theraineysisters knitting and so much more

Did you miss me?  I was out west for a week, visiting my daughter who was training in Arizona.  We drove back to her home in Boulder, and I stayed with her for a few days — shopping, doing yoga, and visiting a few yarn shops of course.

On the way from Phoenix to Boulder, we spent the night in Albuquerque.

Some of you may recognize the “lovely” Crossroads Motel — it is where Wendy from Breaking Bad spends her days.  No, we did not stay there!  It looks just as inviting in person as it does on television.

In Boulder, I discovered a new (to me) yarn store:  Gypsy Wools.  It is next to the Boulderado Hotel for those familiar with the area.  The store specializes in hand-dyed or hand-painted yarns and natural fibers. I only had my iPhone with me, but here is one photograph of the shop. (I apologize for its being so dark.)

I couldn’t resist buying a skein Fibre-Isle’s Magique — 50% bison and 50% cashmere. So so soft. One skein has 320 meters — enough for something small and luxurious.

I also stopped at Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins, which I visit every time I’m in Boulder. It’s a large shop, with a good mix of bread-and-butter and luxury yarns. This trip, I noticed that they’ve started carrying Japanese pattern books, too.

Quick notes: My son is coming home this weekend. I hope to have his red sweater finished. I’m on the yoke so I should make it. And I was asked about the sweater I made for my husband at Christmas out of Jared Flood’s Shelter. Yes, I finished it and he loves it. I forgot to every post about the finished product. I’ll take some pictures and do that soon.

Surly is a new sponsor on Ravelry:

Yay, Surly!

PS: Several of you were confused by this post…what does being a sponsor mean?  Does it mean that she bought shares in Ravelry?  Is it a corporate takeover?  NO!  She just bought a bit of ad space on Ravelry.  I have also done this from time to time, so I am a “lovely sponsor,” too, but it means very little except we are buying ad time!!

Yes, it is that time of year again!  Surly did not want a lot of fuss about her birthday and who could blame her?  Once the years start to stack up, the birthdays just get to be a bit much.

But, I cannot let the event go by without a small tribute to my favorite sister, knitter, and blogging buddy.   Sally is the best friend I have ever had — she stands by me through thick and thin.  Literally!  And supports me all the way.  She is a knitting genius and very creative.  We talk on the phone multiple times throughout the day and it is just killing me that she is travelling right now and not at my beck and call!  So, enjoy your day, and let’s talk soon! 

And I know the pictures are a retread, but hey, the dog is cute!

Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Minnesota Knitters Guild hosts an event each year of legendary magnitude.  This year is the 25th Silver Anniversary!  I have a small role on the planning committee, which is very exciting because I am on the ground floor of the planning and get the inside scoop. 

So what do you get for your money?  A world-class event at small town prices!!

There is a small myth floating around that if you do not register right away, you cannot attend.  Au contraire!  There are MANY classes still open AND many opportunities to participate even if you choose not to attend a class.

The list of teachers is made up of knitting royalty:

Lorilee Beltman
Cat Bordhi
Beth Brown Reinsel
Lily Chin
Edie Eckman
Fiona Ellis
Laura Farson
Margaret Fisher
Jared Flood
Susanna Hansson
Betsy Hershberg
Romi Hill
Melissa Leapman
Ann McCauley
Layl McDill
Sally Melville
Cheryl Oberle
Rita O’Connell
Clara Parkes
Merike Saarniit (keynote speaker)
Joan Schrouder
Gila Shoshany (aka TECHknitter)
Meg Swansen & Amy Detjen
Julie Weisenberger

Yes, some of the classes are filled, but there are plenty more to choose from!!  If you don’t want to take classes, check out these opportunities:

• FREE Vendor Market featuring approximately 40 vendors with a variety of knitting-related wares
• For $5, attend the keynote presentation by Merike Saarniit called “The Evolution of Tradition to Contemporary Knitting” — no pre-registration required…and then go shopping!
• For $40, attend the Friday evening  “Meet and Greet” with the teachers — enjoy a lovely buffet dinner with your knitting idols!
• Meet the Ravelry Crew!  StevenBe of the Yarn Garage is bringing the Fab Four Ravelry Crew to the Vendor Market

For more discussion about the classes and events, visit the Yarnover Ravelry Group.  Surly and I will both be there — hope to see you there, too!

PS: I am so proud!  My husband skiied the 35 km Mora Vasaloppet today and took FIRST place in his age group!  His birthday is next week and he will enter the next age group up, so he is just about the oldest person in that field and won!

PS2: John won this Dala Horse since the race has Swedish roots.

Remember the last scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” (one of my faves!!)?  This is my front sidewalk this morning!  Eeek!

I can’t blame the bathing suit for how I look in it.  I do not contribute to the overall look in a positive way.  That can also be said for one of my recent FOs.  It looked so cute in the magazine:

Winter Vogue 2011, design #25

It is supposed to be very wide and cropped.  The word “cropped” should have tipped me off that this style just might not be right for me, but I said, “What the hey,” and proceeded onward.

I had some charcoal gray Lopi in stash — pretty much enough to make the sweater and the same gauge/yarn type to boot.   That made this a FREE sweater (even better). 

Once I started the thing, I kept having second thoughts.  But onward I went.  With the chunky yarn and size 10-1/2 needles, it was a quick knit, so I kept knitting … until the doubts hit me again.  Then I would throw it in a bag, and give up…only to drag it out again and continue.   Over and over I did this, but yet I persevered.  Why?  I don’t know, because the doubts were always there.  Had the VK 360 view been available prior to starting this project, I may have saved myself some trouble…

I finished it, buttons and all. 

It just looks ridiculous on me.  I need to lose 30 years and as many pounds to look good in this sweater.  My husband said, “It’s cute, but it’s about 5 inches too short — do you have any more yarn?”  Uh, no.

They can’t all be keepers!!

PS — Happy Groundhog Day!  Don’t you love that movie?  I watched it tonight.

PS2 — in response to those who recommended layering: been there, tried that.  With long tees of several colors and shirts.  Not so good.

You can’t plan a day like that!  Yesterday was so unexpectedly fun and special! 

My knitting peeps and I had decided to attend a special event at StevenBe’s Yarn Garage Workshop in south Minneapolis on Saturday.  StevenBe is wonderful: he is warm, generous in all ways, inclusive, talented and creative.  You may have seen him in knitting magazines as well.

Steven is wearing a handknit creation knit with bulky cotton and videotape

His workshop used to be a firehouse and is now an eclectic melange of knitting and gifts and all kinds of yarn.  It overwhelms the brain!

Jacket festooned with dozens of buttons: almost too heavy to lift!

We shopped, we laughed, we noshed.  I ran into many old and dear friends and Guild members.  Ellen DeSilva, aka TwinSetEllen, mentioned her special project Warm Hats, Not Hot Heads — check it out on her blog.   We had a great time and did not want it to end.  So, off we went!

Next stop: Borealis in St. Paul.   I must admit, it seemed a little tame after StevenBe’s!  But we loved it just the same.  We saw a T-shirt that I would have bought if they had my size.  White shirt, black letters that said,

“I was born to knit.  I am forced to work.”  And another:

“K1, YO, k2tog, P1…If you understand this, we need to talk”

Then off to The Yarnery.   We had a blast there, too, finding yarn and patterns everywhere along the way.  Then to lunch at Cafe Latte — wow.  So much fun.

What did I buy — some C-R-A-Z-Y yarn at StevenBe’s! Linie 282 Zico Yarn in black:

You use it to make this crazy scarf.  I bought it in black for my oldest daughter and finished it last night:

The color of the sweater it’s on is washed out, but the scarf itself looks pretty true.  Just a fun scarf and very fashion forward like my daughter!

I also bought a skein of Fiesta La Boheme in Peacock to make another Moebius Cowl.  I love mine and get so many compliments, and this color is stunning:

We headed home happy as clams.  I love my peeps and we enjoyed a thoroughly fun and productive day!

PS: Check out this article about Steven in the Pioneer Press!  Thanks, Readers!