the yarn was distracting, too: was sort of like 'rag' yarn--was mostly 1 color but had lots of blips of other colors, and I kept losing my stitches and messing up the braid.  I admit I didn't get very far before I tossed it back in my project bag and picked up something more mindless to work on during my visit.

 

I keep thinking about that pattern though, I still like it a lot even though it gave me trouble.  I'll give it another go (with plainer yarn) for a Greek Game challenge :)

Montana Hat

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I'm happy to see this CAL  :cheer

 

If I have time to buy thread on Saturday, I'll be making a skirt for me. If not, my project will be octopi for premature babies. I have to decide on how many I can manage.  :cheer  :cheer

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I'm in!  I just started a wedding present last week and it has to be done by the of the month, because the wedding is next month.  It's both mindless and time consuming.  I just passed row 80 out of 271 rows.

 

ETA: Never mind ... I just read the rules that it's something you start when the Olympics starts and I started last week.  I guess I can't participate, because I have to get this project done.  :(

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I'm in!  I just started a wedding present last week and it has to be done by the of the month, because the wedding is next month.  It's both mindless and time consuming.  I just passed row 80 out of 271 rows.

 

ETA: Never mind ... I just read the rules that it's something you start when the Olympics starts and I started last week.  I guess I can't participate, because I have to get this project done.  :(

We aren't doing the standard more structured competition this year. We're just doing a relaxed CAL. Do whatever projects you,want to work on and have fun chatting with everyone. No stress whatsoever. Just fun and no pressure to complete anything.

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Even though it's casual and just a fun excuse to chat and share projects, I'm glad it came up to 'push' me into trying that pattern again :lol

 

I'm going thru some old RHSS I inherited from MIL about 10 years ago, I think I'm going with a bright shade called 'ultra violet'.  The price sticker says $1.39, to give you an idea of its vintage...

 

Redrosesdz, that is a beautiful pattern!

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Sportsmen don't go to the olimpic games without training… If you have already started some project, it's like training too  :cheer  :cheer Keep going :)

 

My problem is that in my time zone the opening ceremony starts at 1:00 am….

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Even though it's casual and just a fun excuse to chat and share projects, I'm glad it came up to 'push' me into trying that pattern again :lol

 

I'm going thru some old RHSS I inherited from MIL about 10 years ago, I think I'm going with a bright shade called 'ultra violet'.  The price sticker says $1.39, to give you an idea of its vintage...

 

Redrosesdz, that is a beautiful pattern!

 

Thank you!  She has 2 pages of patterns.  I found them right AFTER I finished baby blankets for my grandson.  LOL  I've just been looking for an excuse to try them.  It's coming along nicely.  Really tedious, but worth it.

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I liked the opening ceremonies too; interesting they said it was done on a 'budget', I thought it was one of the better ones I've seen.  I liked that the 'cast' wasn't only invisible blobs handling props, but 'real people' dancing and so on at times.  I only stayed up long enough to see USA enter the arena, I'm on the west coast...

 

So far I think I've conquered that problem pattern, but I'm not liking the gauge - I'm hitting the gauge, but it seems awfully tight.  My RHSS may be thicker than the worsted weight the designer used.  I'm debating starting over with a bigger hook....

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So far I think I've conquered that problem pattern, but I'm not liking the gauge - I'm hitting the gauge, but it seems awfully tight.  My RHSS may be thicker than the worsted weight the designer used.  I'm debating starting over with a bigger hook....

 

HI GS!  Since I'm on a budget, I only use the yarns that I find in the big box stores (and what's occasionally given to me.)  So, most of my experience has been with the cheap acrylics.  I find that RHSS and Caron Pounders are are twisted tighter than other WW acrylics, like Lion Brand, Deborah Norville's , etc.  I think they use thicker strands to get the same thickness as the looser twisted yarns.  Also, both RHSS and Pounders vary widely in thickness from color to color.  For example, I made an afghan using lavender and dark purple.  The lavender was a lot thicker than the dark purple.  I find that when I work with RHSS or Pounders it's much thicker and stiffer.  So, I compensate by going up 1 or 2 hook sizes.  For my tension, a 7 works well for a tighter gauge, but not too tight, an H works well for a medium gauge and I or J for loose.  (G never works for me when I use RHSS.)

 

On the plus side, they do get softer after a few times in the washer/dryer.  The other plus is that their dyes don't tend to vary, so going back and getting a skein later matches the original almost all of the time.

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Last summer I bought spaghetti yarn and didn't have time to try it.

So i decided to do it now and started a small basket. Watching cycling (from time to time, because the race is so long...).

 

post-30828-0-59556600-1470510132_thumb.jpg

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Hi Redroses!  I've noticed that too (different brands/colors being thicker, stiffer than others).  Maybe my ultra violet is ultra thick.  I've heard people describe acrylic in general as being crunchy, and I thought ???, but this yarn IS sort of crunchy, too...hard to describe.  Maybe it's an 'older yarn' thing.

 

I'm also worried about the fit, because between the tight stitches, and the pattern, it's not very stretchy.  The band is worked sideways, in a 5 row repeat, seamed, then the crown added to one edge; it might be tricky to get it to fit if it doesn't have any give to it.  It might end up being a donation...

 

I think I've convinced myself to tear it out and try a bigger hook, I was only 2 repeats into the braid (between watching the opening ceremonies and struggling with row 4's  'rub your tummy and pat your head maneuver' that took a while to work smoothly.

 

Yarn is darker, but still pretty intense, IRL than on my monitor...

post-13625-0-00243900-1470513644_thumb.jpg

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Yeah, RHSS is not stretchy on it's own.  You have to make looser stitches to get fluidity.  It's great for baskets, coasters, large ami.s, etc.  Not my favorite yarn to work.  It's what I'm using now, because the stiffness makes the baubles in the graph really stand out.  I'm glad you're switching to a bigger hook.  Looking at the cables, it looks really dense right now.  It's a gorgeous cable pattern! 

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