theraineysisters knitting and so much more

September 2, 2009

From Sally — Does this Corset Make Me Look Fat?

Filed under: Vivian Cardigan — surly @ 12:00 pm

That’s what Lucy is wondering. I’ve been working on Vivian, which is a Christmas gift for my very slim daughter. Lucy can barely squeeze into it and she’s a little miffed.

I’ve finished the body up to the armholes. Now it’s on a holder until I complete the sleeves. I had almost finished the first sleeve, but decided that it was a bit too tight. (I’m using a finer yarn than called for and monkeying around with the pattern to get the right fit.) So I ripped back and started my increases much earlier than the pattern calls for; I’ll probably end up with more stitches than I’m supposed to and I’ll need to devise some (I hope clever) way of getting rid of them as I work the yoke.

The color is not particularly true in these photos, but c’est la vie.

October 30, 2009

From Susan — Boo Hat

Filed under: Updates — lv2knit @ 10:19 am

I crack my own self up!   I just finished a Marsan Watch Cap for my nephew as part of my Christmas knitting and decided to block it.  It looked just like a lil midnight blue ghost, so I decided to add googly eyes and make it so.  Cheesy!!  I mean, really cheesy!!

The original pattern called for 80 or 88 sts.  A friend of mine made one in the yarn called for and it turned out very small…tiny, tiny, tiny.  I was using slightly smaller yarn so I added sts: 104 total.  Not enough!  I started over: 112 sts (32 more than the original pattern!!).  Still not enough, but I finished it anyway.  The yarn I used is the same as Sally is using for Nora’s Christmas sweater (remember the sexy sweater corset??).  It is Berroco Vintage Wool, in Dark Denim (50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon; 100 gms, 217 yards, 1 skein). 

The colors shown on the website are not very accurate.  This blue is almost black.  It is a gorgeous deep navy.  I LOVED working with this yarn.  It is soft but has tremendous stitch definition.  I would highly recommend it in place of Cascade 220 when you are worried about how the recipient will care for the finished item as it is washable. 

Topsy Turvy
A number of you have asked (hounded us??  )  about Surly’s Topsy Turvy pattern.  We are making a promise to you, our readers: the pattern will be available as a free download by this Sunday.  It will be out in time to do a bit of gift knitting for the holidays.  It is our gift to you as loyal friends and readers, so stop back on Sunday for the pattern.

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