theraineysisters knitting and so much more

October 22, 2006

From Susan — Some Knitting for a Change

Filed under: Anya,Current Projects — lv2knit @ 12:15 pm

Have you gotten the latest Vogue Knitting?  It has a red scarf on the cover that is very pretty but looks like a lot of effort for a scarf.  Inside is another in their series of gorgeous white camies.  I fell in love with this one for my daughter:

VogueCroppedLaceSweater.jpg

And started it yesterday:

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What fun knitting — rather addictive, really.  It doesn’t hurt that I am making the extra small, which is tres petite for my tres petite daughter.  I have never made a lace shawl with tiny yarn like this.  This is a great introduction to it and not as difficult as I thought it would be. 

I am using a Douceur et Soie/Kidsilk Haze knock off called Ovation from the SRK Collection.  Absolutely wonderful to work with.  The back got done in one day — how long do you estimate the rest to take me?  You know how it goes: lots of activity and then a rapid slow down.  My hands, arms, and shoulders are in pain from doing too much yesterday.  But I’ll try to keep up the pace.

I also bought some yarn for one of those sweaters that you make to wear — a lot.  The pattern is Anya from Jo Sharp.

Anya.jpg

Her Silkroad Aran Tweed is very expensive but I bought the identical yarn called Katmandu in color Plum (I say identical because it is from the same mill and has the same look, gauge, and composition: 85% merino, 10% silk, 5% cashmere).   I can’t start it until I finish the little lace top for Jena — m  u  s  t    k  n  i  t  !    !    !    !

October 20, 2006

From Susan — A Little Touch of Sweden

Filed under: Updates — lv2knit @ 6:16 pm

I am not Swedish, nor of Swedish heritage in any way, but when the Knitters Guild announced that a knitting designer and author was coming to town, I had to get involved.  Inger Fredholm wrote the following book and taught classes here this week.  I took her lace class and even though I did not learn any new techniques, I enjoyed every minute.  She was delightful to listen to and a very generous soul.  We got to see her exhibit and hear about the behind-the-scenes aspects of her lengthy knitting career. 

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Her designs include fair isle/Norwegian [Scandinavian] influences and simple lace.  Her philosophy about lace knitting is that the pattern should be so simple that you can memorize it easily and always be able to find your place.  She was wearing a hand-knitted skirt made out of medium gray, heavy-weight, cotton yarn in a feather and fan lace stitch.  It was really quite lovely and something I would consider making.  It is in the book. 

Another thing I promised my knitting group I would share is my recipe for Potato Cream Cheese Soup.  As you may have caught on, our knitting group meets weekly at Panera Bread.  Every Thursday they served this fantastic and very rich Potato Cream Cheese Soup.  It was my stand-by every week — I rarely branched out.  Well, first they switched days of the week and it was no longer available on Thursdays.  I would wander around other Paneras hoping to stumble onto the day my favorite soup was served.  THEN they stopped serving it completely :(.  A couple of weeks ago I experimented with a recipe and came up with a close (not exact, mind you) substitute.  It takes under 45 minutes to make and is great served with buttermilk biscuits.

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M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m.  I’m going to go have some right now — it’s even better the next day.

 

 

 

October 19, 2006

From Sally — Nina

Filed under: Nina — Sally @ 9:12 am

I’ve been working on Nina in my very limited knitting time. I’ve finished the left sleeve, left front and back, left collar, and most of the back. It’s not a particularly portable project — one of the disadvantages of knitting a sweater (especially a largish jacket) in one piece is that it’s like carrying around a dead body. It’s just not that easy to drag around.

My camera is still on the fritz, but as soon as I can I’ll update with some photographs.

October 18, 2006

From Susan — Hallowe’en Horrors

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 6:03 pm

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Carol commented on my last post and had a wonderful idea: share your scariest  knitting “boo boo’s” with other knitters in a funfest of HORRORS…ooo-oo-oo-oo-ooo-oooooooo!!!  She and her knitting group brought their UFO’s (read: never to be FOs) and laughed themselves silly.  Knitting Night of Horrors — scary ;).  But in a fun way.

October 17, 2006

From Susan — The Knitter Protection Program

Filed under: Back Story,Updates — lv2knit @ 11:09 pm

I went to the Knitters Guild meeting tonight.  The guest speaker was Inger Fredholm, Swedish knitting designer.  She has an exhibit starting this weekend at the Swedish American Institute in Minneapolis.  I signed up for her European Lace class on Friday afternoon.  She is a lovely woman and appears to be very talented.  I am really looking forward to the class and the reception/exhibit opening that follows.  Her book is called “Knitting with a Smile.”  She had them for sale at the meeting, but I’ll get 20% off on Friday so I decided to wait.  More on her, the book and the class later.

As you may remember, the mitten exchange was also this evening.  MANY of the knitters (most of the knitters) expressed the same level of frustration that I felt in trying to make their mittens.  One woman did not finish her mittens, did not come to the meeting and sent the unfinished mittens with a note saying she would never come back (?).  We figured she became part of the Knitter Protection Program for people too embarrassed by their knitting problems to be seen knitting in public again :(.

I received a gorgeous pair of mittens in the yarn I submitted — Rowan Tapestry.  The knitter (and I am sorry that I do not know her name) also expressed frustration with the yarn I gave her — she said it was thin and rather too soft.  It is DK weight I think and is very soft.  It is a fairly new yarn and I had never knit with it before so I didn’t really know how it would knit up.  She lightly felted them and I LOVE them!  They were my favorite mittens of the night and I am very happy with them.

TapestryMitten.jpg

So, now, as promised, here are pictures of “the infamous mittens.”  I’m sure you will just say to yourself, “Oh.”  There is nothing special or un-special about them.  They are plain old, seen ’em before, whatever !? mittens.

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A close up of the “embellishment:”

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The mittens aren’t that special but I fell in love with pompoms!  I made these little cuties with the following new tool:

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They are beautiful AND easy, just like it says on the package.  I may go crazy for pom poms or pom pons or pompoms (your choice).  My husband could not see the attraction, but I told him they are so out that they’re in.   

So, there you go – I am now off the hook and feelin’ fine, never to do a mitten exchange again.  If you ever hear me say even in jest that I want to participate in a mitten exchange, please call the Knitter Protection Program without delay!! ;) 

 

October 15, 2006

From Susan — Mitten Accompli

Filed under: Back Story,Updates — lv2knit @ 2:52 pm

I finished both mittens last night and did an embellishment that I think took the mitts to the next level (of Dante’s Inferno?!?).  They are done, and now I can move on to other knitting.  I plan on working on Oregon this afternoon, as it has been neglected terribly the last few weeks.  I am so close to the armhole steek that it is a shame not to press onward.  I will post some pics soon.  We have not had any long posts or pictures in a while!

HappyBirthday.jpg to Sterling today :).

October 14, 2006

From Susan — One Mitten Down and One to Go

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 9:01 am

I finished one mitten last night.  It’s not cute at all, but the key point is — it’s a mitten!  I should be able to finish the other one today or early tomorrow and will maybe have time to embellish it a little bit to “cuten” it up.  If not, the person will have a very nice pair of mittens to use next time she has to change a tire! ;)  I’ll post a picture, but after the Mitten Exchange.

October 13, 2006

From Sally — National Knitting Week

Filed under: Uncategorized — Sally @ 9:03 am

October 14th through October 21st is National Knitting Week. I’m sure I don’t have to encourage any of you to celebrate with needles and yarn. Have a great week!

October 12, 2006

From Susan — The Mitten Debacle Continues

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 11:26 pm

Well, THAT didn’t work either!  I tried two different patterns from the Folk Mittens book — very cute patterns, but……It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears — the first was too small, the second too big.  And I was knitting at 9 sts per inch on the things so they were going nowhere fast!  I am trying another idea.  It seems to be working, so I’ll have something to bring to the MKG meeting and something to post.  Unbelievable, really.  I spent $15 on the yarn for my mittens, and another $35 on mitten books and extra yarn for the other person’s mittens (that includes my instructor discount!).  Not to mention the 50 hours of unproductive knitting time.

I think I’ll pass on the Mitten Exchange next year. 🙁

October 11, 2006

From Susan — Knit Out Announcement

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 7:36 am

Our knitting companion Deb apparently made the local news during their coverage of Knit Out last Sunday.  She has graciously agreed to sign autographs this Thursday at Panera’s before she heads to Hollywood to join the likes of Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson and other knitting celebs as they sip spring water, gossip, and knit $500 scarves.

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