Back On The Bike!

2012.04.23

Eastside Knitters Guild

The EKG met for our regular monthly meeting tonight at Crossroads Mall, in Bellevue, WA.

Tonight, we had the knitwear designer, Andrea Rangel, of Andrea Rangel Knits as a speaker.  She had a slide show, and brought many samples of her very different designs.  She does do socks, and scarves, and hats, BUT, not the usual.  And, she designs clothes, and clothes that you might not think of knitting.  For instance, she brought 2 pairs of knit pants, and a pair of shorts.

It was really interesting listening to her talk about how she gets her ideas and inspiration, then her process of developing the pattern.  She was very generous with her information, citing the computer programs she uses, and blogs/webpages that she has found useful. 

This is one of the things that I have seen again and again in the fiber world, this generosity of spirit.  You might have figured out that I am a children's writer.  In the writing world, you hear stories of people being very tight with their ideas, and expertise, always worried that someone might get the jump on them.  This is not at all true in Children's publishing.  Children's book writers and illustrators are extremely helpful and generous.  It is a group that shares information, helps each other, and is genuinely happy for the success of others.  I am so happy to see this same generosity in the knit/crochet community.  People are so happy to help others get started. 

I didn't take any photos, and I'm sorry for that.  Her work is beautiful.  Please take the time to visit her site and see her designs.
 

Where in the World is f1bercat?

Woot!  I made it to the Y today for the first time in 2 weeks.  I wasn't 100% by any means, in fact I only knit/rode the bike for 20 minutes. But, it is a beginning.  I had hoped to do about 30 minutes, but at 12 minutes my head started to pound, and it was all I could do to stay knitting for 20.  And I only knit 3.62 miles, but I did it.

So where did that get me on my trip south to California?  HOORAY!  I have crossed the border into Oregon!


View Larger Map

I am on my way to visiting my first Oregon LYS (Local Yarn Store), but did not quite reach it.  I should be back in yarn tomorrow.

This is what my trip looks like so far:


View Larger Map

And here is where I am on the big map:


View Larger Map

I plan to take it super slowly and carefully on the bike this week.  I do NOT want to have a relapse of this flu.  But, it is good to be getting some exercise.

What was I knitting?  The Fish Hat Dead or Alive by Thelma Eberts that I am making as a wedding gift for my nephew, A, who is getting married this summer.  I am still on the "lips" which is the very beginning of the hat, so it was super easy knitting in the round.

Schoharie Spring 12 in Square Photo Rounds

These are the photos of the finished rounds of the SchoharieSpring 12 in Square by designer Mary McKnight. This square is the 12 in "filler" square for April for the 2012BAMCAL Group on Ravelry.  This very cool square was published in FroggieDezines.  I would like to thank Mary McKnight for designing this square, and for making the pattern free.  I wondered about the name, "Schoharie,"  so I Binged it and it is the name of a county and town in New York State.

I will not put any of the instructions in this post unless I find something confusing or I feel the need to change something to make my square work for me.  If there are no changes, I will write "as written," meaning that I simply hooked the round as it was written.  If you are confused, have a question about a round, or a correction, please leave a comment, and I will fix, change or add to this post.

I made 2 squares, with very different color changes.  I will post the 2nd one in a different blog post because it would make today's post way too long. 

I am using Caron One Pound yarn which is a worsted (size 4) weight yarn, and a size H (5.0mm) hook

Made ring as written

Ring

Round 1

ch 1  continue as written (16 sc)

Round 1

Round 2

ch 1 continue as written (8 ch 5 loops)

Round 2

Round 3

ch 1 continue as written (24 sc, 8 ch 4 spaces)

Round 3

Round 4

ch 1 make first sc in NEXT sc, place marker to show start of round

continue as written, ss in first sc. (32 sc, 8 ch 4 spaces)

Round 4

Round 5

ch 1 sc in NEXT sc, continue as written, ss in first sc

(40 sc, 8 ch 4 spaces)

Round 6

ch 1 sc in NEXT sc, continue as written, ss in first sc

(48 sc, 8 ch 4 spaces)

Round 6

Round 7

ch 1, continue as written, ss in first sc

(56 sc, 8 ch 2 spaces)

Round 8

as written, the directions say to sc IN the chains, not the chain space, but I don't think it matters.

Each section should have 9 sc  (72 sc)

Round 8

Round 9

as written

I cut yarn to change color here

(84 stitches.  On each side 10 dc, 6 hdc, 5 sc. 4 ch 3 spaces in corners)

Round 9

Round 10

I attached new color in corner space

continue as written

(each side has 18 dc, and 7 fptr for 100 stitches and 4 ch 3 corner spaces)

Round 11

as written 

(29 hdc on each side for 116 hdc and 4 ch 3 corner spaces)

Round 12

as written  

I cut yarn for color change here

(18 dc, 15 ch 1 spaces on each side, for 72 dc and 4 ch 3 corner spaces)

Round 12

Round 13

I attached new color in corner ch 3 space.  

as written

(21 dc, 18 ch 1 spaces on each side, for 84 dc and 4 ch 3 corner spaces)

Round 13

Round 14

as written

(22 dc,  19 ch 1 spaces on each side, for 88 dc and 4 ch 3 corner spaces)  Ok, I found it weird that it went from 21 to 22 and I can't account for it.  But, I double counted and triple counted, and this is my stitch count.  As long as you have a consistent count on each side, I think you are ok.

I measured my square here and was at 12 in.  I tend to crochet loosely, and used the recommended size needle.  I ripped the square back at this point.  I don't know why I didn't just go down a hook to start with.  That is what I usually do.  So I rehooked this round using hdc.  

Starting with ch 2 counting as the first hdc.

Round 14

Round 15 Final Round

Since I was already at 12 in, I did sc instead of hdc.

Other than that, I finished the round as written, starting with ch1 sc in same stitch.

That gave me about 12.3 in. 

Round 15 Finished Square

 My daughter, S, told me the square looks like one of the "bending" symbols from the television show, Avatar, the Last Air Bender.  It was a great show.  You can watch it on Netflix, or the sequel The Legend of Korra on Nickelodeon.

 I'm sorry I am posting this with some missing photos.  I honestly do not know how I missed photographing those 2 rounds.  I will try to rehook this square over the weekend and update this post.  I just want to get something out tonight.  Hope it does not cause any confusion.

I rehooked the missing Rounds and added the photos.  Hope that wasn't confusing for anyone.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet 2 missing photos at a time

Echo Flower Shawl, Not Cat Barf

2012.04.19

 

Another gray day today.  The Fuji Cherry tree is starting to drop petals and put on its leaves, but because of the gloom, I don't think you can see much.

Life

This is a huge weekend for my family.  My youngest child, my son L, has the lead in his high school musical and they are performing this weekend.  The play is The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and my son plays the part of William Barfee who wins the contest.  He has been a ballet dancer with some tap/jazz/modern as well since kindergarten, and has performed in many ballets, especially The Nutcracker with the Pacific Northwest Ballet when he was younger (and much smaller and cute), but has never acted or sang on stage before.  One of his good friends has done quite a few of the school musicals, and talked L into auditioning saying, "you can get a small part in the chorus.  With your dance skills, they will love you."  So L got the ok from his ballet teacher to audition, and did it.  Of course, he did not get one of the minor rolls but is splitting the lead with another boy (the show is double cast to allow as many students as possible to participate.)  I can't wait to see him! 

My daughter, S, the talented writer who goes to school in Portland, is taking the train home tonight, and will be here for the weekend.  L will perform the final 2 shows, both on Saturday.  I will go to both of his shows.  My poor husband, the Doc, has to work during the day on Saturday, so he will attend the evening (closing) show.  My older daughter, Allifer, and her boyfriend A, will attend the matinee, since poor A works Saturday night.  I probably won't update this blog until Monday, but if I get any photos after the show, I will post some because I know all of you read this blog to see how my kids and cats are doing and not for the knitting and crochet!

WIP

Last week I posted photos of some new projects that I have cast on.  One is the Echo Flower Shawl by Jenny Johnson Johnen.

I am knitting this shawl with the help of the Beginning Lace Knitters Group on Ravelry.  I think this was the KAL for March, so I am a bit late, but I was BUSY. =)  And I will admit, a bit intimidated.  But I decided to screw up my courage, and take the plunge.

I am using Cascade Alpaca Lace in Cream.  OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  I mean it!  OOOOOOOO!  This yarn is absolutely lovely.  I love the feel of it as it runs through my fingers while I am knitting.  Sometimes, I just stop and pet the ball.  I am using cream, because I let my Mom pick the color, and that was what she wanted.  I know she is not really a "shawl" type of person, what ever that is.  She lives in southern  California, and it is simply too hot there to wear a lot of knitwear.  But I miss her.  And I feel the need to show my love for her by knitting her something.  She may never wear this.  But I don't care.  She can just take it out and pet it occasionally.  I have seen that some of the people in the group put beads in the border section, and I am thinking of doing that.  I will have to find a bead color that does not pop, but just adds a tiny bit of sparkle.  I learned how to add beads with a crochet hook when I was making my 2011 Advent Calendar Scarf last December.  I remember the process as being super slow and tedious, but the beads as adding a really lovely touch to the scarf.  Perhaps I will be a tiny bit faster this time around.  Also, I need to practice this, because I fully intend to participate in the 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf this coming December!

I have completed the set up section, and 2 repeats of the main flower pattern in these photos.  It is simply amazing to me how much lace looks like cat barf before it is blocked.  I stretched it out just a bit so you can get a sense of what the flower pattern looks like.

The flower pattern is 8 rows and on the first row, there are some "3 into 9" and "2 into 9" stitches.  This is where you knit together 3 stitches (or 2) and do not drop them off the left needle, but yarn over the needle and knit into the same stitches repeating this again and again until you have 9 loops on the right needle.  On the way back, you purl these 9 new stitches.  In this way, the shawl grows by 2 sections every full 8 row repeat.  At first, I was stopping after completing row 8.  Now, I am going ahead and doing the row 1 increases before I stop, so that it will seem like easy fast knitting when I pick up the shawl to continue.  It's all a game to psych myself up for yet another repeat.  To make a real shawl and not a scarf, we are supposed to do 13 repeats of this flower pattern.  I have been reading the thread on the Group Page, and almost everyone who stopped short of the 13 repeats was sorry.  So even though it will take me (a VERY slow knitter) longer and longer to complete the 8 rows, I will do all 13 repeats.  I am determined to make my mom a beautiful shawl.

That's all for today.  I get to pick up my daughter, S, at the train station in Seattle tonight.  I can't wait to see her.

No bike trip again today.  I hope to restart it on Monday, even if I can only knit for 15 minutes before dropping with exhaustion.

Yours,
f1bercat
Shaping the planet one piece of cat barf at a time

Eastside Stitchers Meet and Stitch and Laugh at Crossroads

2012.04.18

Hello! f1beristas!

I ventured outside for the first time in almost 2 weeks to meet up with my knitting buddies in the Eastside Stitchers Group on Ravelry.  I am still coughing a bit, and have a headache, but I had to go to knitting group.  I just couldn't stand to miss it 2 weeks in a row.  So I posted in the group thread that I was still coughing a bit, but really wanted to come.  They were really accepting, so I headed out to Crossroads Mall for dinner and knitting, and lots and lots of laughter.

We were missing some of our regulars, MsWiz and Cleothyla were not there.  But we had a nice size group never the less.  So, who was seen stitching at Crossroads, and more importantly, what were they working on?

Chockelet was there with LOTS of show and tell.  She brought her finished lace scarf.  This is her very first blocking project.

Chockelet also brought some art yarn she had spun,

and also, a new lace scarf in Noro Yarn she was working on.

GwenS made it.  She had the most beautiful beaded cowl  The yarn is Malibrigo Lace, and I know I did not capture the true color.  She had her teeny tiny crochet hook with her to attach the beads as she knit.  I took about 4 photos trying to capture the color AND get the beads, but this was the best I could get.  Super beautiful work.

Colleen brought a finished baby blanket in mint green,

and a new baby blanket she was just starting in lavender.  Both have lovely stitch patterns.

Jenknotsed8 made it to about 7:30 pm before she started falling asleep at the table.  Jen comes after back to back shifts, but still manages to add quite a bit of laughter to our little group.  She was working on her very first set of 2-at-a-time Toe Up socks.  She complained that they seemed to be going slowly, and I had to laugh a bit.  Everyone says that the first time they make 2aaT.  It does go slowly!  But that is because you are knitting 2.

BrainLady and Allifer came in the later shift as usual.  One of the fun things about our group is that people come and go as their schedules dictate.  Some people get off work early, make it to Crossroads, and grab our table.  Others get off late and join us for the last hour or so.  Brain lady was working on a lacy knit top.

Allifer brought a Crochet top from the latest Interweave Crochet Magazine.







We stayed until 9 pm when the Mall started playing angry music at us to remind us that the MALL WAS CLOSING.

What was I knitting?  I brought my Red Hot Sweater for Lewk, about 3 more inches to go on those sleeves, and my last Snuggly Sock.  I made good progress on both.  As long as the pattern isn't too complicated, it is amazing how much knitting you can accomplish while chatting with your friends.

We discussed the upcoming Puget Sound LYS Tour (local yarn shop tour) which will happen May 17 - 20.  We are hoping to go as a group, and discussed who can drive, etc.  Chockelet had the map from the site, and had started planning out a route so that we could hit every shop on the tour.  It will be a really fun few days.

We also talked a bit about 2012 World Wide Knit in Public day.  I told the group that Eastside Knitters Guild plans to spend the day knitting at Crossroads, and I am sure that we will join them.  The mall will be full of knitters.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

I'm feeling better and better and hope to be back on the bike next week.

Until then, stay well  And really, Allifer, SORRY I GAVE YOU AND A THE FLU.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet one super sick daughter and her boyfriend at a time =(

I Got Legs!

2012.04.17

WIP

I think I'm running out of good titles.  Or maybe the flu is making me slow.  As a writer, I'm going with the later. But there is no denying, I Got Legs!

I have finished the legs on my Subtle Socks (as I am calling them).  I'm using the Lyra's Socks pattern by DeusXMachina on Ravelry.  They are based on the main character from Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy.  I am knitting them in Miss Babs Yummy Superwash in the Squash Blossom colorway.  I've been posting photos in both SolidSocks and Sock Knitters Anonymous in Ravelry, since the color is for Solid Socks (yellow this month) and the pattern is "literary" which is SKA's theme. I keep getting complements on the color from people in SKA.  I think that after winter, people are so ready to knit in something light.  And not only does this yarn feel super wonderful, but you can see the stitch definition is terrific.  I still consider myself a beginning/intermediate knitter.  But, wow, these socks are gorgeous.

This is one of the reasons I am glad I joined these two sock knitting groups.  I am pushed to finish a pair of socks every month.  I am pushed to try new patterns and techniques.  I am pushed to knit in colors I might be too timid to try.  And since Solid Socks has featured dyers, I am also trying new yarns.  That's another reason I joined the Harry Potter Knitting & Crochet House Cup  Group. I don't think I will be "sorted" into a house this "term."  (3 month period), but just reading the classes/challenges offered, will push me to try new things.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

Still coughing on the couch with a bit of a headache.  My son has the lead in the high school play this weekend, and I hope the cough is over.  I don't want to hack my way through his performance.

Stay well.

f1bercat
shaping the planet two subtle sock legs at a time

Because I don't have enough to do...

2012.04.16

I've joined another group on Ravelry.    It's the Harry Potter Knitting & Crochet House Cup (HPKCHC) . I am still figuring this group out, but I am sure it will add tons of stress to my life with knitting/crochet projects that I must do!

As far as I can tell, we get "sorted" into houses, though you can stay in the "lobby" unsorted and still participate with no pressure.  The houses compete for the cup, and I'm not even sure how that works, though it might be points based on the projects you finish.

Anyway, the school is technically on vacation this month, and we are "traveling" around the world.  The first stop was Finland.  One of the "professors" gave a little travelogue in the thread with information and photos of Finland (gorgeous), and cooking recipes/crochet and knitting patterns you can attempt.

So, I made a Troll!

It is a Moomin Troll. by Samantha Evans, who is Samegirl on Ravelry.  It is a bit pigeon-toed, and doesn't really stand up.  Ok, it doesn't stand at all.  I might take the legs off, and resew them so he is sitting down. 

I cleaned out my queue (another of the challenges for this month).  I changed everything to "favorites" and just put in a few things that I am really planning on making next.

The next challenge is to organize my stash.  EEEEEEK!  that is a huge project for me because I have tons of random yarn from when I was a Camp Fire Leader all in a big mess in my office.  I hope to get that done next weekend.  Now that I have written it here. it must happen.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

Still with a hacking cough, sitting on the couch.  When I do get back to the bike, I am going to have to start over at 30 min.  Oh, well.

Stay well, wash your hands.  Watch out for trolls.

f1bercat
shaping the planet one Moomin at a time

Stayed up too late, but I'm posting before midnight

2012.04.13

It's almost midnight and I haven't posted.  So, I better get my act together.

I had the great luck to get a chance to test hook some of the possible 6 in. squares for the 2012 Block of the Month Crochet a Long Group on Ravelry.

Firstly, it was cool to be asked.  That meant to me that the mods trust my opinion.  I guess since I do the tutorials for the 6 in squares, they DO trust me to say if I think a square is too hard or going to cause problems for people.  Let's face it.  We are all trying to stretch our skills, but we want the squares to be doable and enjoyable.




 Secondly, I got to make a bunch of really fun squares.  I made them all out of the yellow yarn I am using for my Lent Charity Afghan.  Ok, I didn't finish the afghan during Lent, but I am still making squares for it, and I will get it done.  I don't have the names of the squares, just photos.  Some really fun hooking here, this morning.

I really hope they ask my opinion, again.  I'll make those squares in white I think.

Where in the World is f1bercat?

Feeling better, but still coughing up a storm.  No bike ride for me, yet.

 Sleep well.  If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.

Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet one square at  time.