My sister and I obviously spend way too much time together. I was just coming over here to provide a link to The Last Knit and I see she referenced it in her last post as well. I’m sure many of you will recognize yourself in the single-minded concentration and the need to do “just a little more.” Enjoy!
September 30, 2006
September 28, 2006
From Susan — The Last Knit
Not my last knit, but rather this very cute video: go to YouTube.com and search for The Last Knit. I tried to link it but it didn’t work. Someone from my knitting group told me about it, and it is worth a visit. I think we’ve all been there. [No need to search; Sally has now put it on our site as well. See her entry from September 30th.]
I have not been getting a lot of knitting done, though I did get to knitting group tonight and spent high quality time with my knitties (= knitting homies). I hope to get some knitting done this weekend and make progress on a few WIPs.
Marina asked what I was knitting in the Debbie Bliss Pure Silk. It is a simple top from her new book:
I love the cap sleeves. There is lace on both front and back, but I may go plain stockinette on the back since I will never wear it without something over it. It is pure self indulgence to start this since I have so many other things going, but hey, I felt like it! The knitting police can bust down my door, but they aren’t taking me alive!
September 24, 2006
From Susan — About Emmeline
Betsy asked what yarn I used for my version of Emmeline. The Koigu color is #P130 and the Kidsilk Haze is shade 601. I’m not sure that will help you. Neither of these colors appear to be available. I went on the Koigu website and color P130 is not listed, but I did e-mail them to check it out so maybe I’ll get more information for you. Kidsilk Haze 601 doesn’t look like it’s around anymore either! But truly, MANY combinations are gorgeous — Sally must own 3-4 :).
Here are the pictures of Emmeline from the Rowan book — pretty unassuming, huh? I had seen the version on the left knitted up several times, but the plain version looks so blah, I don’t know what possessed the knitter at the Yarnery to choose the yarn she did, but it really worked. Both Sally and I made this sweater and added the bell ribbing to the cuff as well — it just seemed like it needed it!
September 23, 2006
From Susan — Scalpel, Please
Oh, I do like to cut up them sweaters! Well, kind of. I do not have an aversion to it anyway. As you already know, Sally is a wonderful knitter, but there are some things that she defers to me. She asked me to shorten one of my favorite sweaters of hers. It’s funny, because she called me to ask if I was working on her gold sweater, and I was at that exact moment in time (she knows me all too well), and then she asked if I would post pictures of the process.
This is Sally’s design, knitted out of GGH Mulberry Silk held with Kidsilk Haze. The result is a fairly heavyweight yarn. The design is three-quarter length sleeve, fitted, with the identical v-neck shaping front and back. She attached the neckbands using a 3-needle bind off. With a lot of things, however, it is difficult to anticipate the perfect fit during the knitting phase. The sweater was at least 4-5″ too long to be wearable in the way that she wanted. The blue marker shows how much needed to be removed. The color is more true in later photos.
The first step was undoing the seams and detaching the bottom bands, which I needed to preserve and reattach.Â
Then I removed the mid-section that was to be discarded:
I ripped out some yarn from the mid-section to use for grafting. It’s easier to use the yarn when it has been straightened. I wet the yarn and wrapped it around a glass — it dries very quickly:
Then I grafted it back together using garter stitch. I had to machine sew the side seams because the bottom border was wider than the part it was grafted to because of the shaped waistline. And voila:
Here is a close up of the neckline and hem:
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Another patient recovering nicely. I just love this sweater. It is very dressy, but would keep you warm for winter functions. So many times you freeze to death if you need to look nice in Minnesota!Â
Adding Kidsilk Haze to a lightweight yarn is a wonderful tip for increasing the gauge. Sally and I have both made sweaters where we added Kidsilk Haze to Koigu to obtain a worsted gauge. Here’s an example:
By adding the Kidsilk Haze, I was able to knit Koigu at 5 sts per inch and get the softest fabric! This is one of my favorite sweaters to wear. The pattern is Emmeline from Rowan Magazine #28. I never would have noticed it, but someone from the Yarnery knitted it up in the “Kid Koigu” combination and the rest is history. It is called the Yarnery uniform because everyone there has there own color version.
September 22, 2006
From Susan — And the the Judge’s Envelope, Please
I have been meaning to post sooner, but this week at work was such a bear, I have had zero energy when I get home, plus there was the issue of Grey’s Anatomy. Between the 2-hour repeat of last year’s final episode on Wednesday (turn down the thermostat, please!) and the new season starting last night, I’m sorry – I do have my priorities!! And worth every minute I might add!!! OMG — when McDreamy finally professed his feelings for Meredith…….
On Tuesday I went to the State Fair Knitters Guild meeting, as I already mentioned. So much fun and great to see so many entries. The knitters who entered something in the fair bring their entries, describe the project, its quirks, the barriers they had to overcome, etc., and then share the judges’ comments. I did not want to post the comments on my entries until after Tuesday’s meeting. Envelope, please:
Beaded Bag:
Sunrise Circle Jacket:
Mermaid (note ‘check’ by amount of work):
Aubrey Cap (“texture” means cabled):
Rogue Hoodie:
Camilla Gloves — I was glad they mentioned the fit since I made several adaptations for a perfect fit to my hands. They circled “amount of work” but I don’t think they realized that this was the most challenging project I’ve ever made!:
Silk Scarf:
Socks:
99.5 points. Everyone says you can’t get 100 points on anything, but I did get 100 once on a fair isle project, so I know it is possible or at least was at one time (could be the judges).  These were the first socks I ever made so I was very surprised that they won the blue ribbon. All in all I think the judges’ comments were very nice, so I have nothing to complain about. Most points are taken off in the “Workmanship” category which is 40% of the total, so people feel bad that their workmanship is being questioned. I don’t see it that way. One of the elements in that category is “amount of work,” so this is where the judges can give more credit to a more difficult project. My favorite word on the judge’s sheet is under the first category “Beauty and Character” — disturbing! I want to see what that looks like!
Hearing the comments of others, I think the judges do try to be positive and upbeat, and when they provide “instructive feedback” (read ‘criticism’) it is done with teaching in mind to help the knitter improve for next time.
I went to my Thursday knitting group last night and it was wonderful seeing everyone since I missed the last two times.Â
It’s raining outside and I have two DVDs waiting for me! I’m going to knit, drink coffee, watch movies and listen to the rain on the rooftop. The perfect day!
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September 19, 2006
From Susan — Mini Post
I can’t write a full debrief about the Knitters Guild meeting tonight (I’m too tired and I have to get up at 4am tomorrow!), but let me just say that I enjoyed myself very much. It was great to see all the knitted items that people brought in and hear the comments by the judges. And I love the fact that people showed off the stuff they entered even when they did not receive a ribbon. The only down side is that some of the stuff I was hoping to see was not there.
The best part is being able to touch everything, up close and personal. Plus, I love the group itself. The people are so friendly and outgoing that it feels like a reunion every meeting. There must have been 70-80 knitters and a very upbeat atmosphere. It’s fun to see what people are working on and catch up with friends. Wow. Great knitting karma. Anyway, I’ll post more details in a day or so.
September 13, 2006
From Susan — Happiness is….
….sweater weather! Fall is in the air and I am thrilled! I love that little nip in the temperature — this morning was 46 degrees F. My summer wardrobe (a pathetic collection of shabby chic without the chic) has worn thin in more ways than one. I love sweater weather and it has begun.Â
September 12, 2006
From Susan — Wookin’ pa Nub
Some of you may be looking for amulet bead kits for sale — sorry, but you are looking for beads in all the wrong places! I am the mild-mannered manager of an education department in a large, metropolitan hospital — not a high powered bead broker! Check out this website for beaded purses and purse frames: Purse Paradise.
I do teach classes on occasion at The Yarnery in St. Paul and at Amazing Threads in Maple Grove, Minnesota and will more than likely offer the amulet bag class sometime in the next few months. If you live in the area and are interested, leave a comment and I’ll let you know when it is scheduled.
September 11, 2006
From Susan & Sally — DC Diary
From Susan:
I just got back from my brief visit to DC. If you’ve been reading our blog you know that Sally had recent bunion surgery. She is getting along pretty well but can use some assistance, and it was a good excuse to get together.
Thursday
First order of business was cooking — I was asked (ordered, directed, instructed, forced??) to bake both a “Cockeyed Cake” and a “Twinkie Cake.” These time-honored recipes are family favorites (esp the Cockeyed Cake, which originated as either a Depression era or WWII cake). After that I made tacos, homemade pizza, and shortbread cookies. And then a second Cockeyed Cake!! When did I knit? In between batches!
Friday
We had lunch with Wendy Johnson of WendyKnits fame. She is a world-renowned knitter and published author. We had a great time! It felt like I’d known her for ages because I start every morning with her over a cup of coffee (reading her blog) – she treated us like old friends. With knitters you always have a lot in common. I have been inspired and humbled by her so many times and learned so much reading her tips on making socks, Norwegian knitting, etc. Â
Thanks, Wendy, for a great time! Hope we can do it next time I visit. I did present Wendy with a small gift.Â
The pattern is one I wrote up for a class I teach occasionally here in the Twin Cities and is based on a fairly standard amulet bag design — though I did use built in i-cord this time on the flap. I certainly cannot take credit for the method — check out any antique store and you will probably find a purse knitted with this style of beading. It has been around quite a while and is a fun break from most of the knitting I do.
Saturday
Sally and I worked on stash enhancement. We visited a couple of nice stores in Maryland.Â
We both fell in love with two patterns in this book and of course, silk is to die for. Mine is the silver and Sally’s the pale green.Â
From Sally:
Yes, my sister waited on me hand and foot. What about it? The cake requests were from my children — I guess they’ve been deprived of sugar during my convalescence. I insisted on the shortbread cookies, even though the recipe is right here waiting on the blog. With my husband bicycling in Italy and my children both back in school (college and high school respectively), it was really nice to have adult companionship and some help. A big thank you to my big sister.
The yarn shops we visited were Woolstock in Glyndon and All About Yarn in Columbia. Both shops are fun places to shop and they both carry beautiful yarn. We were especially taken by the buttons at Woolstock and by the beautiful silk yarn at All About Yarn.
When Susan was allowed out of the kitchen, we sat in my library and watched movies while we knitted. A favorite was the classic film noir Double Indemnity. Barbara Stanwyck is bored with her husband and reduced to knitting (the horror!) until Fred MacMurray comes along. Yes, those insurance salesman are SO much more interesting . . .
September 6, 2006
From Susan — The Countdown has Begun
Like the Minnesota astronaut waiting to launch, I too am counting down the hours. By this time tomorrow I’ll waiting on Surly hand and foot. I already have menu requests and sewing assignments. Visiting Surly is always SO relaxing! And this happens every time I visit, not just because she’s in bunion recovery. Actually, we do manage to get some requisite ‘down time’ in — we never hit it too hard. And it’s nice that her kids like certain things I make and request them when I’m there, so I’m really not complaining :).Â
So, of my list of things I HAD to do, two of the three are done: I got my kids started in their school year and picked up my stuff at the state fair. The comments on my judges’ cards were very nice. I’ll share them later.Â
See ya tomorrow, Surly!
