Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween from 60's Girl and Annoying Man!
(He decided to be annoying man after a guy at the gym was working out next to him while talking on his cell phone the entire time. He's sporting 3 cell phones, one with an ear piece, a retractable ID badge, a water bottle clip belt with a travel coffee mug, a leatherman and wearing his biking clothes - which for some reason people wear around here in Seattle - and his biking shoes. For safety's sake, he removed the clips). And he wouldn't dance with me because of all of the gadgets. Very annoying.

Brrrrr...it's scarf season!

The latest on my Purl scarf from LMKG: it's 64 inches. Take that Supergirl.

Mad for Madrona!

I'm so excited - the class schedule for the Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat is out! There are so many fabulous classes and talented instructors! I don't know how I'm going to choose which ones to take! Plus I can only attend two-days of the four-day retreat! I must cram all of it in in 48 hours! Off to read the schedule again!

Environmentally Friendly

Rebecca's post from the other day got me thinking about my energy consumption. I've been noticing over the past few months, I've been becoming more aware about my energy use, recycling, etc. I do think part of it stems from some projects I've been working on at work. So I decided to sign up the for the Eight-Week Carbon Diet by Slate Green and Treehugger. I took the test and learned that my household uses up 22,488 lbs of carbon emissions a year - about the same as 2.21 passenger cars (btw - it's way less than Rebecca's usage - but who's counting). I think I do my part:

1. I ride the bus to work every day
2. I recycle at home
3. I've started to wash all of my clothes in cold water
4. I do all my laundry at once to save on energy from the dryer stopping and starting throughout the week (actually, I've always done that but it was because I just wanted to be done with the laundry at once and not drag it out all freakin' week.)

But there is still lots of room for improvements - to be honest, I'm sitting in my home with all the heaters in each room running because I'm tired of being cold all the time! And yes, I'm wearing layers! It's just day one of the challenge I guess - long way to go!

(Sara, I see you eagerly clicking to this challenge, April, you're rolling your eyes and laughing at us greenies - but you still love us!)

Finally part of the cool crowd!

Yeah! I made it into the Knitting Ring! Check out all the other fabulous knitting sites!

The Great Pumpkin

Yesterday was the perfect fall day to head out to the pumpkin patch at Biringer Farm! It was sunny, cool and the company was fabulous! We all picked out perfect pumpkins.

Matt and Rebecca were quite happy with all the pretty colors we selected.

Carrie was sporting her new Irish Hiking Scarf made from the Magic Yarn Balls Rebecca and I put together for her out of Cascade 220. It was some magic, because not only did the scarf turn out beautifully, but she and Kevin also got engaged!

Knitting Envy and Rebecca's Tortuous Ways

Rebecca has knitting envy for a my Purl Scarf. After talking about how fabulous my beautiful berry scarf is that I'm working on, she decided it was time to buy the yarn to make hers! We met at Hilltop last night where I helped her find fabulous colors for her scarf. She was a bit excited (who can blame her, making a scarf like me) so I had to have her calm down and concentrate on the colors. I know Rebecca, a.k.a. Speed Picker, I know her ways, I know her competitive edge towards knitting (may I remind all my faithful readers about the Grommet Bag Knit-A-Long?) so I knew she's run right home and start knitting in an attempt to beat me to the scarf finish line. Around 10 p.m. last night, the picture and text emails over the phone started. And they continue to taunt me on her blog. The worst part about all of this; she's off of work today and I'm stuck here at the office without my knitting!

Knitting Envy

And it's not from me. It's about one of my projects for a change. Rebecca has knitting envy over my fabulous Purl scarf in the beautiful berry yarns I'm working on. In fact, just last night I met her at Hilltop to help her pick out yarn for her own Purl scarf. She now has her own fabulous colors. But I know Rebecca, a.k.a SpeedPicker, and I know she'll whip it out before I'm done to flaunt in my face - not that she's like that or anything... And the worst part is, she's off of work today, totally enjoying a knitting day, working on her Purl scarf while I'm stuck here at work!

(Editors Note: This post was written Thursday night for posting first thing Friday morning. After I wrote in, Rebecca began sending taunting text messages and pic via the cell phone. Is there no extent to her torture?)

Another Knitting Group

Last night I was finally able to check out the Seattle Knitters Guild. Jessica did a fantastic job with her first month of the presidency of the guild. I met several new fabulous knitters including Ryan and learned more about The Dulaan Project. I've decided to sign up to knit five objects for her cause! It's the least I can do since charity knitting was one of my goals this year and so far I've knitted one baby hat (that was originally a gift until I decided I didn't like it too much) and a hat for a teenager. I also volunteer to knit squares for blankets for homeless people and received a free skein of yarn for the project - that was in July. So far the only thing the skein and I have produce is guilt. But I'm excited to make that change for children!

My knitting style

I've come to a realization lately about my knitting. It's a lot like my eating ways. It's not that I'm slow, it's just that I'm savoring each stitch. I'm enjoying how the fiber feels between my fingers, the soft sound of the bamboo wooden needles gently clinking together through each knit and purl. The way the colors of the yarn stash look so pretty sitting there in bin in the living room. Or in the rubbermaid box (ok, boxes) in the spare room closet. Or in the top drawer of the extra dresser. Or in the extra big bag from Hilltop Yarn in the closet. Or in the knitting bag.

For baby

I've finished the Baby Bolero from One Skein. It turned out pretty cute if I do say so. I'm still not thrilled with the design on the back, but I think it'll look pretty cute on baby Cameron Lee.
I also found out today that one of the babies on my Baby Knit List is going to be a boy! I'm very excited to knit for a boy as all the baby knitting has been for girls! This will require a trip to the yarn store!
Until then, I'm still working on the Purl scarf for me from Last Minute Knitted Gifts! I just love the berry colors!

Bah Humbug!

That's right. Bah Humbug! After getting all excited about my holiday gift projects, I ran out, got yarn and started. It did not go well. Turns out there was a measuring issue with the gauge swatch for Matt's hat that (Miss Rebecca, any ideas there, hmmmmm?). I started and ripped out three times before I threw it in the knitting bag for a time out. I then picked up the yarn for my dad's gaiter. I started the gauge swatch and two rows into it I realized, the yarn was so fine, it was going to take me freakin' forever to do the pattern. So out of disgust (and possibly very little patience) I tossed that into time out too. So what does any knitter do who is bent on holiday knitting? That's right, start a great project for herself! I'm working on the Purl scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in three great shades of pink and berry! It'll be an early holiday present to myself! Picture to come later....

Tis' the Season

Fall has arrived in the Pacific Northwest and it is beautiful! The leaves are beginning to change into a rainbow of colors. The air is crisp and cool. And I'm ready to pull out my scarves and even start making a few more. But it's time for me to start working on my knitted holiday gifts! My original plan was to start working on my holiday gifts on August 1. However, I got a bit distracted on July 29 (that's when I got engaged) and haven't given much thought about the projects until now. So with two months of knitting time gone, I've drastically reduced my knitted gift list. I've decided to knit something for my dad for the first time. I'm thinking about knitting him a gaiter that he can wear while working in his shop or doing some winter fishing. Whatever pattern I decide to go with, I need to get on it! Other items keep creeping on the 'To Knit List'!

Editors note: I came up with the plan to start knitting holiday gifts on Aug. 1 while frantically finishing a scarf for last Christmas at 12:30 a.m. Christmas morning. I seem to be heading down that path again.

The little dancing sweater with a voice

Yesterday I met Rebecca for a little afternoon knitting at Third Place Books. It was good to sit, chat and knit with her. I was starting a new project and as usual, she forced me into making a gauge swatch. I'm making the Hot Head Hat from Stitch n' Bitch out of Nature Wool Chunky for Matt. The swatch turned out perfectly and I eagerly cast on the 64 stitches and began the k2 p2 repeat pattern. However, somewhere in row 1 I got a little distracted and was off on my pattern. I tried ripping out, but being the "special" knitter that I am, got all messed up. Rebecca was kind enough to immediately rip out all that I had done - but she did cast on my 64 stitches for me so all was quickly forgiven. As I started the pattern again, I told her she couldn't talk or stare at me while I got the first row of the pattern down (I'm not so sure why I was having difficulty with this - I guess that's the beauty of me - screw up the easy crap). So while I'm carefully knitting and purling, Rebecca took her project - the Egg Warmer Sweater from Weekend Knitting (it was really cute and she started and finished it while we were there) and began to make it dance and have a little annoying voice. When I cast a withering stare at her over my knitting, she simply laughed and said. "You never said anything about voices and dancing sweaters." True, I didn't.

This is the reason I need to knit guage swatches: Here is the Irish Hiking Scarf Rebecca and I are both working on in the same yarn. She is on gauge, I am not.

Public Transportation

I like to take the 7:03 a.m. bus on Rte. 17. It usually hits my stop between 7:10 and 7:15. It's nice, quiet and not crowded at all, giving me a seat by myself. This week, however, it was unusually full. On Friday morning it was standing room only although I was lucky enough to snag the only open seat right behind the bus driver. As we pulled up to a stop just in the downtown core area, this woman got on the back of the bus at the second entrance (it was one of those long buses) and started screaming "I've been stabbed. That man stabbed me! Bus driver call the police!" Because I was at the front of the bus, I couldn't see all the commotion going on at the back. I could see part of her as she stood on the steps of the bus and she looked a little disheveled. As she continued screaming, people from the back of the bus began streaming out of the front of the bus. I couldn't get up because of all the people and I still couldn't see what was going on as she continued screaming. What did freak me out was the look on many of the women's faces as they ran towards the front of the bus. Finally the woman jumped off the bus and took off with some man following her. Another man who had been sitting at the back of the bus got back on and wanted to know if the bus driver was going to continue on the route. She said no because she was calling the cops and had to wait for them. He replied to that with a loud "F&^% You!" and stormed off the bus. At this point I think, it's time to get off the bus. So I did and started the 20 minute walk to work from that part of downtown. As I walked along 4th Ave. I saw the woman. She was standing with 2 police officers and an ambulance and two fire aide vehicles were racing down the street towards her. I called Rebecca to tell her about my morning adventure (all before 8 a.m.) and we had a good laugh. Later that evening, Rebecca called me back to tell me that the man who yelled at the bus driver was her coworker! It just makes me laugh about what a small world this is and the joys of public transportation.
P.S. Rebecca's coworker saw the entire thing and said the man didn't stab her, it was only a paper cut.