Larger Pile of Cat Barf? Or A Shawl?

2012.05.24 Red Chinese Poppy

WIP

I am on the 9th repeat of 13 repeats of the main pattern of the Echo Flower Shawl  by Jenny Johnson Johnen I am making for my mom.  You might remember my earlier post about this shawl.

 It was a KAL for the Beginning Lace Knitters Group on Ravelry.  I did not start mine in time to knit it with the group because I was finishing my Princess Lace Wrap,

and I did NOT want to be knitting two lace projects at the same time.  It was bad enough that I was knitting that wrap and a pair of socks with a lace pattern, the Hearts Abound Socks for my sister, K.

 I kept confusing parts of the two patterns and knitting wrap stitches on the socks, and sock stitches on the wrap.  Much better to stick to one lace project at a time.  Of course, the Mock for SKA (Sock Knitters Anonymous) this month , Chiendent, designed  by the talented Rose Hiver, has a lace pattern, but it is so easy to remember, I am not confusing it with the shawl.  Or, at least I hope not.

When I hit eight repeats, I got really excited, and thought, "Wow!  I am half way finished."  But then I thought about the fact that I am adding 2 new sections with every new repeat, so, um, I'm too tired to do the math, but I am not half way.  This pattern is not hard, hence the Beginning Lace Knitters KAL, but I have to pay attention while I am working on it.  I can not watch TV, that's for sure.  I usually listen to a podcast, but not CraftLit because I have to pay attention to that one.  As it is, I sometimes have to replay parts of what ever I am listening to because I tend to block it out while I am knitting on this shawl.  Lately I have been trying to finish 2 rows every night.  Sometimes I manage more, sometimes, nothing at all.

But it is starting to have the shape of a shawl.  And I still love the yarn, Cascade Alpaca Lace in Cream.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

I have knit 201.18 miles!  Wooot!  Broke the 200 mile barrier today.  I had to take my car in for the 50,000 mile service check, and I almost used that as an excuse not to ride/knit. Instead, I rode and knitted, then went straight to the Dealer, yes, sweaty and wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt.  I refused to care.  It took about 1 hour to change the oil, etc, regular maintenance, and I knitted in the waiting room.  Then I stopped at the Knittery on the way home and picked up some yarn for a chemo hat that I want to make for the Sharing Our Gifts Group.  I am so glad I stuck to my exercise schedule.  I am still sitting on the side of the road.


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This is starting to remind me a bit of when I was stuck on the side of the road near Joint Base Lewis-McCord.  This highway is forever, and there are no yarn shops until I get to Portland.  I scouted ahead a bit and look at the map of Portland with the search for Yarn shops:


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Pretty amazing.

Ok, I hope to post FO (finished objects) tomorrow, so I need to get off my blog and get back to knitting.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet one almostish scarf at a time

Orange Chinese Poppy

Echo Flower Shawl, Not Cat Barf

2012.04.19

 

Another gray day today.  The Fuji Cherry tree is starting to drop petals and put on its leaves, but because of the gloom, I don't think you can see much.

Life

This is a huge weekend for my family.  My youngest child, my son L, has the lead in his high school musical and they are performing this weekend.  The play is The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and my son plays the part of William Barfee who wins the contest.  He has been a ballet dancer with some tap/jazz/modern as well since kindergarten, and has performed in many ballets, especially The Nutcracker with the Pacific Northwest Ballet when he was younger (and much smaller and cute), but has never acted or sang on stage before.  One of his good friends has done quite a few of the school musicals, and talked L into auditioning saying, "you can get a small part in the chorus.  With your dance skills, they will love you."  So L got the ok from his ballet teacher to audition, and did it.  Of course, he did not get one of the minor rolls but is splitting the lead with another boy (the show is double cast to allow as many students as possible to participate.)  I can't wait to see him! 

My daughter, S, the talented writer who goes to school in Portland, is taking the train home tonight, and will be here for the weekend.  L will perform the final 2 shows, both on Saturday.  I will go to both of his shows.  My poor husband, the Doc, has to work during the day on Saturday, so he will attend the evening (closing) show.  My older daughter, Allifer, and her boyfriend A, will attend the matinee, since poor A works Saturday night.  I probably won't update this blog until Monday, but if I get any photos after the show, I will post some because I know all of you read this blog to see how my kids and cats are doing and not for the knitting and crochet!

WIP

Last week I posted photos of some new projects that I have cast on.  One is the Echo Flower Shawl by Jenny Johnson Johnen.

I am knitting this shawl with the help of the Beginning Lace Knitters Group on Ravelry.  I think this was the KAL for March, so I am a bit late, but I was BUSY. =)  And I will admit, a bit intimidated.  But I decided to screw up my courage, and take the plunge.

I am using Cascade Alpaca Lace in Cream.  OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  I mean it!  OOOOOOOO!  This yarn is absolutely lovely.  I love the feel of it as it runs through my fingers while I am knitting.  Sometimes, I just stop and pet the ball.  I am using cream, because I let my Mom pick the color, and that was what she wanted.  I know she is not really a "shawl" type of person, what ever that is.  She lives in southern  California, and it is simply too hot there to wear a lot of knitwear.  But I miss her.  And I feel the need to show my love for her by knitting her something.  She may never wear this.  But I don't care.  She can just take it out and pet it occasionally.  I have seen that some of the people in the group put beads in the border section, and I am thinking of doing that.  I will have to find a bead color that does not pop, but just adds a tiny bit of sparkle.  I learned how to add beads with a crochet hook when I was making my 2011 Advent Calendar Scarf last December.  I remember the process as being super slow and tedious, but the beads as adding a really lovely touch to the scarf.  Perhaps I will be a tiny bit faster this time around.  Also, I need to practice this, because I fully intend to participate in the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf this coming December!

I have completed the set up section, and 2 repeats of the main flower pattern in these photos.  It is simply amazing to me how much lace looks like cat barf before it is blocked.  I stretched it out just a bit so you can get a sense of what the flower pattern looks like.

The flower pattern is 8 rows and on the first row, there are some "3 into 9" and "2 into 9" stitches.  This is where you knit together 3 stitches (or 2) and do not drop them off the left needle, but yarn over the needle and knit into the same stitches repeating this again and again until you have 9 loops on the right needle.  On the way back, you purl these 9 new stitches.  In this way, the shawl grows by 2 sections every full 8 row repeat.  At first, I was stopping after completing row 8.  Now, I am going ahead and doing the row 1 increases before I stop, so that it will seem like easy fast knitting when I pick up the shawl to continue.  It's all a game to psych myself up for yet another repeat.  To make a real shawl and not a scarf, we are supposed to do 13 repeats of this flower pattern.  I have been reading the thread on the Group Page, and almost everyone who stopped short of the 13 repeats was sorry.  So even though it will take me (a VERY slow knitter) longer and longer to complete the 8 rows, I will do all 13 repeats.  I am determined to make my mom a beautiful shawl.

That's all for today.  I get to pick up my daughter, S, at the train station in Seattle tonight.  I can't wait to see her.

No bike trip again today.  I hope to restart it on Monday, even if I can only knit for 15 minutes before dropping with exhaustion.

Yours,
f1bercat
Shaping the planet one piece of cat barf at a time

No Bike Ride Today... Too Sick With The Flu

2012.04.09

I'm dying.  Ok, I'm not really dying, but I feel like it.  I have the flu for the first time in about 20 years and it feels horrible!  I'm actually a bit better today.  Last night as we were watching Easter Parade (one of my family's favorite Easter traditions) the sore throat and irritating cough morphed into body aches and chills with violent shaking, and I really thought I needed to go to the hospital.  I am never sick.  I guess I forgot what it feels like.  It stinks.

Anyway, no bike ride for me today, and until I have energy.

I am going to post some of the new WIP's I cast on last friday.  Then get to bed early.

1. Subtle Socks

These are for the SolidSocks and Sock Knitters Anonymous Groups on Ravelry.  The challenge for SKA is socks with a Literary Theme.  The SolidSocks color for April is yellow.  I am making Lyra's Socks by DXM Patterns (she is DeusXMachina on Ravelry).  They are based on the main character from Phillip Pullman's wonderful His Dark Materials trilogy.

I am using my new Miss Bab's Yummy Superwash Sock yarn in Squash Blossom.  It is indeed YUMMY!  Super wonderful feel as I knit.

I am knitting them 2aaT on size 2 Addi Turbo Lace Needles.  I have also added 4 stitches since I want these to fit over my heels.

2. Wedding Fish

Rather than make my nephew A socks for his wedding in June (I am giving his bride to be the Snuggly Socks), I decided to make him a fish hat!  He is an avid fisherman; has loved fishing since he was a kid.  I have loved this pattern since our good friend Jenknotsed8 from Eastside Stitchers  brought her fish hat project one Wednesday.  The pattern is called Fish Hat [Dead or Alive?] by Thelma Egberts and was first published in Knitty, Winter 2008.  I am knitting the lips in Red Cascade 220.  I have some Orange Cascade 220 but I think I might look for some other colors if I have enough energy to go shopping tomorrow or Wednesday, since I am not sure I want red and orange.  I'm thinking 2 colors of blue or green. 


3. Nana's Shawl

I finally cast on the March KAL for the Beginning Lace Knitters Group on Ravelry.  The pattern is Echo Flower Shawl by Jenny Johnson Johnen.  I watched the KAL thread as people knitted these beautiful shawls, and really wanted to make one for my mom.  She lives in Southern California, so doesn't wear mittens, gloves, hats, etc. but she does go to the theater and ballet a lot, and I thought a lacy shawl would be just right.  I am using this absolutely wonderful feeling Cascade Alpaca Lace yarn  in Cream.  I would have made it in some glorious color, but I knew she would want a neutral color, and so I called to double check, and yes she said, please make it in cream.  One of our LYS closed this winter, and I was able to snag this yarn at a nice price.  So far I have knit the first half of the set up section, so it doesn't look like much.  Well, because I am using lace weight yarn and size 5 needles, it kind of looks like Cat Barf.


Good night, and stay well!  Being sick stinks.

f1bercat
shaping the planet one hacking cough at a time

A Coyote, an Eagle, and an FO

A Coyote, an Eagle, and an FO

This morning, as I was driving to the Y (late because of Daylight Savings Spring Forward), I saw a coyote.  I was about 1/2 mile from my house, and still in the neighborhood.  It quickly disappeared through a hedge into someone's yard.  I did not get a great look at it, but dogs don't behave that way.  Dogs in our neighborhood stand in the way of your car and ask to be petted.  They do not slink off.  I immediately turned around and saw it again further down the street, even closer to my house.  It quickly disappeared this time, also.  I drove back.  Partly because I had seen one of our neighbors out walking his dog and wanted to warn him, but really  because our two cats, Selena and Muffin (NO WE DID NOT NAME HER), were outside, acting wild in the windstorm that was our morning weather.  Coyotes eat cats in our neighborhood.  But not my cats.  I whistled for them, and they ran up to see what was happening.  Then much to their mutual indignation, I grabbed them both and put them back inside.  Safe and sound.

When I was driving home, after knitting my way to the next LYS (more to come on that), and after stopping at the grocery store for milk, I saw a bald eagle riding the updrafts over the lake.  It was my second sighting this year.  We have a nesting pair that live in a fir tree up our hill, and often we can see them fishing the lake.  Even better, by mid-summer, we will see them flying with their eaglet, introducing him or her to the wonders of flight.  It has been weirdly cold lately, more like winter than the spring that is coming.  But an eagle.  Yes, "Spring is a cummin' in."

Almost as exciting as a bald eagle sighting, and way way better than a mangy old coyote, is my new Princess Wrap Shawl!  Knit in Debby Bliss Cashmerino in Wine.

I knit this shawl with pixiesmom, another member of the Beginning Lace Group on Ravelry.  I have talked about this before, but I want to repeat some of it because it is great to join a group like this.  The Moderators and other helpful members are quick to answer any questions.  They hold your hand, well virtually, through the whole lace experience.  And knitting it with a buddy is especially fun because you spur each other on.  Both pixiesmom and I had lots of things on our needles and hooks, but we made sure to work on our shawls, because we were checking in on the chat thread daily to see each other's progress.

So here is my shawl, finished but unblocked:

Here it is being blocked, with Selena as official cat blocking helper:

(sorry this is a bit blurry, but it was cloudy and not so good for photos in the basement where I blocked it) this is a close up of the pattern unblocked:

and blocked:

Don't you love Before and After Photos?

This is the finished Princess Wrap Shawl. 

I love it.

Where in the world is f1bercat

I have increased my knitting while riding the exercise bike to 35 min.  Wow, it's not like I'm going fast or have super hard tension, but I did not want to ride/knit for 5 more minutes.  What a wussy.  I did it though.  So, today I rode 6.36 miles and have now knitted a total of 34.74 miles.  What's more important, I am on my second week.  I am so proud of myself.

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On the way south, I stopped off (virtually of course) at All Points Yarn in Des Moines  at 21921 Marine View Drive South in Des Moines, WA.

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This yarn shop has special events and lots of classes.  They have lots of classes in machine knitting, and are authorized Silver Reed knitting machine dealers for the Seattle and Puget Sound area.  One of the fun things they offer is a Men's Knit and Stitch Night.  Got to love a store that welcomes the male of our f1ber species. The owner is on Ravelry as AllPointsYarn and they have an active group.

If you stop by, remember to say "Hello," from f1bercat.

Here is my to-date progress map:

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Have a great night.

f1bercat

shaping the planet with 2 safe cats at a time

P. S. If I am biking/knitting (kniking?) near to you in the future, and you have a LYS you would like me to virtually visit, be sure to leave me a comment here, or send me a pm on Ravelry.

WIP Update

Good afternoon, everyone!

This is a bit of a catch up blog, just bringing you up to date on my WIP's before I head out for some fun stitching and chat with the Eastside Stitchers at Crossroads Mall.

WIP

Needles

I only have knitting in progress right now as I am waiting for next month's Block of the Month CAL to be released.

Hearts Abound Socks for my sister, Kathy

Hearts Abound Socks by Kerin Dimeler-Laurence 

I have finished the feet and heels of these self striping pink socks.  I am sure the yarn is too busy for the heart lace pattern, or the lace pattern is too busy for the self striping yarn.  However, when the socks are on, the pattern is more visible.  I did not like the heels in the pattern, so I substituted the heels I used in the Hungry Bees socks I made earlier this year.  These still don't look fabulous, I had some trouble controlling the stitch size on the ssk side of the decreases, but they are still neater than the ones used in the original pattern. 

Here are the finished feet:

Insteps

Soles

Here are the messy heels:

Not too bad

Ugh!  looks so sloppy

I just need to do 1 or 2 repeats of the lace pattern for the legs and the cool ruffled cuff, and they are finished!  I hope to have them off the needles by Feb 28th.  If I make that deadline, I will still be on target for at least 1 pair of socks every month since September.

Liz Marino's Gift Knit Club Gloves

Yippee!  The next project from the Liz Marino's Gift Knits Club from the Knitting With Karma blog has arrived.  It will be some slippers.

The first project is a pair of women's gloves.  Now remember, I have never come close to knitting gloves before, but I have finished the first one and am about 1/3 of the way through the second glove.

Isn't it beautiful???  Look, 4 fingers!  And it was actually pretty easy.

Lewk's Red Sweater

I'm about 1/2 way through the front of the never ending sweater project.  I like to bring this with me when I go places, because I soooooo have the patterns memorized, that I barely have to think about it now.  I brought it with me when I met up with my neighbor BFF's PR and BW for coffee yesterday.  I knit through our whole conversation about what amazing kids we have.

At some point, I will finish the body parts and have to start on the sleeves.  Someday... I plan on bringing this sweater tonight because the conversation can get lively, and I don't want to have to think too much.

Wrapped Like a Princess

I have started a new lace project with the Beginning Lace Knitters Group in Ravelry.  It is a rectangular wrap designed by Betsy Perry called the Princess Lace Wrap.  It calls for worsted weight yarn and size 7 needles.  I am using some gorgeous Cashmerino Aran by Debbie Bliss in a wine color and size 10 needles.  The finished dimensions on the pattern give only 12" in width.  I want a wider wrap, so I am hoping that the size 10 needles will take care of that.  I cast on today, and have finished 1 repeat of the pattern.  Super super simple chart, and it seemed to go quickly.  I am not secure enough though, to bring it to Eastside Stitchers tonight.  Maybe next week.  Anyway, here is what it looks like so far, and unblocked:

That's all for now, I need to pack up my knitting back and camera.  I hope to take photos of everyone's WIPs again tonight and post tomorrow who showed up for the fun.

See you tomorrow.

f1bercat

shaping the planet one lace wrap at a time