Fiber Friday with Prizes

Hello!

The Fiber Friday group from Eastside Stitchers met today at Crossroads for some yarny fun, because we just don't see each other enough.

BlueBerryMary is almost finished with her baby blanket.

I just love how the lavender border picks up the lavender flecks in the yarn.

CathieC was weaving in the 1000000000000000000000000 bits of yarn on her beautiful knitted afghan.  This is a great project for social knitting, because chatting while you weave helps with the potential bordeom.

WireKnitter was working on a new colorwork shawl.  I realized that I am often very lazy during Fiber Fridays and I don't seem to take many notes, so of course I have no idea what the name of this shawl is.

Winterpromise31 has begun a new hat.

And begun it again, and again.  Then bought some new smaller needles with a smaller cable and begun it again.  Sometimes knitting just doesn't want to work.

Skeinherder was working on something very mysterious.  And drinking tea.

VanesaPolo arrived later, as there is something about Yoga in her Friday morning schedule these days.  And of course, I didn't take a photo of her knitting.  Isn't that just like me?

I was working on Round 5 Sock Madness, Zip.

I was preparing the zippers so I can knit them into the legs of the socks.  So far I have finished both cuffs, and am done with one zipper prep.

After Fiber Friday, I drove over to Tea Cozy Yarns in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.  I had won one of the daily drawings during the 2013 North Puget Sound LYS Tour, and I needed to pick up my prize.  I had no idea what it was. 

YAYAYAYAY!  I am so so happy with what I got.  Of course, anything free and a prize is always great, but this had some stuff that I was planning on buying! so it was just a perfect prize for me.

First of all, I got an official LYS Tour bag.  (hahahaha, no that wasn't one of the things I had planned to buy, but another knit bag always comes in handy.)

Then I looked inside my new bag, and there was Extreme Double-Knitting: new adventures in reversible colorwork by Alasdair Post-Quinn.  I heard the author/designer interviewed a while ago on some podcast (not sure which one, sorry), and was totally intrigued.  As I haven't really done any regular colorwork, I was hesitant to try reversible colorwork, but still, I love learning new techniques, and I wanted to check out his book for future projects.  Now I OWN  it.  This was my biggest squeee.

I also received the new issue of Knitter's Magazine, with a free 1 year subscription!

On top of that, was a skein of Eweneek Exquisite, 50% Merino 50% Silk laceweight yarn from Knot Just Yarn, who also was a part of the 2013 LYS Tour.  The color is Tidepool, and I just love it.  That shop was the site of one of my few (this year) impulse buys on the tour.  I bought a skein of their sock yarn (of course!) in a beautiful green.

The last part of my major award was a bottle of Crafters Cream. from Apple Yarns.  It feels lovely on my work roughened hands.

Lucky me!

Ok, I am leaving really early tomorrow morning to fly down to California to help out at my brother's house for a week.  My sister-in-law has to do another 11 days of military ... something... somewhere.  These are always tough, as my brother can't be left alone anymore, and of course, someone has to be there to help out with the kids.  There is a great network of neighbors, friends and family, who take turns when the family needs help, but it is just too hard to cover that many nights.  I am lucky that the Doc, Himes, and Pookie, can handle themselves without me for a week.

I will really try to post regularly.  After all, I am working on Sock Madness, and tomorrow Tour de Sock Begins!  As well, as a new month of HPKCHC classes.  The internet at my brother's house is horribly slow, but I will do my best to get something up regularly.

I should be able to knit more than I usually do because I won't be working, just being THERE for the family, and doing regular "mom" stuff.  My brother and sisters (and nephews and nieces for that matter) don't always understand the importance of  an "International Sock Knitting Competition Based on March Madness,"  and I am not sure that I can explain Tour de Sock and even worse Harry Potter Knitting Crochet House Cup to such non-stitching Muggles.  But, they have become accustomed to seeing me with some type of fiber in my hands at all times.

I am the aunt/sister who... KNITS.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with a new knitting book that is a PRIZE!