theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I love the Minnesota State Fair!  I’ve been going for so many years now.  Last year, as you know, my state-fair bestie Kim, left us.  Sally stepped in as a very thoughtful gesture.  We had a great time!  This year, hubby said he would do the honors.  However, he wasn’t feeling well.  So.  I went alone.  That sounds sad, doesn’t it?  But it was really nice!  Move at your own pace, seeing only the things YOU want to see!  I found out that a lot of my knitting peeps do that every year!  Yay for us!!

Of course, the first stop was the Creative Activities building where they house the knitting and baking entries.  I had entered 11 items, three of which were things I had entered last year.  If you don’t win a blue ribbon, you can re-enter something.  I don’t do this very often, as it has some risk.  The judges can recognize your entry and mark it down because it’s a “retread.”  Two items I moved into “seniors” so the judges are different, but one thing I entered in the same category as last year.  It did much better this year! 🙂

Oregon designed by Alice Starmore

I was so happy!  Then I saw my Alpine Bloom.  Since this sweater is so popular right now, I expected that other people would enter theirs, but mine was the only one I saw.

Alpine Bloom designed by Caitlin Hunter

To its left was the Buggiflooer Beanie.  Again, I expected to see a few of these, but did not.

Buggiflooer Beanie designed by Alison Rendall

Around the corner was Lunenburg.  I was worried about entering a yoke sweater.  They are so popular right now, but the lot only had 4 entries!  Mine is a cardiganized version.

Lunenburg by Amy Christoffers

The shocker of the day was my Random Acts PEEP Cowl.  I never expected to get a ribbon at all.  I kind of added it at the last minute.

Random Acts Cowl designed by Elizabeth Finn

This hat was a last minute entry.  It is my design and got a 3rd place ribbon.  It is notable for its unique display.  (!!!)

I can’t see!!

It wasn’t all about knitting.  I ate food that you only get two weeks a year: corn dogs, fried cheese curds, Big Fat Bacon.  All healthy choices!

And who wouldn’t proudly support our brave firefighters!?!  It would be an honor to support whatever needs supporting!!

It was a fun day!  I’ll go again with my family.  Last year we missed out on the animals, so that’s a priority this year.  The problem is that John is wearing an ortho boot and it is kind of uncomfortable.  We’ll just do the best we can!

PS to Pam: It’s hard to say if this was my best year, but it was a really good year!  Last year was disappointing, so I very much appreciated the difference a year made!

PS2 to Annie: I didn’t buy a calendar. 🙁

PS3: I did find another Buggiflooer!  There were dozens of knitted items scattered throughout the building, many of which being hats.  My friend could not find her shawl anywhere.  Jena spotted it next to a boat!

My LYS, BeWoolen, holds frequent events called Lock Ins.  They are very popular, and I go to many (most?) of them.  There is knitting, show and tell, sometimes games, and prizes.  At one Lock In, I won a ball of Noro Ito.  It’s not yarn I would typically buy: bulky, thick/thin in garish colors.  But a ball is over $50!  The skein does have 437 yards, but it is still expensive.  There is nothing to make with one skein, so I bought another.  That wasn’t enough for the top I wanted to make, so I bought ANOTHER!!  Ack!  My free ball of yarn cost me $100!!

The top I wanted to knit is called Inovec.  It is a plain, kind of bubble shaped, sleeveless top.  I started it and had to reknit the neck; kept going, tried it on, and hated it.  I didn’t like the look of it.  I didn’t like the feel of it.  I didn’t like the way it fit.  It went into what my friend Dee Anne calls Area 51: the place where UFOs go to die.  However, I kept seeing people knitting their own Inovecs, wearing their Inovecs, etc.  They looked okay!  So I gave it another shot and I like it!

I split the hem instead of doing short rows, but other than that and some size adjusting, it is like the original.  What’s weird is that I didn’t realize until after it was completely done that there is a repeating color sequence!  Even weirder is the fact that the sequence was unbroken even though I added new yarn here and there and another ball along the way.  If I had tried to plan it, it wouldn’t have worked.

It’s not gorgeous.  But that is why I will live in this sweater!!

PS to Millie: The strands you see after the neckband are a special stitch used in all of the bands and in certain rows of the yoke.  You slip 1 as to purl WYIB, k1, YO, pass slipped stitch over the knit st and the YO.  Passing the stitch over creates the strands you see throughout.

I did finish my Alpine Bloom.  Click link to see more details. When I started, I really questioned my choices!  I don’t do garish colors, I don’t do pullovers, and I don’t do sleeveless/short sleeves.  Never say never.

I love my Alpine Bloom.  There.  I admitted it.  Out loud.  It’s pretty.  Maybe it will be worn, but even if I never wear it, it makes me happy.

The sweater is knit top down.  The scallops formed at the neckline only occur at the cast on edge, as in all feather and fan variations.  That meant that the sleeve cuffs had to be grafted on in order to be scalloped.  I was okay with that.  Because of the grafting, the pattern called for 1×1 ribbing on the bottom hem, though some people did go full-on grafting at the hemline.  I am not a fan of 1×1 ribbing, and it didn’t seem to set off the other feminine features of the design.  I changed mine to 2×2 garter rib and then added a crocheted scallop along the bottom edge.  Love it!!

Very simple and yet the scallop is there.  I am very happy with my tee.  I can see why people are knitting more than one of these!