2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 19

Hello!

It snowed in the Cascades and then the clouds lifted enough this morning that I could see them.

Very quick post today about the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf by Kristen Benecken, aka wollkistchen, on Ravelry.  My stitch group, Eastside Stitchers, is having our Holiday Party tonight at Crossroads Mall, so I need to finish putting together my gift for the exchange, and head out.  I am so excited to see everyone.  Really, I love Stitch Night.

The pattern today was very easy again.  No tough stitches.  Just the Purl 2 together that we have seen before.  I chose to make mine lean the same way as the k2tog in the proceeding row.  That meant that I had to ss (slip as to knit, slip as to knit), return both to left needle, then purl 2 together through the back loop to make what would look LEFT leaning on the RIGHT side.  This is not specified in the pattern, Kristen just gives the p2tog instruction.  But, I chose to interpret it this way.  Again, here is the link to the TechKnitting Blog that has the great graphic tutorial for this stitch.

Here is today's pattern:

Super pretty.  I do want to say that I couldn't seem to remember to put in the YO's.  This meant that I had the wrong count all the time.  Then I would have to look at the row below the one I was knitting, and figure out where the YO was supposed to be, and dip down, and add a YO.  Luckily, to me anyway, that is the easiest error to fix.  By now, I am a champion at it.

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Row 19, and a party!

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 18

Main Gate at Princeton University

Hello!

Hooray!  My youngest son, Pookie, has been accepted to Princeton University as a freshman for next Fall.  We are all so happy and excited for him.  Today at 1:00 Pacific Time, he could log onto their website, and with a password, read his letter of either acceptance, rejection, or deferral (he applied to Early Action, so if deferred, he would just be put back into the pool of applicants, and find out with everyone else in April).  So he tried to log on, but since he had made the account a few months ago, he couldn't remember his password.  He failed 3 times in a row, and was locked out of the site for 30 minutes.  I guess that is a safety precaution.  But, it made us (Pookie, Moogie, and me) all sit together in the TV room in AGONY for those 30 minutes.  Finally, he was able to log on, and read his letter of Acceptance!  We all jumped up and had a big group hug with Pookie squished between Moogie and me, as we jumped up and down and cried and laughed.  I am so proud of him and so happy for him.  He is a great kid.  He really wants to major in Physics, but also loves the arts, and Princeton seems like such a good match for that.  They have  wonderful physics and engineering programs, more so than the other Ivy League schools.  But, they have a nice dance department, and also theater.  He should be very happy there.

On to the scarf.

2012 Advent Calendar Scarf by Kristen Benecken, aka wollkistchens on Ravelry.

The pattern for today is very very fiddly.  It has a really interesting cable type stitch that forms an X over 6 stitches.  I really need to do a little tutorial on it, but maybe tomorrow or Thursday.  I spent so much of today just sitting being nervous, and then I went to our local middle school to tutor a student in Algebra, that I didn't have time to photograph anything but my finished section.

I definitely used a cable needle today!  Also, on the pattern, it looks like you k1 then cable the 4 then k1, but by reading the written directions, as well at the chart, I decided that I needed to use all 6 stitches.  Anyway, I will try to get some photos to show how it is done.  Though, even using the cable needle, it was awkward to make.  I am not sure if that was because I don't have a real cable needle, and I just used a  DPN (double pointed needle), or if I am just awkward at this type of knitting.

Enough of this, what does the section look like:

Very pretty.  Can you see the X's?

Time for bed!  Tomorrow night is my regular Eastside Stitches stitching night.  I need to be on top of my knitting so I don't fall behind with all of this fun.  We are doing a Christmas Exchange.  I made a very cool gift.  I'll take photos and post them AFTER the party.

I want to say one more thing before I log off.  This is a stitching blog.  I try to stay away from politics.  But, Peace to all of the families in Connecticut.   Peace to all of us.

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Day 18

Can you see our Eagle?

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 17

Hello,

My cats have decided that they love my scarf, and take turns trying to lie down on it while I am knitting. Here, Beena places her "paw of control" on the computer.

2012 Advent Calendar Scarf update.

The pattern for today, Day 17, is very easy.  Again, the only interesting stitch is a double decrease.  Kristen gives  it to us as sl, k2tog, psso, slip one stitch knitwise,  knit the next 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch back over the stitches you just knit together.  I tried it that way, and again as a sssk (slip slip slip knit), and saw no difference in the end project.

Other than those decreases, it was a very easy pattern.
What does it look like?

For such an easy to knit pattern, it is very beautiful.

The entire scarf looks like this, now:

It is too long to fit width-wise on my table.

I have been neglecting to write the "life" part of my blog, with all of this scarf knitting.  I will try to catch up tomorrow.

For now, I think we can all use a little Peace.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Day 17.

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 16

Hello,

There is supposed to be a big storm tonight in the Cascade Mountains.  I doubt that we will get any snow.  I am sure it is too warm, still, down here.  We shall see, though.  Our hills are pretty steep, and if we do get snow or ice, even one inch, the schools close down.

On to the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf, Day 16.
Super easy pattern today.  Kristen had some P2tog on the even rows.  Although she doesn't specify, I decided to follow the same leaning decreases that she was using for the ssk\ or skpsso.

Again I will give the link to TECHKnitting blog where she gives a great explaination of how to do a left leaning p2tog or p2tbl (purl 2 together through the back loop).

This is what today's pattern looks like:

 Can't wait to get started on tomorrow's pattern.

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Day 16

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 13 and Hobbits

Hello,

Yesterday, I went off to Crossroads Cinema to get in line for The Hobbit midnight opening show. I arrived at noon.  I ran in as soon as they unlocked the theater doors, and got my spot; First in Line.

Where I sat and knit... and sat and knit... alone, until about 3:30 pm when some poor high school guy who really wanted to be first finally arrived.  He did not look happy to see a middle-aged (almost) woman beat him to the line.

It was freezing in the theater lobby.  I was forced to drape my 2012 Advent Calendar scarf alternately over my lap and around my neck to try to warm up. 

I was tempted to text my daughter, Moogie, to bring me up a blanket.  Doc and Moogie came at 6;  Moogie took my spot (in the 2-person line), and Doc and I grabbed some dinner.  So far, I had mostly drank a GIANT cup of Doke (diet Coke).  I was trying to caffeine load in preparation for staying awake for the movie.

They went back home, and I continued my lonely vigil.  I was able to finish up the Scarf section for Day 13, and work on a pair of blue, beaded (well soon to be beaded as I am knitting them toe-up) socks.  Finally, Hobbits started arriving around 7 ish.  It was a bit sad, though.  My family was so excited for this movie, but I guess we were definitely in the minority.  Crossroads had 2 theaters for the opening, the big 3D theater 1 (we were in that one), and theater 2 with 2D.  I usually prefer 2D, but when I bought my ticket, they were only going to show in the 3D theater, and I was worried that we wouldn't get to see the midnight show if we waited to see if they had enough people to open a second theater.  Obviously, they decided to do a 2D showing, even though they did not sell out the first theater.  Theater 1 was not even half full. 

How was the movie?  Well, considering I fell asleep about 5 minutes in and woke briefly for some Trolls and then again for some giant eagles, I can't really say.  My family seemed a bit underwhelmed.  They said they liked it, but there was none of the gushing enthusiasm that followed all three of the Lord of the Rings movies.  I hope to see it again, though, in 2D, when Himes gets home next week.

On to Day 13 of the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf by Kristen Benecken, wollkistchen on Ravelry.


This was an easy section, as far as stitches used.  The only stitch tougher than a left leaning decrease, was the centered double decrease,  ∆.

 There was a lot of shifting of markers, though.  So really watch for that.  I shifted markers in rows, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Then shifted the other way in row 13!  I shifted again in row 19 and row 23.  In the end, all of the counts work out.  If you are confident of reading your knitting and hate shifting markers, you might want to just go for it.  I am way too nervous about losing stitches, so I just shifted when needed.

Here is what the section looks like:

And now I need to get knitting on the next section, as I am behind since I slept in this morning.

Peace.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Day 13.

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 11

Hello,

I haven't been posting many photos of my beloved Lake Samammish and Cascade Mountains because we have had such dreary weather here that I can't see the mountains, and well, I just don't feel like standing outside in the cold rain to get a blurry photo of a gray lake.

Knitting

I am continuing my daily posts about my progress on the 2012Advent Calendar Scarf by Kristen Benecken who is Wollkistchen on Ravelry.

The pattern today is a very easy one.  It has a mesh stitch (which I love) and a simple 4 stitch cable.  There is not much to say about the knitting since it is so simple, but I did make a little photo tutorial on how I do these cables without a cable needle.  Also, since there were only 24 rows, I was actually able to finish before noon.  Yay!

Here is today's section:

Tutorial

Cabling without a Cable Needle

 

Here you see a section of 2p, 4k, 2p

Purl 2, then, working with the 4 knit stitches that will make up the cable:

Insert the right needle into stitches 3 and 4 BEHIND the knitting from right to left

Drop all 4 stitches off the left needle.  There will be two free stitches, and two on the right needle.

If you are worried about losing the stitches, you can pinch the stitches with your right thumb and fingers (I usually do this if the yarn is at all slippery).

Pick up the two dropped stitches by inserting the left needle into them in front of the right needle.

Slip the two stitches from the right needle to the left needle.  You will now have 4 stitches on the left needle, but their order will be switched to 3 4 1 2.  

Knit the four stitches one at a time in their new order.

Voila!  You have a cable:

Since I have some time before the next pattern is released, I will fold laundry, and get some other knitting done.  Also, I need to get to work on sewing together the 2 afghans I made with the 2012 BAMCAL group.  I have signed up for the 2013 BAMCAL and am excited to make some more beautiful sampler afghans.  But that is for January.  Thank goodness.

Peace.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the world with Day 11.

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 10

Opal Apple on left, Aurora Apple on right

Hello,

I'm continuing my blogging about the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf.

Three interesting things in today's pattern.  The first is a new stitch, ↓ = k1b = knit 1 stitch in the row below.   There is a great tutorial on knit one into row below on the TechKnitter Blog.   She does amazing graphics.  It's too late for me to do a photo tutorial today, but I will try to add one tomorrow at the bottom of this post.  But really, just check out TechKnitting.

The second is the symbols.  Don't be confused by the symbols today.  It seems that Kristen is not always consistent from day to day in the symbols she uses.

Today, 3 means to sl1 k2tog psso,   and ∆ means the centered 3 stitch decrease  or sl2 k1 psso.

I have linked both to their tutorial on my blog, but they are both very easy.  Just remember to slip as if to knit, and with the centered one, slip the two stitches together as if to knit.

The third tricky thing today is that you have to move the stitch markers to keep your repeat counts consistent.

Row 15

You will need to move the stitch markers.  You knit up to 1 stitch before the marker, place a new marker, slip that stitch as if to knit, remove the old marker and keep it nearby, then continue with the three stitch decrease by k2tog and passing that slipped stitch back over.  Repeat across the row.

Row 17, 19, 21, 23, 25

You will need to move the stitch markers on these rows.  But, because the 3 stitch decrease is the Centered one, you must knit to 1 stitch before the marker, place new marker, slip the stitch PURL wise, remove the old marker, slip the stitch back on to the left needle, then proceed with the decrease by slipping 2 stitches together knitwise.

The pattern today looks like this:

 And the entire scarf like this:

It is almost too wide for the width of my dining room table. 

Today, the Doc, Moogie, and I, went to Issaquah to watch Pookie's classes at the Village Theater Institute.  Pookie auditioned for this program last year, and goes every Monday night from 3:30 pm to 9:00 pm.  It was easy to see why he loves it.  It is a great program.  We got to watch his dance, voice, and acting classes.  I was very impressed.

Peace.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with Day 10

Asian Pear

 

2012 AdventCalendarScarf Day 9

Hello,

GwenS's cat, Coby.  Taken at her birthday party yesterday.

On to the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf

Very easy pattern today.  They only "harder" thing was the double YO right on the stitch marker in rows 1, 5, and 9.  One thing is that it seemed to take a long time to finish the section.  Last night when I got back from my 2nd party, the neighborhood block one, I knit through the bead row of the spacer, but, I was just too tired to finish the spacer.  So, this morning, I started with the last 3 rows of the spacer at 7 am, and honestly, only stopping for a small brunch of yogurt and a poached egg at 10:30 am, then a quick snack at 1:00 pm, I knit until about 2:30 pm.  Very tiring work, but the section is very pretty.

Here is what today's pattern looks like:

And here is the full scarf:

It is really getting large.  I knew it would, but, well, the reality is a bit staggering.  I am still trying to decide if I just want to keep it going (the most likely thought), or stop when I think it is long enough, and start a second one.  The way I am going, I think this will be able to wrap around me a few times.  A bit like a Dr. Who Scarf.  Well, I love Dr. Who.

Oh, and I went back to my days 6, 7, and 8 and put in some stitch tutorials, including one of that double YO.

Peace.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with Day 9.

Beena covers the heater vent stealing all of the hot air for herself