Citius, Altius, Fortius

   

It seems like everyone I talk to has Olympic fever.  At work, customers come in yawning, saying how late they stayed up watching obscure sports they never cared about until last week.  The other night at dinner with some gal pals, conversation quickly turned to the Games, the personalities, the skimpy uniforms.  It's compelling, this Olympic thing.
    I'm gearing up for a competition myself.  It's the Georgia National Fair, which, in addition to such awesome fair attractions as funnel cakes and piglet racing (don't miss the biathlon--those piggies can swim!), boasts a gorgeous and inspiring arts exhibit.  Last year some of those instigators at the Peachtree Handspinners Guild encouraged me to enter a few of my creations and, if I may say so, I kicked ass.  Compliments were bestowed, ribbons were awarded.  It's fabulous to see such a prominent venue giving props to spinning and weaving as fine arts, instead of lumping them into the ghetto of "crafts" (which is a whole other rant for another post another day.)
    The deadline is fast approaching to turn in the projects I plan to enter in this year's fair and, as often happens, I am possibly in over my head.  Oh well.  My reach exceeds my grasp, and I'm weirdly proud of that.  But I'm making daily progress.  The red item up there is the cashmere/silk yarn I was spinning in my August 6 post, dyed with a mixture of Jacquard dyes in Vermilion and Fire Red.  It is gradually turning into Veronik Avery's Lace Ribbon Scarf.  And over here is the beginning of a pair of socks, the yarn handspun from Miss Babs space-dyed Blue-Face Leicester roving (colorway: Woodland Viola). 
    These items need to be done and delivered by Sept. 4, which is totally do-able, especially since I have some time off work next week.  I'm "on pace" to get them finished by then.  Yes, with all the Olympic-watching I've been doing, I've noticed lingo like this creeping into my fiber arts vocabulary.  I mean, no doubt these projects would go quicker if I had chosen something with a "lower degree of difficulty."  As one of the gal pals pointed out the other night, I've really set an "aggressive program" for myself.  But that's just because, as a defending champion, I feel like I have "a target on my back."  Let's just hope I can stick the dismount!

Comments

[Brannon]

Hilarious! I have managed to miss every Olympic event except this one! Good show!

[Christy]

I think you have an excellent chance for gold in multiple related events. Knitting, dying and spinning. Now I think we should discuss your wingspan...