theraineysisters knitting and so much more

September 17, 2006

From Sally — a Quick Post

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket — surly @ 8:13 pm

I flew to Los Angeles on Thursday to watch the Tonight Show being taped. Why? Well . . . I’m impulsive. And Clay Aiken (new cd in stores September 19th) was appearing and a friend of mine in L.A. had VIP tickets and my husband’s in Italy and it was my anniversary and I felt like doing something fun. So I went.

I did a lot of knitting on the plane, almost all of which I had to rip out because I was tired and not paying attention. I was working on my Sunrise Circle jacket and I knit most of the sleeve before I remembered that I had changed the frequency and number of my increases on the first sleeve. This is an example of unmindful knitting. I don’t really recommend it unless you like knitting things twice. I discovered the error of my ways on the flight back. Fortunately I had sock yarn so I could start a new orphan sock.

Le sigh.

I attracted a lot of attention at the airport with my roll-a-bout. Not only that, but my foot and its lovely shoe/cast thing threw security for a loop. I got a lot of “personal” attention from the security personnel if you know what I mean and I think that you do.

I haven’t forgotten that someone asked to see what other Starmores I have on the needles. I’ll give a pictorial update on that tomorrow.

Also — YES! I designed the Trellis jacket. My big claim to fame. I’m not sure why it would have had Susan’s name on the pattern, too but hey — I guess no one can tell us apart. (Hint: She’s the big one.)

PS from Susan — Here is a picture of the Trellis Jacket (featured in Interweave Knits), even though it is also pictured elsewhere on the blog:

Sally's Sweater 2

From Susan — In Response: Built In I-Cord Edge

Filed under: Knitting Tips — lv2knit @ 10:48 am

Brenda asked me how I created the nicer-looking edge on the amulet bag I made for Wendy (see next post for picture of amulet bags with standard flap). 

 amuletbag091006.jpg

It is not in the FREE basic amulet bag pattern (see upper righthand corner for link), but I’ll describe the technique here:

I used a built in I-cord edge.  I did not decrease the 2 sts on Row 1 of the flap.  Instead, as I knitted the flap, on every row I slipped the last 2 sts as to purl, with the yarn in front.  At the end, I knitted the 2 edge sts tog on each side to get rid of the extra sts.  It will make sense when you get to that point on the flap. 

I suppose you could create built in I-cord on any knitted fabric in this way, but gauge wise it is IDEAL for garter stitch.  It is how I did the upper edge on my Ponchette, and I use it a lot when I do anything with garter stitch!!

PochetteFinished002.jpg

Thanks for your comments, Brenda!

September 13, 2006

From Susan — Happiness is….

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 1:50 pm

….sweater weather!  Fall is in the air and I am thrilled!  I love that little nip in the temperature — this morning was 46 degrees F.  My summer wardrobe (a pathetic collection of shabby chic without the chic) has worn thin in more ways than one.  I love sweater weather and it has begun. 

September 12, 2006

From Susan — Wookin’ pa Nub

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 8:07 am

Some of you may be looking for amulet bead kits for sale — sorry, but you are looking for beads in all the wrong places!  I am the mild-mannered manager of an education department in a large, metropolitan hospital — not a high powered bead broker!  Check out this website for beaded purses and purse frames: Purse Paradise.

I do teach classes on occasion at The Yarnery in St. Paul and at Amazing Threads in Maple Grove, Minnesota and will more than likely offer the amulet bag class sometime in the next few months.  If you live in the area and are interested, leave a comment and I’ll let you know when it is scheduled.

September 11, 2006

From Susan & Sally — DC Diary

Filed under: Back Story,Current Projects — surly @ 9:30 am

From Susan:

I just got back from my brief visit to DC.  If you’ve been reading our blog you know that Sally had recent bunion surgery.  She is getting along pretty well but can use some assistance, and it was a good excuse to get together.

Thursday
First order of business was cooking — I was asked (ordered, directed, instructed, forced??) to bake both a “Cockeyed Cake” and a “Twinkie Cake.”  These time-honored recipes are family favorites (esp the Cockeyed Cake, which originated as either a Depression era or WWII cake).  After that I made tacos, homemade pizza, and shortbread cookies.  And then a second Cockeyed Cake!!  When did I knit?  In between batches!

Friday
We had lunch with Wendy Johnson of WendyKnits fame.  She is a world-renowned knitter and published author.  We had a great time!  It felt like I’d known her for ages because I start every morning with her over a cup of coffee (reading her blog) – she treated us like old friends.  With knitters you always have a lot in common.  I have been inspired and humbled by her so many times and learned so much reading her tips on making socks, Norwegian knitting, etc.  

WashingtonDCTrip004-1.jpg

Thanks, Wendy, for a great time!  Hope we can do it next time I visit.  I did present Wendy with a small gift. 

amuletbag091006.jpg

The pattern is one I wrote up for a class I teach occasionally here in the Twin Cities and is based on a fairly standard amulet bag design — though I did use built in i-cord this time on the flap.  I certainly cannot take credit for the method — check out any antique store and you will probably find a purse knitted with this style of beading.  It has been around quite a while and is a fun break from most of the knitting I do.
Saturday
Sally and I worked on stash enhancement.  We visited a couple of nice stores in Maryland. 

Sally's Gray Yarn

Stash enhancment

We both fell in love with two patterns in this book and of course, silk is to die for.  Mine is the silver and Sally’s the pale green. 

From Sally:

Yes, my sister waited on me hand and foot. What about it? The cake requests were from my children — I guess they’ve been deprived of sugar during my convalescence. I insisted on the shortbread cookies, even though the recipe is right here waiting on the blog. With my husband bicycling in Italy and my children both back in school (college and high school respectively), it was really nice to have adult companionship and some help. A big thank you to my big sister.

The yarn shops we visited were Woolstock in Glyndon and All About Yarn in Columbia. Both shops are fun places to shop and they both carry beautiful yarn. We were especially taken by the buttons at Woolstock and by the beautiful silk yarn at All About Yarn.

When Susan was allowed out of the kitchen, we sat in my library and watched movies while we knitted. A favorite was the classic film noir Double Indemnity. Barbara Stanwyck is bored with her husband and reduced to knitting (the horror!) until Fred MacMurray comes along. Yes, those insurance salesman are SO much more interesting . . .

September 6, 2006

From Susan — The Countdown has Begun

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 8:39 pm

Like the Minnesota astronaut waiting to launch, I too am counting down the hours.  By this time tomorrow I’ll waiting on Surly hand and foot.  I already have menu requests and sewing assignments.  Visiting Surly is always SO relaxing!  And this happens every time I visit, not just because she’s in bunion recovery.  Actually, we do manage to get some requisite ‘down time’ in — we never hit it too hard.  And it’s nice that her kids like certain things I make and request them when I’m there, so I’m really not complaining :). 

So, of my list of things I HAD to do, two of the three are done: I got my kids started in their school year and picked up my stuff at the state fair.  The comments on my judges’ cards were very nice.  I’ll share them later. 

See ya tomorrow, Surly!

September 4, 2006

From Susan — Slowly I Knit, Inch by Inch

Filed under: Oregon Cardigan — lv2knit @ 1:44 am

Here is another progress picture of Oregon.  I feel like I got to an important milestone: I am done with a full Chart B repeat. 

Oregon9-3-06.jpg

I am pretty close to gauge — I have about 5″ to the armhole steek. 

So I will knit on…the other big item on the agenda this week is to get ready for my trip to DC.  And get the kids to their first day of school.  And remember to pick up my stuff at the fair. 

September 3, 2006

From Susan — A Request for the Shortbread Recipe

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 7:40 pm

My shortbread cookies are very easy and very basic — no frills at all:

Shortbread Cookies
Makes 32-36 cookies 

Cream together:
1 cup butter or margarine (I use a butter/margarine blend for more tender cookies)
½ cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine together and add to above:
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt

Chill dough (I don’t always do this because I’m too impatient).  Form into 1″ balls & roll in sugar.  Place on cookie sheet — press with cookie stamp or bottom of glass coated with sugar to prevent sticking.  Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 10-12 minutes or until cookies are a very light brown. 

I have a Kitchenaid mixer so I cream the first 3 ingreds, add the flour and then beat until it forms a ball.  I don’t stand there doing it all by hand.  Hope you get a chance to make these!

 

From Susan — Nothing says weekend like…….

Filed under: Back Story — lv2knit @ 3:58 pm

It is a lazy holiday weekend, end of summer, and pouring rain.  Time for cookies!  I have a terrible sweet tooth, so I crave cookies on a regular basis.  I am known for my love of shortbread cookies and bake them frequently.  But today I started thinking about my favorite oatmeal cookies.  My friend Carol brought them to work one time.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on why they tasted so much better than my recipe — and then I figured it out: no cinnamon.  I have nothing against cinnamon, but never realized how much I like oatmeal cookies without it.  I always make this half recipe because I would eat every one.  Make the cookies small, using a teaspoon — I get twenty on a cookie sheet.  Enjoy.

Carol M.’s Oatmeal Cookies — Half Recipe
Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies 

Cream together:
½ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla

Combine together and add to above:
¾ cup flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp soda

Stir in:
1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (opt.)

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 8-9 minutes or until cookies are a light brown.  Let cool on sheet for 1” and then move to cooling rack.

September 2, 2006

From Sally — More Fair Isle Knitting

Filed under: Back Story,Current Projects,Rosarie — Sally @ 1:52 pm

Ahem. Let’s move away from the sock monkeys, ever so briefly, and start talking about knitting again. I wanted to show you some photographs of one of my favorite Fair Isle sweaters: Henry VIII, designed by Alice Starmore. I realized that I don’t have a good “distant” photograph of it that shows the whole sweater and I just can’t hobble up the stairs again to find the sweater, lay it out, and take another photograph. Instead, I’ll post these photographs of her slightly reworked version of the design.

If you own the book Tudor Roses, and feel adventurous, you can purchase this as a kit at Virtual Yarns. She and her daughter Jade have many other lovely designs available there as well.

Anyway, I knit this sweater for my husband. Fortunately, I can wear this one too — it’s somewhat “big” for me but I’m willing to make the sacrifice.

Here is a detail of the neck:

Here is a closeup of the main part of the pattern:

Finally, because you know how much I like to look at the inside, here is the reversed stranded design:

I always have at least one Starmore project going. (Right now, including ones that have been “aging” a bit, I have four on the needles.) The most current one, which I expect to get back to very shortly, is Rosarie, which was designed by Jade Starmore. Although I don’t usually go for vests, I really loved this bold design and just had to work on it.

I haven’t had a chance to do to much knitting on it. Here is my one photo in progress.

This Fair Isle has only 5 colors in it, whereas there are fourteen in the original version of Henry VIII. (I haven’t checked on how many there are in her revised version.)

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress