Drumroll.... yes, tomorrow the Summer Olympics start -- and, most important, the Knitting Olympics, Summer style!
Groups on Ravelry and Portland Knitting Meetup are going at it locally, as is Abundant Yarn & Dyeworks in Sellwood.
So here's some info on their projects, plus some project ideas if you love the idea of the Olympics but not the politics of its location this year.
Abundant Yarn has the biggest local representative of it going, as far as I can tell. Here's info on what they're doing:
Abundant Yarn will open at noon on Friday so they can stay open until 11 p.m. The opening ceremony starts at 8 p.m., so they suggest you come early to snag a spot. The store offers beverages, including beer and wine, in its Busy Bee Cafe.
From their Web site, the store says for those who haven't decided on a project yet, they're offering an opening ceremony project discount of 10 percent (Friday only) from 5 to 11 p.m. (You have to tell 'em when you buy it that it is for the Knit Olympics.) They'll have "popcorn and special finger foods ... until we run out."
The Summer Games will be broadcast in the store for the remainder of the games.
Here are the Knitting Olympic rules:
1. Choose a project that will be a challenge for you to complete in 17 days.
2. No starting before the opening ceremonies in Beijing. ("The only exception to casting on Aug. 8, is WIPs Wrestling. The goal of this event is to complete as many unfinished projects as possible.")
3. Finish before the flame is extinguished.
4. You may train for your event (knitters please read "swatch" instead of train.)
Team Abundant will kick off with Friday evening, with knitting beginning at 8 p.m. sharp. They'll post other Olympic-inspired events on their Web site and plan to have a closing party on Sunday, Aug. 24.
Portland Knitting Meetup is meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19. Organizer Kerrie D. says "I know what I'll be working on, will you be accepting the challenge too? Come and be inspired!" For more on her meeting info, go here.
Here is Ravelry's list of events from Abundant Yarn's posting: Afghan Marathon, Amigurumi-n-Toys Toss, Baby Dressage, Bag-n-Tote Backstroke, Balance Beads, Cable Steeplechase, Colorwork Cross-Country, Cowl Jump, Designers Discus, Fantasy DecKnitathalon, Felted Freestyle, Free-For-All Freestyle, Fleece to Finished Fencing, Glove Decathlon, Gift Knits Pentathlon, Hand-Dyed Hurdles, Handspun Heptathalon, Hat Dash, Holiday Handball, Home-Stuff Hammerthrow, ItsyBitsy Bikini Breaststroke, Laceweight Long Jump, Mitten Medley, Pets Pommel Horse, Scarf Stroke, Shawl Relay, Sock Put, Sweater Sprint, Synchronized Flirty Skirts, Vest Vault.
Remember, like Abundant Yarn says, "the only real competition is with yourself."
Abundant Yarn is at 8524 SE 17th Ave.
Ravelry's version is the Ravelympics 2008 group. "The Ravelympics (not to be confused with the Knitting Olympics, which take place every four years, just like any other Olympic sport, and will be orchestrated by the Yarn Harlot) are open to any knitter or crocheter on Ravelry ready to take on the challenge of completing a project (or projects) within 17 days during the 2008 Summer Olympics. According to Ravelry, "the Ravelympic Village is already huge (there are already over 3000 group members, with more joining each day!)"
Here's where to go to get more info. Here are the sign-up instructions. Ravelympics Village HQ is the main link-directory to events, teams, and key threads in the Village.
Are you wanting to do the Summer Olympics but are caught up in the politics of its China locale?
Leslie (tikkunknitter) at The Tikkun Tree Project (a community art project: growing peace stitch by stitch) has info on The Color Orange campaign. "The Color Orange project aims to raise protest human rights abuses in China by promoting use of the color orange as a sign of protest at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing this summer.
Contributions to the Color Orange are varied and international; I've joined others in the Ravelry fiber arts community to knit objects that can be worn or used at the Olympics by either athletes or spectators, and the challenge has prompted a bit of creative fun -- such as a set of felted origami peace cranes, some orange chains, an Olympic rings medallion, and coral peapod earrings -- my take on the "envision whirled peas" motto." So you can follow her lead with projects or knitting in the color orange to aim for the best of both worlds.