Better Late Than Never

Presenting…Team Stitches & Sutures for The Amazing Lace 2006!

Well, it took me some time (five days past the deadline, to be precise), but I have finally assembled my team for TAL 2006. And I must say, I have a good feeling about this. Just like the Edmonton Oilers, we’re going to catch up and surprise everyone! (Though I’m not sure we’re quite as far behind as the Oilers are at present. However, the tide is about to change for them, I’m sure of it. Really. It has to, or there will be a lot of grown men crying around here!)

Back to the topic at hand. With true Canadian pride, Team Stitches and Sutures has decided to model itself after a curling team. (A primer on curling can be found here, for the uninitiated.)

First, the skip. That would be me: Nikki. Aspiring doctor (graduation is in 343 days, but who’s counting?), soon-to-be bride (357 days, but again, who’s counting?), starving student, and sometimes-knitter (who would rather do a lot more knitting, but I’m sure you can all see why that’s challenging sometimes). I’m no Sandra Schmirler, but I’m hoping to lead this team to greatness.

Now, the second: good old Branching Out, from Knitty. My first lace project ever. We’ve been playing together for a while, BO and I, and we know each other well. We are a well-oiled machine. And I’d say we have about 15 grams of KidSilk Haze left to go before we finish our 10th end. I can always count on BO in a pinch – predictable, dependable, and just challenging enough to keep the opponents guessing. (Fortunately we’re usually on the same side these days.) I’m hoping to graduate BO to the Finished Object (FO) team soon.

And finally, the third: Icarus Shawl, from Interweave Knits Summer 2006. Many players tried out for this position. Each had its own traits that would have contributed wonderfully to our team, but in the end, Icarus won out. I found her yesterday and knew right away that she was just what we needed. The yarn (more KSH, same colourway – we’re into a nice unified image here) – is patiently waiting. As soon as BO is a FO, Icarus begins training.

Finally, our opponents (or are they teammates in disguise?): Dr. Stethoscope and Mr. Pager. Our team finds it difficult to practice when the skip is absent or distracted or – worse yet – sleeping, and unfortunately Dr. S. and Mr. P. seem to conspire to make these conditions occur more frequently than we would like. They have their benefits, though, in small doses (the means to an eventual income which or course enables the purchase of more yarn being the most obvious), so we haven’t banished them entirely from the rink. We just keep a close eye and a tight leash on them.

Look how they shamelessly sidle into a beautiful display and contaminate it! The nerve of placing oneself on top of a freshly-purchased issue of IK! It's offensive, I tell you!

And so, the games begin.