Well, This is Embarrassing

Hello!

So happy to be back in Washington with my Stitch Buds.  So happy that I brought my camera to stitching night tonight, um... with no memory card in it.

I have written notes of what everyone is making, but no photos.  OOPS!

I will just have to run down the list, and give links to the project pages, and get my act together.

So, Redbird1 was working on a Jeweled Cowl in a lovely Glazed Carrots colorway by Malabrigo in their lace yarn.  You might remember that she made this cowl before, in a striking black with silver beads.

MsWiz was knitting a Linen Stitch Scarf by Churchmouse Yarn and Teas in various colors by Koigu.  She got the yarn at Madrona.

Tara1682 was working on her Cloisters Wrap by Miriam L. Felton.  She plans to give this beautiful rectangular shawl to her Grandma.

Vanesapolo was wearing her green Corinne sweater, and knitting the charity baby blanket.  She is almost finished with that blanket.

WireKnitter is making good progress on a beautiful Guernsey Wrap by Jared Flood in Shelter yarn.  I took about 10 photos of this trying to really capture the color.  Really, I did.

Wajio was swatching for an Elizabeth Zimmerman Long Collared Jacket in a pretty blue Rowan Tweed she got from Colleen in our yarn exchange.

Colleen was finishing yet another pretty headband with a flower detail.  She is making a ton of these for the YMCA's charity knitting group.

cathiclove was working on a slouchy hat.  She is improvising the design from two different hat designs.

Hrvdmnky was almost finished with a really cool sock in the most amazing handpainted yarn.  It is amazing.  The colors are pink and black.  Too bad I don't have a photo.

Chockelet brought her finished Rondalet.  This is knit for Malabrigo March 2013 competition.  She was knitting a Cameo by Paulina Popiolek.  This is also for Malabrigo March, and is in Malabrigo Sock.

Well, that's it.  The post looks a bit sad with no photos.

So I will post a video of the High School's "pep rally" from today.  My son, Pookie, is in it.  The high school invited some of the Senior boys to work with the cheerleaders on stunts.  They do this every year, and call it the Stuntman Assembly.  Pookie is in front center, with a pink bandana on.

Peace,
f1bercat
I promise to actually take photos on Friday!

Eastside Stitchers Come and Go

Hello,

My stitch buds, the Eastside Stitchers, met at Crossroads Mall tonight for some knitting, great conversation, and lots of laughter.


We had people show up at 5:00 pm, other arrived after 7:30.  Some stayed all the way to 9:00pm and some left by 7:00pm.  Coming and going and enjoying a night of knitting.

Wajio brought her finished Crimple socks by Michelle Hunter.  She knit these in HiKoo yarn by Skacel, and with a Skacel knit-a-long.

I really love this pattern.  It knits up a very stretchy sock, but with that wonderful bit of lace.
Keeping in a sock mode, Wajio brought her Shur'tugal socks by Alice Yu.  She had started these socks before the Crimple socks, but broken one of her needle cables.  She has now successfully transfered them to a new needle, and is back in business.

Colleen is taking a break from knitting baby blankets for charity.  She is not taking  break from knitting for charity, just knitting baby blankets.  Instead, Colleen is knitting earwarmers.  She crocheted a bag full of flowers, and is knitting the bands on which to put them.

Just to switch things up and mess with all of our minds, Vanesapolo was knitting a charity baby blanket:

She is using yarn she got t our Eastside Stitchers first yarn swap and using a feather and fan lace pattern.

Vanesapolo was wearing "swatch cap."  She made a good sized swatch for a colorwork sweater by Meg Swanson, then turned the swatch into a cap.

Redbird1 has finished and blocked her Biscuit scarf,

and was getting a good start on a Zuzu's Petals shawl.

Wireknitter was also knitting a new shawl, Coast Starlight, by verybusymonkey.  She is knitting this in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Marine Silk in Jasper.

Chockelet was starting a Linen Stitch Scarf by Churchmouse Yarn and Teas.

Hvrdmnky came a bit later, and was working on socks.  She is using up stash yarn, and since she has quite a bit of sock yarn, she is making ...  socks.

These are showing the color beautifully.

Tara1682 was knitting on a new rectangular shawl, the Cloister Wrap by Miriam Felton.  She has gotten a good start.

Tara is using JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk in the color Blueberry.  The yarn is showing off the pattern beautifully.

Everyone who couldn't make it, we missed you!

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet from Crossroads Mall.

Eastside Stitchers STEEK! Video Proof!

 

Hello,

Horrible weather today and yesterday; that Pacific Northwest thing we get, where the temperature hovers right about freezing, but really just a few degrees above.  So we get sleet and some flurries, but it doesn't stick, then it's slushy, then freezing overnight when it dips to just below freezing, so we are all sliding around and falling down.  Then it warms to just above freezing during the day, but in the shady spots, it is still frozen.  And now it's all slushy again, and then it will freeze again over night.  It feels really cold.  But there is no snow to play in.  Welcome to our winter.

However, when I ran out on the deck to get a photo of the hills since the clouds had mostly lifted after the fog of this morning:

I saw a bluejay on our hedge.  I know that photo is a bit blurry, but,  a Bluejay!  I just love them.

This morning the "LoL" part of Eastside Stitchers (Ladies of Leisure, though we would be happy to have any men stitchers in the area join us) met to knit and eat brunch (that was me), and STEEK! a gorgeous vest at Crossroads Mall.

Who was there, and what were they stitching?

Redbird1 brought the most gorgeous show and tell. A Linen Stitch Scarf from Churchmouse Yarn and Teas. 

She is ready to trim the fringe, and then, all finished.  This is the 3rd or 4th? scarf knit by a member of our group.  I am thinking that I really need to knit one.  They are just beautiful.

Redbird1 was just beginning an Eternity Cardigan by her fiber-bff, Jared Flood.  She is using Shelter yarn, in the Soot colorway.

We had a new stitcher this morning! CodyJunk joined us at the big round table in the middle of Crossroads, right under the skylight.  It is so nice to make new fiber friends, and CodyJunk fit right in.  She was working on a  scarf, with the somewhat horrible name:  Halloween Pumpkin Orange Cable Scarf by Isle Gardenia.  CodyJunk's was just lovely in Cascade 128.

Skeinherder was finishing up her Snug as a Bug Sleep Sack by Robyn Devine.  She is knitting this in Ohio State colors.  I especially like how she did the graduated stripes.

That button on the "sack" looks just like a Buckeye.


Vanesapolo finished her Wingspan this morning.  She had to take apart her gauge swatch to have enough yarn for the bind off!  She used up the last of the Noro from her Strata Sphere.

She also brought her vest to steek.  This is her own design, and will be posted soon at her site on Ravelry.

She showed us how she had prepared the vest for steeking.  The vest was knit in the round.

 She wanted armholes.  So had crocheted 2 rows catching in the stitches near where she planned to cut so they wouldn't unravel.

And then she.... CUT HER KNITTING  (Just a warning, it was a bit loud at Crossroads that morning, and my camera picked up all of the noise, so turn down the volume before you watch this)

Isn't it amazing?

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with brave stitching buddies.

Eastside Stitchers Eat Tea

Hello,

Today some of the Eastside Stitchers, the um... unemployed ones, met for afternoon tea at The British Pantry in Redmond, WA.

This is a pretty authentic british pub, restaurant, and shop.

Some of our little group are truly in the know about Great Britain, and explained that not only is this restaurant run by real Brits, but the food uses ingredients FROM Great Britain, so it really tastes right.

We had a cute little room all to ourselves.

Everyone wore something special.
And ok, I'm going to confess right here before I start showing the photos of our knitwear and what we brought to knit during the tea, that all of the photos are horrible.  Apologies to everyone in the group.
And, also to you who are reading this. 

Anyway,
Vanesapolo was wearing an Owls by Kate Davies.

Redbird1 brought her Magic Three-Yarn Scarf & Wrap by Churchmouse Yarn & Teas.

And Skeinherder had on a cowl, called Pretty Thing,  from a pattern by the Yarn Harlot.

We ordered, and the very nice waitress brought us our Teapot. (Love the cozy.)

And a pot of jam.

I had "Afternoon Tea."  Which consisted of cucumber sandwiches (yes!  just like in my favorite Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest), fresh fruit, a scone and a tea cake.

Skeinherder, who had not had lunch, had the "Emperor Tea."  Much the same as mine, but with a ham quiche instead of the cucumber sandwiches.

While we ate our tea, we....
knitted, of course.

(And this is where the really bad photos come in.)

Vanesapolo was working on her newest design.  I am not allowed to post a photo yet, but I can give you a link to the newest one she has posted on Ravelry, a really cute Garter Stitch Keyhole Scarf.

Skeinherder was working on some Turkish Bed Socks by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.  They are "lemon-ginger tea colored."  Honestly.

Redbird1 brought her Linen Stitch scarf also by Churchmouse Yarns. 

Anerenbe was starting on some amazing mittens.  The pattern is Phenomenon, by Carine Ancel.

After we finished eating (and drinking) our tea, we looked around the shop at all of the very British things.

We shall definitely have to do it again. As Paul McCartney sang,

Would you care to sit with me
For a cup of English tea
Very twee, very me
Any sunny morning

What a pleasure it would be
Chatting so delightfully
Nanny bakes, fairy cakes
Every Sunday morning

Stay safe and well.
Yours,

f1bercat
shaping the planet in a very civilized manner.

Eastside Stitchers Meet on Thursday

Hello!

The Eastside Stitchers met tonight, Thursday, November 1 instead of our usual Wednesday night meet up, at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue.  Last night we were all too busy Trick-or-Treating, but tonight the needles were clicking.

We missed some of our friends who couldn't make the day change, but we should see them next week, so all is good.

Who was there and what were they stitching?

Skeinherder was knitting Christmas Trees.  The  Purled Christmas Tree to be particular,  by Anna Sudo.

in cascade sport.

For show and tell she was wearing  her finished Windward by Heidi Kirrmaier 

knit in Malabrigo sock  in Eggplant.  She finished it just in time for the Malabrigo Stockpile contest.

Anerenbe was working on the Cecily Beret  by Melissa LaBarre in .... not sure what the yarn is.  It is fingering weight, because this hat is really fine work on tiny needles.

Wajai was knitting some Fingerless gloves in Renew Wool  .  

I was curious about the yarn so I checked them out.  This is what they say:

"Renew Wool is a sport-weight soft wool blend featuring 35% repurposed wool reclaimed from the mill. Its soft texture and depth of shade make it ideal for colorwork, textured pullovers, and felting.

Jan bought it originally for the Nordic Knitting Conference and didn't use very much of it, so was putting it to use now.

Tara1682 is knitting ANOTHER Linen stitch scarf by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas

The first one she made was for a friend.  Is this one for herself?

Wearing a cloche hat so cute, sorry no info on it

Vanesapolo brought her finished Brioche Vest by Meg Swanson

Well almost finished that is.  She was still deciding on how to finish the front edges, and needs something to close it with.  The waist shaping was done by stopping the brioche stitch, and just doing regular knits and purls.  Such a clever designer.

She had a question about the vest finishing, and was able to ask Meg Swanson.  Meg really helped her out.  So cool!  I know someone who talked to Meg Swanson.

Vanesapolo was working on her multi-directional scarf, I think it is the one by Karen Baumer

Redbird1 had some wonderful show and tells.  First, I want to say how happy we all are that Redbird1's house back east was spared by the Sandy Storm.  And now, what did she bring:

She has finished the Magic Three-Yarn Scarf & Wrap by Churchmouse Yarn & Teas

This is the scarf that is knit alternating 3 very different yarns:  Debbie Bliss Winter Garden  , Rowan Frost

and Berroco Versa  

Redbird1 has also made great progress on her Guilder, by Jared Flood

knit in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter

She was not knitting on the Guilder, though, because she needs to concentrate when she works on this masterpiece.  She did bring a new scarf, a Linen Stitch Scarf by Churchmouse Yarns, just like Tara's   Redbird1 was just starting, but the colors are stunning.

And, finally, GwenS has made huge progress on her Guernsey Wrap also by Jared Flood.  This stunning wrap is in Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool Worsted in Pansy.

GwenS bought the yarn in Oregon! 

That's all for tonight. I need to get to bed because tomorrow I am driving up to Whidbey Island with Skeinherder to visit some farms.  I can't wait.

Just a quick reminder that the Madrona Fiber Arts Class Schedule is up.  People can start registering for classes on November 14, 2012.  http://madronafiberarts.com/

I hope to be able to go, if not to take some classes, just to hang out there and knit. 

Until then, it's Whidbey Island and KnitFit!

Stay safe and well.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with a road trip tomorrow!