Everything Takes Forever

Hello:
Look!  that's the sun.  Ok, it's gone now, and pouring, which is weird for us.  Yes, it rains all the time here, but it usually sprinkles.

I have done almost no knitting or crochet today.  I woke up late (ugh!) and spent the whole day sewing.  Well, I spent the first half of the day cutting fabric.  Why does that take so long?  Then I met a friend for coffee in the middle of it, and when I got back, I still had more cutting to do.

I finally went down stairs and got to sewing.  That too took longer than I thought it would.  I am trying a new type of project bag, the Open Wide Zippered Pouch.  I got the "tutorial" from the Noodlehead blog.  It's pretty straightforward, and I love how my little bag came out.  I am making bags for prizes for Quidditch for HPKCHC.  If you participate in January Quidditch, you are in a drawing for this Winter Themed Bag:

Or, something like it.  I made the middle size, and it is a bit smaller than I like.  When I sewed the bottom corners, to make it have a flat bottom, it really cut the height.  I have more fabric, however, and I will try again to get a size I find more useful.  This would have to hold a pretty small project.

Other than that, last night I cast on two new projects.

The first is a new cowl using the Day 15 Lace pattern from the 2013 Advent Calendar Scarf.  I have to adjust the pattern because I am knitting in the round, but that should be easy.  I might even have beaded rows at the top and bottom of the scarf.  Maybe,  I'll have to decide soon. I am using up the last skein from the 2013 Advent Calendar Scarf, the Cascade Heritage Silk.  If I do add beads, I will probably use the same beads!  I love how the yarn and beads look together.  I have only finished two rows.  It took forever to cast on.  Then, I had so much trouble making sure the yarn hadn't twisted when I joined it into a circle.  Then!  on the first row, I realized that I had two extra stitches, so I k2tog twice at the end to get rid of them.  THEN, when I came around on the second row, I realized that I was two stitches short, so I had to undo the k2tog. 

The second thing I cast on is a pair of socks for the Bleeping SockGames Group.  The first design is called Lady Igraine by Heatherly Walker who is YarnYenta on Ravelry, and is based on a character in the game The Order, 1886.

I am using the beautiful Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock yarn that I bought at Apple Yarns back in 2012.  The color is Coastal, and is a bit more green than in the photo, but just a bit.  The socks are knit flat at first because there will be buttons that close the legs.  So far... two rows finished.....

I am almost finished with my Racing Raindrops Scarf by Churchmouse Yarn & Teas.

I have 29 stitches left on the needle.  Somehow, I thought I would be finished with this scarf yesterday. 

Enough whining.  I need to cast on the first square of the Mystery KAL baby blanket that I am making.  I need to get started on the first squares for the 2014 BAMCAL.  I haven't crocheted in a month.  I am excited to get hooking again.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with two rows, ha ha I haven't blocked my Age of Brass and Steam, yet

2 Tables for Fiber Friday

Hello:

The weather has cooled down nicely, here.  We are back to the kind of summer days that I love, where the temperature stays in the mid-70's (F), (23.9 C), there is often some cloud cover in the morning, and the nights are low 60's (15.5 C).

The Fiber Friday group from Eastside Stitchers met at Crossroads Mall.  This group started with only 5 original members, one who has moved to the OTHER Eastside, and one who was on vacation today, and yet, we still had so many people show up, that we needed 2 tables.

Fridays have a different feel from the Wednesday meet ups.  Part of it is that Crossroads is a bit slower and quieter in the mornings, at least until it gets close to noon.  Also, we sit at a different table, one in the center of the mall.  This table is under the big skylight, and has good light for stitching.

One thing that is the same, though, is how nice everyone is, and how supportive.  I love how we can ask for help or advice, and how generous the more advanced people are with their help.  Another thing that is the same for both groups is the great projects people bring.

 Teahouseknits  is designing something new, so I could only photograph her yarn.

I won't say anything about the project except that I really like what she has finished so far, and we had a discussion about magic looping, and 2-at-a-time.  I am a fan of both.  Teahouseknits is not so enthusiastic.

Winterpromise31, in the quest for some easy social knitting, brought a new hat.  It is the hat pattern and yarn from the Goody Bags for the Seattle Mariners Stitch and Pitch.

One of the interesting things about this hat is that it is knit flat.  In the goody bags, in addition to a bunch of patterns, you get some yarn and a pair of wooden straight needles.  These are meant to encourage beginning knitters, I guess.  So, it makes sense that if you only have the needles that came in the bag, you would knit the hat flat and seam it. 

Colleen brought a ... shhhhhhhhhhhh!  secret project.  She worked on it for a while, but brought a Safe-to-knit-around-Preggos Project as well because we knew GwenS was going to stop by for a bit.  The safe project is her first seamed sweater.  I am calling it the Pink Practice Sweater.

Welcome back, CodyJunk! 

CodyJunk came with a bag full of the cutest toys.  Of course I only took a picture of the washcloth/soap bag thing, Soap Nut Vessel, she was knitting. 

This prompted a discussion of who knits washcloths and dishtowels, and why.  I find them to be great social knitting.  Also, they make quick, nice gifts.

Constance49 brought her 2013 Summer Mystery Knit-a-long Shawl from The Fiber Gallery.  She is knitting it in beautiful Hazelknits sock yarn.

CathieC brought the Racing Raindrops Scarf. 

On Wednesday night, CathieC was having trouble with this pattern.  It's not the easiest social knitting.  When she brought out the project this morning, I was surprised.  But, since Crossroads is a bit more mellow on Friday mornings, it is easier to bring a more complicated project.

Wireknitter was wearing a new shawl, LightWaves by Susan Ashcroft.  This is knit in Noro Silk Garden and Cascade 220.  I just love the short row waves.

her knitting project was Cameo by Paulina Popiolek.

At first I thought she might be making a Color Affection, because of the striping.  This is a really beautiful pattern.  I am very tempted to make one.

Skeinherder was working on secret projects.

It seems that I am only able to photograph her yarn lately.  Here is her finished Stage 3 Tour-de-Sock sock to show that she does not just bring yarn, she actually Knits at Crossroads.

GwenS showed up near lunch time.  All of the secret knitting was whisked away.  GwenS brought a baby project, too, but for a friend who is not in Eastside Stitchers.

Yes, it is another Aviatrix hat.  We both agreed that it is just about the cutest baby hat in the world.

BlueBerryMary was starting a new Hoody Jacket.

But, she brought the best finished project of all.  No, not the darling baby dress and blanket she has been knitting the last few weeks. 

She brought the baby.  Welcome, Genevieve Rose, her new great-niece.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the world with a published pattern (have I mentioned lately that I published a pattern on Ravelry?)

Fiber Friday with a Balloon

There was a lot of bird chatter from an angry or worried Dark-eyed Junco in the backyard today.  I looked out on the deck and saw my two cats sitting patiently on the deck railing watching ... something ... very intently.  I am not sure if the Junco has a nest in our Redwood, or what, but he/she spent a lot of time scolding my two fluffy girls.

We had a late start for Fiber Friday, and I did not get to see the Tatting Guy.

But, we had a fuller table than usual.  Our Friday group is growing.

BlueBerryMary brought her finished baby dress.

She has to knit one more side to the border for the matching baby blanket.  Amazingly cute.

Winterpromise31 has finished her Welldigger hat, and brought it for Show and Tell.

This is such a neat pattern.  I love the texture that the slipped stitches give the fabric.

She started a new hat, the Learn to Knit Baby Hat, with some rainbow colored yarn.  Winterpromise31 is
knitting up her stash with these really cute hat projects.

At the center of Crossroads is a large skylight.  When kids lose their helium balloons, they float to the top of this central skylight.  While we were knitting, a balloon suddenly descended, and joined us at the table.

It didn't bother Colleen, who is now on the last colored row of the Spiderman blanket.

CathieC was both working on her latest Potato Chip Scarf, and starting a pair of Yeti Slippers from the latest Knit Picks yarn catalog.

Skeinherder is way ahead of me on the Stage 3 Socks for Le Tour-de-Sock, the Lebowski, by Star Athena.

Bethanyr, one of the two new members from Wednesday night, joined us.  She brought her Racing Raindrops scarf by Churchmouse Yarn & Teas.  Many of the Eastside Stitchers bought the yarn and beads to go with this free pattern during the 2013 North Puget Sound LYS Tour.  We all need to wear them on the same night.

I worked on a few unmentionable items, then began MY Stage 3 Lebowski socks.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with a rogue balloon, and a Junco.