theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I saw this in yesterday’s paper and had to share it!  The full color cartoon comes from the Flying McCoys website.

Send me straight to ………

SURLY!!  Yep, today is the little Rainey Sister’s birthday!!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful sister, and bestest friend!

Remember this picture from a post or two ago?

Well, friend Ellie brought in the final finished object to knitting last night, with such a cute embellishment!

Thanks to all for the warm reception to my Margo Poncho.  People have been curious about using two yarns, etc., etc.  Obviously, the cashmere I used is long gone and no longer available.  I was wondering if KnitPicks Palette could be substituted, since to me it is a very thin fingering weight yarn.  I have a bunch in my stash and (even though I did not have an exact match to my cashmere), I swatched it to check gauge:

Palette in Doe swatched with Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool Oatmeal

The gauge was 14 sts/4 inches which is perfect.  I remeasured the gauge on my poncho and it was 15 sts/4 inches, so the Palette is actually closer!  I have Palette color cards and Camel Heather is almost an identical match to the color.  The fabric is not quite as soft, of course, but it is very nice.

KnitPicks Palette Camel Heather

Two skeins of the Palette yarn ~equal the same yardage as one skein of Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool, so 4 Palette and 2 Lion Brand would make this poncho at a pretty reasonable price.

Yay!  My Margo Poncho is done — as of last week actually.  Eight days from start to finish, so a nice quick project.

I made a few mods, which are described on my Ravelry project page.  I only buttoned it at one spot on each side (there is a button on the front and back) — it looked better that way on me.  I bought the buttons at Hancock Fabrics and doubled the cost of the project!  But I think they are really nice.  They are 1-3/16 inch instead of 1″ and I like the larger size for this.

I was trying frantically to finish this before the weekend and then I never wore it!  Oh well.  At least now I can forget about my poncho obsession and move on!!

I just finished knitting an adorable little baby dress under a tight deadline.  Why such a tight deadline?  After all, I knew the baby was coming for months.  I even knew several weeks in advance when I was going to get to meet the baby for the first time.

Well, as we all know knit happens. I started a different dress weeks ago.  Then, last week, I decided I didn’t like it.  The pattern wasn’t as cute as I’d thought it would be, the pattern itself had issues, and I was knitting it out of cotton.  The cotton was a beautiful, deep fuchsia — I loved the color.  But I hated knitting with it.

So, I cast around (ha ha) on Ravelry looking for something I could finish within 3 or 4 days.  It had to be a quick knit and I had to have the yarn in my stash because the roads were still a bit dicey from our big storm.  I settled on the Lizzy Dress designed by Taiga Hilliard. I rummaged around in my stash and found a light blue Madelinetosh Merino light — the right gauge and machine washable, too.

This was a great pattern: fun to knit, well written, adorable, and quick. If you make it out of one skein, you never even have to join new yarn. I made the 12-month size with a few modifications. I did fewer increases on the skirt so that the skirt was the 6-month size (which substracted one lace repeat). Note: If you knit this and make a similar modification, just take care when you set the side marker so that the lace is centered in the front.

I ordered an assortment of inexpensive shell buttons from Amazon (yay for free two day shipping). I was planning to use white buttons, but the pink seemed to pop.

I’m very pleased with how this turned out and I can’t wait to meet the recipient.

At knitting last night, Ellie (a favorite and long-time knitting peep) shared her latest FO…and the yarn she had left over when it was finished.  One little, inch-long nerd of yarn!  We absolutely roared!  I am sure the other patrons wondered what the heck was so funny, and none of them would get the kick out of it that we did!  She even had to cut off the tail from the cast on to weave through the last sts.  Way to maximize your yarn utilization, Ellie!!

Have you ever gotten a bee in your bonnet about making something, even if the logic is not necessarily there?  I do this often.  A toy, a hat, a doily, etc.  This time around it is a poncho.  I am obsessed with ‘obtaining’ a poncho.  I bought a woolen blanket so I could fashion my own poncho…FAIL.  I have started several poncho patterns…FAIL.

One of my knitting peeps made the Margo Poncho, and it is absolutely darling on her cute, petite self.  So I thought I would give it a whirl because I am so cute and petite!  🙂

This is supposed to be a throw-away project mind you!  I do not want to spend a lot of money or time on it.  I just want my damn poncho!!

I bought some Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool on sale for $8 a skein (465 yds/8 oz, color Oatmeal) for one of my failed poncho attempts.  It is actually pretty nice yarn.

Fishermen’s Wool is supposed to knit up at 16 sts/4 inches, but I think it would look better at 20 sts/4 inches.  The Margo is knit at 14 sts/4 inches.  I wanted to knit it at that gauge so it would go faster!

I knew I had a thin cashmere yarn tucked away in my stash…for many years.  Plus, it was old when I got it – my dad’s mother died, and I inherited anything I wanted from her knitting supplies.  I have enough (fingers crossed!) to hold it with the Lion Brand, making the gauge exactly 14 sts/4 inches.  Yay!!

I am liking the results!!  The Aarlan Cashmere label shows a date of 1973.  Even though it is at least 40 years old, it is in nice condition.  Ravelry lists Aarlan Cashmere, but the composition is 60% wool, 40% cashmere, whereas mine is 75% cashmere to 25% wool.

I started on Wednesday and have about 11 inches done.  Hubby is leaving this afternoon until tomorrow night.  I hope to do a ‘Netflix and Knit’ binge and really make some progress!!

PS (January 30) — Progress made!

The front is done and the back started.  The color in the top picture is closer to the real thing.

PS2 — 2/2/2016 The back is done!  Just need to do the ribbing along the sides.  I should be able to get that done tonight.

It’s a good thing I’m well stocked with yarn, needles, and gin. We won’t be going anywhere for a few days. The official snow total for Washington, DC thus far is only about 16-18 inches, but that is a misleadingly low total. It’s taken at National Airport which a) is not in DC but in Virginia and b) is on the river, where the snow totals are usually lower than surrounding areas.

Here, chez moi, we’ve got a good two feet on the ground and it is snowing harder right now than it has all day. Here’s a photo taken several hours ago.

And a short video I took just now. (I changed angles part way through which allows you to see the snow better.)

I’m working currently on Inggun, an Elsebeth Lavold design. I’ve knit about 11 inches. If the snow keeps up, maybe I’ll finish this by early next week! Here’s a photo taken before it started snowing, when I had just gotten going. I’m knitting it all in once piece, and using her (now discontinued) Calm Wool.

The new little black Rikke is finito…

Made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Pitch Black, 77 grams.   I enjoyed making a small, quick, and sure to be appreciated item.  🙂  Some of you may notice that I did not do my own mods to this hat, which eliminate the “seam” at the center back.  Laura wanted this hat to look just like her other and sometimes simplicity is best.

PS (1-20-16): I gave this to Laura yesterday and she LOVED it!  Perfect fit and the right color…Yay!

I am definitely in the winter doldrums.  I just returned from a slog of a work-related trip to Vegas, and could not be happier to be home, even though the weather promises a  minus 35 degree windchill tomorrow.  Yes, I prefer a frozen tundra to a __________  (I really can’t print what I want to call it!).

Eldest daughter requested some knitting.  Resistance is futile.  😉  She wants another Rikke Hat, this time in pitch black.  So I bought a skein of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Worsted in Pitch Black (how original!!).

I was worried because the picture looks more like charcoal, but it really is a true black.  I have just started it so not much to show.

I took some knitting with me but made little progress.  Another reason to be glad I’m home.  🙂  And to see my boys (John and Yuki).

PS — Yep, it is -35 windchill. Bummer.

As promised, we are watching the Vikings-Seahawks game in front of a roaring fire!

NOTE TO SELF
Read the pattern directions thoroughly.  That is all.

Well, not all – I had to rip back 8 inches on my Old Town because I was doing the increases wrong and it was not fixable…aaarrrggghhh!!

PS — I wish I could say that ripping back vast quantities of knitting was the exception, but unfortunately it is an all too frequent occurrence!