theraineysisters knitting and so much more

Man, have I been cranking out the hats!!  One or two a day it seems!  I reknit a hat for one of my daughter’s friends.  She had a baby and LOVES the Purl Soho Garter Ear Flap Hat I made him.  He keeps growing!  This is the second redo and to me looks big enough for an adult!  Try to outgrow this one, you little monkey!!

I also knit two hats for The Yarnery.  They asked for some shop samples and this project could not be easier or a quicker knit.  The pattern is called PALET.  I got two hats (child and adult) out of one skein of Woolfolk Flette Bulky.   I blocked them over a plate and bowl/vase.  Kind of an aerial act for the small hat!!

The yarn is super soft and you literally can knit this up in an evening.  Perfect for a last minute gift!!

PS to Marlys: I used Rowan Pure Wool worsted washable for the gray and random stash yarn for the cream.

PS2 to Janet: Thanks for commenting!  Just to clarify…my doilies are handknit, designed by Herbert Niebling!  This one is called Frosted Ferns.

We are getting into that special time of year – holiday parties, family gatherings, work soirees!  The list goes on.  How about adding some festive flair when you host or attend one of these fêtes??  I just posted a FREE pattern on Ravelry called The Hostess Hat!  To wear or share!!

It’s just for fun.  It’s a quick knit and is a great introduction to beaded knitting.  A skein of Cascade 220 (Ruby color #9404) will make 2 hats and one skein of Natural (8010) will be enough for FOUR hats!  Happy knitting!!

PS to Samina and anyone else who has never knit with beads: This could be one of the easier beaded projects to learn with!  The beads are big, the yarn is big, the crochet hook, though small, is kinda big!!  The knitting is basic…

Or is that knit a clock?  You decide.

Over the years, we’ve both been intrigued by knitted clock patterns.  This time, we actually did it!  The pattern is by Stephanie Earp.  Although she offers several variations on the pattern, we both chose the same design.

Sally’s Clock

I dug through my stash for my clock.  The background was knit using  Sunday Knit’s Angelic 3-ply in Smoke.  The “numbers” are out of Spincycle Dyed in the Wool in the Devilish Grin colorway.  I am very excited that the clock actually works.  Or, as my daughter said:  “It lives!”

Susan’s Clock

I, too, was intrigued by this design and also rummaged through stash yarn to knit my clock.  I stumbled onto Grinning Gargoyle Shiny Penny and dark brown Malabrigo Sock.

It was a fun knit and also fun to put together.  My clock seems to have a mind of its own: it’s on time, then stops, then starts, runs slow, then runs fine!!  In other words, don’t rely on it if you have to get somewhere!!

Hi all, remember me?  I am still a Rainey sister and I do knit occasionally!

I’m sharing my latest FO.  I think of it as a Halloween sweater because of the orange in it and because it’s a combination of several patterns/ideas.  I was going to post it on Halloween but alas it wasn’t quite finished.

The main pattern I based this on is Sagemoor designed by Veronik Avery.  I used 8 colors of Brooklyn Tweed Loft as called for in the pattern:  Cast Iron, Pumpernickel, Embers, Cinnabar, Tent, Meteorite, Sweatshirt, and Button Jar.  The link above is to my sweater, the original can be seen here.  I really liked the dark gray and orange colorway, the knitted as you go sleeve, the V-neck, etc.  But while knitting it, I kept running into issues that made me uncertain as to whether it would turn out the way I wanted.  Based on the notes from one of the model knitters, it also appeared that they were knit differently than the directions.  I’m sure that the pattern can work — I just wasn’t sure it would work for me.

Susan reminded me of Arrina, a really cute sweater designed by Emily Williams.  I decided to start my Sagemoor over again and incorporate some of the elements of Arrina.  So:

1.  I switched from top down to bottom up.  I used a provisional cast on, and then knit the garter rib hem in the other direction at the very end so I’d know how much length I needed.
2.  When I got to the armhole, I stopped knitting in the round and used a provisional cast on to add sleeve-like extensions at each end of the front and back to make this into more of a vest/popover.  (Arrina has full length sleeves.)
3.   Using the general idea of Arrina’s garter stitch rib yoke and short rows, I calculated new numbers for my gauge.
4.   I joined the shoulders and the under arms using a three needle bind off.

I’m very happy with how it turned out and I always love not having to knit sleeves.  It was very hard to get decent photos.  My mannequin has no arms and I think arms would have helped.

Just finished up “Knit Purl Hunter’s” final KAL: The Audition Shawl.  It was fun and still available FREE until November 15…snag it now!

I used HiKoo® by skacel Simplicity Spray (Vintage) and Malabrigo Yarn Rios (Cape Cod Gray).  This took every last inch of both yarns!!  I used my No End Stripes techniques throughout, so only one end to weave in.  This was a fun, easy knit with gorgeous results!  Lots of bang for the buck!

A note about the beautiful Channel Island Bind Off: I had to go down 2 needle sizes to keep the edge from rippling.

PS to Pippa: The pattern is available on Ravelry here: Audition

It was also available on Michelle Hunter’s blog, but this way it will be right in your library.

Time is passing and the weather is changing!  We have had a cool year, even as the climate takes its toll on others around the globe.  My Weather Scarf is up to date through October.  Just 61 days and 122 rows to go.  It has been really fun to see the shifting of the temps.

I have an FO to share once I get it blocked and some pictures taken!