Osborn Fiber Studio

Our Olympics so far has been really fun, if a little bit obsessive. Our heroic (and expensive) attempt to get TV signal through our computer was a complete failure, but the live replay of full events has mostly fed my winter-sports-watching needs. (Though technical hiccups in both the phone app and the website are enough to make me want to eat a ski.)

So far I have watched three women’s hockey games (Go Switzerland!), and all of the figure skating. Every last minute of the team event, and the pairs shorts. That’s 80 programs. As a result, I’ve started hearing an Australian woman and British man narrate my life.

Chris Howarth: “We’re off to a strong start here in the Ladies’ Team Shawl Short Track competition. The American team has committed itself to completing a semi-circular shawl pattern this Olympics, so let’s see how they’re getting on.”

Belinda Noonan: “We know this team has a very strong skill set; they’re quite experienced in team projects. They are both using their own handspun for this project, which shows serious commitment, although they haven’t picked the most difficult pattern. But they aren’t used to having a deadline, and that pressure might start affecting their work.”

Chris: “It’s day six of the competition, and things are already proving a bit dicey for the younger of this mother-daughter team. You can’t quite make it out in the footage above, but Rebecca has just forgotten to do the eyelets in Row 50. That setback is gonna cost her if she doesn’t rectify it quickly.”

Belinda: “That could be a problem for this team, but let me tell you, Linda has really taken off. She is well ahead of her daughter, and seems to be right on track, despite the daring move of foregoing stitch marker. Just look at how those stripes are turning out so even. That’s a real stroke of luck for this color-loving knitter.”

Chris: “Those images we just saw were from a couple of days ago, and our knitters are picking up the pace. Rows are going to take longer, now that the circumference of their work is getting bigger, but we’ll see stripes changing faster.”

Belinda: “I agree. That yarn choice is really going to Linda an interesting knitter to watch. Rebecca is still behind, and her yarn being one long gradient will make it take longer for her work to look engaging. But we’ve seen her skills before, and have confidence the finished product will be stunning.”

Chris: “It’s hard to believe that something that looks so much like a pile of dog droppings will turn into a solid competitor in this event, but that’s the nature of the lace shawl. You’ll want to tune back in for the blocking finals, where this team’s work will really start to shine.”