I am not very sporty but I appreciate watching talented athletes perform. So I will be looking forward to seeing some of the events in the upcoming Olympic Games. Want to get into the spirit and ready yourself for lots of cheering for your national team? Then check out Beth's DIY Olympic Rings necklace tutorial over at her blog, Remarkably Domestic.
I love how she used colored cord to wrap around metal rings. Another option is to crochet yarn around rings. This tutorial is also inspirational for all sorts of ring clusters, not just Olympic rings.
It's also a free tutorial for personal not commercial use. So the USOC (US Olympic Committee) is not going to kick up a fuss about it. Especially not after the huge PR debacle they generated a few weeks ago when they sent a cease-and- desist letter to Ravelry, the 2- million member strong social media site for knitters and crocheters.
The USOC deemed Ravelry's Ravelympics as denigrating to athletes! Ravelympics is an event where Ravelers are challenged to craft their personal best while watching and cheering the athletes on tv. The backlash was swift. After a firestorm of protests via email, Twitter and on the USOC Facebook site, they apologized - twice - for their poor choice of words. But they still want the name Ravelympics dropped and changed to Ravelry Games. You can read more about it on Gawker and the NY Times.
What offended Ravelrs and other crafters a lot was the insinuation that knitting and crocheting were less noble achievements than sporting events never mind that it takes years of practice and skill to create something good with yarn.
That crafts have been sacrificed on the high altar of commercialized sports can be seen in the disappointing story reported in the Daily Mail, UK. Thousands of cushions hand crafted by volunteers (the elderly, disabled and family members) were supposed to be donated to athletes as souvenirs at the London Olympics. But London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games reneged on the deal because they feared it would anger sponsors. The project leader, Jane Cooper said, "It shouldn’t have been reduced to this. It means so much to the people who make the cushions."
It's unfortunate creative endeavors are so unfavorably regarded compared to the elite sporting event. The irony is that there were once art competitions in the Olympics - from 1912-1948! Competitors vied for medals in 5 creative categories - architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpturing. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, used a pseudonym and won the gold medal for poetry in the literature section in 1912! The art competitions were dropped in 1952 in part because artists and writers could also sell their work and were thus not truly amateurs. A double irony considering professionals are now allowed to compete in the Games!
The defense of the trademarked Olympic logos is strongest in host nations because so much sponsorship is at stake. Remember the Games themselves are costly to host. But if there were medals for creativity and persistence today, then they should perhaps go to Dennis Spurr, the British butcher in Dorset near where the sailing events will take place. 6 years ago he regularly put up sausage links in the shape of the Olympic rings in his shop window. That worked for 18 months until he was told to take it down. He then tried squares with "2013" instead of "2012". Had to take them down too. No word yet if his latest attempt worked. He said, "We've got five frying pans up there with smiley faces."
Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
I love how she used colored cord to wrap around metal rings. Another option is to crochet yarn around rings. This tutorial is also inspirational for all sorts of ring clusters, not just Olympic rings.
It's also a free tutorial for personal not commercial use. So the USOC (US Olympic Committee) is not going to kick up a fuss about it. Especially not after the huge PR debacle they generated a few weeks ago when they sent a cease-and- desist letter to Ravelry, the 2- million member strong social media site for knitters and crocheters.
The USOC deemed Ravelry's Ravelympics as denigrating to athletes! Ravelympics is an event where Ravelers are challenged to craft their personal best while watching and cheering the athletes on tv. The backlash was swift. After a firestorm of protests via email, Twitter and on the USOC Facebook site, they apologized - twice - for their poor choice of words. But they still want the name Ravelympics dropped and changed to Ravelry Games. You can read more about it on Gawker and the NY Times.
What offended Ravelrs and other crafters a lot was the insinuation that knitting and crocheting were less noble achievements than sporting events never mind that it takes years of practice and skill to create something good with yarn.
That crafts have been sacrificed on the high altar of commercialized sports can be seen in the disappointing story reported in the Daily Mail, UK. Thousands of cushions hand crafted by volunteers (the elderly, disabled and family members) were supposed to be donated to athletes as souvenirs at the London Olympics. But London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games reneged on the deal because they feared it would anger sponsors. The project leader, Jane Cooper said, "It shouldn’t have been reduced to this. It means so much to the people who make the cushions."
It's unfortunate creative endeavors are so unfavorably regarded compared to the elite sporting event. The irony is that there were once art competitions in the Olympics - from 1912-1948! Competitors vied for medals in 5 creative categories - architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpturing. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, used a pseudonym and won the gold medal for poetry in the literature section in 1912! The art competitions were dropped in 1952 in part because artists and writers could also sell their work and were thus not truly amateurs. A double irony considering professionals are now allowed to compete in the Games!
The defense of the trademarked Olympic logos is strongest in host nations because so much sponsorship is at stake. Remember the Games themselves are costly to host. But if there were medals for creativity and persistence today, then they should perhaps go to Dennis Spurr, the British butcher in Dorset near where the sailing events will take place. 6 years ago he regularly put up sausage links in the shape of the Olympic rings in his shop window. That worked for 18 months until he was told to take it down. He then tried squares with "2013" instead of "2012". Had to take them down too. No word yet if his latest attempt worked. He said, "We've got five frying pans up there with smiley faces."
- Baseball Cuff Bracelets
- World's Most Expensive Sports Bra Will Cost You $1850
- Make Bead Head Flies for Fishermen or Maybe Fishing Lure Jewelry
- Japanese Fishing Lure Jewelry
Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
Ace I love it!
ReplyDeleteWell, well! The breaking news today is all about the Duchess of Cambridge's "Olympic" necklace - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/kate-middleton/9414184/Duchess-of-Cambridge-dons-49000-necklace.html
ReplyDeleteHow ridiculously sad all of these restrictions regarding that Olympic symbol are. All that fuss over cushions and sausages? Really, it's pathetic. It certainly takes away from the grandeur, the camaraderie of what should be a glorious event.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me it's a tempest in a teacup - much ado about nothing. But guess logos and trademarks are righteously guarded. I can remember in Miami when Disney World made a big flap over a small day care center that had painted some of their characters on the side of a wall which enclosed part of their playground. I believe there was Minnie Mouse, Pluto and maybe Donald Duck's nephews Huey, Dewy and Louie (not sure of the spelling as it's been ages since I've read a comic book :D). It was there for the enjoyment of the tots, but the day care center had to paint over the mural. Can't fight Disney !
ReplyDeleteBTW Heidi O'Brien has recently given me another installment of her exciting saga. She is truly blessed with an active imagination ... perhaps a little bit over-active. lol
Actually it gets rather silly and hilarious after a point so I hope butcher gets to keep his frying pan display.
ReplyDeleteI hope he gets to keep the frying pan display too! As an artist myself, I totally understand copyright law and the importance of not stealing images/designs from others. Or rather, I understand it to a point. Let the man have his frying pans, I say!! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't knit well. I only know one stitch. I don't know how to change yarns. But I do know that doing the games I will rebelling by knitting. I will learn several stitches, to change yarns, and bravely knit in red, white, and blue yarns. I will also make myself a necklace of five rings wrapped in yarn to wear during that time period. I wish I lived closer to Colorado during the One Woman March so that I could have joined her--thus doubling the representation. This whole thing over the word Olympics is ludicrous. The lawyers should lighten up and cool down...and maybe take up knitting.
ReplyDelete