theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I really had fun last night with my knitting peeps.  What a crew!  We laughed so hard we had tears running down our cheeks.  I would describe the conversation but, believe me, you had to be there.  Even a few moments later we could not figure out what was so darn funny.  But I truly enjoyed myself.

Linda was working on a very cute “ponchette” designed by Hemp for Knitting.  BTW, this is NOT a picture of Linda.

Linda is not using their yarn, but rather a linen-polyester mix which is absolutely beautiful and in keeping with the natural look of the hemp design.  I am highly tempted to make this because it is not totally like a poncho — it’s a little bit more stylish.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow and the WWKIP event in Blaine.  I would love to see others of you there, though it will be tough to coordinate everyone’s busy schedules.  I will most likely arrive somewhere between 1 and 2 pm.  And stay until my daughter makes me leave!  Til then, happy knitting.

PS — Julie mentioned Stormcloud Trading in St. Paul (on Minnehaha and Snelling) for beads and purse frames.  I did in fact buy the frames for both the black beaded purse and the brown/copper version at Stormcloud.  They have a huge selection of beads and very good prices.  They have a few purse frames behind the counter.  If you want a wide assortment you can look online and find quite a few.  

I randomly clicked one of the blog sites in the Knit Blog Ring and found out about this event.  It is being held worldwide on June 10.  Locally, stop by the Barnes and Noble on Hwy 10 in Blaine (near Northtown Mall) between 10 am and 6 pm.  Bring your knitting, of course!!  The contact person is Mary at history_geek3@yahoo.com.  I think it is weird that I found this today, so I think I need to attend.  It is a sign. 

What can I say?  I spent several wonderful hours with my knitting peeps and thoroughly enjoyed myself!  Did I knit?  Not a lot, but I did socialize and eat.  I also perused the Knit Picks color cards.  Sally and I are contemplating knitting the Sunrise Circle Jacket from Interweave Knits Projects. 

It is a very intriguing design by Kate Gilbert.  There are several people out there knitting this up in Wool of the Andes, for very reasonable dollars.  The hardest part will be picking out a color.

Check out the upper right hand corner for the Wedding Purse Pattern, requested by aforementioned peeps.  I also made a simple lining that I did not describe in the pattern.

Tonight I had the rare privilege of attending a Knitters Guild meeting.  I usually feel a bit guilty going to them because it means an extra evening out knitting in addition to Thursdays.  However, tonight I was doing my daughter a favor at the same time by dropping her off at an event in “Dinkytown” (the small campus town near the U of MN) which happened to coincide beautifully with the meeting.  The guest was book editor, Kari Cornell.  She works for Voyager Press and focuses her efforts on knitting anthologies and books such as Knitticisms…and Other Purls of Wisdom.  Kari is relatively new to knitting but quickly discovered its addictive nature.  Join the crowd, Kari!!

At the meeting we discussed the current knitting climate, and many others expressed what I was trying to say in my “who we are” section: knitting has become very communal and is best enjoyed when reaching out and connecting with others who share the same passion.  Knitting for me was very solitary through my early years — now it is something I associate with many different people: my sister, my knitting classes and my weekly knitting group.  Even those of you out there that I don’t know.  It has become a very shared activity and a lot more fun for that reason.

We also started planning the next “Knit Out.”  Knit Out is a national event that takes place in September or October.  The past two years we held ours in October at the Ridgedale Mall.  What a blast!  We had fashion shows, displays, charity knitting, knitting lessons, and the fastest knitter contest.  It is a great way to showcase knitting in all of its variations.  More info will be forthcoming.

Thanks, Wendy, for the nice comments about the free mini-purse pattern.  In response: Do your own thing!  Be creative!  Consider the pattern a starting point.  I am already working on a very different version of the bag which I will share in a day or so.  It is a Victorian lace spin on the same bag (for a wedding).

I work one day a week in a yarn store, sometimes more if they need me. I do it for fun, for the contact with other knitters, and for the discount. Ahem. One of my favorite things to do is to help a knitter solve a problem. Some are easy, some are hard, and some demand to be shared.

Earlier this week, I helped a very sweet elderly woman who was trying to knit a top down raglan cardigan for her granddaughter. One reason she had apparently chosen the pattern was that she wanted to do something a bit different and learn something. She had done the collar and started the sets of increases for the raglan shaping, but she wasn’t sure she was on the right track. Something looked “off.” The first thing I noticed (my vision is not what it used to be, but still) was that she had used ring markers to indicate where the increases should go. Unfortunately, she had knitted them into the sweater. They were embedded into the base of the collar and would not be removable without cutting them or unraveling all of her knitting. Unraveling is what we did because, without the markers, she had been guesstimating where to do the increases. Instead of four straight lines radiating out like spokes, she had a spiral thing going on.

I helped her unravel back to the markers. Then I picked the stitches back up, went over the directions, and watched her knit several rows to ensure she understood how to do the increases and slip the markers so that they would not longer be a decorative addition to the sweater. The underlying problem was that she hadn’t understood the true purpose of the markers or the construction of the sweater. Once I explained what the directions meant and how that created the sweater shaping, it all made sense to her. It goes back to my earlier blogs on mindful knitting.

It’s been a hectic week. I feel as if I’ve spent every spare moment in the car, which is not conducive to knitting (assuming one wants to arrive at a destination in one piece.) With so little time to concentrate on my knitting, I’ve just been working on random socks, a sleeve here and there, and my dayflower shawl.

This weekend is the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. I’m not going this year for the first time in years. Usually, I drive out to the Howard County Fairgrounds on Friday and enter some piece of knitting, and then go out on Sunday to look at the sheep, finger (and buy) the yarn, and find out if I’ve won any ribbons. (I’ve had very good luck.) But I have SO much yarn in my stash and so much going on between my daughter’s birthday and my son’s end-of-school activities that I just don’t think I’ll make it this year.

For anyone in the Washington/Baltimore area who hasn’t ever gone, it is definitely worth the trip. It makes a nice family outing. There are sheep dog trials, good fair food, beautiful yarn (as well as spinning and knitting supplies), and lots of sheep and rabbits. The parking and admission is free and the weather this weekend is supposed to be great.

Hmmm. Maybe I’ll have to find a few hours on Sunday . . .

I said I would never fix up old sweaters again, but today I did.  A woman at a work retreat today was fidgeting endlessly with the sleeve of her sweater trying to work in a loose end.  I, of course, had the perfect tool and fixed it during break.  I found many holes at that point — in fact, the collar was about to come off completely and the shoulder seam was non-existent.  So, I brought it home and fixed her up.  A favor doesn’t count, does it?  I don’t believe so, because a) I offered, and 2) I will not accept payment.   No knitting of any import and no new project yet.  I would like to get the short row heel done on my Mock Croc Sock — if I do, a picture will follow.

Yes — I finished a pair of socks. Item number 10 from the “widows and orphans” is no longer without a mate. Here is a photo taken before I grafted the toes (I was checking the fit). The socks are currently soaking in lavender-scented Eucalyn. As you can see, they are fraternal, not identical, twins. There was no discernible repeat, so I just knit the yarn as it appeared without worrying particularly about matching.

I also finished another sock (it only took about a day). It’s a lace anklet pattern from Hand Jive Knits, using their yarn. The colour name is Indian Paintbrush. I actually scanned this sock instead of taking a photograph; that’s why it looks a little odd.

This yarn is similar in look and feel to Koigu. It gets amazingly soft when blocked. The second sock is already on the needles and I am finished with the cuff. I knit this sock with a star toe (as the pattern suggested), which is a nice easy toe for anyone out there (Wendy?) who has had trouble with grafting.

I realize I haven’t responded to my sister’s post about our mother’s knitting. The oddest thing, to me, is I don’t remember ever seeing our mother knit. She was, as Susan said, an expert seamstress. I always associate her with sewing and not knitting, and unlike Susan I don’t have any garments that she knit for me (although I am sure she probably did knit me a few). But those pieces that Sue photographed are very nice and show wonderful workmanship.