Sunday, July 4, 2010

Vive la France!

I haven't caught up on all my crafty activities for June (or the end of May even) but I wanted to side track.

I'm... ummm, how do I put it? knitting for France? Well not really, I'm knitting along with the Tour de France I guess is the way to describe it.

This is my second year of watching the Tour de France and by watching I mean getting really involved - understanding what's going on, supporting teams and riders, oh and taking note of the scenery of course. (In fact the scenery last night was upsetting my knitting!)

Last year I supported Cadel Evans and his team - but this year I am supporting Team HTC Columbia. Why? Well they have a few Aussies riding and of course they have the very large ego-ed Mark Cavendish, but mostly I am watching to support Mark Renshaw.

Apart from the fact I actually went to primary school with a Mark Renshaw (not the same one) I think he is one incredibly devoted team player. He rides his heart out through the race, supporting his team members (this was in evidence last night) and then tows Cav to the front of the peloton, rides his heart out and Cav screams past him to (hopefully) take the sprint finish. I seriously hope he's paid a lot of money and really appreciated.

Anyway, riding aside, I have too much on my plate for TdF this year - I decided I'd make DS a vest with Thomas the Tank Engine on the front (he seems to like wearing vests), I'm also half way through a gorgeous crocheted shoulder wrap that I thought I'd do to wear to Bendigo and I have my tea cosy to finish for the competition.

To top all that off I am having a stall at Bendigo and I need to be ready for that.
Oh, and the kids are on school holidays so I need to keep them amused during the day.

This is all fine but the TdF starts at 10pm here in the Eastern States of Aus. So I'll pretty much be bleary eyed for the next 3 weeks. It's all in a good cause and by the end of the race I'm so much into it that I feel withdrawal when it's all over. :o(

This year I decided I might do some progress shots, just so you and I can both see I'm getting something done.



Last night I cast on (twice) for the vest. I've been tossing up for the last week about colours, but the little man has said he wants a red vest and I was trying to put green around it, but not sure I have enough. When I found the navy I thought it might work.
Originally I was going to knit it flat and try and do some intarsia, but I have since decided I'd knit it in the round and sew the picture on the front. As I haven't yet knit intarsia I figured this might be a less stressful option and actually mean the top gets finished.
I'm planning on making on Thomas one and one James one - so maybe I'll intarsia the next one.

See you tomorrow.

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