I have been busy

Hello:

It's a bit after 11 am, and wow still foggy.  It seems like summer has ended early.  We had the warmest/least rainy summer in 2 generations.  The weatherman on KUOW keeps saying that we are going to have more nice days, but then... we get this fog.

It is the beginning of the Fall Term for the Harry Potter Knitting Crochet House Cup (HPKCHC) on Ravelry.  This happens every 4 months.  The "terms" are 3 months long with a month break in between.  You can turn in one finished WIP each month of the term, but all other points are for projects started and finished during the term.  This always makes the break month a bit of a stitching downer.  Or, a needed rest...

For detention (this month it is called "Leaky Cauldron"), I made a hat, the Turn a Square Hat by Jared Flood.

Other than "detention" - the finished WIP's, there are 5 different types of projects you can do for the game.

The class prompts are short term projects.  Every month, on the first day of the month.  Eight different class threads are opened with a bit of a story and a prompt for a project.  These prompts have different options, and always include all the possible crafts (knitting, crochet, spinning, dyeing). While at first they seem specific, they are very open and you can almost always figure out a way to "sell" a project you wanted to make to any class.  The projects must be completed, and by completed I mean completed - blocked and all ends woven in, and the turn in posted by the last day of the month.

This term, the classes are a bit different, at least for September.  We are exploring the shops in Diagon Alley.  So, rather than having Flying Class, we have a prompt for Quality Quidditch Supplies.  The prompt has to do with the balls used in playing Quidditch.  If you are learning about the Snitch, you might craft something to help catch or contain a snitch (for example, gloves/mitts/bags).  If you choose the Bludger option, since these are rather dangerous, you might craft something you are afraid of, something you have tried and failed at before, been nervous to start, or a new technique.  The last option for this class is the Quaffle.  Since these are the only non-magic balls used in quidditch, you must craft something a muggle might use to clean up messes.  This is an opportunity for people who love to craft washcloths, etc.

This type of game is so perfect for me.  There is a bit of role-playing, a bit of trivia and learning more about the Harry Potter world, a lot of Harry Potter, and a lot of crafting.

For Quality Quidditch Supplies, I made some fingerless mitts.  They fulfill option 1, and will help my son, Pookie, "catch snitches" at his school this fall.

Another class I have finished is Ollivander's Wand Shop.  You might remember from the books, that Mr. Ollivander is always saying that the wand chooses the wizard.  So for this class, there is only one prompt, "craft something that chose you - explain how it chose you."

I have been working on a new afghan square design, Twisted Rose, having it tested, and getting it ready to publish.  So, for this class, I made up one of my new squares in Gryffindor colors.  I haven't turned it in yet, but the write up will be something about the design being my own, and something I just can't get out of my head, and of course Gryffindor colors are a natural since being sorted into Gryffindor for the 4th term.

I have started a pair of socks.  These will be turned in for Flourish & Blotts.  This is the bookstore in Diagon Alley.  The prompt focuses on a book of hexes and jinxes, Curses and Counter-Curses: Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more. 

The prompts are to either craft something to protect your legs from the Jelly-Legs curse (socks/leg warmers) or to craft something really ugly and for bonus points, give it to someone.

I am doing option 1.  I am making Hidden Hearts by Jeannie Cartmel.  She is one of the featured designers for Sock Knitters Anonymous, SKA, this month.  I am using some beautiful SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in Boysenberry.  SolidSocks challenge for September is Purple, so these socks will fit that group, too.

I am finding these a bit of a slow go.  The pattern is not difficult, but it is not necessarily social knitting.  I brought them to Crossroads last Wed, and made very slow progress.  Then, I tried to knit them while watching Notre Dame lose to Michigan last night, and that was even worse.  The Doc does not like too much light on while watching TV, and these need a lot of light.  I ended up putting them down and working on my OWL, instead.

The long term projects in the House Cup are:  NEWTs, OWLs, and BROOMs.

NEWTs are meant to be a 4 month long project.  You have to have successfully completed 4 OWLs before you are "allowed" to do a NEWT.  I am currently on my fourth OWL.

The OWLs should take 6 - 8 weeks and involve 60 - 80 hours of crafting.  This is pretty subjective, as they want it to be your time, not what it would take an expert speed knitter, or spinner, etc.

For my other OWLs I made, 3 pairs of socks (History of Magic), an Afghan (Transfiguration), and two lace baby blankets (Charms).  For this OWL (Arithmancy), I am making another afghan, but not the entire thing.  The prompt is to make 12 of something.  You can make 12 hats.  They don't have to be the same pattern or yarn.  So I will make 12 12 in. afghan squares, and 10 6 in squares.  I need 20 of the 12 in squares to make a decent size afghan, so the other eight will be made for various classes or Quidditch.

So far I have completed two of the 12 in.:

Four 12 in Shell Stitch Granny Square Variations  by Pricilla Hewitt

The Harriett Square by Carolyn Christmas,

and, the Vintage Lace Square (6 in. square) by Carol Alexander.

As soon as I figure out how I want to arrange the squares for the afghan, I will start hooking them together.  That is my fail safe recipe for finishing an afghan quickly.  Hook as you go!

I haven't proposed a BROOM yet this term, but I plan on proposing 2 pair of socks.  I plan to make the socks anyway, for SKA, and possibly solid socks, so I might as well get BROOM points for my house.

The last way to win points, and submit projects for prizes, is through Quidditch.  Quidditch projects are usually short 1 week projects that span the three months.  This term, there is actually one long three month Quidditch Game, and 4 short games.  I will talk about the long game later, but the first short game is a one week Get to Know Your New Nimbus challenge.  Since the Nimbus 2000 was the top-of-the-line broom when it was released, this challenge is to craft something using top-of-the-line materials.  This means top of the line TO YOU.  If you only have acrylic, and always use acrylic, you just have to say why acrylic is top of the line (wears well, washable, no allergies, etc.)

For this challenge, I made a hat in Malabrigo Worsted.  I had started this hat during Mal March, but never got much past the cast on.  I frogged it, went down a needle size to size 4 (I am such a lose knitter!), and it knit up in 2 days.

The pattern is Roscoe Village Hat by Breean Elyse Miller.

I plan to make a pair of matching fingerless mitts using something of the same stitch patterns, and give both to Moogie as a Have Fun in New York gift.

Whew!  that was a lot of explaining.  I really need to get back to my socks.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet on a HP high

Almost 1 pm and look, there is the sun.  It will be a beautiful day, after all.

Lightning

Hello:

A weird series of storms has raced through the Pacific Northwest this last week.  Last night we had some serious lightning and thunder.  So serious, that a guy on a motorcycle riding down I 5 was struck by lightning.  He is alive, and doing well, but gee!  think of it, struck by lightning in the head.

Today the Fiber Friday group of Eastside stitchers met under the skylight in Crossroads.  Our Friday group is going through a bit of a transition, what with babies, and job searches.  However, the group that made it there had fun, and brought some lovely projects.  It's funny though, because so many of us were at Wed night stitching, too, you might not see so much progress.

JulieMustKnit brought her beautiful Union Square Cowl.  It's not the best social knitting, however, I got a perfectly gorgeous photo of it.  You can really see the stitches and how pretty the moss stitche.

CodyJunk was actually knitting!  she had put down the hook, and was hard at work on a very pretty cowl.

WinterPromise31 is just about to the crown decreases on her circuar hat.

BlueBerryMary brought the same scarf that she had brought on Wednesday night.  I couldn't believe her progress.

Amazing, in such a short period of time.

Sorry for posting this so late, but I'm falling asleep, and just don't have the energy to write more.

Peace,
fibercat.
shaping the planet with stormy skies.

Twisted Rose, and Babies!

Hello:

This is my newest afghan square design, Twisted Rose with Thorn Border.

I have been having this square tested by 6 different testers in The Testing Pool group in Ravelry.  It's such a cool group.  You just start a thread with what you need tested, and how many people you would like to test it, and people start signing up.  I have received feedback from 4 of the six people who asked to test my square.  They gave me really good ideas of rounds they found confusing or awkwardly written.  I am just about ready to post the pattern, in fact I will probably post it tomorrow.  I just need to edit it to thank the testers for their help. 

Also, tomorrow, I will post the round photos of the square here, so you can see how it comes together.

But now to the important part of today's post:  BABIES

Yes, poor CathieC is feeling sick.  She wasn't able to take a turn on driving Hvrdmnky home from the NICU.  I got another turn!

The babies are now both over 5 pounds, and just putting on weight like no body's business.  I thought it would be fun to compare/contrast their photos from the first time I got to drive Hrvdmnky home, two weeks ago, with the photos from today.

Here is Caroline on August 27.

And here is Caroline today.

This was Elena on August 27.

And this is Elena today.

They are filling out, and their color is so much healthier.  They are just beautiful.  Of course, knitwear make everyone look beautiful.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with a new design

Eastside Stitchers Discuss Back to School

Hello:

One of the things I love about Eastside Stitchers, is how we use the threads on Ravelry.  I know I have talked about this before, but it was in evidence again tonight.

Yesterday, GwenS started a thread for tonight, and said she had a conflict and would not be able to come.  We have a large enough group that if a few people can't come, there will still be friends at Crossroads stitching.  But, that isn't the point.  It is just so nice to have a heads up when people can't make it.  Others who had conflicts left messages as well.  When we have a really full group, we need to grab 2 of the large round tables.  Tonight, we needed only 1.  But, it was nice to know in advance.

We had some of our newer members make it tonight.

JulieMustKnit came to her first Wednesday night meet up.  She brought the gorgeous Union Square Cowl in Madelinetosh Vintage in the Lolita colorway.

BlueBerryMary also made it to HER first Wednesday night meet up.  Since retiring, she has been busier than ever.  She has begun a beautiful Rainbow Lace Scarf.

Vivi came to her second Wednesday night.  She is a beginning knitter, but is making great progress on her squirrel.

Enough of our regulars were there to fill out the table with all these new people.

Tara1682 brought her 3rd Linen Stitch Scarf.

Ha ha ha ha, Wajio brought the Penultimate baby bootie.  One more to go!!

Chockelet brought her Ombre Infinity Scarf adaptation of the Churchmouse Yarn and Teas Bias Before and After Scarf.

I can't believe she started that scarf one week ago!

And speaking of starting something one week ago and  being almost finished, Amigirl joined the table towards the end.  It is always so wonderful when she can make it to knitting.  She brought......

YES! her Sprucey Lucy socks.  I believe she started them last January.  Ha ha, I told her I would look them up and see when she first started them.  They are fitting her beautifully.  She just needs time to knit!

Eight people around the table at Crossroads.  Not bad for a night when a lot of people had conflicts (or new babies).

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with no kids at home.

Princeton Orientation 2

Hello:

I wanted to write just a little bit more about Princeton. 

Here are some photos of Pookie's 3 room Quad (four guys sharing 3 rooms) in 1927 (that's the name of his dorm), Wilson College.

These first two photos are of the center room.  This is usually a shared study/relaxing room.

These two photos are of the shared bedrooms on either side of the common room.

The rooms are pretty spare and simple:  two bunk beds, two small dressers, a small closet.  They are not small, however, especially with the beds stacked.

You might have noticed that the luggage was all in the center, shared room.  We were the first of our rooms to arrive, and I fully expected Pookie to run to the right bedroom and grab it, as it is slightly larger than the left bedroom.  Also, he could have grabbed one of the desks near the window, and one of the bigger shelf units.

Pookie told me that is not how they do it.  They leave all of their stuff, and when they get back from their trip, they decide as a group how to set up the room.  So, if 2 people like to study late, they might decide to room together and leave the two who go to bed early together.  Also, they will try to split up the desks, etc. fairly.  I suggested Rock-Paper-Scissors for the bigger room, and the boys seemed interested in that method.  That is how my kids decide almost everything.

I have to say that I really liked this.  My other kids, Himes and Moogie, had been last to move into their shared dorm rooms in their Freshman years, and the good desk and beds were just taken by the first person to arrive.  I love that there is a culture of cooperation here.

Two of Pookie's roommates showed up before I had to leave, and they were both delightful young men.

I love how awkward they are right now, and hope that disappears as the year progresses.


Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet from Bellevue

Here are the roommates standing in front of their windows

Princeton Orientation

Hello!

I got home from my weekend trip to Princeton with Pookie yesterday.

We left Friday night on a 9 pm flight and arrived in New Jersey at 5 am eastern time.

The guy next to me on the plane jiggled his leg and bumped mine repeatedly as he slept.  Finally, I wedged my knitting bag between us, and was able to doze a bit.  Pookie was in the seat behind me (we had the aisle seats way at the back.) The young girl next to him, she seemed about 12, slept on his shoulder.  When we landed, she called someone on her phone and talked super loudly.  I heard her say, "Next time I see Grandma, I'm going to kick her butt!"

Airplanes.

The public transportation to Princeton is fabulous.  You can take the Newark Airport Air Train right to a train station that has both Amtrack and NJTransit train connections.  For only $18, you take a train towards Trenton that stops at Princeton Junction.  From there, you are supposed to catch another little train that goes back and forth to the university.  This train is nicknamed the "Dinky."  But, they are moving the train station on the campus, so that train isn't running as often as it usually does.  Instead there were free shuttle buses.  The new station won't be as convenient a walk, but still, to have your own train is pretty cool.

On the platform, waiting for the train to Princeton Junction, we saw 3 young men who had to also be freshman.

The freshman check in one week early.  The school puts them into groups of 12 -20 and you can choose to either do some type of an excursion or charity project.  Pookie is going backpacking.  One of his roommates chose the charity option and is working with Habitat for Humanity in Trenton for the week.  So the only students arriving are the fall sports people (already there), the RCA's (Residential College Advisors - upper classmen who are supervisors in the dorms), and the upper classmen who are supervising the week's activities. 

These guys were all West Coasters, too.  Two were from Arizona (though they didn't know each other and met on the plane out), and one from California.  The four freshman bonded on the train.

None of them are in the same dorm, but as the two from Arizona plan to be Engineering majors, as does Pookie, they will probably have classes together.

We got in line and checked in.

The Princeton mascot, a Tiger,

was passing out lollipops.

After checking in, we headed to Pookie's dorm, 1927.  It was donated by the class of 1927, hence the name.  Princeton is just so cool.  They have organized the life on campus into "Residential Colleges."  Like most universities, there are academic colleges, only two here, the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.  But the residential colleges are another thing.  There are six.  They each have a dining hall or cafeteria, social space, study space, etc., and a grouping of dormitories.   Make sense?  He is in Wilson College, the oldest of the residential colleges and the best located.  It is the most central to the campus.

View Larger Map  |  Get Directions  |  View Bird's Eye

Wilson College is only a two year residential college, so it is paired with Butler college, and after his sophomore year, Pookie will move into Butler College.  The two sets of dorms and social/dining/study spaces are right next door on campus, so he won't move far.

We had a great parent orientation meeting with the Master of Wilson College, Eduardo Cadava, who is an English Professor at Princeton. 

One of the interesting things he emphasized about the school was not how awesome it is academically, but all of the other awesome experiences students have access to at Princeton.  They are really into educating the whole student, not just the brain. 

After the adults spoke, the RCA's came in, were introduced, and answered questions from the parents. One parent asked what was the best advice for the parents of Princeton freshmen.  The RCA said, "B's happen."  Everyone laughed, because, of course all our kids have straight A's from their high schools as well as super high test scores.  Except one mom who was sitting near me.  At the phrase, "B's happen,"  she folded her arms across her chest, frowned, and shook her head, "NO."  I almost laughed out loud.  But, really.  B's better not happen to Pookie.

I took the train back to Newark Airport that evening and spent the night at the Marriott hotel right in the middle of the airport.

Here is my DISLIKE for the trip.  Honestly.  The Marriott charges almost $200 for one person for one night.  And then, the internet is not free.  $13 for 24 hours of wireless internet.  If you want really fast internet, you can pay $18 instead.  What?????  I refused to pay as I was awake in the hotel for about 4 hours.  Why do these big hotels nickle and dime you like that?  Charging for internet.  Crazy.

The knitting part of my trip was awesome, though.

I haven't knit all of August.  First because I needed to finish up the Graduation Afghan.  Then because I was making a bunch of crocheted stitch markers.  Then because it was getting close to September 1, the start of the new "term" for the Harry Potter Knitting/Crochet House Cup.  You can turn in one WIP for detention each month, but most of your points come from stuff you start and finish during the term.

I had planned to turn in my Pamina Socks for my WIP (detention) points. 

I made and finished these socks last winter, but they were a tiny bit too small.  I frogged the toes, reattched what was left of the yarn, and am busy making them about .5 in longer.  But, I forgot to pack them.

I did pack some new yarn in Princeton's colors (Orange, Black, and White).  I had planned to start a hat and fingerless mitts for Pookie when I finished the socks.  I figured I would knit the hat on the plane ride home, September 1.  Since I didn't have the socks. I went ahead and started the hat anyway.  It knit up so quickly!

I was using some Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash.  This is a Worsted Weight yarn.  Because I knit loosely, I used size 3 needles.  I had Jared Flood's Turn a Square Hat as my guide.  I didn't follow it exactly.  I used 3 colors rather than one main and a self striping alternate color.  Also, I made it a bit longer so Pookie can either slouch it, or turn up the brim if he wants, or pull it way down over his ears.

I knit with fingering and lace weight yarn so often, that working with worsted is crazy fast.  I had the hat ready to decrease before I went to bed.  I finished the hat on the plane, quite easily.

I learned the jogless join, and was mostly successful.

When I finished the hat, I still had a lot of time before we would be landing in Seattle, so I decided to start my first "class project," a pair of fingerless mitts for Pookie in the same yarns.  I had no idea which class these mitts would fit, but there is always at least one class where gloves/mitts fit the prompt.

By the time we landed, I was almost ready to bind off the first mitt.  Wow.  I stayed up last night (until midnight!!) and finished them both.

That's my hand, modeling.

I used the 220 Fingerless Mitts pattern by Jessica Jensen as a template.  Again, I didn't follow exactly.  I made them slightly bigger around, added a bit to the thumb gussets, and make the finger part longer.  My hands are pretty big, and Pookie's are even bigger.  I want his hands to stay warm.  I love how they came out.  I will send the hat and mitts out next week with a care package that includes his afghan, as even in all those suitcases, he didn't have room for that giant blanket.

Peace,
f1bercat
enjoy your Labor Day.