theraineysisters knitting and so much more

August 10, 2007

From Susan — The Sun[rise Circle] Also Rises

Filed under: Knitting Tips,Sunrise Circle Jacket — lv2knit @ 12:03 pm

This has been a crazy week with a little bit of knitting, but a lot more “non-knitting.”  I really enjoyed seeing the progress that Sally has made on her Silver Belle.  It is absolutely gorgeous. 

I’d like to answer a question from a reader/commenter:

Nancy asked a question about The Sunrise Circle Jacket which she plans to start soon:

I have re-read your blogs about the Sunrise Circle Jacket since I am contemplating starting it in the next weeks. I am hesitant about making it since the facing on the front flaps is so obvious, at least in the pattern. Neither of your sweaters have this obvious line of facing. Is this because you used a dark color of yarn?

Actually, the color of the sweaters is not the determining factor in how visible the facing is from the right side.  It is all about the way the facing is attached to the wrong side of the sweater.  Here is a picture of my Sunrise Circle to illustrate not what you can see but ::hopefully:: what you cannot see:

SunriseCircle2.jpg picture by lv2knit
Lettie likes the Sunrise Circle!!

I make sure that the facing is sewn in such a way that I don’t pull up on the sweater fabric as I attach the facing.  I let the facing float on the WS and use thread to tack down the underside of the facing to the WS of the sweater.  The stitching is invisible from both the RS and the WS of the sweater. 

The following diagram will help explain it — we all know that words get confusing.

Facing-1.jpg picture by lv2knit

I think the most visible method is the “knit the two edges together” method which is often used on hems.  It is easy and requires no additional finishing BUT it creates a very visible join line — ridge — whatever you want to call it.  This method has its place and I have used it, but do not use it if you are concerned about the visible ridge that will occur as a result.  Just my opinion!! 🙂

 

January 18, 2007

From Susan — Potpourri

Filed under: Back Story,Sunrise Circle Jacket — lv2knit @ 8:34 am

In my work life, I am the manager of a small, staff education department.  One of my duties is the hiring and the firing, so in the course of those duties I have the “opportunity” to read resumes.  Here’s one that I just could not believe — this woman was a total job-hopper and shared not only the multitude of jobs she had held in the past, but also her reasons for leaving:

  • her stint in pool maintenance was cut short because it was too draining
  • she worked for Minute Maid orange juice, but got canned because she could not concentrate
  • she left Midas Muffler because she found the work too exhausting
  • she left her job as a commercial fisherman because she could not live on the net income

Okay, so I will not quit my day job for comedy!!!  😉 😉 😉

On a knitting-related note, I am very excited because last evening I bought some fabric (a batik rayon) to make something to go with my Sunrise Circle:

image

I finished this sweater months ago and have not been able to wear it because my wardrobe is so pathetic (we have touched on my “shabby chic without the chic” wardrobe in previous posts).  My Moebius Scarf class, scheduled to start this Saturday is a NO GO ( 🙁 ) so that leaves me with a free day on my hands ( 🙂 ).  I hope to be wearing this puppy by next week — woo hoo!!

Tonight is Thursdays at 4 [knitting group] AND Grey’s Anatomy (Dr. McDreamy, I’m all yours!) — so it is a good day!

 

December 27, 2006

From Sally — Sunrise Circle Update and a “New” Project

Filed under: Blue Shimmer,Completed Projects,Sunrise Circle Jacket — Sally @ 11:42 am

It’s finished! I wore it on Christmas to a brunch and received a lot of compliments. This is a very flattering sweater and it fits me perfectly. I love success stories because they’re not all success stories. Here are some photos.

First, I wanted to show how I decided on the button placement. Because my sister was visiting me when it was just about finished, I put it on and she basted a line to show how the fronts should overlap to get the fit I wanted. She also marked with a thread where I DIDN’T want a button — right at the nipple.

Here is another photo showing the button placement in progress.

And, finally, the finished project:

Now that I’ve actually finished something, I’m still inching along on my Feather and Fan shawl. But I have also gone back to another “head start” project. It’s a Bohus sweater from the book Poems of Color. It’s knit from the neck down with no seams. The beauty of this kind of knitting is that you can keep trying it on as you go to see if the body and sleeves are the right length. There is also very minimal finishing. I loved trying it on when I only had the yoke finished — it looked like a Pharaoh’s necklace.

I started this a long time ago and then set it down when I was lured away by God knows what. But I’ve wanted to come back to it for a long time. It’s the “Blue Shimmer.” One reason I set it down is that the cream yarn I was using for the body and the sleeves was fairly uneven in its spinning and in its color. I wasn’t sure if I should unravel back to the yoke and substitute a more consistent yarn. I’ve decided not to — I’ll live with the imperfections in the yarn and hope that by doing so I don’t let the sweater cross from looking handmade to home made — a fine line. Here is a photo of where I am. As you can see, I really do have a good head start with this one.

December 22, 2006

From Sally — I’m Knitting a Hat, too!

Filed under: Current Projects,Sunrise Circle Jacket — surly @ 9:11 am

I’m knitting a hat for my husband for Christmas. He wants a plain black stocking cap with the letters NCVC (the name of this bicycling team) going around in red. Exciting, eh? I started it last night so I could knit while watching the Vikings lose. All I have at the moment is the three-inch hem and the turning row, so there is no point in posting a photograph.

He asked me to use a blend of wool and alpaca I already had in my stash — how festive. I tried to suggest that I could go and find him a softer yarn, but he said he likes “scratchy hats. The scratchier the better.” Alrighty then. One scratchy, black hat coming up just in time for the holidays.

My Sunrise Circle is almost finished. All I have left is the button loops. I’ll finish it off as soon as I get some traction on this hat. My camera is back from the shop, so I’ll be able to post pictures.

December 18, 2006

From Sally — Hansel and Gretel

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket — surly @ 10:32 am

Happy Holidays everyone!

As Susan explained, she and I were in New York. I had tickets to two Clay Aiken Christmas concerts: one in Long Island and one at West Point. I had planned on a girlfriend trip: staying up late and talking and knitting. Alas, my friend (she of the red cashmere glovelets) could not attend at the last minute and my dear sister didn’t want me to have to cancel. So, I met another friend in Long Island and went to West Point with Susan.

After the Long Island concert, my friend Mary and I went back to our hotel, which had a lovely lobby. There were comfortable, overstuffed chairs and a fire in the fireplace. We decided to sit there and have a drink. I ran upstairs to get my laptop, some wine glasses, and my knitting. This particular hotel has especially long hallways because it is built around a central, open courtyard. I grabbed what I needed in record time and hurried down two long corridors to get back to the elevator. Then I glanced down. Hmmm. I had dropped my ball of laceweight grey Shetland wool. I peeked around the corner. I couldn’t see it. Uh oh. I started to walk back down the first of the two hallways. No skein in sight. I set down the wine glasses and laptop and started gathering wool (so to speak). I rounded the next corner. No ball of yarn.

Well, it was wedged in the door of my room. I had HUNDREDS of feet of grey yarn winding through the corridors of this hotel. So I started winding. And winding. And winding my way back to the elevator.

It took a long time. I think Mary had just about given up on me. At least she had the wine.

As for my knitting, I am almost finished with my Sunrise Circle Jacket; I’m finishing up the facing and hope to have all of the finishing done in the next few days. I’ll definitely post pictures.

December 8, 2006

From Sally — Men Knitting

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket,Uncategorized — surly @ 10:37 am

Why do men who knit get so much attention? Don’t answer that. I know. *waves to men who may be reading blog.*

Here is a little video on Men Who Knit.

As for my own knitting, I picked up my Sunrise Circle Jacket again — if you recall, I had put it down earlier because I can’t count, and I am almost finished with the last sleeve/front. I’m hoping to be able to wear it by next week.

September 17, 2006

From Sally — a Quick Post

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket — surly @ 8:13 pm

I flew to Los Angeles on Thursday to watch the Tonight Show being taped. Why? Well . . . I’m impulsive. And Clay Aiken (new cd in stores September 19th) was appearing and a friend of mine in L.A. had VIP tickets and my husband’s in Italy and it was my anniversary and I felt like doing something fun. So I went.

I did a lot of knitting on the plane, almost all of which I had to rip out because I was tired and not paying attention. I was working on my Sunrise Circle jacket and I knit most of the sleeve before I remembered that I had changed the frequency and number of my increases on the first sleeve. This is an example of unmindful knitting. I don’t really recommend it unless you like knitting things twice. I discovered the error of my ways on the flight back. Fortunately I had sock yarn so I could start a new orphan sock.

Le sigh.

I attracted a lot of attention at the airport with my roll-a-bout. Not only that, but my foot and its lovely shoe/cast thing threw security for a loop. I got a lot of “personal” attention from the security personnel if you know what I mean and I think that you do.

I haven’t forgotten that someone asked to see what other Starmores I have on the needles. I’ll give a pictorial update on that tomorrow.

Also — YES! I designed the Trellis jacket. My big claim to fame. I’m not sure why it would have had Susan’s name on the pattern, too but hey — I guess no one can tell us apart. (Hint: She’s the big one.)

PS from Susan — Here is a picture of the Trellis Jacket (featured in Interweave Knits), even though it is also pictured elsewhere on the blog:

Sally's Sweater 2

August 13, 2006

From Susan — At a Snail’s Pace

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket — lv2knit @ 8:44 pm

I finally finished Sunrise Circle.  The buttons are on.  They are made from snail shells and quite pricey, but I think they are perfect. 

SunriseCircleButtons.jpg

And a close up of the button loop.  I did a “faux tatting” stitch instead of the buttonhole stitch I usually use for buttonhole loops.

SunriseCircleButtonloops.jpg

So all my entries are ready.  I’ll do a little steam pressing, but everything is finished.

July 22, 2006

From Susan — Post-Op Report on Sunrise Hunchback Surgery

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket — lv2knit @ 1:58 pm

Whew, it was touch and go there for a while, but Sunrise pulled through.  The hump appears to be a thing of the past.  Sunrise is recovering nicely. 

Ideally I should have taken the extra fabric out as follows, but it would have meant a LOT more work:

Slide1-1.jpg

Instead, I took the extra length from the top along the basting line.

SunriseFinishedBackOuter-1.jpg

From the inside:

SunriseFinishedBackInside-1.jpg

I dismantled the I-cord, machine stitched along the basting line, and trimmed off the excess.  I then picked up sts, re-knit the I-cord and tacked down the cut edge.  After that, I grafted the facing back onto the I-cord. 

I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way if you can avoid it!  I have a couple of things in my favor:

  1. I know how to sew
  2. It does not bother me in the least to cut knitting
  3. I do not mind grafting, Kitchener — whatever you want to call it — in any of its forms

Most people do not like to cut OR graft.  What I would have done differently is to shape the back neck as I was knitting the garment.  That’s where the designer comes in.  And as I said before, I am not faulting her.  She designed an incredibly unique and fun project.  You often don’t know what the fit issues will be until after the garment is constructed.

 

June 20, 2006

From Susan — Sunrise Oval Jacket

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket,Updates — lv2knit @ 6:32 am

I have been too busy to get my Sunrise blocked, but I thought I would share some pictures of it anyway.  It is such a cool pattern, and I enjoyed making it very much.  I love things that are a little different — classic yet unique — and this certainly qualifies. 

MultiPics001.jpg

Here is the “oval”:

MultiPics003.jpg

Here are some detail pictures:

Hem

MultiPics004.jpg

Left front

MultiPics005.jpg

I also spent some time on Ballerina.  I recommend that if you make this jacket, you keep some notes or something.  My two sides are not what I would call perfectly symmetrical.  It’s not something you can see really, but I did need to fudge to get the numbers to work out, and I have no idea why.  The stitch count is the same, so either Hanne designed it with the sides a bit off, or I am a bit off.  Don’t answer that!

MultiPics006.jpg

I am still toiling on my scarf and the wedding ring purses will be done this evening — pictures of them tomorrow…

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