theraineysisters knitting and so much more

THAT was humbling!  I started a project, which shall remain nameless to protect me from humiliation, and it flopped miserably.  Not that I haven’t had my share of flops, but I still don’t like them!  I should have been a good lil do-be (Do be a do-be, don’t be a don’t-be!) and finished Oregon, but the siren call of silk — 100% silk — was too much for me and proved irresistable.  So, today I’m being a good lil do-be and working on Oregon.

This leads to my next stream of consciousness:  I’ve been reading a bit of the Yarn Harlot’s book in preparation for her upcoming visit.  In the book she says all knitters have flops, even if you’ve been knitting for 20 years (or 40+ !!).  There are so many things that I agree with in this book.  I have to admit that I am really enjoying it.  I read it during my frequent “bio-breaks” from knitting and the mundane necessities of life (IOW, bathroom breaks, people!).  Some breaks may be longer than others, but all of them are now a little longer due to the fact that I need to finish a page or two 😉 .  It is fun to see yourself and your fellow knitters described so fondly and knowingly, with just a hint of self deprecating humor. 

The ‘siren’ I referred to above is Laines du Nord Mulberry Silk in color green lilac (4011). I fell for the fiber, the color, and the possibilities.  I am re-thinking my options and will probably go for a summer tank to wear under an over-sized linen shirt (my summer uniform). 

 
It is 100% silk and has ten plies, which makes it scrumptious to knit with.  Many silk yarns are single ply and therefore get kind of fuzzy.  The stitches are very even and it knits at a DK gauge on US 6 needles.  I am going to let it age a while before trying again :(.

Now, I must go be a do-be!!!

We had a great time tonight.  Almost everyone was there.  I got to share my new books with the team and felt even better about them after my peeps read through them and found even more to ohh and ahhh over!  

I am stuck on Eris [sleeve] Island because I have not had time to knit of late.  Last night was spent with friends I have had for over thirty years.  We would get together regularly, but found that the time in between was getting to be 1-2 years (!).  TOO long!  So now we are making an effort to get together every 1-2 months.   It has really worked and is wonderful.  These are people who knew me when: before menopause and chicken necks, before marriage and kids, before we knew what our futures would hold. 

Now I must knit and go watch a rerun of Grey’s — though I hear it is a good one (per Kim!).  😉

I taught the “Inserting a Zipper” class last evening for the third time in a week!  So, “zipperphobia” is NOT a universal ailment, my friends!!  Last night at the Yarnery we had three lively participants: Ruthie, Debbie and Connie.   Sorry I did not list all the participants from all the sessions 🙁 .  I found (thank goodness) that most of the people who took the class were sewers as well as knitters, so they all did a great job.  Thanks to all for making the class so fun.

Bad news, though.  I LOST money last night because I spent more than I earned on books: 🙁 and  :)  !!

First up:

Now why would a person who makes one pair of socks per lifetime need another sock book?  Life is full of unanswered questions.

Second up to bat:

I just really liked this book and, Sally, it has the lace-edged wimple I was telling you about!  Woo Hoo!  I did not know that until I got the book home! I like the sweater on the cover, too, and even if these designs were already in Interweave Knits, it’s still nice to have a nice book.

Third up:

I must confess that I do not read the Yarn Harlot with any regularity.  I do not own any of her previous books.  I did do the Knitting Olympics last year, which was loads of fun, but I am not what you would call a YH groupie.  However, YH will be in St. Paul next week and I am going to hear her speak so I thought I would buy the book and perhaps have her sign it.  The book is an odd assortment of musings (inside jokes so to speak) about knitting. 

PS — they did not have the silk yarn I was looking for so “new project” is not to be — yet.

The guys from Price Waterhouse just dropped off the envelopes. We are pleased to announce the winners of our first annual Anniversary Contest.

Prize Number 1

Denise is the lucky recipient of Wendy Keele’s wonderful history of and patterns for Bohus knitting.

Prize Number 2

Stephanie is the winner of a copy of Susan’s “Lace Tam and Scarf” pattern, along with 2 skeins of Rowan Silk Wool DK — enough to make the tam.

Grand Prize:

Finally, the Grand Prize goes to Lisa. She has won 12 skeins of Tahki Jolie in color #5016 (mint), enough yarn to knit the Berry Cluster Pullover as featured in Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on the Edge. 

(Winners have been notified by email; if you share the first name of one of the winners, but did not receive an email at the address you used to enter, then you did not win. Sorry!)

Congratulations to Denise, Stephanie, and Lisa!

We are grateful that so many of you entered and had such nice things to say about our blog. Some themes emerged: you like our signature photograph, our tips about knitting, our willingness to admit our mistakes, and the sisterly camaraderie that we share (most of the time). We were pleasantly surprised that you also like our photography (which we worry about).

Thank you SO much letting us know that you’re reading. We are already looking forward to next year’s contest.

Susan and Sally, The Rainey Sisters

Miracles come in all sorts of strange and unusual packages!     

Kim is a window dresser for a local department store — which shall go un-named because it has changed hands and names so frequently the last few years that none of the locals even know what to call it!!   She is a wonderful knitter whom I met when she took some of my classes at Amazing Threads.  I enjoyed her company so much I asked her to come to our knitting group, and luckily for us, she has been a fairly regular regular ever since.  We also share our interest in Grey’s Anatomy — she is the one who lamented Meredith’s [unlikely] revival a couple of weeks ago. 

Anyway, Kim told me that she had a gift for both Sally and me — it was something we had mentioned on our blog; something that we really wanted.   I couldn’t think of a thing we had talked about  — had I mentioned a tapestry needle, pincushion, measuring tape?  How about a special type of knitting needle or maybe a particular yarn?  No, it had to be something we had both wanted.  Hmmmmm, I racked my brains, but couldn’t come up with a thing.  Well, Kim certainly did:

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE…

Click here for picture.  And another.

Oh my god — do you believe it?  I am still in absolute shock and was as giddy as a young child at Christmas when she hauled them out of her car.  Honestly, I never would have guessed this in a million years, because who would expect such a cool and fabulous gift?

My headless “friend” came in and joined us for coffee at Panera’s — she’s a very cheap date.  We got a few stares from some of the patrons and she actually got hit on by the manager (he is a little odd, though).  I am thrilled, Kim, and can’t thank you enough.  You rock!

FYI: The sweater pictured is an Elsebeth Lavold design featured in Knitters’ Magazine (Fall, 1999, I believe).  I made it out of GGH Mulberry Silk, 50% merino, 50% silk in Color Sage.   It was a total labor of love — in other words, I loved the making of it but rarely wear it.