Small Group, Big Frog

Hello:

The high temperature today in Bellevue was 68 degrees F.  Amazing.  Clear, sunny, and beautiful.

Eastside Stitchers  met at Crossroads, but since we have a few people out of town, it was a small group.  We did have one new person come to stitch, and it was lovely to see her.

Chockelet brought her Charlotte's Web Shawl.  She is using the Koigu she originally bought for a Linen Stitch Scarf.

Redbird1 called from the East Coast.  It was so wonderful to talk.  She has finished putting away all of her yarn, and has gone through some of her old WIP's.  Her big news was that she finished her Guernsey Triangle by Jared Flood, and is blocking it, even as I type.

This beautiful shawl is made in Loft in the Camper colorway.  Redbird1 also blocked an Infinitude Scarf by Jeni Chase that she had finished before she moved.  It's in Quince and Co. Lark.

It is nice to know that Redbird1 has such excellent blocking help.

Back at Crossroads, Chockelet decided that she just didn't like the way the Koigu colors were combining,

and she began to Frog it.

Wajio was just beginning a new pair of fingerless gloves.

Colleen was wrestling some eyelash yarn into a scarf.

GwenS was knitting an Aviatrix hat by Justine Turner in Debbie Bliss Cashmarino.

Tara1682 finally has her beautiful Cloisters Shawl back from her brother's car, and is working on it,, again.

And that about wraps it up.  Except for Chockelet's doomed Charlotte's Web.

Hope to  see you at Crossroads next week.  Until then,

Peace,

f1bercat
shaping the world with stitch buddies.

Babies, Bags, and Good-Byes

 Hello!

It's Wednesday, so it must be Eastside Stitchers Night.

We had a very big night at Crossroads in Bellevue, WA.  Our member, Redbird1, had learned that she was moving back to that other Eastside, the East Coast  of the United States, so we planned a bit of a goodbye party for tonight.  Also, We had our project bag exchange planned for tonight. But, before we got started, there were 2 exciting announcements.

Eastside Stitchers is GROWING.  GwenS and Hrvdmnky are both pregnant, and the babies are due 1 day apart.  Of course, all of the chat turned to baby patterns and possible projects. A joint baby shower is being planned, all right, it's  in the very early stages, so watch for a thread on that.  August is the projected month.

Then, we got down to stitching.  Who was there, and more importantly, what were they stitching?

Last Monday evening, some of us attended the Eastside Knitters Guild meeting.  There was a fun program where we learned how to knit a "Potato Chip Scarf."  This is a free pattern on Ravelry.  Tonight, 2 people were working on their scarves.

CathiC was using some Vanna's Choice Yarn for hers.

and, Wajio was using some no name silk/alpaca/merino blend.

They are both at the very beginning where the scarf looks a bit like a bowtie.

Colleen was making great progress on a lovely light purple baby blanket. The color is way washed out, but you can really see the pattern in the photo.

Wireknitter is test knitting a beautiful pattern by Stitchnerd, also known as Susan Ashcroft.  it is the Linen Boomerang Scarf and is not available yet.  The photo isn't great, but the scarf is really beautiful.  The yarn is Koigu.

Skeinherder was busy with one of her many many many Malabrigo March projects, her Donnie's Hat, by Tracey Grzegorczyk.  I am making the same hat. 

Ellyol was knitting a Hitchhiker shawl, by Martina Behm, out of the beautiful Apple Blossom colorway from Huckleberry Knits.

Hrvdmnky is still working on her socks.  She is improvising the pattern, and has made it to the second sock.

VanesaPolo is making great progress on her latest hat design in Yak Yarn.  When she is finished, she will be posting the pattern on Ravelry for free. I will be sure to let you know when that happens, and provide a link.

Anerenbe was knitting a triangular shawl.  The pattern is Yvaine by Liz Abinante.  The yarn is the Periwinkle Sheep sock yarn she got on our little 4 store trip to Bellingham last September.

GwenS is making a baby sweater.  The pattern is the Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater, and since it is Malabrigo March, the yarn is Malabrigo Rios.

Chockelet was knitting her final project for Malabrigo March, a Curiosity by Barbara Benson.  The yarn is Malabrigo Arroyo in the Plomo (gray) colorway.

Tara1682 has made real progress on the lovely Cloisters Wrap she is knitting for her Grandmother.

That covers the knitting.  I did not take photos of all of the little gifts for Redbird1, but, I did want to show the stitch markers that Tara made.  Our Redbird1 is quite the fan of the University of Alabama.  Tara found a charm bracelet on line that had charms that represented the school and its championship football team.  She took it apart, and made the charms into stitchmarkers.

Such a clever and fun idea, and the marker came out beautifully.  Redbird1 was stunned.


On to the project bag exchange. 

There were 5 finished bags, and one materials offering (with the promise of a bag to come).  We randomly selected the number 3, then passed the bags to the right 3 times.  I got the material (from Redbird1) and the promise of a bag from her.  I was with Redbird1 when she got the material at Maker's Merchantile last month.  I just love the colors and can't wait to see what she sews up.

Skeinherder's bag:

My bag:

MsWiz's bag:  (she was too sick to join us, but had sent her bag in for the exchange)

 VanesaPolo's bag:

Chockelet's bag.

None of the bags were in the exact same style.  It was pretty cool to see the different designs, as well as the very different material choices.  I think we should do this again in a few months.

I made mine from a pattern in the Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam.  The one in the book was a bit big, so I reduced the pattern to 75% size.  I love how it came out.  One more photo of the bag I made, with a cat model (Beena).

A really fun and full night.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with great stitch buddies.

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.