This is why you shouldn't ...

Hello:

First the training update.

I made it to Lake Sammamish State Park today.  That is about 6.5 miles from where my street connects with W. Lk. Samm. Blvd.  I felt pretty good riding there, even on the long hill between Vasa Park and the Roundabout near I90.  There was a bit off a breeze in my face, and I kept thinking that I would have the wind at my back on the way home.

I rode through the roundabout and up the hill into Issaquah.  After that incline there is a super long downhill stretch that felt great to just glide down, though, as I was coasting I kept thinking, "You will never make it back up this hill on the way home."  I have discovered that I can't seem to just enjoy the downhill parts, as I am always worried about how they turn into uphill parts on the way back.  I can't wait until I can just ride around the whole lake and not have to worry about this.

When I reached the entrance to the park, I turned around and rode back.  I kept telling myself that it's a good thing that I have no ego involved in these training rides because I can just get off the bike and walk if I can't make it up the hills.  BUT!  I was able (though super slowly at one point) to ride the entire way back.  So proud of myself.  I forgot to check the time I left, so I have no idea how long the whole thing took, but still.  The ride was a bit over 13 miles.  That is longer than I have ridden on the recumbent bike at the gym.

I have to pick a new goal for my next ride.  I am getting closer and closer to making it around the lake.

This is why you shouldn't design/create in the dark when you are tired and there are fireworks

The final round of Quidditch has begun.  The goal is to craft something using 450 yds or more of yarn.  Thank goodness I am a crocheter, because crochet eats yardage, and I am much faster at crochet than knitting.  I need to make 15 squares for an afghan I am making with my daughter, Allifer, for a wedding in August.  Each afghan square (12 in x 12 in) should come in about 100 yds, so if I make 5 squares, 6 at the most, I will have enough for my Quidditch turn in.

I decided to take one of the squares that I designed/freeformed for the Red and Black afghan, and make it again, this time, taking notes so I can publish it as a pattern.  I made 5 squares really fast at the end for that afghan, and just took finished photos, made no notes, and now, well, I am kicking myself because I like how they came out and would like to write them up.

The first one I am trying to recreate is the one I called Clown Collar.

First off, I couldn't remember how I did the second row, so I have a bunch of starts that didn't work. 

Then, when I sort of finally had the thing going, it was time to go up to our little club and watch the fireworks.  I brought it with me and worked on it while we waited for it to get dark enough (this is a problem this far north, and there was still light in the sky even after all the fireworks ended).  At one point, right before the fireworks began, I realized that I had gotten off on where the corner was on at least one side, and the "square" was looking really lopsided.  I put it away and just oooohed and ahhhhed at the fireworks.

After we walked back home, I had to rip out 3 rows.  This time I marked the corners, and started hooking again.

I was tired, though, so I went to bed, figuring that I would finish the square in the morning, then go for my bike ride. 

When I got up, I couldn't remember how I was doing the stitches.  I read my notes, and they just weren't making sense.  See these stitches need to be made into one row below the top row, and you work behind and through, or so my notes said.  It just didn't look right.  Finally I worked in front of and through the top row, and it started to look correct again.

It wasn't until I got to the border rows that I discovered that this morning, I had turned the square over and was working on the back side...

This had been the front (ignore the border rows)

Ha ha ha ha I'm so glad I made that mistake, as I like the center of the "back side" much better, and will now have to re-work this square out so it comes out this way, on purpose!

Here is the finished square (front side):

Along with the Vortex square, I have 2/15 finished. 

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with both front and back sides looking good!