Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

Not much has been happening around here lately. While catching up on some blogs I discovered that the Yarn Harlot has started the Knitting Olympics. Knitters are asked to challenge themselves during the Olympics, learning a new technique, finishing a project that is started during the opening ceremonies. You get the idea. Even though I haven't officially signed up, I do plan to master the purl stitch over those 16 days. Sounds too easy but for me the purl stitch is evil. If I succeed with that goal in the early days of the Olympics I plan start a Ribbed for Her Pleasure scarf from Stitch N Bitch.

Then while reading Crochetville there's talk of a Crochet Olympics. For that event I hope to spend a little time learning how to make a snowflake. I can't figure it out. Me and thread, crochet thread that is, just don't get along! But I will make Flake #1 from the 99 Snowflakes book by the end of the Olympics. A small goal for some but major for me as my Mondays have been snowflakeless.

Then I started to ponder what cross stitch challenges do I have? Xs on fabric pretty simple. I don't hate speciality stitches with the exception of the french knot and well after 30 yrs that dog don't hunt so I'm not going down that road. So I started wondering if cross stitch could lend itself to Olympic challenges, and yes, yes it does.

For me the Olympic cross stitch challenge to beat all cross stitch challenges will be working on Fairy Grandmother. It's not a difficult design, some beading, a few blended threads, but all in all a fairly easy cross stitch design. I have a huge block where this piece of needlework is concerned. I'm not sure if it's emotional, if it's the person I'm stitching it for, if I'm just pretty selfish and want to focus on my own projects. So I hereby proclaim that from the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics until the flame goes out, I will devote as much time as possible to Fairy Grandmother. I don't believe it's unreasonable to believe that I might actually get her finished over the 16 day period, but I do have a life and a couple of other events to participate in, but FG will get some TLC over those 16 days and if I'm determined, focused, I might just walk away with a gold medal in finishing for her.

So what cross stitch challenges are there in your life? A project you would love to see finished but just don't want to work on for whatever reason? Pull it out, put in one length of floss a day, just during the Olympics. Maybe you'll finish it. How about finishing something into a pillow, an ornament, framing a piece that has been in the fuppie drawer for far too long? That's an honorable challenge. What about those queen stitches, french knots, hardanger, is there a speciality stitch you avoid but would love to conquer, use the Olympic challenge to learn a new technique.