-1°C

Hello:
I'm back at the gym (or at least I made it there today).  It was in the 20's F when I left this morning but super clear, so no ice at all on my car.  When I logged on just a few minutes ago (I'm hooking a few rows on a cowl before leaving for work), I saw the temperature showing on my computer for Bellevue is -1°C.  We are supposed to get some rain from the south, and they are expecting snow for the southern part of the state.  Will it snow up here?  Sure doesn't look like it today.

Since it is so sunny, I thought I'd grab a few quick photos of the Vortex Afghan I am hooking for my God-daughter #1.

I have 10 more squares to hook and attach.  I'm starting to think about possible borders.  I can't say enough how happy I am with this design.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet below freezing.

Happy Veterans' Day

Hello:

Wow, what a gorgeous day.  There's some horrible storm from Alaska that has swept down into the midwest, totally missing us.  Well, not totally missing us, as it has gotten much colder here.  But the sky was beautifully clear, and the air was crisp and fresh.  The suddenly colder temperature has brought more color to our trees.

This is one of our Japanese Maples, our biggest.  It is a miniature tree, and during the summer, both cats love to hide under it.  Soon, these beautiful red leaves will fall off, and it will look like the skeleton of an umbrella.  Honestly, if it isn't too cold, the cats will still try to hind under it, as though we can't see them.  Silly cats.

Because today is a National Holiday, I didn't have school, and was able to knit at Crossroads with a few of my Eastside Stitchers buddies who also did not have work.

Last night was a special meeting of the Eastside Knitters Guild.  We had Mary Scott Huff as our speaker.

She was up to teach at KnitFit! and we had her stay an extra day to speak at the Guild.  She gave a very inspirational talk about knitting in general, and edgings in particular.  It wasn't a class, but she brought lots of items she has designed, and spoke about options for really finishing a project.  I liked how she spoke of edgings as a "frame" for the knitting.  She talked about how important it is to put a painting in the right frame, and how we should think of edgings in the same way.  I can't wait to try something new.  Also, she said that every time you make a swatch, you should use a new cast on and bind off.  Just for practice.  Even if you hate the choice, and it doesn't work at all with your project, you can then check off that option and know that you will never want to use it.
 
The Guild meeting was nice and full.  The programs this year have been excellent, and I think people have really appreciated this.

Today at Crossroads, we got together for just a few hours.

Alphabetadell had come to the Guild meeting, and decided to get in a bit of social knitting with us.  She brought a beautiful piece of Show and Tell,

This is a Wedding Ring Quilt done in crochet.  There are a few (ha ha ha) ends that still need to be woven in, but otherwise, this gorgeous afghan/quilt is finished.  Alphabetadell was working on a baby sweater.  She is just about finished and ready to sew in the buttons.

JulieMustKnit was working on a cowl.  I know she has made this cowl before, but I can't remember the name.

Because the yarn is held double, this knits up very quickly.

BlueBerryMary brought the sweater she is knitting for her Grand-Nephew.   The bear picture on the front is from his own drawing.

Mary has finished the front and is pretty far on the back.  I think you can see the ribbing at the bottom of the back in the above photo.  Look at where the date is.  Mary did the ribbing with crochet, then picked up stitches to knit.  Nice job of blending her two crafts.

Mary brought some show and tell, too, or at least she was wearing her show and tell.

This is a nice textured scarf.

CathieC has made serious progress on her Exit 0 Shawl.

I just can't wait to see this finished.

I brought some Vortex squares to finish up so I could attach them this afternoon to my afghan I am making for my God-Daughter #1.  Just as I was finishing the first square, I realized that I had made a mistake on the 3rd to the last round, and had to take out just about everything I had hooked.  Then, I was pretty  busy all afternoon, and didn't get very much done.  I did finish 3 more squares, and get them attached.  I now have 4 rows finished out of the 6 rows needed.  I don't have a photo because I finished tonight and the light is bad, but I can show you a photo of this afghan before the most recent squares were attached.

Her birthday is in February, but I would like to finish this for Christmas.  I think I can get it done by the end of November.  That means 10 more squares.  That is quite a lot, but if I really crank out squares, I can make 5 in a weekend, I think.

The other things I worked on this weekend were two scarves.  I am knitting a Racing Raindrops scarf by Churchmouse Yarn and Teas as part of my Swapetition package.  The theme this year is Local, so I thought that scarf would be a good choice.

I have to have it finished by November 20, and in the mail.  I am on the decreases now, so pretty on track to get it finished in time.  The skein/ball is 50 g, and I am knitting about 3 g /day.  Every day I weigh the ball to make sure I have finished enough.  The scarf is a long triangle, so I can't just measure the length, or count the rows to be sure I am on track to finish on time.  I have to do it all by weight.

I am knitting another triangular scarf for Quidditch.  This one has to be finished by November 27th, so I am weighing my progress as well.  I am making my own pattern, just a 12 row repeat.  It is very simple, but I like how it looks.

This isn't the greatest photo, as I ripped this version out after 2 days of knitting it and changed the pattern slightly, but you get the flavor of the scarf here.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with a yarn scale.

Student Knitters

Hello:

I know I haven't been posting much.  It's mostly because I am knitting/crocheting right up until I fall asleep while knitting/crocheting, then I am just too tired to type something.  Lame.

I now have 2 students in my 5th period math class who are knitting, and a 3rd student who as asked to learn to knit.  I started them off with hats.  I gave them some old Clover circular needles and yarn from my stash.  I knit about 1 inch of ribbing, then let them go round and round with stockinette.  The first student is a boy, E.  He started first, then one of the girls, A, asked if she could learn, too.

So E brought his hat after one night of knitting, and this is what it looks like:

I am not knitting.  This is a 13 year old boy's first knitting project.  He put it on as a joke, and it fits well.  Of course it looks like a headband, but seeing it on his head made the 3rd student, S, ask if she could learn, too.

I am consulting with the Eastside Stitchers for ideas for 2nd projects.  I would like to teach them to purl, so we were thinking simple fingerless mitts, maybe knit flat with garter stitch borders at the bottom and top, then sewn together with an opening left for the thumb.  I will suggest this, and see if E is interested.  I hope he wants to continue because he is doing  beautiful work.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with student knitters

Did you Vote? I did

Hello:

I know the vote was on Tuesday, and this is Thursday, but whatever.

I voted
So, Washington is an all mail in ballot state, and I love it.  I used to love going to the polls and chatting with the poll workers.  I did not like waiting in line, but that rarely happened at our polling place, the local elementary school.  I read a letter to the editor this morning where someone was complaining about missing the fun of the polling place, and I get that... a bit.  That person mailed in his ballot.  I don't usually mail mine.  There is a collection bin for ballots at Crossroads, where the Eastside Stitchers meet on Wednesdays and Fridays.  On Tuesday evening, I took Allifer her ballot (she always forgets to pick it up) and waited at her work while she filled it out, then I drove to Crossroads to put our ballots in the bin.  Doc had mailed his in about a week before.  I don't like to mail mine in because what if something GIGANTIC happens the day before the election?  Like, someone running for state representative died 3 days before the election... and he is still winning.  Honestly, that is happening here.  Anyway, I brought our 2 ballots to drop off (this is completely legal, not voter fraud, you can bring someone else's ballot to the bin for them... they are all sealed), and there were so many people there bringing in their ballots that there was a uniformed police officer directing traffic.  I had to wait in sort of a line for my turn to put in the ballots as the bin has a small opening like a mail box.  It was fun to see all the people queuing up to drop off their ballots.  I really wanted to take photos for my blog, but I wasn't sure if people would be offended, secret ballot, etc. so I just watched for a bit, and felt very democratic, or really democratic-republic since we were electing representatives.

Democracy in Action
Last week the Bellevue School Board outlawed teachers giving out any kind of snack, including pretzels and candy.  Also, students could no longer bring snacks for other classmates, like on their birthdays, moms can't bring treats for the class.  This happened right before Halloween and caused an uproar.  I understand why the Board did this, we have lots of kids with serious food allergies, but really.  And yes, candy is not healthy.  But come on.  Lots of the teachers toss kids candy when they do something great as a motivator in middle school as there is very little else that gets these kids interested.  Also, our school ends at 3:30 and for the kids staying for tutorial, the teachers keep pretzels etc. as snacks.   First lunch is at 11:45. It is crazy to expect the kids to focus on empty stomachs.

Anyway, we kept telling the kids that if they didn't like the new policy, to have their parents call the Board.  They are elected officials, and they will listen to the voters.  Also, there was a board meeting on Tuesday, and the students could go and voice their opinion as all of the meetings are open.

And it worked.  The Bellevue School Board has revoked the snack restriction and is working on a new policy.

Occupy Bellevue is a success.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet in a democracy.

First Wednesday in November

 

Hello:

Fall is here.  My body is still on daylight savings time (see my rant on this subject in my Sunday, Nov. 2 post).  My cats are still on daylight savings time.  Which means that I am waking up at about 4 am every day, with my cats who WANT ME TO GET UP.  And so by 9 pm I am exhausted.  Anyway, I made it to the regular Wednesday night meet up of Eastside Stitchers at Crossroads in Bellevue, but I left a bit early because I was falling asleep.

I got to knit with a great group before I headed out into the rain towards home.

CathieC brought her Exit 0 Shawl.  She has made huge progress.  Can you see her stitch marker?

CathieC got it during the South Sound LYS Crawl last year.

BlueBerryMary brought the sweater she is making for her grandson.  He drew the teddy bear that she is knitting (with intarsia) onto the front.

Mary made the ribbing for this sweater by using a crochet technique she learned last week at the Eastside Knitters Guild Meeting where the Shibaguyz taught a class on how to crochet on your knitting.

GwenS is knitting (and is almost finished with) a Monarch Butterfly sweater by Taiga Hilliard Designs.

WireKnitter brought her beautiful Exit 0 Shawl.  She looks almost finished.

And look at JulieMustKnitt's Exit 0 Shawl!

Maybe next week we will see a finished shawl worn by one of our group.  These make me want to knit this pattern.

NightOrchid was casting on stitches for a new hat.

VanesaPolo is working on a new design, so I can only show you the yarn.

I brought the sweater that I am knitting for Moogie.

I am well down the sleeves (knitting them 2-at-a-time with magic loops).  Of course we had our best baby visitors.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with yards and yards of lavender yarn.

Falling Back

Hello:

This is the semi-annual post where I both complain about the switch from or to Daylight Savings Time and Standard Time and propose my genius idea.

I have to admit that I love switching back from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time.  I absolutely love the extra hour of sleep.  I love waking up to sunshine again.  However, I think that Springing Forward into Daylight Savings Time in the Spring is a horrible thing.  As much as I love falling back every Fall, I really really really hate springing forward and losing an hour.  My idea is that we just always fall back.  Even in the Spring.  Ok, so it might get a bit confusing as we get to wake up later and later in the day, and eventually, our "night" will be during the daytime, but for 2 extra hours a year?  I could seriously put up with a bit of time confusion.  I think we could all just get used to our "time" shifting a bit every year.  Did I forget to mention 2 extra hours every year?

And if that doesn't seem to be a good idea, well, I think we should do away with Daylight Savings Time all together.  Let's face it, in the Spring and Summer, there is lots of Daylight.  Why do we need to skew our timezone to give us one more hour after dinner?  When the sun rises by 5 am and doesn't set until after 8:30 pm, you don't need to change all the clocks to give yourself one extra hour of sunlight.  If we need more sunlight, it is during the winter, and we get sunlight earlier with Standard time.  Ok, so we won't have sunlight later in the evenings, but to have a bit more in the mornings would balance it out.

So, think about it next Spring when we have to Spring Forward and lose that hour of sleep.  Think about my idea of just falling back instead and GAINING that extra hour.  I bet thoon.at you will agree with me soon.

Happy Halloween

Hello:

That is a photo of Moogie in the catacombs in Paris,  yes, she has changed the color of her hair again.

For Halloween at the middle school where I am working, the Math Department wanted to dress in themed costumes.  We really work as a team, and the group likes to show this.  We needed something that had enough different characters for the whole department.  We decided to go as characters from the Despicable Me movies.  The 3 aides and the student teacher were to be the Minions, and the teachers the main characters.  Starting last Monday after the Eastside Knitters Guild October meeting (the Shibaguyz came! and taught is how to crochet on our knitting), I started making 4 Minion hats.

I used a free pattern by Crochet by Jennifer as a guide, but changed the pattern a bit because her hat is sc, and that was taking too long.  I needed the hats finished by Oct 30th in the evening.  The hats came out great, and the other aides really loved them.

I also knit the "bald patch" for the male teacher who was our Dru.

The students recognized who we were right away, and really loved the hats.  I have one boy in 5th period who keeps asking me to make him something.  I tell him that I will TEACH him how to make his own.  He seems interested, so I plan to bring materials for him next week, and see if he really does want to learn to knit.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet on Halloween

shawl worn by a woman on the tour of the catacombs below St. Stephan's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria