In part 3 of this saga, reality had just begun to get a toe hold in a difficult to reach recess of my brain, and now, months later, I find myself embarking on Part 4 of this seemingly endless saga

By January of 2010, reality had a much firmer grasp; I no longer imagined that I was going to felt a 6′ x 9′ rug in my driveway.

Also at that time, registration for the 2010 Winter Ravelympics (which was scheduled to run concurrently with the 2010 Winter Olympics) was still open, and I was able to enter “The Big Rug” in a frogging event.

Frogging, in the world of fibers, described the process of unraveling a crocheted or knitted item so that the fiber can then be reused.

Here is what my Big Rug looked like by the end of the Ravelympics/Winter Olympics:

I had taken all of the squares I had made and soaked them in a vinegar and water solution so that once frogged, all of the fibers would have undergone the same chemical treatment. I then rolled the wet woolen squares between towels to remove as much excess water as possible, and then arranged them artfully around the house on the heat registers.

For several days we had what amounted to “vent cozies” in every room with a vent on the floor.

Armed with a 3.75 mm Etimo hook, and a renewed sense of purpose and determination, I began work on new and different squares. After an afternoon of experimenting, I settled on a square that was 24 single crochet stitches wide, by 24 rows. Except for the foundation row, all single crochet stitches were made in the back look of the previous row:

I am hoping to have this rug finished before summer is over.