theraineysisters knitting and so much more

DD asked for another hat!!  Yes, another one!  This time the request was for a friend for a baby shower gift.  I searched Rav high and low but even this hat with over 8,000 projects did not come up.  My search was obviously flawed!  😉  I had made an adult size a few years ago for hubby, and remembered this cute two-toned version.

I used Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted in cream and gray from my stash.  My yarn was smaller gauge and I wanted a baby-sized hat so I read notes from others.  I used size 5 and 6 needles and cast on 68 sts to get the smallest size hat.  Wish I had used 6 and 7’s.

Garter Ear Flap Hat

I think it is pretty darn cute!

Laura stopped by and picked up her two new hats (black and pink Rikkes) and her Pickpocket Sweater.  While driving over, she called and said, yay, she had found her original black hat!!  Oh, well!  It was “hiding” in her bag of winter hats and gloves.  🙂

Happy ending!

PS to Julie — I probably do have enough yarn to knit another pink hat – may hold off for a bit, though!  I am sick of knitting Rikkes!!

PS2 to Gretchen — DD absconded with both of the black Rikkes!!

I finished the pink Rikke Hat.  A very expensive pink Rikke Hat!

The irony is that as I was knitting the hat, it was tight and small and felt like 100% cotton, not merino wool.  So, I added a couple of extra ridges before starting the decreases.  This meant that I ran out of yarn before finishing the top.  Oh well, I had purchased an insurance skein because the yardage was skimpy for worsted (Claudia Hand Painted Merino Worsted “Desire”, color Bubble Gum, 175 yards/100 gms).  Not happy to double the cost of the hat, but at least I had it, right?

When I wetblocked it, it G R E W to HUGE!!  I did not need to knit more or dip into the second skein!  🙁

But, it is done and is the exact size of the black one.  So they will both fit or neither will fit!  Her Pickpocket blocked beautifully! 🙂

I am so happy that Laura’s Pickpocket is finally done!  🙂  This picture shows it blocking today:

Saturday, I had Laura try it on just to make sure it would fit before weaving in the ends and blocking…it fits!!

Laura opted for a closer fit, so I used a size XS for the body.  You may notice that she also opted out of the red stripe at the shoulders.  She did not want the sleeves tight, however, so I did the armhole depth of the size small.  I picked up a sleeve and knit the whole thing without realizing that my small circumference gauge was tighter…so the sleeve was skin tight!  I ripped it out and picked up more sts.  It was perfect.  Or will be after the magic of blocking.

I used Berroco Vintage, which is 52% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 8% Nylon, colors Black and Sour Cherries.  I hope it holds a block!  It is nice, very reasonable priced, yarn, but I do prefer wool!

She is wearing her “Replacement Rikke” in the picture, but she thought it seemed poofier and that the top belly button was more of an “inny” than the other one.  I reworked the decreases and think it is much improved.  She also asked for a PINK hat.  Yes, I said pink.  Not black, PINK!!  I almost fell over!  She wants a hat to go with her new sweatshirt.  So, I found some pretty hand dyed yarn at Amazing Threads – Claudia Hand Painted Merino Worsted (Desire) Color Bubble Gum – that is a tonal pink and white.  Should be pretty!

Lots of knittin’ for the DD!!

I just went to see Halloween 2018. LOVED it!!! I am a huge fan of teen slasher flicks and love the original. My favorite scene involves Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and a knitting needle. The new movie pays delightful homage to the 1978 original, and they couldn’t help but be a bit playful with it, as this promo pic shows:

Literally and figuratively!!  We have snow predicted in our local weather — I am sure it won’t stick.  BUT that means you get to benefit with a discount on my Snowfall Hat and Mitts patterns!  Yay!!  The hat pattern is $2 off until midnight of October 25, which means the “buy both patterns” bundle is reduced an additional $2 during that same time ($8 for both).

And you get the free Mini Hat with the purchase of Snowfall Hat!  Just in time for your first flurries.

It’s not too early to start thinking about the holidays!!

Knitting the same thing, over and over!!  🙂 DD lost her favorite hat, so it had to be reknit.  It felt like I could not get a single row done!  Then, boom!  It is done!  Another Rikke Hat bites the dust!

The retreat last weekend was so much fun!  The knitters in attendance were great knitters and great people.  We laughed and ate and knitted our way through a wonderful three days.  Thanks to Deb, our hostess, for keeping us fed and happy.  Really nice memories!

The kitchen is progressing, but has a long way to go!!  Most of the boxes have been emptied and items put away.  What you see here is the picture you’ll find under the definition: “round peg, square hole!”  There is a lot of room, but nothing fits.  It was so annoying.

DD came over last night, took one look at the counters, and said she thought they would be ‘a little nicer.’  These are old, cut up doors!  John just put them there so we would have some workable space!  So funny!  The real countertops take weeks to “fabricate.”  The floor comes last.  And the globe lights are soon to be 1970’s history, baby!

I will be spending most of today/tomorrow getting ready for the knitting retreat I am doing at the Norwegian Wood Retreat Center this weekend.  So excited because some of my favorite knitters have signed up!

I am not really doing much knitting yet – hand surgery is still healing.  I CAN knit, but not with impunity!! 🙂

PS to Amy: We are using vinyl plank for the floors – floating floors do not go under the cabinets.

PS2 to Chloe: I grew up with an electric stove…got my first experience with a gas range in an apartment.  I could never go back!