Categories
Knitting

Ravelympics cancelled – Olympics cancelled too

As I read this, I am stunned.

Miserable lot of money hungry grabbing lawyers get a real life please…. I vote we don’t bother to watch the athletic show this year at all and refuse to buy any of the companies’ products that are “sponsored.” They are done and dusted. I shall be watching many many DVD’s and buying up books for my kindle.

Dear Mr. Forbes,

In March 14, 2011, my colleague, Carol Gross, corresponded with your attorney, Craig Selmach [sic], in regard to a pin listed as the “2010 Ravelympic Badge of Glory.” At that time, she explained that the use of RAVELYMPIC infringed upon the USOC’s intellectual property rights, and you kindly removed the pin from the website. I was hoping to close our file on this matter, but upon further review of your website, I found more infringing content.

By way of review, the USOC is a non-profit corporation chartered by Congress to coordinate, promote and govern all international amateur athletic activities in the United States. The USOC therefore is responsible for training, entering and underwriting U.S. Teams in the Olympic Games. Unlike the National Olympic Committees of many other countries, the USOC does not rely on federal funding to support all of its efforts. Therefore, in order to fulfill our responsibilities without the need for federal funding, Congress granted the USOC the exclusive right to use and control the commercial use of the word OLYMPIC a and any simulation or combination thereof in the United States, as well as the OLYMPIC SYMBOL. See the Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, 36 U.S.C. §220501 et seq. (the “Act”). (A copy of the relevant portion of the Act is enclosed for your convenience.) The Act prohibits the unauthorized use of the Olympic Symbol or the mark OLYMPIC and derivations thereof for any commercial purpose or for any competition, such as the one organized through your website. See 36 U.S.C. §220506(c). The USOC primarily relies on legitimate sponsorship fees and licensing revenues to support U.S. Olympic athletes and finance this country’s participation in the Olympic Games. Other companies, like Nike and Ralph Lauren, have paid substantial sums for the right to use Olympic-related marks, and through their sponsorships support the U.S. Olympic Team. Therefore, it is important that we restrict the use of Olympic marks and protect the rights of companies who financially support Team USA.

In addition to the protections of the Act discussed above, the USOC also owns numerous trademark registration that include the mark OLYMPIC. These marks therefore are protected under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1051 et seq. Thus, Ravelry.com’s unauthorized use of the mark OLYMPIC or derivations thereof, such as RAVELYMPICS, may constitute trademark infringement, unfair competition and dilution of our famous trademarks.

The USOC would like to settle this matter on an amicable basis. However, we must request the following actions be taken.

1. Changing the name of the event, the “Ravelympics.”; The athletes of Team USA have usually spent the better part of their entire lives training for the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games and represent their country in a sport that means everything to them. For many, the Olympics represent the pinnacle of their sporting career. Over more than a century, the Olympic Games have brought athletes around the world together to compete in an event that has come to mean much more than just a competition between the world’s best athletes. The Olympic Games represent ideals that go beyond sport to encompass culture and education, tolerance and respect, world peace and harmony.

The USOC is responsible for preserving the Olympic Movement and its ideals within the United States. Part of that responsibility is to ensure that Olympic trademarks, imagery and terminology are protected and given the appropriate respect. We believe using the name “Ravelympics” for a competition that involves an afghan marathon, scarf hockey and sweater triathlon, among others, tends to denigrate the true nature of the Olympic Games. In a sense, it is disrespectful to our country’s finest athletes and fails to recognize or appreciate their hard work.

It looks as if this is the third time that the Ravelympics have been organized, each coinciding with an Olympic year (2008, 2010, and 2012). The name Ravelympics is clearly derived from the terms “Ravelry” (the name of your website) and OLYMPICS, making RAVELYMPICS a simulation of the mark OLYMPIC tending to falsely suggest a connection to the Olympic Movement. Thus, the use of RAVELYMPICS is prohibited by the Act. Knowing this, we are sure that you can appreciate the need for you to re-name the event, to something like the Ravelry Games.

1. Removal of Olympic Symbols in patterns, projects, etc. As stated before, the USOC receives no funding from the government to support this country’s Olympic athletes. The USOC relies upon official licensing and sponsorship fees to raise the funds necessary to fulfill its mission. Therefore, the USOC reserves use of Olympic terminology and trademarks to our official sponsors, suppliers and licensees. The patterns and projects featuring the Olympic Symbol on Ravelry.com’s website are not licensed and therefore unauthorized. The USOC respectfully asks that all such patterns and projects be removed from your site.

For your convenience, we have listed some of the patterns featuring Olympic trademarks. However, this list should be viewed as illustrative rather than exhaustive. The USOC requests that all patterns involving Olympic trademarks be removed from the website. We further request that you rename various patterns that may not feature Olympic trademarks in the design but improperly use Olympic in the pattern name.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olympics-rings-af…\

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vancouver-2010-ol

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/2010-olympics-inu

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olympic-swimmer-d

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/2008-olympic-ring

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olympic-rings-nec

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bode-miller-hat-2

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/usa-olympic-hat

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/belgianwaffleknit/usa-oly

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We would appreciate a written reply to this letter by no later than June 19, 2012. If you would like to discuss this matter directly, please feel free to contact me at the number above, or you may reach my colleague, Carol Gross.

Kindest Regards,

Brett Hirsch

Law Clerk

Office of the General Counsel

United States Olympic Committee

1 Olympic Plaza

Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Categories
Knitting

Lorna’s Lace Sock Yarn

What do you do with all those little balls of yarn left over from every single pair of socks you make?

Lorna's Lace Sock Yarn.
Lorna’s Lace Sock Yarn.

It has always been a waste to me these small amounts of left over yarn from knitting luxury hand made socks. After a little think and successfully making the Linen Stitch scarf out of lots of left over sock yarn I decided to make a sock.

Lorna's Lace Sock Yarn
Lorna’s Lace Sock Yarn

So here is my sock made with three colours of Lorna’s Lace Sock Yarn. The three pairs of socks were knitted by my friend Alice and while the two lighter colours are mine the rich brown/blue is left over from a pair for Alan.

I knitted this using Hiya Hiya DPN size #1 as I did find mine by Alice done on a #2 were a little loose. I used three little balls – and have three more to do the second sock. And the pattern I used was Ann Norling #12 which for a plain all round good fit sock takes some beating.

Not sure is I shall just wear these with some boots during the winter months or they might end up being bed socks for this winter.

Categories
Knitting

Happy Mothers Day

Well I had my first Mothers Day in Australia with my Mum for about 15 years and it was a wonderful day. Mum and Dad took Alan and I to the Tea Tree Gully Golf Course for lunch and as always the meal and service was great. Just a shame that the entertainment, which was a good singer, was so very loud that we could hardly hear ourselves talk at times. I have to admit to a very bad headache by the time I got home but apart from that it was a lovely day.

Got home and completed the right front of the cardigan and got the rib for the second sleeve completed before I went to bed. I managed to get the first sleeve knitted in just over a day, so with luck this one will be done by Wednesday at the latest.

After all my calculations with the Bendigo Woollen Mill yarn and Patons Totem 8 ply I knew I was going to run out of yarn with just three balls. Fortunately because I had done one sleeve, the front and back I could see that fairly quickly. I called Bendigo on Thursday and was lucky enough to be able to order an extra ball of the same dyelot. My knitting is right on guage so am a little concerned about running out of the yarn. Never mind I told Jan I can make her a hat, mittens, socks or scarf out of the remains of the extra ball.

Am busy looking for a job either full or part time but would like something permanent in the city of locally at Tea Tree Gully. I am going to register this week for a course in Medical Terminology with the hope that I can then get a job as a receptionist in either a hospital or doctors office, while still trying for a dental receptionist which is my expertise. There does seem to be a shortage of trained health care workers so here’s hoping that something might come up sooner rather than later.

Categories
Knitting

Left Front completed

I have just cast off the final two stitches at the top of the left front for the cardigan. I had a couple of nights when I spent time on the computer job hunting, and of course the Royal Wedding  and was also just too tired to concentrate on knitting.

It always worries me until I get the back, one front and one sleeve of a cardigan knitted so I can see how much yarn I have left. Even when I do a yarn conversion I have a sleepless night or two.  So I think tomorrow I shall cast on and do the first sleeve. Jan’s arms are quite long so I shall not alter the pattern at all and just do the length the same as the pattern recommendation.

Bit disappointing I have not yet received my latest copy of the Wild Fibers Magazine. I know I sent them my parents address and also then updated via email to our new address – and still no magazine has arrived. The last time I sent them an email,  mail was still sent to the wrong address at the wrong time and my instructions were very clear. Lets hope the magazine turns up shortly.

Categories
Knitting

Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf

I purchased this pattern at Stitches West 2011 from a booth that would not let me buy just the pattern unfortunately. As we only had a week left before moving to Australia they had me over a barrel so to speak and I had to buy the pattern and three skeins of Claudia Handpainted Yarn – as they had no Koigu my “yarn drug” of choice.
The Claudia yarn actually ended up being packed and is now somewhere on the Pacific Ocean on its way to Port Adelaide. So I decided to pack the pattern and also a bag of odds and ends of sock yarns.

Knitted from all my leftover sock yarn
Knitted from all my leftover sock yarn

My scarf is made from left over sock yarn from many pairs of socks that either I have made or my dear friend Alice has made for me or my husband Alan.
Along with all of my stash and the Claudia Handpainted Yarns are my blocking cables and blocking board so for the moment the scarf is just off the needles. And as the weather here is still very mild for early Fall I haven’t had the need to wear it or decide who may receive it as a gift.
A beautiful pattern but the next time I knit this I will not be doing a fringe, it looks lovely, but I have never been one for fringes on scarves.

Categories
Knitting

Progress continues on the raglan cardigan

Yesterday was a good day for knitting. I completed the pretty little dishcloth in the afternoon and am very pleased with the pattern. I do have more cotton yarn to make dishcloths but will get the cardigan completed first I think.

Last night I completed the raglan shaping on the back piece and really like the eyelet pattern along the edge of the shaping. While the cardigan has the pattern around the lower part it is just plain stocking stitch for the rest of the pieces. The eyelet just breaks the plainness to all that plain knitting

Eyelet edge on raglan shaping for the back
Eyelet edge on raglan shaping for the back

The eyelet is done by k1, sl1 k1 pass slip stitch over, yfwd, sl1 k1 pass slip stitch over at the beginning of the row, and at the end instead of sl1 k1 it is k2tog

eyelet shown on both edges
eyelet shown on both edges

This just shows the back completed. I have left the neck stitches on a stitch holder for the moment even though the pattern tells you to cast off the remaining stitches. I haven’t made up my mind whether I will do the front bands by picking up stitches right the way round the front and back neck or if I will do the pattern suggestion which is a few stitches  and then sew the bands on when slightly stretched.

I have just cast on the stitches for the left front and I don’t think that will take very long with only 55 stitches on the needle.

Categories
Knitting

Sugar and Cream dishcloth

I felt after three day of intensive knitting on the beautiful cardigan I needed a little break from that today.

Years ago I had sent my Mum Sugar and Cream yarn by Lily yarns with a knitting pattern book and bamboo knitting needles to make a dishcloth for herself. Mum uses dishcloths every single day for everything and without a dishwasher they really get used a lot.

When we got back to Adelaide and moved into this rental property all of my knitting stash was, and still is at sea somewhere. Little by little Mum has been giving me things from her supplies and this past week it included the yarn etc that I had mailed her which she had decided she was never going to use.

This morning I cast on for the dishcloth pattern called Weavings from the book photographed below.

Dishcloth made from Sugar and Cream Yarn by Lily Yarn
Dishcloth made from Sugar and Cream Yarn by Lily Yarn
Weavings is the name of the pattern
Weavings is the name of the pattern

This is one of the nicest patterns I have done in a dishcloth because the amount of ‘weaving” or cables is making the fabric really firm.

My pretty dishcloth completed
My pretty dishcloth completed

It could do with blocking to really show of the pattern – however it is a dishcloth not a fancy sweater! I think this might be a gift for a lady friend currently in hospital in Melbourne. Wrapped up with a lovely bar of soap this will also make a delightful washcloth too

Categories
Knitting

Making a little progress

It was nice to finish the rib yesterday as it was 26 rows of single K1, P1 which does get a little boring especially when a pretty pattern follows the ribbing.

The rib and one complete repeat of the pattern knitted too

This morning I was determined to complete 28 rows of the first pattern repeat and I was successful.

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This shows the pattern slightly closer. I liked the last row of the leaf as the centre stitch goes straight up. This was achieved by slipping two stitches together knit wise, knitting the next stitch and passing the two slip stitches together over the knit stitch.

We had a trip into the city of Adelaide this afternoon and went to the historic Adelaide Arcade off of Rundle Mall. The specialty button store that I remembered from 22 years ago is still there – but closed today as it was Easter Saturday and a public holiday for some stores. When I get as far as the button band I will take the cardigan into that store to buy some suitable buttons for the colour and style of the band.

Categories
Knitting

Twelve months have gone – where!

I can not believe that it has been twelve months since I added anything to my yarn blog. Amazing how the time just flies when you plan a large move overseas.

We made the decision to move back to Australia after 14 years in the USA to be much closer to my elderly parents. It is a move we completed in February this year and when our cats arrived safely from quarantine at the end of March our lives were complete again. Our worldly belongings are on the ocean somewhere and that does include all of my knitting stash and of course our furniture and other household goods. Original date of arrival was May 5th which was then brought forward to April 18th, but regardless of the docking date for the ship, customs could delay the delivery by up to three weeks.

I have a dear cousin living in Adelaide and the first thing she asked when we were reunited at the beginning of March was, will you knit me a couple of cardigans please?Patons cardigan patternThis was the pattern I chose for Jan from my Mum’s collection of pattern books.

Close up of the detailed patternJan wanted something just a little bit fancy, but definitely no lace. So I think this fits that criteria nicely.

Bendigo Woollen Mills yarnJan chose the yarn from a new colour card by Bendigo Woollen Mills in Victoria Australia and it is their Classic machine washable DK (8ply) weight and the colour is called Brick Red.

After doing a swatch last night I cast on for the very smallest size on a 3mm circular needle that Mum found in her knitting supplies. I have used this yarn before and it knits and feels beautiful on the needles.

With Fall well and truly here in Australia and winter officially beginning in June I would like to have at least one new cardigan for her before the weather starts to get very cold in South Australia.

Categories
Knitting

Yushu Earthquake Relief (LInda Cortright)

I have just spoken with my Clay Goforth at Jade Tree, the company that creates the yak yarn from Yushu where the earthquake hit. This is what he had to say:

The latest news is that 90% of the homes in Yushu have been destroyed. The casualties have risen to 400 confirmed and an estimated 200-400 more are presumed. The Chinese Government sent 3,000 troops in to help dig people out whom are still trapped. The airport is shut down so the only way in or out is through one road coming from Xining and it is a 14-16 hour drive to get any kind of medical teams in or evac people out.
I don’t know your realm of influence, but if you could reach out to people you know for support and donations, as money will be a huge commodity that would be great.

They can send donations to:
Yushu Earthquake Relief
c/o First Asia Development
PO Box 8668
Fayetteville AR 72703

This is the non-profit organization through which the Jade Tree Project does its fundraising for community development work in Tibet. I am president of the non-profit, so if anyone has any questions, send them my way and I will be happy to answer anything.

Thanks Linda,

Here is the link he just sent me to donate as well: http://jadetreeproject.blogspot.com/