I’m part of the Pomatomus Posse, making socks and gloves for Team Mine in the forthcoming 2008 Ravelympics. If you’re not a knitter, then that sentence, and indeed the rest of this post, is going to seem pretty strange. Sorry.
The Ravelympics is an event timed to start and end with the lighting and extinguising of the Olympic flame in Beijing. Knitters and crocheters (the Ravthletes) have seventeen days to make a project, which has to be challenging for them. My event is the Sock Put.
So far there are about 3,000 people around the world who have signed up to take part in this extravaganza. There are about eighty people in Team Mine, the team of selfish knitters who say ‘No!’ to making stuff for other people. Here’s our team uniform (I get a crown cos I is a Princess!):
Anyway, I’ve been trying to choose yarn for the socks I’m going to make. I ordered some Sheldrige Farm Ultra, which arrived a few days ago.
It is lovely, but I don’t think it will work for the Pomatomas pattern. The problem is that there is such a contrast between colours and shades in the yarn that I think it will overwhelm the lace stitch. I’m of the view that mulitcoloured yarns and lace patterns should be used together with caution, and that, generally speaking, the lace stitches that work best are one that have a horizontal pattern. Pomatomus has more of a vertical lace pattern.
Also, I think the yarn in real life has more contrast than it appeared to in the website photo:
It was still probably a bad choice though. Not to say that I don’t like the yarn. I do, I think it’s lovely. But I think it would look much better as a pair of Jaywalkers, for example. Another project for another day…
So instead I ordered some Smooshy Dream in Colour, which arrived this morning. It’s a beautiful, softly variegated purple yarn:
I think it will work much better with my pattern. Purple seems to be about the hardest colour I have found to photograph; I have no idea why that should be the case, but my camera did not like this colour at all. I took loads of photos to get the picture above, which is pretty close to the actual yarn. In the process I also took this one, which I like just because it looks to me like a big purple-y landscape…
Great ravatar!
Good luck with your Ravelympics project. Pomatomus is one of the patterns on my “to do” list. And I think you made a great yarn choice, first yarn is a bit too colourful for such and exquisite pattern.
I actually understood every word, don’t know why anyone wouldn’t. I loved making Pomatomus, but I can’t say it. Mine are purple, too. Your yarn will look beautiful in that pattern.
Oh, those are going to be beautiful purple princess socks!!
Mmm, delicious Smooshy. Looks gorgeous.
And I still need your mailing address!
oh yes! I think that’s a great choice and I’m with you on the lace thing. Definitely need to use caution.
I find red harder to photograph. Purple misbehaves, but I get there. Red, no way.
It’ll be fun, now that TdF is over, to watch other people racing to deadlines!
Oh beautiful purple, looks wonderful for a pair of Poms. I’m definitely knitalonged out for the moment but I’ll cheer hard for you in the Sock Put – love the team uniform :o)
Go Team Mine!
Good luck in your chosen event! I have those on my to do list. Look forward to seeing how yours turn out.
Oh! What yummy yarn..I have been wanting to make a pair of the pomatomus socks. They look a bit complicated though…may during this winter…I do think the Pomatomus socks would look best in a yarn where there is less color varigation because the sock itself has a very rich pattern texture to it.
nice yarns- and i agree with your choices..
i found that taking photos infront of a white background in a light place is best to get the closest colour- and purple is a moody colour- it changes anyhow depending on the light one is in (and i know im supposed to know why that is- learnt that in colourtheorie- but cant remember now!) not to say i dont like it- love it very much, looking forward to those princess toe covers š
Good luck with your event!
And as an aside, when did it become the case that if you knit, you are on ravelry? I know I assume any knitters I know are on ravelry.
Thanks for the comment and well wishes about my eye. It’s on the mend. Finally!!
Love that purple, and have been considering joining the Ravelympics, but am teetering on the edge….. I need some convincing.
Love the crown, it looks so natural on Veruca. The purple is lovely, it’ll make a beautiful Pomatomus!
Oh yes, Purple Poms for Princess Pea – it’s, clearly, Perfect!
It’s a great pattern and will really really look fabulous in the purple yarn – right decision on that one!
The smooshy is a lovely colour, and a great yarn too. Good luck!