Fast Post Before I Leave for Stitch Night

Spring is coming!

Hello:

Quick post because I have been stitching more than posting, and then, even this is not of all that I have been working on, but I have hit the "half-way mark" on my Transfiguration OWL Afghan which is 12 squares sewn together.  Whew!  Can we say run on?  But I need to post fast...

Here it is:

I LOVE IT!  And I still need to show you all how I am doing the color changes and take some close ups of the joins because they are invisible.  I kid you not.  Such a pro Hooker.

More tonight of the stitch meet up.

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with half of an afghan.

Honestly, this is a view from my back deck.

Taco Tuesday (as reported on Thursday)

Hello!

No Eastside Stitchers today as I am still down in Southern California helping out at my brother's house.  I miss my stitch buds!  Hello, everyone.  Can't wait to see what you are all stitching.

 Life

On Tuesday night, my sister, S, invited me out for her regular "Taco Tuesday" group.  Normally this group of friends meets at various taco restaurants around North Orange County for ... Tacos!  It is a very informal group, and they just have fun.

This week was different because they didn't actually go out to eat tacos, but headed down to Balboa Bay.


View Larger Map

This narrow bay is lined with gorgeous houses and shops,

 and has all of these islands that just extend the number of possible houses.  Many celebrities live there.

There are tons of sail boats and yachts docked all over.

It was just lovely.

We rented a small boat, the Knot So Fast,

and spent 2 hours just moseying around, enjoying the sunset

and eating a delicious picnic dinner.

HPKCHC

I have been working hard on my class assignments for the Harry Potter Knitting/Crochet House Cup. Or, I could say that I have been working on stuff that I already had planned to make, and am searching for class assignments that these things might fit.

What I do every month is make a list of the class prompts, then note possible projects that will fit.  For instance, for Herbology, the prompt deals with wands again.  This time, we are learning what types of magical animals provide the core materials that the wandwood we studied last month wraps around.  There are 2 prompts:  Make some crazy hybrid project, or do some cozy "from-the-core" crafting.  The second one is easy for me.  If I make an afghan square, that is definitely a "go-to" craft for me.  So any of the squares I need to make for my 2 afghans I am making for the 2012BAMCAL will work for this class.

So far I have finished both of the main 12 in. squares.  This month the square is Winterslace by Teresa Kohlhoff, and published in HeartmadeBlessings.

The next project I've started, and then had to restart after I just could not get the first filler square, In Treble by Julie Yeager, JulieAnny on Ravelry, to go from round to square.  Then I realized that I had hooked a 5 point star instead of a 6 point in the VERY FIRST ROUND.  Why is counting so difficult.  So no photos yet of this one, but just you wait. It is absolutely gorgeous.  I might turn it in to History of Magic class.  One of the options includes crafting an item to represent the ability to recognize the Fae or Fairy Folk (Seelie) of Scotland in all their exquisite glamour.  I'm hoping that I can sell a beautiful square as recognition of beauty.


I have cast on the second socks for my OWL, the Bubbly Socks by VeryBusyMonkey for Lily Potter.  I'm calling them "Lily's Potion Socks."  These are being knit in the Aussi Sock by Oasis Yarn in Amethyst.  I've finished the cuffs and am starting the pattern.  This is my first pair of symmetrical patterned socks.  I hope that I can keep the charts straight!

The other project is of course my Mobius Cowl, the pattern is Easy Mobius Cowl by Haley Waxberg,  for Pookie.  This is being knit by holding 2 balls of the gorgeous Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend together.

It is very fast and easy, so I am not working too much on it as I want to finish up the afghan squares and get a good start on the socks.

I will find a class for this project, also.  One idea that I have is for Muggle Studies.  In this class, we are studying muggle pets, particularly DOGS.  Ha!  So, one option is to craft something for a dog.  I think I can sell a mobius cowl as a dog collar for a large dog, a very fashionable large dog.  We shall see.

Stay safe and well.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with lots of work to do.

Round Photos for Eight Pointed Flower Square by JulieAnny

These are Round Photos of the 2012BAMCAL Group's July Filler Square, on Ravelry.  Every month, the moderators pick a 12" square and a 6" square, then the group members vote on an alternate or "filler" 12 in. square.   There are always amazing squares suggested, and this is definitely one of them.   This square was designed by Julie Yeager, who is JulieAnny on Ravelry.  She has a group there for people who want to be kept up to date on her new designs. She also has a website.   The design is offered for free, and Julie has given me permission to post these round photos.  I also did round photos of her gorgeous Stained Glass Afghan Square. 

This is a 9" afghan block, and since we are doing 12" squares, the 2012BAMCAL group is recommending adding some extra border rounds.  I will be sure to show when the REAL pattern ends, and my border rounds begin.  Any changes I made, and my border round instructions are done in blue.  Julie's excellent instructions are all in black.

The recommended hook is an H.   

I used H for the Red, White and Blue Square  (RWB)

I used G for the Blue, Blue and White Square (BBW), and had to hook one more round of border.

Round 1:

as written 

BBW Round 1

RWB Round 1

Round 2:

as written

2dc between each stitch

BBW Round 2

RWB Round 2

Round 3:

as written

the 2 dc go in EVERY space

BBW Round 3

RWB Round 3

Round 4:

as written

BBW Round 4

RWB Round 4

Round 5:

as written

BBW Round 5

RWB Round 5

Round 6:

special stitch: 

"sc dec over 6 st":

Draw up loop in next st

skip 4 st, draw up loop in next st. You will have three loops on hook.

YO and draw through three loops.

as written

BBW Round 6

RWB Round 6

On the Red, White, and Blue square, I added an extra round of sc here with 3sc in the top of every OTHER point.

RWB Round 6 A

Round 7:

with ch6 in front

as written

with ch6 in back  

BBW Round 7

RWB Round 7

Round 8:

as written  

BBW Round 8

RWB Round 8

Round 9:

as written

BBW Round 9

RWB Round 9

Round 10:

I sc'd 12 times, then attached the petal, 

then did 11 more sc.  This centered my petals.

otherwise, as written

BBW Round 10

RWB Round 10

This is the last round of the pattern.

I measured here to see how many border rounds I would need. 

The square needs to be 12 inches.

My Round 11:
BBW

Join B with sl in first sc of any corner

ch 3 (counts as 1st dc)

*[2dc ch 2 2 dc in next sc (corner made)]

dc in next 26 sc*

repeat from * to * 2 more times

repeat from [ to ] once more

dc in next 25 sc

attach with sl st in 3rd of beg ch 3

finish off

120 dc,  4 ch2 spaces

BBW Round 11

measured

RWB version same as above but start with ch 2 (counts as hdc) and do all hdc.

RWB Round 11

My Round 12:

Join color C with sl st in any corner ch 2 sp

ch 3 (counts as 1st dc)

dc ch 2 2 dc (corner made)

*[dc in next 30 dc],  2 dc ch 2 2 dc in ch 2 sp (corner made)*

repeat from * to * 2 more times

repeat from [ to ] once more

attach with sl st in 3rd of beg ch 3

finish off

136 dc, 4 ch 2 spaces

BBW Round 12

RWB Version:

same as above except begin with ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc) and use hdc instead of dc

RWB Round 12

My Round 13:

Join color A with sl st in any corner ch 2 sp

ch 3 (counts as 1st dc)

dc ch 2 2 dc (corner made)

*[dc in next 34 dc],  2dc ch 2 2 dc in ch 2 sp (corner made)*

repeat from * to * 2 more times

repeat from [ to ] once more

attach with sl st in 3rd of beg ch 3

152 dc, 4 ch 2 spaces

BBW Round 13

measured, need one more round.

RWB Version

Join color with sc in any corner 2ch space

2 more sc in same space

sc in each hdc with 3 sc in each 2 ch space

join with ss in first sc. finish off

RWB Round 13 Final Round

My Round 14:

since I need about 3/4 in,

sl st to corner

ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc)

hdc ch 2 2 hdc (corner made)

*[hdc in next 38 dc],  2hdc ch 2 2 hdc in ch 2 sp (corner made)*

repeat from * to * 2 more times

repeat from [ to ] once more

attach with sl st in 3rd of beg ch 2

168 hdc, 4 ch 2 spaces

measured

finish off

BBW Round 14 Final Round

I want to thank JulieAnny for this amazing design.  She is so creative, yet her instructions are very clear and easy to follow.  This square was a joy to hook.

Stay safe and well.

yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with lots and lots of ends to weave in.