theraineysisters knitting and so much more

Barbara asked if I entered anything in the fair this year (thanks for asking, Barbara!!).  Usually I post right away but this time I forgot!!  I entered quite a few smaller projects.  I got 5 blue ribbons (3 in regular knitting, 2 in senior), 1 second, 2 thirds, and a 4th (a couple did not win anything 🙂 ).  Some of my entries were a from last year, but placed in different competitions.

The displays leave a lot to be desired!!

Winston, Snowfall (Peppermint Stick), and Briocherub won blues.  Snowfall also won a special MKG award.

Big Love won a 3rd place ribbon (the color is much prettier IRL), and Pickpocket a 4th.

Time Trades won a blue in the senior category.

PS regarding the Splashdown Cowl I wrote about: Apparently some of you are having trouble finding it on The Yarnery website.  Call them directly to ask about it (651-222-5793).  They have more yarn, but will not be restocking so they aren’t listing it on the site.

A couple of weeks ago at The Yarnery, I spotted a new cowl called Splashdown made out of unusual yarn: Lang Splash.  Shelley, co-owner of the shop, had put it together in kits with a simple bias pattern ($41 from The Yarnery).  I took the bait!!  My color (oo7, purples) has purple and raspberry dots on a pale gray background.  The yarn does it all — you just knit!

It knit up quickly:

It goes perfectly with my Ouzo, which will take this lil beauty into fall!!

Math.  A knitter’s best friend and worst enemy (we all know knitters can’t count!).  I taught a class yesterday on Tips and Tricks and thought I would share something I put together long ago.  It is based on something I learned in a workshop along the way on how to figure out equal spacing of increases and decreases.  It looks complicated and maybe it is, but it does work!

Calculating Increases and Decreases

Hope you find this useful!!

PS to Tobie: I feel really stupid!  I found this calculator quite easily with Google and it showed almost the identical results to what I did “by hand!”

Knitting Increase and Decrease Calculators on Worldknits website

These titles are getting worse!!

I finished my Winston cocoon cardigan and really like it.  The yarn is butter!!  Anne asked if the yarn pills.  Not that bad for such a soft yarn.  I can’t say it doesn’t pill at all.  Most natural fibers pill somewhat as they shed the shortest hairs in the ply.

On to the next!!