Sunday Knitting, Short Training Ride, and Finished Tour de Sock Stage 3 Photos

Hello:

First the bike ride.  I have been feeling sore for the last few days, not horribly, but just ... sore.  I didn't go for a ride on Friday (I told myself to go after work, but I didn't), and then yesterday, as I was finishing my Roll The Bones socks, I kept saying to myself, go after you finish this section, go after you finish This section, ok, go after you finish THIS section, until it was too late to go.  So, I made myself go even though I haven't finished the sleeves of the baby sweater that I need to finish today.

So it was a short ride because I felt sore right away.  I warmed up a bit, but, I am lazy and I don't want to hurt myself.  I decided to go the other way on the lake road (West Lake Samammish Blvd.), clockwise.  There is a bike lane only on the west side of the street if I go counterclockwise, the way I have usually been riding.  It is a wide lane, but still it feels weird to ride back against the traffic.  Once you cross into Redmond, going clockwise, there are bike lanes on both sides of the street, so I went that way.  I could tell immediately that it was going to be tough.  There is a slight incline right away, but then a fairly good downhill bit.  All I could think was that if I rode too far, I would never make it back up that hill.  I rode to Idylwood park, which is a public beach park on Lake Samammish, turned around, and came back.  I got all the way down to first gear on that incline, but I didn't have to get off and walk, so I felt pretty good.  It was only a total of 4 miles, but, it felt like uphill almost the entire way.




Sunday Morning Knitting

We met in the regular restaurant part of Panera's in Redmond instead of in the meeting room as another group had reserved it for 10, and we didn't want to move.  We don't always have enough people to reserve the room, and hate to keep people from using it if our group is small.  The lighting isn't great in the regular dining room, well, it's fine for dining, but not great for knitting, but it's not horrible.

The best part of the knitting was that Hvrdmnky came with BABIES!

 BlueWolfWalking was working on a shawl.

VanesaPolo was doing math (geometry) and swatching a new shawl design.

Puzan was working on her Featherweight Cardigan. and Jittery Knitter brought a huge squishy garterstitch afghan by Stephan West.

After feeding the girls, Hrvdmnky had a chance to work on a baby sweater.

Such a great way to start the day.

Roll The Bones

I wore my finished Roll the Bones socks to knitting.  I just love them, and the fit great.

The gusset decreases are on the bottom, and are included in the pattern:

Beena likes them, too (or just wanted to know what I was doing...)

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with a bike ride.

I Made it Home!

Hello!

Quick Training Note:

I rode my bike (well walked again quite a bit) up to Crossroads tonight for the regular Wednesday meet up of Eastside Stitchers.  I had to walk up Northup until it was flat enough (at about 170th Ave NE), but I rode through my neighborhood, then from the flatter part of Northup to Crossroads.  The way home was super easy as it was downhill most of the way and I totally coasted.  I told the group that they would know whether or not I made it home because I would post it on my blog, so well, I made it!

Tara1682 brought a few wonderful projects. The first is Iznik I heart you shawl.  The beads are so small. 

Then she was wearing another beautiful shawl.  It was very tough to get a decent photo.

She also worked a bit on her Bias Before and After, but I didn't get a photo of that.

Readnitdream was also working with laceweight yarn and beads.  She is making a beaded cowl for a friend.

I'm pretty sure it's the Abstract Leaves Cowl. 

Wajio is back from the Black Sheep Gathering in Oregon where she had the great luck to watch Judith Mackenzie judge fleeces.  It was like an amazing class on what makes a good fleece.

She brought he latest socks.  She has made huge progress and is almost at the heels.  They will probably be Fish Lips Kiss shortrow heels.

BlueBerryMary brought the cabled sweater she is knitting for her grandson.  She is working on the sleeves.

Wireknitter brought a lace shawl, too.  This group loves lace.  This looks round but is a square pattern.

This sparked a great discussion of how to begin a circular project with a magic loop, like what we use in crochet.

Before I left to ride home, DomesticShorthair arrived!  She brought a really interesting cabled scarf, which she proceeded to frog then cast back on and by the the time I left, she had about 2 inches.

I'm sorry I didn't get the name of the pattern, as it is these really cool intertwining cables that will look like the bark of a tree.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet from a bike

Eastside Stitchers Late Post

Hello:

Sorry I didn't get the Eastside Stitchers Wednesday Meet up post up last night.  When I got home, my Number 1 Son wanted some Math Tutoring, and after that, I was just too tired to post.

But, here it is:

Wajio has made significant progress on her Shur'tugal Socks.  She has knit the heel flap:

Short row heels are nice and uncomplicated, but it is so fun to knit a heel flap that has some extension of the pattern on it.

JulieMustKnit is also working on socks.  She has finished her heel and is closing the gusset.

What a cute project bag!

Tara1682, fresh off her triumphant Chinese New Year Performance, is working on an Aviatrix hat.

GwenS, we miss you so much, we are now channeling you and knitting your projects!

BlueBerryMary brought two scarves. 

We had a nice Ravelry tutorial, now that the Crossroads Branch of the King County Library System has finished its remodel and has its wireless up again.  JitteryKnitter took some pictures of Mary's scarves, and Mary added the first projects to her project page.  We also got her started in her very own blog and linked her blog to Ravelry.  OOOO the pressure to post is now on, and we will be looking to see what Mary blogs about.  ha ha ha between Ravelry and blogging, how will she find time to knit?

Speaking of Jitteryknitter, she brought a finished cowl Trust Me, by Louise Zass- Bangham.  It is a really cool mitred square pattern. 

She also brought the shawl she is working on, it looks like a bit of a pile of yarn here, but the color choices are lovely.

Guess what Puzan was working on?

Ha ha ha ha!  Tricked you!  It's a hat, not a cowl.  She is using sock yarn (EEEEEK!)

Colleen came right at the end, but as I left a bit early, I wasn't able to see what she had brought.  I hope I don't have to work on Friday so I can make the Fiber Friday Group. 

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with yarny friends

First Friday and Spin In

Hello:
It was cold today, but crisp and clear and just gorgeous.  I think about the people in the Mid-West and back East struggling with all of that snow, and I am again grateful that I live in paradise.

Moogie and Pookie have gone back to college, already.  They have such short breaks.  I was a bit worried that their flights would be cancelled as they flew towards all the bad weather.  But, they seemed to travel after the first big snowstorm that hit the East Coast, and before the second big snowstorm that has hit the Mid-West.  Whew.  We still have Himes for one more week.  Things have calmed down quite a bit in the house, now, and I am once again crafting like crazy.

On Friday, I made it to Crossroads to stitch with the Eastside Stitchers Fiber Friday group.  The big news is that JulieMustKnit has finished her gorgeous Katherine Pullover by Michele Rose Orne.  This is a deceptively simple looking sweater.  But it has just the right amount of detail and shaping.

I didn't get a photo of the whole sweater, and I'm kicking myself for that.  It fits beautifully.

Since the sweater is finished, Julie has started a pair of socks.  I'm not sure if she is using a pattern.  They might be plain ribbed socks.

Winterpromise31 also brought a Finished Project!  She has finished the lace scarf and hat.  The scarf blocked out perfectly.  You can really see how the lace bloomed.

She brought her Sweet Phoebe baby blanket  by Sandra D. Carter.

Alphabetadell brought the baby set she is knitting.  She is working on the pants of the outfit.

and has already finished most of the top.

Wireknitter brought a pair of multicolored socks she is finishing (and I might say, a really cute needle case!

Saturday morning, after I drove Moogie to the airport, I headed over to Wajio's house.  She was the designated driver to the NWRSA (Northwest Regional Spinners Association) St. Distaff's Day Spin In in Lake Stevens.

 We arrived relatively early.  All of the different groups set up their wheels in "spinning circles."

There were donated baskets of fiber goodies for a raffle.

People brought snacks for a pot luck table.

There was lots of fun conversation, and spinning,

and spinning,

and spinning,

 

and even more spinning!

There was a wonderful market, but I held fast to my destash resolution, and stayed away. 

It was a wonderful day.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with spinners.

2013 Advent Calendar Scarf, Day 18 and Eastside Stitchers

Hello:

So what to start with?  This is a quick post for both the 2013 Advent Calendar Scarf, Day 18 Pattern and Eastside Stitchers, I guess I will start with the scarf pattern.

Puzan!  if you read this post, I want to say that I kept thinking about your cowls as I was knitting today's pattern.  I kept thinking what a lovely cowl this would make.  It is not a tough pattern, but it is not as simple as just k2tog, YO, and ssk.  There is a little cable thrown in when the  pattern zigs or zags. 

The cable is // C2R (Cable 2 stitches to the right), or \\ C2L (Cable 2 stitches to the left).  Kristin explains how to do these cables with cable needles, but I did them the short-cut method I have described in the Day 4 post. 

The pattern was pretty quick and easy.

Eastside Stitchers Last Wednesday Meet Up Before Christmas

As Christmas is next Wednesday, the Wednesday group of Eastside Stitchers will not meet next week.  However, we did decide to go ahead and plan to meet on the evening of New Years Day.  If you are not too hung over (who, me?) and want to hang out and stitch, come up to Crossroads on Jan. 1 for some SnB.  Let's start the New Year off with yarn and friends.

There was a small group of Stitchers tonight at Crossroads.  Yes, again we were serenaded by a wonderful middle school jazz band.  This is a bit of a crazy week, with Christmas just seven days away, but six of us managed to make it to the round table near Half-Price Books.

Alphabetadell came back for another night of stitching and chat. She brought matching blankets she is hooking.

These have a really nice mix of variegated and solid colors.

Guess what Skeinherder was knitting?

How many has she knit?  Even Skeinherder has forgotten the number.  Or, she can't count that high...

She brought the new shawl she started.  Skeinherder and Wireknitter bought the pattern and yarn at Tolt Yarn and Wool.  Skeinherder has made it to the first stripe.

Tara1682 brought a pair of Owl fingerless mitts.  She has put together a few patterns to make her own design.

She is using Cascade 220.  They look squishy and warm as well as...... OWLS!!

LOOK!! LOOK!! Wajio finished her socks!!

I will not say how long she has been knitting these (1 year).  She used the Fish Lips Kiss Heel, by Sox Therapist, and the method taught in that pattern for fitting the socks.  I can't wait to hear her review of how the socks feel on her feet.

CathieC brought her beautiful MacArthur Park Poncho.  Just before we were ready to go, she discovered a dropped stitch.  Ugh!  She will have to tink everything she knit tonight.  Her poncho is really going to be lovely, though, so it is worth it.

I  brought my Advent Calendar Scarf, of course!  I was working on Day 19.

Look:  before we went home, Tara sewed the Owl eyes onto one of her mitts:

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with friends with owls