theraineysisters knitting and so much more

June 7, 2006

From Susan — A Blast from the Past

Filed under: Updates — lv2knit @ 12:11 am

I decided to pull this project out of mothballs because it is very portable and mindless.  I have made several of these purses (this is my design), but have given them all away.  This one is for me.  The beads are much prettier in person.  They have a copper sheen and touches of aqua that can’t be seen here.  I hope to get a better picture at some point, but the design can be seen in Susan’s Gallery (see ‘black beaded purse’).  The embellishments will be a bit different but the style is the same.  I am using sz 000 needles (24″ circular Addis) and size 11 seed beads — approximately 8,000.  It goes faster than you would expect if you just keep plugging away.  When you are done with the knitting, you sew the bag onto the purse frame.

Beaded Purse on Cream

I am also still working on Sunrise and Ballerina: Sunrise is blocking and drying at this moment, and I will work on Ballerina in between.  I hope to finish Sunrise this weekend — woo hoo. 

June 5, 2006

From Susan — 80 Down, 20 to Go

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket,Updates — lv2knit @ 11:37 pm

Quick update: I finished the knitting of the Sunrise Circle Jacket tonight, though I did not block it — too late.  I’ll do it when I get home tomorrow.  It should dry overnight.  I’ll drag out Ballerina to haul around for a while.  I have to have something with me to knit!!  Not real portable, but mindless.

June 4, 2006

From Susan — Sunrise Serenade

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket,Updates — lv2knit @ 10:16 pm

I SO thought I would finish the right front of Sunrise this weekend, but my kids had other plans.  Both of them did nothing but work on school projects all weekend and of course that meant I had to help.  The last of day of school is next Friday, so we can all take a breather!

I am on row 75 of 103.  The end is in sight.  It really did help to place the markers ahead before knitting the row.  Count once and forget it. 

I’ll share my finishing plans later — I have some ideas about the front facings etc.  I am in the knitting groove and should finish Sunrise within a week or so.  Some people think that when all the main pieces are done, the project is over — but many projects fit the “80-20” rule: 80% knitting and 20% finishing.  Finishing takes a lot of time: blocking, sewing, and knitting the edges/collars/facings/making buttonholes, etc. etc.  Finishing is one of my favorite things to do, and I don’t like to rush it.  It can make the difference between homemade and custom made.

I almost forgot: one of the reasons I didn’t get further with the Sunrise Jacket is because I was working on the little wedding bag.  Here it is before grafting the bottom:

Wedding Ring Purse b4 grafting

As you can see, I did not work it in the round.  I just could not make myself do it!  I made a strip of five repeats instead of ten and then picked up 38 sts (72/2 + 2 for the seam).  I also spaced the beads closer together.

Here it is finished:

Wedding Ring Purse

It was a lot of work and I don’t even know if I like it.  The bride wanted two bags, so I thought I would copy Wendy’s very cute design for the second so they will be different — they need to be able to tell them apart. 

June 3, 2006

From Sally — The Icarus Shawl and the Sunrise Circle

Filed under: Icarus Shawl,Sunrise Circle Jacket — Sally @ 8:20 am

I’ve been knitting on my Icarus Shawl, although this week hasn’t been kind to my knitting time — I’ve been doing a lot of gardening. I’m in the fifth repeat of the first chart and am still on the first skein of my kidsilk haze. I think it’s a magic ball of yarn. Now that the rows are much longer, I think it will finally run out soon. I’m not sure it’s worth posting a photograph because it doesn’t look too different from the last one. It won’t look different until I get to the lace border. I still haven’t decided whether or not to add one or more repeats to my shawl. I’ll decide when the sixth repeat is finished.

I’ve also started my Sunrise Circle and am about to block the first sleeve/front. I’ll put up a photograph when it’s dry. I am making the 37″ size, but I’ve decided (pending a quick basting together of the sleeve so I can slip on the first front) that I may add five or so extra stitches to the back to give it a little more ease. We’ll see. I’m going to knit the back before I do the second front because the back is sort of boring knitting in comparison. I’d rather finish with the other front.

June 2, 2006

From Susan — Friday

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket,Uncategorized — lv2knit @ 6:41 am

Today is Friday and I am glad I’ll have another weekend to spend knitting on my Sunrise jacket.  I’d love to wrap that one up.  I’m done with the main part of the second sleeve and will start the circle today.  It is semi-mindless knitting, but I spent far too much time counting sts on the first side.  I am going to place markers where the increases go so I just count once.  Honestly, I think it will take me half the time if all I do is knit instead of count. 

I finally took a few minutes to read through the book I bought at the last knitters guild meeting when Kari Cornell was the guest speaker.  It is a very fun read.

Book

There are a lot of pictures and stories from a variety of sources — many vintage knitting patterns and books, famous knitters, etc.  It is truly a hodge podge, but that’s okay.  It is worth a look.  She said she is working on a book of vintage patterns because so many people who read this book were interested.  Count me in!  It’s due out in fall of 2007 (that seems like a long way off).

May 30, 2006

From Susan — Mini Sunrise Update

Filed under: Current Projects,Sunrise Circle Jacket — lv2knit @ 10:07 pm

I decided to check and see if the Sunrise Circle Jacket will fit before I invested more time into it.  I basted the sleeve seam and tried it on.  It is perfect.  I can’t believe it!  It really makes me want to finish it.  I wish it was not May and 80 degrees right now!

Jennifer asked about Blocking Wires.  I have used them for years and swear by them.  They make the blocking process much easier and foolproof.

May 29, 2006

Filed under: Sunrise Circle Jacket,Updates — lv2knit @ 8:42 pm

The front/sleeve is done and being blocked. 

Sunrise Blocking

I am sometimes asked about how I block: I almost always wetblock by soaking the piece in cool water and then spinning the excess water out in the washing machine.  Wetblocking is great when you need to make the piece larger or you have irregular sts.  In this case, I was knitting tighter to get row gauge, with the thought that I would stretch the width and length as needed — and I needed to!  Here you also see the blocking wires that I frequently use.  Blocking wires allow you to manipulate the piece you are blocking without putting in and taking out a million pins.  You can see how straight the edges are, which is really nice for sewing the seams.  With pins, you get a scallop effect.  Once the wires are in place you can get it to size with very few pins.  The wires hold all edges in place until the piece is dry.  It is the perfect* size now, but I don’t think I could have achieved that with a different blocking method. 

I started the second sleeve tonight.  I’m on a mission because I want to get back to Ballerina, get that done, and move in reverse to Margery.  Had I stuck with Margery at the time, I could start something NEW!!  So, I must knit!!

*perfect remains to be seen!! 

May 28, 2006

From Susan — A Sunrise Update

Filed under: Current Projects,Sunrise Circle Jacket,Updates — lv2knit @ 7:21 pm

Here is the oddest sleeve and front you will ever see.  You can now see how the front takes shape as a half circle attached to the sleeve.  It is fun to do, though I would not care to knit several of them as others seem to be doing to get the correct size.  If I can’t block it to fit, it may end up in the UFO category!  I have also done a bit more on the Wedding Ring bag, but not enough to show yet. 

Left front progress

Sally, the Icarus Shawl is a gorgeous project — I will defer this one to you.  I have a couple of shawls already started that I need to finish first.  Please post pics of your progress.

From Sally — Icarus Shawl

Filed under: Icarus Shawl — surly @ 1:21 pm

I found out today that there is a knitalong for the Icarus Shawl. If you would like to join it, the link is:

Icarus Knitalong

There are some lovely photographs that show the back of the shawl in more detail. It’s worth a click even if you don’t feel like joining the knitalong.

shawl details

May 27, 2006

From Sally — Joining New Yarn

Filed under: Current Projects,Knitting Tips,Sunrise Circle Jacket,Updates — Sally @ 8:18 pm

My favorite way to join yarn is with a felted splice, more commonly known as a spit splice. I am almost to the same point my sister is in the Sunrise Circle Jacket, and I need to join in a new ball of yarn. So, here is my method. Note: This method works best with 100% wool yarn (or other natural wool-like yarns such as cashmere, alpaca, etc.). It does not work with washable wools (which won’t felt), cotton, linen, etc. It does work with silk/wool blends and many other yarns. I always test whether or not this method works before I start knitting. (Forgive the funky photos; I am taking them with my built-in web cam.)

Here are two “ends” — one from the piece I am knitting, where I am running out of yarn, and the other from the new ball.

Photo 3.jpg

After making sure that an inch or two of each end is slightly unraveled, I moisten the end of each. I stick it in my mouth — hence the name spit splice. You can also dip each end in water. Once each end is moistened, you overlap them and twist them together slightly with your fingers.

Photo 5.jpg

Then you lay the overlapped, slightly twisted together yarn across your palm and rub your hands together vigorously. This felts the two ends together, giving you one continuous piece of yarn.

Photo 6.jpg

When I finish knitting this sweater, I won’t have any ends to weave in except for those used to seam or start a new piece.

PS – from Susan: I have used this method on non-wool yarn, but I don’t “spit and splice” I just splice.  I used it on the Summer Tweed cardigan, which is silk and whatever.  I split the yarn into half its strands and overlap them and twist them together.  I let the extra overlap fall to the back of the work.  Sometimes I trim them later, but often do not.  It also shows me where I added new yarn so I can see how much knitting I am getting per skein.  It does not work for all yarns but it is sure worth a try!

Splice

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