theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I just returned from my counseling session – er – knitting group.  What a great group of people.  It really is the highlight of my week. 

This afternoon I played hookie and went to the Yarnery (St. Paul LYS) to be the person who helps out during their open knit clinic.  I had 6 or 8 people stop in (pretty much all at one time!), asking questions about their knitting projects.  It was a little tough trying to figure out where they were in the pattern, help them out at their level of expertise, AND help five other people at the same time.  Whew! 

My on-the-go project may have found its legs.  I started working on a jacket that I fell in love with last year.  Idonis (from my knitting group) made the jacket for her niece for Christmas last year and it was so gorgeous I decided I just had to have one exactly like it.  She made hers out of Pastaza (Cascade 50% llama, 50% wool, 132 yds/100 gms, 4 sts/in).  I immediately went out and bought a bag.  It sat aging gracefully for the past year waiting for me to choose it as my next project.  OKAY!  I finally pulled it out of my stash and started calculating the size I wanted , etc. etc.  I should mention that the pattern Idonis used is at least 40 years old.  To look at it, you would NEVER think to make it — but as I said, I had already seen the completed jacket.  The sizing is outrageous: a size 18 is 40 inches around!!!!  That’s the finished circumference!  Were people in the 60’s midgets?  Anyway, mine will be a tad bit larger 🙂 As I started knitting, I realized that one bag o’yarn was not going to cut it, so I bought another bag today and tested the color difference — it passed the test, amazingly enough.  I’ll probably use the new yarn on the sleeves, front band and collar, but the color really is okay.

Here is the pattern — DON’T LAUGH (okay, you can laugh, but only because I’m laughing WITH you):

How will I ever get my hair to do that? 

Here is the yarn color:

It is called Rainier Heather (color 073): maroon, blue and gold mixed together.  Pastaza is absolutely fabulous to work with; I’ve used it several times before.  So you may be laughing now but just wait.  You’ll see…it will be cute…I hope…well, maybe!

I won.  The battle for this yarn, that is (actually, Sally did not put up much of a struggle!).  Sally bought a single skein of La Luz 100% Silk in the color American Beauty.  All the way back from Omaha, I fondled and swatched and lusted after this small bit of lustrous, beautiful silk — in a red that shimmers not only from its silky sheen, but from the play of color from light to dark.  I love this yarn!

I thought this would be very nice in a scarf and would showcase the beautiful silk yarn.  My other scarf (feather and fan) is not looking good at all and is well on its way to becoming a UFO (UnFinished Object).Â

A reader asked me to post pictures of Ballerina, which I said I would do but haven’t yet.  I really enjoyed making Ballerina, even though it felt like it took forever.  And then there is the “translation” problem with the pattern.  With Hanne’s designs, you kind of need an interpreter — and I’m not talking about Swedish to English.  I think it’s more like Hanne to everyone else.  She has her own unique way of writing directions that defies convention.  I have finished my third jacket of hers and finally think I can understand her.  I’m thinking of offering a class called “Hanne Helper.”

Anyway, as my knitting peeps know, I change every pattern somehow.  On Ballerina, the changes were minor.  I decided, based on my experience with Mermaid, to opt out of the built in i-cord hem.  Instead, I added an applied i-cord after the fact.  I also did an i-cord bind off around the neckband and ended up not needing the sleeve band. 

Here is a comparison of the two hem finishes for Mermaid (top) and Ballerina.  I was more concerned about the appearance of the inside of the hem on Ballerina because of the design — it is a “swing coat,” longer in the back, so I thought the inside of the jacket might show at times. 

 

I think the Ballerina i-cord looks much better. 

Not the best picture, but here is the front:

Front detail:

 

Back:

I am now a huge fan of i-cord in all of its forms.  I use it on just about everything.  I am so un-original!!

PS — to my Thursday group: I won’t be there this week.  I am going to the opening night of Wicked in the nosebleed section!