theraineysisters knitting and so much more

December 8, 2009

From Susan — All This Has Happened Before….

Filed under: Topsy Turvy,Topsy Turvy pattern,Updates — lv2knit @ 9:13 pm

The title is a shout out to Battle Star Galactica (Go, Cylons — woo hoo!).  Anyway, all these glovelets have happened before and will happen again…

I have been knitting up massive quantities of glovelets.  Most are being made with my new favorite glovelet pattern: Baby Fan Mitts.   Here is a picture of the most recent pair, with two more pairs to go (black just does not photograph well!):


Baby Fan Mitts using Misti Alpaca Worsted, US Sz 3 dpns

I have a new pattern to add to my repertoire for glovelets.  I wanted to make a pair with stash worsted weight yarn, so my old standby “Fetching Glovelets” came to mind.  I could not bring myself to make another pair — at least not right now.  But as luck would have it, I stumbled upon a free pattern designed by good friend and loyal reader, Twinset Ellen.  The pattern is called “Handed Yes, Fingered No: Mitts That Fit” and is free on the blog she shares with her twin sister, Jan. 


Sublime Yarns Cashmere Merino Silk Aran — 75% merino, 20% silk, 5% cashmere (color Clipper, 2 skeins, 188 yards, US Sz 5 dpns)

They are a very quick knit, nicely written pattern, and fit very well.  The pattern calls for two colors that stripe throughout.  I used a solid color, so mine looked a little plain.  I crocheted a simple edging to jazz them up a bit.

On a completely unrelated note, the other day I got an email from a Los Angeles knitting store called Knit Culture.  They said they had just made our Topsy Turvy Moebius and were going to do a class on it!   What can I say — this was exciting news!!

Now, stop reading and start knitting!

Special Note from Kendyl:
“On an only slightly related note- Lt. (or Captain) Starbuck aka Katee Sackhoff wandered into my open house (I’m a Realtor in CA) a few weeks ago.  I did not behave well- as in “cool”.  Pretty surreal to have a character you are somewhat obsessed with walk right into you.”

I am so envious!!  Starbuck is one of my favorite characters — I ? her!!  In the new BSG, Starbuck remained a hard drinking, cigar smoking, fighter pilot — the only thing they changed was the gender!!

October 30, 2009

From Susan and Sally — Couldn’t Wait til Sunday

Filed under: Topsy Turvy,Topsy Turvy pattern — Both Sisters @ 2:13 pm

The Topsy Turvy Moebius pattern is ready NOW!!  Yay!  There is a link on the right side column where we keep the links to all of our free patterns.  Please enjoy this small gift from The Rainey Sisters!!

October 18, 2009

From Susan — It’s a Twofer

Filed under: Glovelets,Topsy Turvy — lv2knit @ 11:43 am

Yep, today you’re getting two FOs for the price of one!!  They are small FO’s but what do you expect when there is a sale like this going on?

First, I finished Sally’s Topsy Turvy:

Topsy Turvy Front Soft fold by you.
Topsy Turvy with Soft Fold in Front

Topsy Turvy Front with Sharp Fold by you.
Topsy Turvy with Regular Fold

Topsy Turvy 011 by you.
From the Back

I really like it!  It took two complete skeins of Artyarns Rhapsody (I do not see my color on their web page; I had about 2 gms left!!) and I’m not sure how well the scallops will hold after wearing it, but I like it a lot!  It stays on your shoulders quite nicely, unlike shawls that need adjusting.

Second FO: another pair of Fetching Glovelets:

fetching Glovelets in Silk by you.

These were made at the request of eldest daughter to be given to a friend for her birthday.  When my kids ASK for knitting, they get knitting!  Period.  I had this hand dyed, 100% silk in my stash (no label so I can’t give more details) and DD thought the color was perfect.

So, a two for one sale at The Rainey Sisters blog!! 😉

October 16, 2009

From Susan — New Player in Town

Filed under: Topsy Turvy — lv2knit @ 6:56 pm

First of all, thank you for the very kind words about my Aeolian Shawl.  Some of you went WAY overboard, and I loved it!

Today I checked out a new yarn shop in my area: Shepherd’s Choice in Anoka, MN.   It is a very nice shop — it does not try to be all things to all knitters.  I would call it more of a specialty or niche shop.  They carry all of the varieties and colors of all the Blue Sky Alpacas yarn.  And that, my friends, is worth the trip!  Wow.  Wow.  BSA yarn is fantastic.  They also carry most, if not all, of their patterns and had a lot of shop samples. 

In their own words:

Shepherd’s Choice is a yarn shop located in historic downtown Anoka, Minnesota. We offer exquisite and exclusive yarns for hand-knitters and crocheters.

Shepherd’s Choice also offers a line of natural products that are hand-crafted in small batches using the most environmentally “friendly” ingredients possible [soaps, lotions, essential oils]. Only high quality vegetable oils, pure essential oils, herbs and spices make these products truly luxuriant. Synthetic fragrances, colors, and preservatives have no place in Shepherd’s Choice products.

Over 10% of all profits are given to charities intent on relieving hunger and promoting education around the world. Use love to create a just, peaceful, stable world.

I will definitely be going back!!

My current project is a Topsy Turvy Moebius using Surly’s homegrown pattern.  It will be done TODAY (if it kills me).  Sally has been out of town of late and therefore hasn’t had time to put the finishing touches on the pattern, but it will be forthcoming.  It is a really nice pattern, if I can plug Sally’s work!!

Since I have no pictures, I’ll include this:

BHG by you.
Click on picture to enlarge

This picture, from the October Better Homes and Gardens, caught my eye.  First, because there is knitting in it and it’s not a knitting magazine!  Second, because the scarf looks like my Merci Scarf (and I do not mean to imply they used my “pattern,” which is really just a seed rib), and third, because the knitting is so – dare I say it? – full of boo boos.  I just wanted to say to the magazine, “Oh, Hon.  Go back and fix your mistakes.  The pattern is all messed up.  Please, rip it out!!”  Must. Avert. Eyes.

But they do show knitting and they do show beautiful, beautiful yarn, so I’m not complaining!!  Really.

Kay said, “Must have been a new knitter. If that’s the case, I think it’s a pretty good scarf.”  And I agree!  It IS a pretty scarf!  I just can’t help myself!  I see mistakes*!  Aaaaarrrrgggggggggghhhhhh!!  I need medication… 🙁

*Unfortunately, I tend to miss my own mistakes and must rely on the kindness of others to point them out!!

September 29, 2009

From Sally — Topsy Turvy

Filed under: Topsy Turvy — Tags: — surly @ 11:10 am

Last May, I bought some gorgeous yarn: two skeins of Rhapsody from Artyarns. It’s a wonderful combination of silk and mohair (a strand of unplied silk and a strand of Kidsilk Haze or its identical twin) in an acid chartreuse green. Here is a photo Susan took of me eyeing the yarn before I admitted I to myself that I was taking it home.

I couldn’t quite figure out what to make with it as I only had about 500 yards. Then, two weeks ago, a knitting friend (Hi Phyllis!) reminded me of the moebius I knit a few years ago out of pale pink Kidsilk Haze and suggested that as a good use for my Rhapsody. (You can just see my pink moebius in the lower right hand corner of this photo of my stash of pink yarn.)

I didn’t want to use the same pattern (which is a good thing since I couldn’t find mine anyway). I decided to make up my own because I hadn’t been feeling frustrated enough lately. It’s tricky making up a moebius pattern because the knitting grows from the center out and the pattern in effect reverses itself. I did a lot of experimenting and ripping out, but I do like the results. It fits me better than Lucy; her shoulders aren’t quite broad enough to let it hang right. If I were to knit this same pattern again with this yarn, I might make it a little bit smaller in circumference. It did turn out larger than I expected, even after swatching, blocking, measuring. Le sigh. But I do LOVE the color of this yarn, and that’s the most important part of this particular project. I named it Topsy Turvy because the blocks pull in different directions and the pattern reverses itself.

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