theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I periodically receive emails from Knit Purl in Portland, Oregon. I made the mistake of stopping there when I dropped my son off at Reed College a few years ago. Their emails can best be classified as “yarn porn” — lots of enticing yarns that are beautifully photographed. I often succumb to temptation, which is probably why they keep sending me emails.

A few weeks ago, they featured some Sanguine Gryphon Eidos in a custom color (unique to Knit Purl) called “Da Vinci,” a mix of earthy reds and browns (inspired by the Mona Lisa). It was right up my alley and before I knew what hit me I had ordered several skeins. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it, but I liked a cowl I saw on Knit Purl’s website and decided to go for it.

The cowl is Brooklet, designed by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. It’s a reversible cowl with stockinette on one side and a simple lace pattern on the other. I did the stockinette in the Da Vinci. For the lace pattern, I found several skeins of Koigu in my stash; the color exactly matched one of the colors in the Da Vinci. That never happens!

Ignore the golden retriever fur in some of the photos. It’s everywhere. Le sigh.

I said I would share my latest FO and so here goes!  Snowbird – another design by Heidi Kirrmaier.  This sweater is an A++++++++++++++++++.  The fit, the style,  the comfort, the way it covers my a$$.  Great all around!!

Snowbird in Acadia by The Fibre Company, Color Granite (12.5 skeins)

I really like this new sweater!  Can you tell?  It makes me happy to wear it.  There are a lot of sweaters that I have made and loved, that I do not like to wear.  Touch, look at…but not wear.  This and my Summer Solstice are my two faves at the moment.  I would wear them every day if it was socially acceptable!

Gradebook:

Pattern: A
Yarn: B (color variation amongst the skeins caused some ripping out), love the nubbiness and softness of the yarn!!
Style: A+
Fit: A+

I did some minor mods to the pattern that affected the construction.  Like many others, I knitted the pocket linings during the knitting of the body so they could be knit together with the body when switching to the garter rows.  I used Judy’s Magic Cast on to start the collar, and I added a few increases in the back to adjust for size.  I worked the sleeves in the round in purl because of the reverse stockinette.

I am finally pretty confidant about fit after knitting for almost 50 years.  At least fitting my own self! 🙂

When spring is elusive, you seek solace wherever you can find it!  I walked through a bit of paradise today with DD Laura.  The Macy’s annual flower show started this week, with India as its theme.  It was really delightful!

I also finished a sweater this week and L O V E it!!!   Love, love, love.  I will share some photos when I get some good ones 🙂 .

Doesn’t everyone need a friend?  Obviously having gone over the deep end, I thought if one peep is good, aren’t three even better??

Rowan’s Easter Chicks

Their tails look suspiciously like bunny tails, but they are Easter chicks after all!! 🙂

Patti asked how I tied my Malabrigo Linen Stitch Scarf.  It is not super original by any means, but I do think it shows off both the scarf and the fringe.  Fold the scarf in half and then pull one end through the middle.  Weave the second end under, then over.  Tighten it all up around the neck, adjusting so the right side faces out.

All tied up!

Today when we woke up the temperature was in the single digits, with no end in sight!  My skiing husband is in hog heaven, but the rest of us want to jump in front of a moving bus. 🙁

What the heck?  Why do I make these things?  I feel compelled!!

I enjoy knitting small toys.  Don’t know why.  Just do.  Rowan sent the following out as a free pattern: Esther, Ernie and Enid Easter Chicks.  It could probably use more embellishment, or not.  Maybe I have invested too much time already 🙂 ?

My daughter looked horrified.  Can’t wait to see the look on hubby’s face*.

I of course did not follow the directions at all – it was knit all in pieces, flat, sewed together, etc.  I knit the bottom first and then continued for the body in the round, filling it with plastic beads and topped with fibrefill.

* He saw.  He was also horrified.

PS – I have added some project notes on my Ravelry page…and just cuz it’s so cute, here is the bottom!

Eye popping color!  This project was so fun to make and is so beautiful to behold.  I just love it.  It is the Malabrigo Linen Stitch Scarf designed by Scott Rohr — purchased as a kit from The Yarnery ($29.50).  It comes in two colorways now: classic and springier (light blues and yellows).  The kits are not identical — the colors do vary.

Malabrigo Linen Stitch Scarf – Classic Colorway

Isn’t the fringe cute??

This project is running rampant through my knitting group (which we may rename “The Lemming Knitters” because we tend to run off the same knitting cliff in a herd!!).

Beth finished hers and wore it to Elsebeth Lavold, and I spent the whole of my snow day feverishly working on mine to wear the next day.  Linen stitch is known for being a slow go, but this scarf is knit on size 11 needles so it is a relatively quick knit — unlike the Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf that is so popular.  The finished fabric feels like cashmere.  It is butter soft! 🙂 Believe it or not, I have never knit with Malabrigo worsted before – just their sock yarn.  I L-O-V-E it and may have to try it again.

I have also been making progress on my Snowbird and will have an update to share soon.  So far it looks like it will fit.  Yay!

A finished object! Yes, I’ve finally finished something. I’ve been very busy in my non-knitting life (with another as yet unfinished project) and it has greatly affected the time I have to knit. But I just finished one of Carol Sunday’s lovely patterns, her Eve’s Ribs shrug. I used Carol’s Nirvana yarn in charcoal. Nirvana’s name is justified. It’s a luscious blend of 92% cashmere and 8% merino. It is wonderful to knit with and it blocked beautifully. I love this yarn, and I’m eyeing Carol’s new Mia Francesca pattern and contemplating knitting it out of Nirvana in the moss color way. It would be gorgeous.

But below is a rare photo of me actually modeling something. Lucy, my mannequin, just wasn’t up to the task (sometimes, the lack of arms is an issue).

Remember this?

Viking Turid, Knitters Magazine, Fall 2000.  When I saw this, I was gobsmacked.  It represented everything I admire in a design: simplicity, art, wearability, longing, uniqueness.  I knew I would make this and I did.  It was a labor of love.  The designer is Elsebeth Lavold, who brought Viking Knits to the US with that design.  She also designed my “Holy Grail” project — aka the Dragon Sweater (see main post here).

Her signature book, Viking Patterns for Knitting opened up a whole new approach to doing cables.  She is a prolific designer with her own line of luxurious yarns.  And I got to meet her!!  Yay!

Elsebeth held back-to-back workshops yesterday for the Minnesota Knitters Guild.  The first focused on her cables and techniques.  The second was really about her creative design process: what inspires her and how she takes a design from concept to culmination.  It was fascinating to listen to her!

She is such a warm, down-to-earth person.  She told us that she comes up with ~60 designs a year, which is necessary to populate her books and other commissions.  Wow.  Again, wow.

She is working on a much anticipated sequel to the original Viking Knits series — I’ll be the first in line to buy it.

Her designs truly stand the test of time – her Inggun Vest (which she had with her) is now in my queue!!  I recommend that you revisit her designs – you will be inspired!!

And, excuse me, but isn’t spring in 15 days??!!??

They called a snow day today in our school district which NEVER happens, so I had to stay home… 🙂

Sometimes it is gratifying to just make something, put it on and love it.  This happened to me last weekend at the Birkie.  On Friday evening, I started and finished this cute little bracelet:

DMC Perle Coton #8 and Size 11 Seed Beads

I wish I had better pictures!  The pattern is Lucy Neatby’s Diamond Beaded Bracelet 751 (? – don’t ask me what the “751” means!).  I need to thank Shelley H. for telling me about this pattern! 🙂

As my first attempt with the pattern, I wasn’t sure about sizing so I ended up making mine a little too big.  Instead of ripping back, I sewed the thing together.  I slip it over my hand to wear it, which has worked fine thus far.  I will be making more of these and will adjust the size to fit using the button.  I have tons of perle coton and beads to choose from.

What a great intro to teeny beaded knitting – lots of bang for the buck!!

PS to Robin — the Sweater Vase was purchased from Crate and Barrel.  I saw them in Vogue Knitting and the hunt was on!!  Unfortunately, I bought it in early 2012 right after the 2011 holiday season.  I do not believe they are still available. 🙁

Crate and Barrel 2011

…My hubby for his 30th Birkebeiner Cross Country Ski Race!!  This year was the 40th year of the American Birkebeiner.

Here you see him after the Award Ceremony in his couture look!!  John had his best Birkie finish at 62 years old.  I could not be more proud!  He broke into the top 500 (out of 10,000 skiers in all), and placed 8th in his age group.  Yes, they are oldies, but they came in only 40-50 minutes behind the winners.

I will be watching the greatest show on earth tonight (The Osc&rs) — my middle-age female self will win out this time against my adolescent male self (the part of me that is addicted to The Walking Dead!!).  I can catch TWD with On Demand 🙂 .

Edited to add an action photo:

John is in the Snow Leopard Print — Bib 2018!!