Knitting Olympics

So, there's this website called Ravelry.  It's like a Facebook for knitters and crocheters.  You have your own "page" to keep track of your projects and there are also lots of discussion forums, as well as patterns (free and for purchase).  It's really great if you knit or crochet (and a HUGE time-sucker if you don't watch out!).  At any rate, a few years ago, they started the Knitting Olympics, to go along with the Summer and Winter Olympics.  The idea is to choose a project that will be challenging for you to complete during the time the Olympics take place.  You cannot cast on/start until the night of the opening ceremonies and you must be done by the time the flame is extinguished at the closing ceremonies.

This year I actually have time to participate (not like when I owned the yarn shop and was organizing our own knitting olympics - with prizes!- but didn't participate).  I've been contemplating what project to choose and my ever helpful husband, Paul, made a suggestion.  "How about finishing that Henley?"  Ok, so the link takes you my Ravelry page which only has a picture of yarn balls! (in a really pretty purple)  But here is a picture of what it will look like:

I love it because the fabric looks a little like those waffle weave long-underwear shirts.  I actually have this partly done.  I think I'm at the point of separating for the armholes (knitting from the bottom).  I started this THREE YEARS AGO while on vacation and it became known as my vacation knitting.  Except I didn't knit it on every vacation.  And I suspect that if I think I'm at the point of separating (which i'm really not sure - it's been that long since I've picked it up), then I've been procrastinating picking it up again because it will involve some thinking and brain re-organizing.  It's been pretty easy up until now.  I'll have to stop knitting in the round and start knitting back and forth.  Then I'll have to separate the front to make the button band area.  Then I'll have to knit sleeves.  Long sleeves.  Sometimes they feel like they take 10 years.

Paul brings up this henley ALL. THE. TIME.  He really likes it and thinks it will look good on me.  We got the yarm at a yarn shop while on vacation together and I was on a roll for a while.  Now, I usually hem and haw and mumble some excuse why I really should bring another project (the other project is more portable, the other project's yarn is lighter in color and easier to work on when traveling,  etc.).  BUT.  If I choose this for my Knitting Olympics project, then I'll have a deadline and an incentive to get it finished.  Maybe I'll have Paul fashion up a medal to present to me when I'm finished!

And, since I can't work on that until July 27, and I'm done with my "required knitting" for upcoming classes, I decided to pick a new project to knit in order to enter it into the Altamont Fair!  Here are a couple of things I'm thinking about knitting:
The Hemlock Ring Blanket:

Or one of these shawls...
Trousseau:

Catkin:

or Celes:

Any suggestions/comments on which one I should do?

OR, I might submit a hand-spun skein of yarn.   Did you know I know how to use a spinning wheel????  I'm not terribly great at it, but it might be fun to try to submit something.  AND, I'm going to sign up to compete in the Spinning Bee (whomever can spin the longest length of yarn in 30 minutes wins!).

Whatever I knit or spin has to be done by August 10.  The Knitting Olympics go until August 12.  Uh-oh.

My class last night went fine, thanks for asking! (Hee hee.)