theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I finished a very cute linen top a few weeks ago, Deschain designed by Leila Raabe.  The jury is out on whether it is cute on me.  I haven’t worn it yet.  Maybe tonight!  I sort of envision throwing it on over a sleeveless dress to ward off air conditioning.

The yarn is Kestrel by Quince & Co. in the color Ash.  It’s an Aran weight ribbon made of linen.  I liked the color and the feel (once wet blocked) of the yarn.  I was a bit disappointed however to find multiple breaks and knots in several of the skeins.  The skeins only contain 76 yards as it is — and some of my skeins turned into 3 skeins of varying lengths.  Not.good.

I made no real mods — this was a quickie knit.

I’ve been experimenting with some lenses for my iPhone camera.  One lets you take extreme close ups.  Here, for example, is a lace cap hydrangea flower from my garden.

For fun, I took a close up of the Kestrel yarn.

Yes, it’s all true.

Today is Susan’s birthday!

Here’s one of my favorite photos of my sister — she’s with my daughter.

Please join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to my sister, my best friend, and my partner in crime.

We got hit with a bad storm this morning.  The temperature dropped 40 degrees since yesterday, and we got lots of hail.  The backyard neighbor’s tree is resting on our power line so we have no power!  I have resorted to French press coffee!  When will this insanity end!!??!!

6-11 at 5 pm: still no power! 🙁  There are a lot of trees down so no ETA on removing the tree on our line.  It is dark in the house already and my projects are dark and/or complex.

6-11 at 9 pm: Power is ON!!  Hallelujah! !  I have never been so happy to see trucks and workmen in my life!

Susan posted about a lovely gradient scarf she knit that shifts from yellow to gray:  her Reverse Psychology.  I thought the gradient kit I bought at the Sheep & Wool Festival would work well with that pattern and go with my Funky Grandpa.  In the Rainey Sister tradition, I shamelessly copied her and made my own.

The yarn I used is Fiber Optics Kashmir Paintbox gradient in the colorway Light Into Darkness.  Each gradient kit contains 15 mini-skeins of 30 yards each.  The color moves from bright yellow to black.

I wound the skeins into one, simply tying them together as  I went.

Then, as I knit the scarf, I spit spliced the skeins together.  It worked great.  At the very end, I needed a little bit more black to finish out the last section so I spliced in a bit of the black yarn from my Funky Grandpa.

And I do think it goes with my sweater!

You know – it’s summer!  And I have been busy with some family obligations.  Today my adult daughter had six teeth pulled and needed her momma!  Sally and I have started a new knitalong which we shan’t share [probably] until they are done or buried, one of the two!

A shout out to a knitting peep, PW, who is going through a health crisis.  We are thinking of you every day and waiting for your return to our Thursday night knitting group.  You are missed!!