Madrona and Zombies

I went to Madrona with the plan to hang out and knit with my friends, and buy some Malabrigo for Mal March (I only have 2 partial skeins left from last year).  I also hoped to buy another size 0 ChiaoGoo red cable circular needle with at least a 40 in cable.  I have one already, and it is my favorite for 2-at-a-time socks.  It is good to have a second circ since there are sometimes patterns that can't be knit 2-at-a-time and I like to have both socks on the needles at the same time while I knit them as much at the same time as possible.  Otherwise... I end up with socks that aren't the same size (best result), or 1 sock (worst result).  The other thing I was hoping to find was a Japanese Stitch Dictionary.

AND NOTHING ELSE.

I did really well.

I drove down with Skeinherder, Wajio and Tara1682. We got the last parking space in the first lot!  Then the last table in the Rotunda.  Ok, it was a small table, but still, the ... last... table.

I almost didn't get the needles.  I found one vendor selling ChaioGoos, but they had no size 0 left.  Then I saw Franklin Habit holding a set of ChaioGoos while standing in line for the check out.  After a rather mock heated discussion over who needed the needles most, we agreed to part as friends with him the owner of the needles (ha ha ha they weren't even size 0 so I let them go easily).

I found 1 pair at the Carolina Homespun booth. Only 1. 

Not kidding, by Saturday, they didn't have many needles of any size except huge left.  At the check out I saw these amazing glass needles.

Kitties, bunnies, froggies, etc.  so cute.  I only looked.

I found a Japanese Stitch Dictionary at Village Spinning & Weaving.  They had a nice book table.  I can't really say the Japanese title of my book, but they have "Knitting Patterns 500" on the back.  The various stitches have little tutorials, and the whole thing is charted, so I think I can figure it all out. They had these cute knitted sheep at their check out.

ha ha ha if you only want to spend $5, these are the thing.

I bought 1 skein/ball of non-Malabrigo yarn.  VanesaPolo has this really cute hat pattern she is writing up for the Eastside Knitters Guild to use as a pattern give away at Vogue Knitting, Seattle/Bellevue.  I haven't written about this yet, but the Eastisde Knitters Guild will have a table in the Market there thanks to the generosity of Vogue Knitting.  We will pass out information on the Guild, and take names and emails of potential new members.  One of JitteryKnitter's excellent ideas is to have a pattern give-away to people who sign up.  I am going to test knit the pattern, and I need some yarn that has great stitch definition.  I was originally thinking I would get Malabrigo, but then  wouldn't be able to cast on until March, and I want to get going on this hat asap.  We stopped at the Black Water Abbey Yarns booth.  They are from Ireland, and this is yarn that would be tough for me to find normally.

It isn't the softest yarn, but they had some samples knit up in cable patterns (the hat is cabled) and wow, the yarn shows the cables beautifully, so I got some.  The color is Grey Sea.

There was no Malabrigo for sale on Saturday (or at least I didn't see any).  And really, there shouldn't be.  Madrona has so many wonderful indy dyers that I felt guilty shopping for Malabrigo there.  But, I am trying to knit from stash, except for Mal March, o and that hat... but I'm really trying to knit from stash.  So none of the gorgeous sock yarn for me.

We took a short walk to Fibers, Etc. in Tacoma.  I bought 2 skeins of Malabrigo Arroyo,

Archangel is the pinker one, and Borrajas is the more purple one.  I also got one skein of sock yarn in Tiziano Red.

I know, I know, it's not really "SOCK" yarn but really "FINGERING" weight yarn as there is no nylon in it.  I'm not sure if I will use it for socks.  But with Sock Madness coming up AND Mal Madness, I might double dip with a pair of socks... 

I have been watching The Walking Dead while knitting/crocheting.  I never watch horror movies because I have nightmares.  Or, if not full blown nightmares, when I try to sleep, I see the scary images, and can't relax enough to fall asleep.  Pookie watched this show last year.  I wanted to watch with him, because I love to watch whatever my kids are watching.  They have good taste (mostly) and it's fun to discuss films/tv/books, etc.

I finished Community last week.  Totally loved it.  I need something else to watch.  I have tried Breaking Bad, but the first episode was so violent, I didn't watch any more.  And then I tried Mad Men, and well I didn't like any of the characters, so I stopped after about 3 episodes.  What else were my kids watching?  Walking Dead...  So, I tried it.  The first episode is so scary.  Even though I watched it during the day in full daylight, I had to watch for 5 minutes, then stop it and listen to a knitting podcast for 15 min or so, then watch another 5 min, then back to a knitting podcast, etc.  Honestly, that was what I did.  I wanted to get through at least 1 episode.  When I finished, I texted Moogie and said, I think I'm hooked, but I just don't know if I can watch any more.

I asked the Doc to watch with me and he said, "I am not into Zombie movies." 

That is what he said.

So I watched on.  Yesterday, I finished the first season.  There are only 6 episodes, so it's not that many but last night, or this morning I guess, I woke up at 4 and couldn't go back to sleep.  I kept seeing zombies with decaying faces.  And, I was afraid to look out the french doors from our bedroom to the deck just in  case there was someone on the deck.  And then!  this morning when I was downstairs changing the laundry load, I could hear our Roomba, Robbie, bumping in the dark hallway, and it was so creepy, I just wanted to run back upstairs screaming.

Should I go on and watch Season 2?  I want to.  But, I also want to be able to sleep tonight.  O!  before I went to bed on Sunday and last night, I watched the last few episodes of Season 1 of the new Dr. Who (with Christopher Eccleston) and the first few episodes of Season 2 with David Tennant to clean out my brain before bed.  That was the only way I was able to sleep at all.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with new yarn and sleepless nights.

Ravellenics

I have finished all of the squares for the lapghan I am making for my Ravellenics project.  I have sewn 6 of them together into 2 square strips

Here are the other 6 ready to be sewn together:

I can't believe I hooked 12 squares in a bit over a week.  Thank you Ravellenic Games for the push!

More tomorrow.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with 12 squares.

Yay! Fiber Friday!!

Hello:

I got to the job this morning at 6 am, but there were some problems and the job was cancelled at 8 am.  All I could think was, "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!  I can make it to knitting!"

I got there right at 9, but there is this ... group... that has been getting there earlier, and they have taken our table.  So we moved a bit to some of the square tables, and just pushed them together.  It worked.

CodyJunk arrived soon after I did, and then CathieC.  Hold on to your hat, but CathieC does not drink coffee.  She has the most fun Tea ritual.  She brings her cup, saucer, own tea.  She seems her tea for a very precise amount of time.  I had to take a photo.  Very very civilized.

We were soon joined by our only Non-C member this morning, JulieMustKnit.  Julie has finished the colorwork hat she was knitting the last time I saw her.

This hat is so soft and squishy!  The yarn is from the Legacy Ranch in Carnation, and because of the uneven handspun quality, she had to ninja the pattern and really make it her own.  It is beautiful.

CodyJunk and I have been missing each other at Fiber Friday, each coming on the weeks that the other was absent, so it was wonderful to see her today.  She was hooking a beautiful cowl in Vanna's Choice.

Here is a close-up so you can see that her dog, Cody, has donated a bit of hair to the cowl!

JulieMustKnit was hard at work on her Ravellenics project, a sweater!  Here is one sleeve and the beginning of the second:

Winterspromise31 started a new hat.

CathieC brought her striped hat that she is knitting for the Games.

We are all to notice that she has added a third color.  See!  she has made progress since Wednesday night.

Look how far Winterpromise31 got on her hat by noon!  She is become a speed knitter.

I hope to see some of you at the Madrona market tomorrow.  I will  bring the new socks I am knitting for my brother.  Stop by and say, hi!

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Valentine's yarn.

Progress

I feel like I don't have that much to write about.  But, I do.  It's just that I have been knitting/crocheting long term projects.  I have been working a ton.  When I work, I bring my Day 15 Cowl because it is small, portable, and I have the easy pattern memorized.  Although I work on it when I can, it just never seems to grow.

After consulting with the cowl master, Puzan, I decided that I would make the pattern part about 4 - 5 inches with garter stitch borders of about 1/2 inch each.  Before blocking, of course.  I think I have been stuck at 3.5 inches for a week.  I decided that I would knit until February 15, and then I will just knit the garter stitch top border and be done with the thing.  I can block it aggressively, if needed, to get the width I want.  I know from blocking the 2014 Advent Calendar Scarf (the pattern is the stitch from Day 15, and I am using the skein that was left over from that project) that I can get quite a bit of stretch from this pattern if I want it.  But, I don't want to make this too open.  I measured the width while I was in between students at Bellevue College today, and I was happy to see that I have finally hit the 4 inch mark.

I don't feel so much pressure to work only on this cowl.  It has been nice social knitting, though, and I will need another project that is easily portable.

My Ravellenics Project is NOT portable.  I am making a lap afghan (lapghan).  I designed the square for this blanket.  I am using only one pattern.  I decided that I wanted the squares to be super soft and squishy so I used lots and lots of puffs in the pattern.  In fact, I call this pattern "Puff Daddy."

I am using only two colors of yarn.  I am varying the color changes.  Some of the squares will be solid.

Some will change colors.

None of the squares that have color changes will look alike (I hope!)

I have finished 7 of the 12 squares I need to cross the finish line at the Ravellenic Games in the "Giant Slalom-ghan" and "Modular Relay."  I'm working tomorrow morning (I really need to get to bed) and then tutoring in the afternoon.  Then Doc and I are going to dinner and a movie for Valentine's Day.  I hope to get in a bit of work between the tutoring and the dinner/movie out. 

I can't take this to Madrona on Saturday, either.  I will probably bring the socks I have started for my brother.  I don't have a photo yet, but I am using more of the Berroco Vintage that I bought from Little Knits.  I sent out the first pair of socks a few weeks ago, and he called to say they fit perfectly.  I am using a basketweave pattern of knits and purls for this pair.  The yarn is dark blue, so the pattern won't be very visible, but I will know it is there!

Really time for bed now.
Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with long term projects.

People Keep Stopping to Watch Us Knit

Hello:

The bluest sky you've ever seen...

My cats,  Beena and Muffin, want to go outside so much!  but it has been so cold.  They wait at the door, and when we open it,

Beena sticks out her paw, feels the cold and runs back in to the safety and warmth of the bedroom.  Muffin is a bit braver, but then she is quite large and has way more fur than little Beena.

This morning was sunny and in the 50's so much warmer than the last few days, though it was windy.  When I went out to take photos of the gorgeous sky, they hesitated at the door.  I called to them to come out, "Come on out!  Can't you hear all the birds?  Come hunt!"  Yes.  I lured my cats outside with the promise of a bird hunt.  They are not very good hunters, though, so I felt the bird were fairly safe.  The cats stayed out for quite a good time, enjoying all of the sounds, and the movement of the bushes and trees in the wind.

It was raining by the time I left for Crossroads to meet up with the Eastside Stitchers.  The round table was quite full by 7 pm, so we pulled up a second table.

Wajio was there, but she didn't have the right size needles with her, so she left early.

Pam2 is knitting a pair of Pippi Kneestockings from  Stitch 'N Bitch, The Knitter's Handbook.  The yarns are some lovely greens, and the photo doesn't do them justice.  I'm editing this to add that I picked up your paper pattern, if you are looking for it!  I'll keep it in my knit bag and bring it next Wednesday.

Alphabetadell was working on the sleeves of one of her baby suits.  Or, was she ripping the sleeve out?  There was quite a bit of discussion of frogging tonight.

BlueBerryMary talked about ripping back her Follow My Arrow Mystery Shawl.  Tonight, however, she wasn't working on the shawl.  She is almost finished with the gorgeous sweater she is knitting for her husband.

She is knitting the sleeves 2-at-a-time.  And is almost finished with them.

Anerenbe brought the beginning of a baby hat.

I wish I had taken a photo when she was ready to go home.  She made such great progress.  Honestly, a potential new Eastside Stitcher stopped at the table and sat down to chat for a bit.  She watched Anerenbe speed knit in awe and said, "she should be in a speed competition."   Hmmmm.... Sock Madness, Anerenbe?

Tara1682 has made beautiful progress on her lace wrap.

Last week, I believe she described it as "cat barf."  It definitely looks like a lace wrap, now.

Caam704 is knitting a baby blanket.

She looks about half way finished already.

VanesaPolo was working on one of her beautiful designs.

I hope to be able to test knit for her, and might have to buy some Malabrigo at Madrona on Saturday.  I need the right yarn for the test knit, don't I?  I only have 2 partial skeins of Malabrigo left over from last year's Malabrigo Madness.  If I get some sock yarn, I could double dip in Mal Madness and Sock Madness.  That would be a smart purchase!  Hmmmmm, anyway, I definitely want to test knit this hat.

CathieC almost left before I was able to snatch a photo of her new striped hat.

She is knitting it in her favorite method of knitting flat, and seaming at the end.  Of course, this prompted a discussion of people who enjoy finishing work, and those of us who do not; and people who like to knit in the round, and people who like to knit flat.

OOOO!  I almost forgot.  While we were knitting, a women stopped and said she is a student at Cornish School of the Arts in Seattle.  She is doing a project on Women of the Pacific Northwest, and asked if she could take a photo of our table of knitting NW women.  We all held up our projects, and she took a photo.  Famous Eastside Stitchers!

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with famous knitting friends.

Pocket Bibs

I dropped off the little present I made for our newest Eastside Stitcher, Amigirl's little boy.  I have been wanting to show them to you.  I designed them myself.

They were for a HPKCHC class, Flying.  The prompt was to craft something with a pocket.  I thought it would be fun to design some bibs with pockets.  The first one I made is solid blue with a green pocket with navy accents.

I crocheted a button hole in the top, and put in a button.  Then, I thought I would try to design a tie closure for the next bib.

The other fun part of designing these was the color changing/blocking in the tie bib.  I worked really hard to make the stripes with no weaving in, so I used a kind of intarsia technique.  Here is what the back looks like:

Also, for the first bib, I hooked the bottom of the pocket into the bib, then just sewed the sides when I was finished, rather than hooking a separate rectangle and sewing 3 sides (which is what I did for the tie bib).

Honestly, I am always trying to tweak my designs to minimize weaving in and finishing work.

Ok, bedtime.  I have to be at Newport High at 6 am tomorrow.  No kidding.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with baby bib designs.

Spent the whole day

working on my first entry for the Ravellenics.  I am making a "quick" 12 square (36 in x 48 in) lapghan.  I finished 4 squares.  I can't sew any together until I get some photos, so that will happen tomorrow.

Until then you will just have to look at photos of the snow from last night.

Unfortunately for those of us hoping for snow days, it got up into the 40's and is now raining, so the snow is disappearing, quickly.

We missed meeting for Sunday Knitting at Panera's this morning.  The one good thing is that my student who I was supposed to tutor didn't want to drive in the snow, so she cancelled and I got to stay home and work on the squares.

I also finished the square for the 3rd pattern for the 2014 Mystery Blanket KAL.  I like the "wrong" side better than the right side of this pattern.  I feel like I am falling behind with this KAL (though I am not really).  I plan to make the first blanket with 9 squares.  I am making 2 of each pattern, and then 1 square of one of the patterns.  I like this pattern, but I might just make one of it.  I have five of the nine squares finished.  The baby is due in May so I have plenty of time to finish it.

Ok, bedtime, and I promise some photos of my work tomorrow.

Good night,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with 1/3 of a lapghan.