Mollywobbles

Hello:

Just a quick post about one of my class assignments for HPKCHC.  The assignment for DADA (Defense Against the Dark Arts) this month is to research a Harry Potter Tribute band, called "Wrock Bands" and craft either something inspired by one of the bands, one of their songs, a song sung in one of the books, or craft something to wear to a Wrock Concert in your house colors.

The "professors" for DADA thoughtfully gave us links to a bunch of these bands.  I checked them out and found one, the Hogwarts Trainwreck,  from Spokane, Washington.  Why, that is almost a neighbor to me.  Ok, not really as Spokane is way on the eastern side of our state, about a 6 hour drive due east on the 90 freeway.  But still, a Local Harry Potter Themed Band!

They have a fun pop sound.  I checked out some of their lyrics, and chose a song named, "Mollywobbles" about Arthur Weasley proposing marriage to Molly.

Here is a bit of the lyrics:


Mollywobbles it's no lie
You're as sweet as pumpkin pie
Take me as your husband, please
I beg you on bended knee
Maybe we could have a son
And be prudent, just the one
Then we'll be a family
You and me and baby three…

Marry me, Mollywobbles, marry me …



These are just perfect inspiration for a baby pumpkin hat!

I will send this on to charity.  O!  one other good thing about it is that I knit from stash.  Working hard at using up what I can.  I plan to make another pumpkin hat for the Head Mistress Challenge.  But as it is late, more on that in another post.

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with pumpkin pie, and a helpful cat.

Pie Are Square

Happy Pi Day, Everyone!

For those of you who aren't Math Geeks, today's date is 3/14 or 3.14 which is the abbreviation for the magical mathematical number Π  (Pi), which is very useful for finding the area or circumference of circles.  The formula for finding the area of a circle is Πr²  or pi r squared.  Get it?

I was going to bake an apple pi for my son L, who IS a math geek, but I got hung up on Ravelry (yes I am blaming Ravelry), looking at patterns and all of the amazing finished socks on SKA for the March challenge, so I just made a breakfast pi, or a quiche for those of you who demand honesty, and of course in the spirit of the area formula, it is squared.

WIP

As I said, I was drooling at all of the finished, and wip's in SKA and also SolidSocks for the month.  This is because I am busily knitting away on my two very different sock projects.

I am ready on both to start the heels.  Finally.

The Liz Marino Snuggly Socks are knitting up beautifully. 

I have decided with some angst, regret and a spirit of true generosity, to not keep these socks.  I really really really want to keep them.  I love the feel of the Mountain Colors sock yarn.  I love the simplicity, yet interest in the rib pattern.  I love the stretchiness the pattern is giving to the legs of the socks.  But, my nephew who is also one of my Godsons, A, is getting married this summer.  I have decided to give these socks to his bride, S, and make a matching pair for him.  They can snuggle up together in their matching Snuggly Socks.  

 However!  this is such a nice pattern, that I might make it my Go To pattern for Vanilla Socks.  I mean, it would make Vanilla socks so much more than plain Vanilla, yet be the kind of sock the Doc would love to wear, and me, too!  I want a pair.

I am liking the Classic Elite Summer Sox yarn more and more.  It still feels a bit sticky as it runs through my fingers, but as I fondle the fabric I have knitted, I like it.  It will never feel like wool, or sadly like the cashmere socks I made myself in January.  But for a lighter summer sock, it is quite nice.

The big mistake was asking Doc how long he wanted the legs.  I was thinking that I might get away with knitting a shorter leg, like he could wear these golfing... but he told me that he loves the Movember Mystery socks I made him for the SKA November challenge, and he wants these to be the same size.  That means 8 in. legs.  EIGHT INCH LEGS.

 I finally finished them last night and am ready to begin the heels.  Luckily, Doc has reasonably sized feet for a man, and it should all go much faster from here.

I love how the pattern, when not stretched, looks a bit like a weird tree trunk, maybe a palm tree.

Biking to California

Today I knit 6.77 miles and about 37 minutes.  I went over the 35 minutes from hell because I was having trouble scooting the last few stitches over the join on my circular needle and up onto the actual needle.  So I was pushing at it and picking at it (broke my thumbnail!), then I looked up and I was at 37 minutes.  So of course, I stopped trying and pedaling at the same time.  Yay, I have reached 47.99 miles in my trip south to visit my family in Orange, CA.

The pink Berry Baby Hat is now big enough to add the leaf part.  I will get that started at home since I don't want to be fiddling, trying to add a second color of yarn while riding a bike through Washington toward Oregon.

Where in the World is f1bercat

Today I reached what used to be Lamb's Ear Yarn, in Tacoma.  Sadly it has closed. 

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They had what looked like a thriving group on Ravelry.  And they sold fleeces.  How nice to find a shop relatively close to home that sells fleece... for when I go off the deep end and start spinning.

It is always sad when an LYS closes.

I'm feeling a bit let down.  So, I'll just post the big map.

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At least tonight is Wednesday, and I get to knit with my Eastside Stitchers Buddies!  Thank goodness for friends with sticks and string.

Now, go out and eat some pie.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the world one pi at a time.

The One Where I Vent About Daylight Savings Time

I hate Daylight Savings Time.

There I said it.  I love the Fall Back day, and the week that follows it where you wake up early and still feel rested.  Of course, we don't need the sun setting any earlier here.  In the winter, it is pretty dark here by 4:30 pm.  And so what if the sun doesn't rise until 8:30 am?  I mean, kids have to wait for the bus in the dark anyway. 

But the really bad part is in the Spring when we Jump Ahead 1 hour.  That happened last weekend.  It's Tuesday.  I feel like I flew to France or something.  My body just doesn't want to adjust to the new time. First of all, I overslept and missed Mass on Sunday.  Then I couldn't fall asleep Sunday night.  Then, somehow, yesterday, I got up at 7 which wasn't too bad since I usually get up at 6, but then I just couldn't sleep again last night.  I went to bed at about 11:30 pm which wasn't great but not horrible.  And I woke up at 5 am.  Ugh!  So I got up and went to the Y to knit another 35 min. (More on that later.)  I did lots of financial organizing to get ready to do the taxes. And at 11 am I was knitting on the Cobblestone Socks for the Doc.  I played a little Aion, did the pvp (player vs player) instance called Dredgion where 2 teams try to kill certain monsters on the same ship while either avoiding or killing each other) and we won.  Some of my legion got on and we did a quest together.  THEN I TOOK A NAP!  I had to go lie down.  I was falling asleep while playing Aion, and since I am the legion cleric and in charge of healing the group, that is not a good thing.

I am awake now, but have that drugged feeling you get when you sleep in the middle of the day.  UGH! So,

Where in the World is f1bercat?

Yesterday I reached 34.74 miles.  Today I again knit for 35 minutes (and they were hell, well the last 5 were for some horrible reason.  My body just does not want to exercise for 35 minutes) and 6.48 miles so adding that up, I have reached a grand total of 41.22 miles.  I feel a bit like a toddler reporting hundredths, but I need every fraction of those miles to count.

Today I reached Unraveled Yarn and Artful Gifts in Federal Way, WA.

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I love their website!  it's so welcoming and well, like a blog. The shop is owned by three sisters sharing their love of fiber and crafting with each other and the community.  Isn't that wonderful?  They have a Night Knit Night, and a day Sit and Knit time.  Some really yummy yarns, as well as specialty items like Handmade Knitting Needles.  They have a nice calendar full of really cool classes with some special projects like needle felting * note to self - Learn Needle Felting. 

After my virtual visit, I continued riding.  I need to get every bit of mileage possible.  I made it to here:

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Here is my progress on the full map:

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WIP's

I have another FO to report.  I finished another Berry Baby Hat by Michele Sabitier for the Sharing our Gifts Group on Ravelry.  This hat is the Blueberry one that I started  last week, Monday.  I love this pattern.  So cute. So fast.  It is the perfect project to knit while I ride.  I was working on the Lewk Never Ending Sweater of No Return, but I don't really like how uneven the stitch tension is.  It's... ok, but not great.  The berry hat is so small and easy and just round and round, so I can keep the tension much more even. 

I cast on another one in pink, and am already almost to the leaf part.  I think tomorrow it will be long enough to add the green.  I might be able to make a hat every week this way.  There will be lots of babies wearing berry hats.  Good thing it's so cute.

Have a great evening.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet (when she's not napping) one blueberry hat at a time

Stitching My Way to California

Hello fellow stitchers!

I'm going to start tonight's post with a quick summary of some WIP's, a FO (finished, yes really finished!  object), and then a short Life post.

WIP's

I have been crocheting like a fiend.  I still have one square for March to finish for the 2012 Crochet Block-a-Month group on Ravelry, but I was inspired by MWitch3's blog, Needles and Hooks and Books, Oh My!  She talks about hooking a square a day for Lent, to make a Lenten blanket to give away for charity.   I decided to hook some extra squares for a baby blanket for the Sharing Our Gifts group in addition to the other baby items I am making.

So I crocheted a stack of 6 in squares using the sweet Never Fading Flower Square by Nellas April.

 

I am still not sure how big, or what the configuration will be, but I love this idea.

I also hooked the "filler" square for March, the  Double Treble Burst Square by Amelia Beebe.

I made 2, of course, the red, white and blue 

one for J's U of Arizona afghan:

and a navy, light blue, and white one for L's Graduation afghan: for this one I tried to "carry" the white yarn behind as I crocheted, and only used it to make the FPDT (front post double treble) stitches, so it would really look like a sunburst.  It was mostly successful.  If nothing else, I am happy that both squares look pretty different.

In addition to the baby blanket, I have started another Berry Baby Hat by Michele Sabatier, this time in blue. So it is my Blueberry Hat. This will also go the Sharing Our Gifts March project.   But, a bit more about this hat, later.  

I finished the socks I was knitting for my sister, K.  This is an unblocked photo.  I washed and blocked them, and they looked much better, I could really see the heart pattern.  I put them in the mail today.  I hope they fit.  They are really fun looking.  K teaches 3rd grade, and I hope she will wear them to school.  Who knows?  She might inspire some of her students to learn to knit their own socks.

I started 2 new pairs of socks, but I think I will write about them more in a future blog.

I am making good progress, sort of, on the sweater for Lewk.  It is getting a bit embarrassing to bring the same sweater to the  Eastside Stitchers meet up week after week.  So, today I reached the neck decreases on the front of the sweater. I plan to finish the front tomorrow, and cast on the sleeves, so I can bring them to Crossroads Mall this Wednesday.  Ok, I will still be knitting that sweater, but at least it will be a different section of it.

I have finished 9 repeats of my Princess Lace Wrap by Betsy Perry, that I am knitting along with the Beginning Lace Knitters group on Ravelry.  I was challenged by Pixiesmom to knit this shawl with her as a knitalong.  I am so happy she asked me.  It has been very fun to compare progress with her, and share our questions.  Anyway, the shawl is now looking like this:

 
I have also been looking at some crocheted toy patterns. I am hoping to make some small, quick items for my nephews/nieces/god kids for Easter.  I will keep you posted.

Life

I have a new idea that I hope I can actually do.  I used to walk every day, and post here where/how far I walked.  But, I pretty much quit walking.  And I really hate that.  So, I decided that I am going to try to make it to the Y, and ride the exercise bike.  Why the bike and not walk. treadmill, or elliptical?  I can knit while I ride an exercise bike.  Ha!  So. I brought the Blueberry Hat today, and knit it while I rode about 5.1 miles.  The hat is just round after round of stockinette in 1 color at this point, so it was a perfect choice.

As I was knitting and pedaling, I was thinking of where I would go if I was actually riding a real bike.  I have always wanted to do long distance biking, but wow, I am so out of shape that I don't know if that would ever happen.  However, I can possibly do it in a virtual way.

So I decided that I am going to try to ride the exercise bike to visit my family in Southern California.  I will keep track of how far I pedal each day, and plot it on a map.  I am not going to cheat, and go by freeway, but instead, I have looked at a route that "avoids highways."  Also, if I am staying off the highways, I thought I might as well stop at LYS's (Local Yarn Shops) on the way.  The first one I have found is at the 17 mile marker, so I should reach it on Wednesday or Thursday.  I will try to do a little post on that shop if possible  (of course that shop is so close, I can ACTUALLY and not just virtually visit it)  and I might do that for fun.

Here is where I am on the bike tonight:


Anyway, I hope you will all follow my progress down the coast as I knit (oops. I mean pedal) my way from the Seattle area to Southern California.

Have a great night.

f1bercat
Shaping the planet one blueberry hat at a time