Twinsetjan commented on my last post:
“Yay for knitting warriors!! Twinsetellen got me into the next level of knitting while I was stationed in Iraq. She sent me a sock pattern, yarn and dpns and told me to just figure it out. (Up till then I’d been a very basic knitter!) Knitting in an up-armored HMWVV is one of my favorite memories.”
I love reading Ellen and Jan’s blog because we share so much in common (and they happen to be very interesting people): two knitting sisters, one in Minnesota, one in or near our nation’s capitol. I really like their blog format of writing a letter to the other in way of an update.
Ellen was certainly instrumental in advancing Jan’s knitting to the next level!! Surly did (and still does) the same for me. Years ago, she got kind of pushy and told me I HAD to branch out beyond knitting in one color. She dragged me downtown to Ram Wools yarn shop (yes, it used to be located in Minneapolis, right downtown in kind of the warehouse district). My daughter was 3 at the time, so I figured if I made something for her, it would be easier. This pattern is an Annabel Fox design from an old Rowan pattern book (Rowan Children #1), and is called the Bill and Ben Cardigan.
That same day I bought some sale yarn in apricot and after completing the above, I tackled another intarsia design from the same book and designer, called Magic Dragon:
The rest is history…once I started using more than one color, I never looked back! I guess I have to thank Sally for pushing me beyond my perceived limits and expanding my knitting world.
Those were your FIRST colorwork projects? Hokey smokes, you sure were ready! They are gorgeous.
Of course, just like Jan, you jumped in with both feet and immediately excelled. She is now knitting everything under the sun and designing, too. Of course, that lets the little sisters (Jan is 10 minutes older than me!) keep looking up to their big sisters. 🙂
Comment by twinsetellen — June 30, 2010 @ 7:35 am
Wow! When you started colorwork, you did not start halfway. Those are beautiful sweaters!
Comment by Christina Bieloh — June 30, 2010 @ 9:16 am
They are such pretty sweaters. But I’m never pushy.
Comment by Surly — June 30, 2010 @ 9:28 am
Oh,my! You are a fearless knitter! Those are beautiful little sweaters. 🙂
Comment by Kym — June 30, 2010 @ 12:09 pm
What a lucky daughter! I bet she loved them. I still remember clearly some hand made clothes I had when three = one was a dress with a clown painted in it, and my mother had one to match. I loved to wear it.
Comment by Joanna Ryan — June 30, 2010 @ 12:37 pm
You’re so fortunate to have each other and to get along so well! Wonderful. 🙂
Comment by Romi — June 30, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
The childrens sweaters are awesome. You are a beautiful knitter. So is Sally. Everything that you and Sally knit look finished, well blocked, completed. I know that is vague, but I look at sweaters on websites and Ravelry and I think are you sure you want the ribbing to look like that, are you sure you don’t want to rip out the back and fix those wonky stitches, are you quite sure you don’t want to add more yarn to the front so the button holes don’t pucker (huge pet peeve of mine). I have never look at one of your sweaters and thought that. They are lovely and wearable. Thank you are always showing a finished sweater at its best.
Comment by diana — July 1, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
What beautiful knitters you both are! Everything is SOOOO perfect!! I love the Magic Dragon sweater but have not been able to find the old Rowan pattern book it comes from. Any ideas as to where I could get one?
Many thanks,
Rosemary
Comment by rosemary lynch — July 7, 2010 @ 7:08 am
Hmmm…I wonder if they inspire us, or if it’s really that we can’t stand they are doing something with more proficiency? 🙂 I’m going to say mostly inspiration, but a little sibling competition on my part!
LOVE the dragons!
(Just back to catching up on all my blog favorites…)
Comment by twinsetjan — July 20, 2010 @ 11:43 am