Knitting Olympics

I'm taking the plunge this Olympic season and signing on to be a Knitting Athlete. That's right, I'm participating in the Knitting Olympics. (U-S-A! U-S-A!) The concept and rules, straight from the Yarn Harlot's blog:
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Concept: You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, Friday, February 12, 2010 and finish before the Olympic flame goes out Sunday, February 28. That's 17 days.

Rules:
1. The project must be a challenge for you to complete in 17 days.
2. There are no rules about what a challenge would be. Like the real Olympics, there are many areas to compete in. If you are a new knitter, then a garter stitch baby sweater might do...If you are experienced, use your own conscience.
3. While this is intended to be somewhat difficult (like the Olympics) it is not intended to ruin your life. Don't set yourself up for failure. (Olympic athletes may cry, but they do not whine pitifully, sob and threaten members of their family with pointed sticks because they haven't slept in five days. ) This is intended to (like the Olympics) require some measure of sacrifice, and be difficult, but it should be possible to attain.
4. No casting on before the flame is lit. (The opening ceremonies run from 6-8 pst. If you can't watch, then I'd pick a time in there.)
5. Finish before the flame goes out.
6. You may swatch before the games. (I consider this "training.")

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I am going for the gold with the Estes Vest from Interweave Knits, Fall 2008 and am pretty darn excited about it. I completed my "training" tonight and everything seems to be falling into place. I am re-purposing yarn from a failed attempt at a different sweater vest last December (aren't my little helpers adorable?), have the correct quantity of yarn from the same dye lot on hand and pre-wound into center-pull balls, and I have all other supplies (needles in various sizes and lengths, notions, pattern in a plastic sleeve) prepped and ready to go in one project bag. I don't, after all, want to risk pulling a Tonya Harding and whining for a do-over because my boot wasn't laced tight enough, er, I mean because I couldn't find my size 10 1/2 straights.

(For the judges who may be out there watching to make sure that there is no illegal casting-on before the Opening Ceremonies, the sweater pictured above is NOT my Knitting Olympics sweater. It's a failed attempt at another nameless sweater that sat in my closet for two months thinking about what it did.)

But the most important part of training--the part that will determine whether this sweater is bronze, silver or gold caliber, the part that will make this sweater fit me and allow me to stand on that gold medal pedestal singing the Star Spangled Banner with tears streaming down my face and my chin held high--is gauge.

I got gauge.

Bring it on, Vancouver! Let the games begin!