Ravelympics: Qualifying

Here is my progress so far on my one project for the Ravelypics. I know, on project is kinda sad. But I'm a crazy student (read to many obligations) and these gloves are lined, so really, it's like knitting FOUR gloves. If I finish them early I am sure I will cast on something eles for Ravelympics.



I am knitting Fiddlehead mittens. I love them so much already. The white is baby alpaca, which is so soft. Even better, I am going to be using the white to line them. Yummy!!!

Also, stranded knitting is WAY easier that I thought it would be. I am just flying along, reading the charts is not hard at all (I am not even having to mark it off like I do with lace), and holding and knitting with two yarns does not seem to be a problem for my fingers to figure out, which is great because my brain has a hard time getting around that concept. Glad my fingers know what they are doing.

Spindle

I participate in a KAL (knit-a-long) in my Folklore and Fairytale group. The KAL's in this group are always centered loosely around a particular tale and this winter is (of course) The Snow Queen.
One of our group memebers is not a knitter (his wife is the knitter) but he does make drop spindles. For those of you who are not knitters a drop spindle is a small object that is used to hand spin yarn without a wheel. For an awesome demonstration (and the video that made me freak out and immediately want to learn this ancient way of spinning) check out Megan LaCore's Drop Spindle tutorial video.
Anyway. John, the spindle guy, decided that he was going to make some Snow Queen drop spindles out of a beautiful peice of holly he had. Much interest in the process of making spindles was expressed by the group and so John started a whole thread that explained, in serious detail and with many pictures, the process of making drop spindles by hand from scratch.
I quite enjoyed this thread, for John would post the "next step" every couple of days. Many members of the group fell in love with the spindles. So John decided to have a draw for "first dibs" on purchasing them. I put my name in for the medium size top whorl spindle (for making fingerling/sock weight yarn) and I won!!! YIPEE!!
I just sent off my money and I am so excited. Drop spindle spinning has been around since the Paleolithic era, so learning this skill is some seriously human heritage knowledge. I feel like this is the "next step" as it were in my knitting, to be able to make my own yarn (before you know it I will be dyeing my own wool, spinning it, and knitting things with it).
If you are interested check out John's Esty page The Dragonfly Workshop to see more of his beautiful handmade spindles. They truly are works of art.
I am going to be taking a drop spindle class at the local yarn store so I can have some expertise on hand while I get to know how to use the drop spindle. I will post pics and adventures when my spindle arrives.
Oh, and for those of you who know the story of The Snow Queen, my spindle's name will be Gerda.