w_design

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T21:25:00.002-05:00

I had no chance to update my blog for such a long long time... but we are all fine and healthy, and enjoying this holiday season.
I hope I can update regularly soon!

May your 2010 Holiday Season and New Year be filled with love, health and happiness!

なかなかアップデートが出来ないまま年末まで来てしまいました。我が家は相変わらず元気でばたばたしております。
今度こそ！アップデートを定期的にできるように頑張ろうと思っています。
それでは、Happy Holidays!

wakana

Natural Dye Class

2010-05-24T13:49:00.005-04:00

あっというまに前回のブログから１年も経ってしまいました。おはずかしい‥
昨年の夏に２ヶ月間、８年ぶりの一時帰国をしました。その直前にようやくマイホームを購入したのですが、一時帰国までに引っ越しすることが出来ず、結局私たちが２ヶ月日本にいる間に、残された主人が一人で引っ越しをするはめになりました。
こちらに戻ってきたときには、本当にこんなところにすめるのだろうか？と思うくらい、修理がはかどっていず、息子たちを押さえ込むのにそれはそれは大変な毎日を送っていました。
それとともに、主人にすべての引っ越しをお願いしてしまったせいで、モノの在処が全く分からず、片っ端から段ボールを開ける生活が何ヶ月も続き‥未だに見つからないものがあるくらいです。
そんな中、無理しすぎてしまったのでしょう、主人が背中を痛め、全く動けない生活が３ヶ月近く続きました。その間にもサンクスギビングデー、クリスマス、とイベントが押し寄せ、私一人でひいひいいいながらクリスマスツリーを飾ったり。
しかも、昨冬は雪も多く、何度も一人で雪かきをするはめになり、とうとう年始から私の方が腰を痛めてしまいました。人生初めてです。それ以来、未だに完治というところまでいっていません。
真冬は真冬で暖房設備を入れ替えることになり、２月の一番寒い頃、ひどい日は華氏１５度ぐらいしかないのに暖房のない生活が１週間ほど続きました。本当に家が凍ってしまってパイプが壊れるのでは、とひやひやしながら、下の息子と寒い寒いといいながらじっと毎日家に座っていました。
ようやく少し落ち着いたかな、という頃にはもう春になっていて、あっという間に新芽があちらこちらから出てくるようになりました。気がついたときには、何の手入れもしていない裏庭がものすごいジャングルになっていて、あ、これはまずい、ということで、慌てて裏庭の雑草を抜き始めました。そしたら、気がつかない間にポイズンアイビー（ツタウルシ）を触ってしまったようで、主人、上の息子と私の３人が今度はポイズンアイビーにかかってしまいました。特に私は非常にアレルギー反応が強く出るので、今回もまたあっという間に両腕から体中に渡り、両足まで全身にかゆみが走り、毎日これまた非常に大変な日々を送るはめになりました。

前置きが長ーくなってしまいましたが、我が家の裏庭は、長年何も植えていなくて放置されていたようで、これでもかというぐらい雑草が私の背の高さぐらいまでびっしり生えていて、昨年の夏は裏庭には全く入ることが出来なかったくらいです。

それでも、何かしなくてはと主人とずっと話し合っていって、とりあえず雑草を綺麗にして何か植えよう、という話になったころ、草木染めのクラスに出会いました。

これまで何かクラスをとりたいなと思っていても、下の息子がいたのでほとんど何も出来なかったのですが、今回のクラスは息子同伴可ということだったので、かなり遠かったのですが、飛びついてお伺いさせていただきました。Fiber Studioのみかえ先生が教えてくださるクラスです。

１週目はsun dye といって、空き瓶に適当に草木を入れ、媒染済みの糸を入れ、その上にぬるま湯を注ぎ、お日様に当てて１週間ほどおいておく、という本当に何もしないうちに染まっている染色方法を学びました。私は庭にあった植木を剪定したらあまりに黄色い幹が出てきてびっくりしてしまい、これで染めよう！とこの枝で染めることにしました。そしたら、あまりにかたくって、細かく砕くことが出来ず、結局大きな幹を輪切りにして染めました。結果は少し緑がかった黄色、というところで、幹の色が非常に黄色いわりにはそれほど黄色い糸にはなりませんでした。もう一つは人参の葉っぱを刻んだもの。こちらの方が黄色みが強く出たと思います。

２週目からは大きなお鍋で糸を染めはじめました。２週目は黄色の週、３週目は赤の週、４週目はその他の色ということで、色別に染めていきました。

黄色の週はosage orangeとdyer's coreopsis。どちらも黄色ですが、osage orangeの方が木だからなのか、少し深みのある色に染まったように思いました。最近は黄色が気になる色でしたので、色を眺めているのが楽しかったです。

赤の週はbrazilwoodとmadder。brazilwoodはピンクよりの赤。強い赤です。brazilwoodがたくさんあるからbrazilという国名がついたと伺い、びっくりしました。madderは日本語で茜。本当に茜色なんです。私は赤は特に苦手とする色なのですが、この茜はあまりに綺麗で、自分の反応にびっくりしたくらいです。赤色は普段でしたら全く選ばない色ですが、自分は赤が苦手なのではなくて、今まで自分が心地よいと思える赤にであったことがなかったということがわかり、茜色に出会えたことに大変感動を覚えました。確かこの日、同じお教室にいた方が、あまりの色の美しさに圧倒されて涙を流されているのを拝見し、改めて自然の色の美しさに畏敬の念を覚えました。

その次の週はlogwoodとblack walnut hull。logwoodは既に粉末になっている染料で染めたのですが、あっけなく染まってしまい、ちょっと化学染めのような感触を受けてしまいました。

この週は重ね染めもしました。あまりに美しい色にうっとり‥

最終日はこれまでのせいかをお披露目。全部並べてみるとかなり感動です。

かごにも入れてみました。

家にもって帰ってきたのはこの４かせです。

茜色も入っています。はじめはバラバラに小物を作ろうかと思いましたが、あわせて２００gぐらいになるので、これでショールかなにかを作ろうかな、と思っています。でも、あまりに綺麗なので、編むのがもったいない‥

Long Time No See

2009-05-11T13:14:00.003-04:00

Last christmas, I wrote that I would update this blog once a week this year --- and now, it's already May! Time flies, really. I have been busy taking care of my two sons, and I just could not have time to sit down and write something. It's May now, and greens are just so gorgeous here!

今年は週１回のペースで、という抱負を昨年度末に書いてからはや５ヶ月、気がついたらもう５月も半ばになっています‥毎日子供たちに追われるうちに一日が終わってしまい、明日こそ、明日こそ、と思っているうちに春も半ば。とても気持ちのよい季節になってしまいました。

I don't have much time knitting something that I would love to --- but I still manage to squeeze out bits of times. Most items that I finished this year is for someone else --- gifts. I would love to knit something for myself sometimes soon.

編みものは相変わらず、子供たちにしょっちゅう邪魔されてしまい、ほとんど手つかずです。それでもちまちまと合間に編んでいます。ギフトがほとんどです。大したものも編めないのですが、ちょこっとでも編めたら、と思って編んでいます。

Recently, I finished knitting two Striped Dress from Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine Spring/Summer 2009. The puff sleeves are just adorable (maybe because I don't have a girl- ). I would love to knit this again.

最近編んだギフトはDebbie Bliss Knitting Magazineの最新号に掲載されているstriped dressです。といってもドレスを編むほどの余裕がなく、２枚編んだのですが両方ともTシャツみたいな感じになってしまいました。それでもこのパフスリーブがかわいくって、またももう１枚編んでみたいなあ、と思ったりします。

This one is knitted with Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere. This is for new born girl. It's really tiny:

こちらはDebbie BlissのCotton Cashmereで編みました。新生児用です。とっても小さいです：

This one is for my 12 month old niece --- I used one ball each of Jaeger Siena 4 ply and Hemp for knitting 3 ply. I didn't have enough yarn so this has no decreases at all on body.

もう一つは、Jagger のSiena 4 plyとHemp for Knittingの3plyで編みました。こちらは１玉ずつで終わらせるためにギャザーも入れず、完全にTシャツ型です。１２ヶ月用です：

DB's patterns are beautiful! It has a lot of increase/decrease, so it seems to be a bit complicated, but it creates such a beautiful shape and I did like it. Very detailed pattern. I would love to knit something for myself some day.

Debbie Bliss先生のパターンは線が綺麗ですね。増減が結構入るので、ちょっと面倒くさいかもしれませんが、ラインが綺麗に出るのでいいなあと思いました。細部にこだわっている感じだし。大人ものもいつか編めたらいいのですが。

By the way, younger son is now 1 1/2 yr old --- and I love this diaper cover. This is the most frequently used one;

我が家の次男は１歳半になりましたが、最近はこのおむつカバーが一番使いやすくって、しょっちゅうはかせています：

Back:

うしろ：

This is how he looks:

はいているところ：

Back:

うしろ：

I used one skein of Koigu Kersti (multi-colored yarn) and one 25g ball of 100% cashmere (gray). I combined a couple different patterns of diaper covers and adjusted it to fit it to my son, because my son is very tiny and skinny --- I always need elastic band as his waist is very small.

糸は、koiguのkerstiという糸（マルチカラーの部分）とカシミヤ１００％の糸（グレー）を使いました。パターンは適当に、いろいろなおむつカバーのパターンを見ながら、次男の体型に合わせて（とても小さくて細いんです‥）作りました。ウエストが細くて、たいていのものはずり落ちちゃうので、ゴムが入っています。

This summer, I am going back to japan for two months for the first time in eight years. I cannot believe I haven't been back to my country for EIGHT years... anyway, I would like to enjoy walking around Tokyo area, hunting some unique yarns --- if you know any place to visit, please let me know. I can't wait to go see my family!

ところで、今年の夏は７月頭から８月末まで丸２ヶ月、一時帰国することになりました。なんと８年ぶりです（笑）。糸屋さん巡りもしてみたいし、みなさんが精力的に活動されているニットアウトにも参加できたらなあ、と思っています。子供を二人引き連れて歩くことになるので、なかなか自由が利かないと思いますが、東京近辺でおすすめのスポット等ありましたら是非教えてください！

Happy Holidays

2008-12-24T21:05:00.003-05:00

I haven't updated again for two months --- these two months are always the most eventful time of the year; halloween, thanksgiving & christmas! I couldn't do too much knitting for this holiday, but I was able to finish vests for my sons.

またまた２ヶ月も更新できませんでした‥この２ヶ月はいつもハロウィーンに始まり、感謝祭、クリスマスと続く一大イベントの時期です。クリスマス用のニッティング、それほど出来ませんでしたが、それでも子供たちにベストを作るのだけは何とか完成しました。

Wishing you a happy christmas and joyous new year! My new year resolution is to update this blog at least once a week.

みなさん、よいお年をお迎えください。来年の抱負はもちろん、週１のベースでブログを更新することです。

Baby Shalom Pullover

2008-10-17T00:02:00.003-04:00

My younger son turned 1 yr old last month. I wanted to knit something for his birthday, so I looked around everywhere to find some nice patterns, and I decided to work on Shalom Cardigan as I wanted to knit this for a long time. I made it into a pullover, so he can't take it off easily.

下の息子があっという間に１歳になりました。お祝いに何か編んであげよう、と思い、いろいろパターンを見ていましたが、以前から編んでみたかったShalom Cardiganをプルにしてみたらどうだろうと思い、こんな形のプルオーバーを作ってみました。

Original Design: Shalom Cardigan
Designer: Meghan McFarlane
Yarn: Habu Tsumugi Silk, Habu Ramie, Fine Cotton (3 strands held together)
Needle: US6 (4mm)
Size: 12-18 months (approximate)
Modification: Followed ishi's modification + added sleeves

前立て部分はこんな風にガーターにしてあります。
The collar looks like this:

初めてishiさんの作品を見たときに、とても素敵なシルエットだなあ、と思い、よくよく読んでみると袖のあきぐりの部分を変更していらっしゃったので、そっくりそのまままねさせていただきました。前後差をつけるため、後ろ身頃に８段編み足すのもそのまま真似しています。これ、以前からやってみたかったのですが、思ったよりも綺麗に出来上がるのですね。勉強になりました。ishiさんに感謝です。

When I first saw ishi's Shalom, I was very impressed with her vest --- then I found out that she did a lot of mods, so I followed her modification exactly the way she did (she explained her mods in english on ravelry here). Thanks ishi-san!

着用写真はこちら：
Here is how it looks on my little baby:

室内で撮ったのと、ピントが合っていないので今ひとつわかりづらいかもしれません。すみません‥
思ったよりジャストフィットで、ちょっと大きめに作ったつもりだった私はあれ？また大きくなっちゃった、という感じでした。

I took these pics indoors (on the jumping game in our neighborhood mall --- that's why the floor looks a bit strange) so it's not a nice picture. I thought this pullover would be a bit big for him (so that he can wear it for a while) but it fitted perfectly. I guess he grew up as I was knitting for a month or two.

もう一つ、同時並行でお兄ちゃんにnaganasuさんのガーターヨークベストを編んでいました。

At the same time, I was working on naganasu's garter stitch yoke vest for my older son.

ishiさんのshalom cardiとはまた違って引き返しの前後差をつけたヨークですが、これまた綺麗にできるのですね。

This pattern uses short row technique to create a front neck opening, and it comes out beautiful!

でも、在庫の糸ではどうやら袖２本編めそうにないです。お兄ちゃんが手に持っている糸が残りの糸です。足りないと思うんです‥しかも、微妙に大きいかも。ガーター編みは着用している間にどんどん伸びるから、もうちょっと小さい方がいいかも‥なんて、いろいろ考えています。もしかしたら潔くほどいて、メリヤス編みで同じような感じのものにするかもしれません。ガーター編みは糸いっぱい使っちゃうので。

Unfortunately, I don't think I have enough yarn to finish two sleeves --- my son in this pic holds the yarn that's left for both sleeves. Another thing that bothers me is that it could be too big for him for a while --- garter stitch tends to stretch out as he wears (plus this yarn is 100% cotton) , so I may have to frog this all and start it again. I may try to avoid garter stitch as they consume lots of yarns.

全然関係ないのですが、この写真のカーディガンの下に着ているのはスパイダーマンのコスチュームです。今年のハロウィーンはobi wanになるとずっと言い続けてきたのに、突然１０月に入るか入らないかの頃からスパイダーマンになると言い出し、買ってしまってからというもの、毎日学校以外はこれを着ています‥寝るときもこれ着ています‥なので、もう既にぼろぼろです。ハロウィーンまで持たないんじゃないかとヒヤヒヤです。家ではこんな感じで本人はスパイダーマンになりきっています。

This is not at all about knitting --- but my son wears spiderman costume under this vest. He has been telling us he was going to be obi-wan for the whole year, and all of a sudden, around the beginning of October, he said he would become spiderman, and that's it! We had to go shopping to get the spiderman costume, and since then, he has been wearing this every single moment except school. He even sleeps in this costume every night. I am hoping that this costume will survive until Halloween... In our apartment, he is acting as spiderman all the time like this:

Guinevere

2008-10-04T18:31:00.002-04:00

I wanted to knit something that I can wear all the time during summer, and I picked up Guinevere by Melissa (Neoknits). I love
A-lines and open neck line, so as soon as I saw this on her web, I purchased this pattern. She used Handmaien Flaxen, but I wanted to use up some of my stash, so I picked up Habu Tsumugi Silk, Ramie and Tokken Viscose Silk and knitted with three strands together.

夏の間に一つぐらいちゃんと着れるものを編みたい、と思って編んだのがNeoknitsのMelissaさんデザインのGuinevere。こういうAラインで襟ぐりがかなり開いたデザイン、とても好きだったので、見た瞬間にパターンを手に入れて編み始めました。指定糸はHandmaidenのFlaxenという絹と麻の混紡糸でしたので、在庫一掃もかねて、手元にあったhabu (avril)のツムギシルク、ラミーとシルクの３本取りで編んでみました。

I wore this most of the time last summer when we went out. I don't like to go out with only one layer of tank top (as I am getting old ---), but this airy light layer was perfect for the whole summer. I still wear this on top of turtle neck shirts these days.

夏の間は出かけるぞ、というときにはほとんどこれを着ていたような気がします。タンクトップ一枚で出かけるのは気が引けるけど、これくらいだと暑いときに着てもそれほど気にならない、という感じで、大変重宝しました。このところ寒くなってきましたが、タートルネックのシャツの上などにも着てしまっています。

When I finished this, I have received a wonderful surprise gift.

それから、ちょうどこれを仕上げたころ、とっても嬉しい贈り物が届きました。

My mom designed this vest (she posted about this on her blog here) and her student knitted both of them!! I am very very happy when I got these --- I wanted to knit these by myself but I couldn't find the time to do this.

私の母がデザインしたベスト（母のブログでの投稿はこちら）を母の生徒さんが編んでくださって、わざわざこちらまで送ってくださったのです。自分で編もうと思っていたのですが、やっぱりうまく時間が取れず、いらいら‥だったので、頂いたときはとっても感激してしまいました！しかもサプライズだったので。

Here is some photos of my children in this vest. They are adorable!

子供たちに着せてみたのがこの写真。とてもかわいいんです〜

From the back:

後ろ姿も！！

Whenever we went out during summer, I was wearing Guinevere and my children were wearing this vest.

夏の間は私はGuinevereを、子供たちはこのベストをきてしょっちゅう出かけていました。

And therefore, I could not knit any single sweaters for my children by myself --- I am probably not good at using time, so I couldn't find a good chunk of time to knit. I was hoping that I would have been able to find some time to knit after September, when my older son starts to go to Kindergarten, but I just can't find time to knit that much as we always have errands everywhere---

という訳で、今年の夏も、一枚も子供たちに編んであげることなく終わってしまいました‥時間の使い方がうまくないのでしょう。編物をする時間が本当に取れません。９月に入ったらお兄ちゃんは幼稚園に通いだすので少しは時間が取れるだろう、なんて思っていたのですが、実際学校が始まってみるとなんだかんだと雑用があったりして、どうも腰を落ち着けて編む時間が取れない‥

My older son started to go to Kindergarten, and he seems to like it (thank god!), but he has to leave the house at 6:45am to catch the bus, and I feel bad that he has to leave that early every morning. On top of that, he goes to Japanese supplementary school every Saturday, and he goes to soccer clinic every Sunday morning for a month or so, and I just feel so bad---

お兄ちゃんの方は何とか幼稚園に通っていますが、朝６時４５分に家を出なくてはならず、こんな小さいときからこんな早く学校に行くんだねえ、大変だねえ、といっています。月曜日から金曜日までびっしり、その上土曜日は日本語の補習校（これまた車で１時間ぐらいかかります）、日曜日は幼稚園のサッカーがこの１ヶ月ほど入っていて、事実上週７日毎日朝早く起きてでかけていて、ちょっとみていてかわいそうです。

My younger son turned one now. He started to walk a couple weeks before his first birthday, and now, he is almost running around the house, so he gets a lot of bumps and bruises. So many times, I wanted to catch him, but I could not. He just wanted to move around and touch something new every day.

下の息子も無事１歳の誕生日を迎えました。１歳になるちょっと前から歩き出したのですが、今では走らんばかりの勢いで動き回るので、顔中に痣や傷が出来てしまっています‥止めようと思っても止められない。とにかく動きたくて、新しいものに触ってみたいようで、止められないのです。

I still try to find some time to knit --- I have made a couple diaper cover, but none of them came out great, They are working just fine, but I am still trying to find something that fits better. Also, I am knitting Shalom cardigan (with sleeves) for my younger son and garter stitch yoke cardi (with sleeves) for my older son. I hope I can update this blog very soon this time!

そんな中、細々ではありますが編物は続けています。布おむつなので、最近はおむつカバーを何枚か編みました。なかなかこれ！というで気にならないのが残念ですが、もうちょっと工夫してフィットするものをもう一枚ぐらい編んでみようと思っています。それから、下の息子にはShalom Cardiganの袖付きを、上のお兄ちゃんにはnaganasuさんのgarter stitch yoke cardi（これまた袖付きになる予定です）を編んでいます。こんどこそ！こんなに間を空けずに、経過をアップしたいと思っています〜

Ravelympics 2008

2008-08-24T16:05:00.004-04:00

I have finished my ravelympics project --- somehow finished FOUR hats for my family! I was not sure if I could finish them within 17 days, but it got easier and easier as I knitted the same item repeatedly. Anyway, here is my finished projects:

ラベリンピックスのプロジェクト、何とか終わりました。帽子４つ、家族の分を何とか作り上げることが出来ました。１７日間で４つは難しいなあと思っていたのですが、同じものを４つ作ったので、２個目、３個目、４個目と進むうちに編み図が頭の中に残ってくれて、だいぶ楽に編むことが出来ました。とりあえず完成したものはこちらです：

MY HAT
Pattern: Mieko Mintz Manly Hat
Designer: Mieko Mintz
Yarn: Mieko Mintz Merino 4; two strands of gray and one strand of almond
Needle: US10 (6.0mm)

MY HUSBAND'S HAT
Pattern: Mieko Mintz Manly Hat
Designer: Mieko Mintz
Yarn: Sandara yarn Sport Merino (Black over Espresso), Cascade Indulgence (Black), Henry's Attic Prime Alpaca (dark gray)
Needle: US10 1/2 (6.5mm)

MY BABY'S HAT
Pattern: Mieko Mintz Manly Hat
Designer: Mieko Mintz
Yarn: Mieko Mintz Merino 4 (gray), Sandara yarn Sport Merino (Black over Espresso)
Needle: US8 (5.0mm)

MY SON'S HAT
Pattern: Mieko Mintz Manly Hat
Designer: Mieko Mintz
Yarn: Mieko Mintz Merino 4 (gray), Sandara yarn Sport Merino (Black over Espresso), Cascade Indulgence (Black), Henry's Attic Prime Alpaca (dark gray)
Needle: US10 (6.0mm)

Here is the all four hats together:
こちらが４つ並んだところです：

I started to knit mine first, and I wanted to be a little bit smaller than what the pattern says, so I used smaller needle by one size and knitted it tightly. The result was --- it came out a bit small ---- My husband's came out almost perfect in size, and so was the baby's, although it was almost impossible to take a nice picture of a baby with wool hat in this hot August. I am thinking about taking it again sometimes in fall.

まず自分の分を編んだのですが、ちょっと小さめにと針の号数を１号下げてキッチキチに編んだら、ちょっと小さめに仕上がってしまいました。主人のはほぼパーフェクト。赤ちゃんのも大丈夫そうですが、赤ちゃんに８月のこの夏盛りに帽子をかぶって笑ってとお願いする方が難しいですよね‥というわけで、大した写真は撮れませんでした。

I had a tough time knitting my son's hat. I didn't have any yarns that seemed enough to finish the project, so I ended up combining different yarns at different sides. It turned out actually nice, and I like the way his hat looks like. The only problem is that I was so scared if I was running out of yarn, so I reduced the number of strands from three to two, and tried to knit very loosely, and so it came out a bit too big. It is always difficult for me to adjust the size of hats.

息子のが大変でした。途中でどの糸も足りなくなて、何度もほどいて何とか違う糸を適当に組み合わせてつなぎ合わせた、という感じです。でも、出来上がった感じは悪くないかな、と。丁度主人と赤ちゃんの感じが混ざったようで、いい感じだなと思っています。ただ、途中で糸が足りなくなると思い、最初３本取りで編んでいたのを２本取りにしたため、小さくなったら困ると思って緩ーく編んでいたら、大きくなってしまいました。帽子のサイズ、やっぱり難しいです。

This hats uses wrap and turn technique to form the round top. It looks very simple, but it is a detailed design as well. May be fund to change colors to make it into stripe pattern.

引き返しを延々に続けて丸いトップを作っていく形で、シンプルではありますがなかなか凝ったデザインだと思います。色をもっといろいろ変えてしましまにしても面白いと思いました。

I am thinking about putting some crocheted flowers on mine --- I am the only girl in this family and I needl something girly once in a while.
私の帽子には、その内かぎ針もチーフのお花をつけようと思っています。どんなお花にするか、考え中です。

Mieko Mintz Knitting Class

2008-08-07T21:00:00.004-04:00

There is a boutique in Soho called Mieko Mintz, where owner & designer Mieko designs and sells sophisticated, original collections using beautiful and unique fabrics from all over the world. She had long been thinking about launching her original knitting line as well, and I had an opportunity to work with her to develop her knitting collections. Here is a link to her knitting collection. I am very honored to be part of this project.

マンハッタンのSOHOにミエコミンツというブティックがあり、デザイナー＆オーナーのミエコさんがデザインした素敵なコレクションがおいてあります。このミエコさんが以前からご自身でニットのコレクションを手がけたいと思っていたそうで、今回ミエコさんのニットのコレクションのお手伝いをさせていただく機会を得ました。リンクはこちらです。願ってもない機会で、大変勉強になりました。

Now that we have finished her first line of collection, I decided to knit her design for myself. And I chose "Manly Hat" because it is such an interesting design with unique edging around the face line. I picked up her yarn as well --- two strands of gray and one strand of almond. They are so squishy and soft!

プロジェクトも一段落したので、自分のものをそろそろ編もうかなあ、と思い、彼女のコレクションの中から"Manly Hat" を編むことに決めました。エッジングがシンプルかつこだわりのある感じで、とても気に入ってしまったのです。ミエコミンツの毛糸の中からグレーとアーモンドを選びました。この毛糸、すごく柔らかくて肌触りがいいです。

Since the ravelry hosts Ravelympics along with the Olympics 2008, I signed up this hat as my Ravelympics project. I have decided to work on four hats --- one for me, one for my hubby, one for my older son, and one for my younger son.

ラベリーの方で丁度オリンピック開催にあわせてRavelympics をやっているので、この帽子をエントリーしました。チャレンジングなプロジェクト、と書いてあったので、ちょっと無理かな、と思いつつ、家族全員の帽子を合計４つ作ることにしました。

Hopefully I can finish these --- I always wanted to make matching hats for the whole family.

終わるといいのですが‥家族お揃いで帽子をいつか作ってみたかったので。

Long Time No See

2008-06-06T17:37:00.006-04:00

I have been knitting on and off for the last couple months but never had a time to update this blog (or didn't make enough effort to do that --- ). Anyway, thanks for all the emails asking me how I am doing these days, and sorry for those I haven't get back yet --- since I had my second son, I literally have no time for myself; and things are not getting better at all these days as my son has already crawling and cruising all over the house. Plus, my older son already got out of school for summer, so I am taking them out to pretty much anywhere they would like every day. I am totally becoming a mommy driver --- I can't believe I didn't have a driver's license when I had my older son.

この２〜３ヶ月編んだり編めなかったりの毎日が続いていました。ブログに至っては全く手を付けられず‥メールで大丈夫ですかとのメッセージをずいぶん頂いてしまい、また、お返事がまだ間に合わず、すみません。二人目が産まれてから自分の時間がほとんど持てなくなり、この２ヶ月ぐらいはハイハイとつかまり立ち歩き（そしてバランスを崩してひっくり返る）の繰り返しで、さらに５月一杯でお兄ちゃんの学校が終わり、夏休みに入ってしまったため、毎日連れて歩き回っていて、家で何かをすることがほとんど出来ません。完全に子供たちの運転手になっています。

First, I have long wanted to update this --- my knitting friend Mari's design appears on the current issue of Vogue Knitting!

とにもかくにも、まずこれをアップデートしたいとずっと思っていました。ニューヨークのあみものお友達のまりさん（通称まさん、彼女のブログはこちら）がついにvogue knitting のデザイナーとしてデビューしました。

It's so beautiful, isn't it? Unfortunately, I can't wear anything like this for a while with two gang boys. She had been working hard to design this, and I congratulate her from bottom of my heart.

すごく綺麗だと思いませんか？残念ですが、今の私の人生ではこのような綺麗なスカートを着る機会はほとんどないのです‥

Another friend of mine, Megumi, has her two designs on magazines --- one on Vogue knitting, and the other on Knit 1.

もう一人のお友達、めぐみさんは今回二つデザインしたものが出ています。一つはVogue Knittingで、もう一つはKnit 1という雑誌です。

They are both adorable! I wish I were a bit more skinny, then I would definitely try these --- I am currently nursing my baby and knit wears that I can wear right now are very limited.

両方ともかわいい〜もうちょっと細かったら絶対編んでるのですが。今は授乳中でこういう感じのものがなかなか着れないんです。

I had been working on some sweaters during winter time, and unfortunately, none of them has been finished. Too bad ---

そして、自分の編み物ですが、この冬はセーターをちらほら編んでいましたが、ひとっつも仕上がりませんでした。残念‥

So, this time, I tried my best to finish up a sweater that I started to work this spring, and here you go:

なので、この春は絶対何かを仕上げるぞ！と決心し、これを編み上げました：

Leaf Kimono Top from IK Spring 2008
Designer: Sarah Barbour
Yarn: 2 skeins (1 and a little extra only) of Louet Merlin Tristan in pewter (discontinued --- ravelry link here
Needle: US6 (4mm)

I knitted the smallest size which is 32 1/2, and it came out a bit small to me. I don't need the ribbons in the back and I can just wear it. I didn't realize that the size that the model is wearing is 37 1/2 with 5" positive ease, and that she is a lot skinnier than me. Also, this yarn has 40% merino, which makes it a bit less lacy. So, I may frog this and purchase euroflax original and try it again. I really like the way it is loose fitted, and mine didn't come out in that way.

一番小さいサイズで編んでしまったため、ちょっと小さめになってしまいました。後ろのリボンがなくても普通に着れちゃうぐらいジャストフィットです。モデルさんは私より細いのに下から２番目のサイズを着ていたという事実をすっかり忘れて一番小さいサイズを編んでしまったこと、それから糸が４０％メリノウールだったため、リネン１００％よりもふんわり仕上がってしまったことなどが敗因です。なのでこれはほどいてしまって、euroflax originalを手に入れてもう一度編み直すかもしれません。モデルさんみたいにゆるめにかぶる感じのものが欲しいからです。

Here is the photo of blocking ---

ブロッキングの写真はこちら：

It's very simple pattern and creates such a beautiful line. Very clever pattern, I think.

シンプルでかつ綺麗なシルエットの出る、すごく考えられたデザインだと思います。

I am currently working on Wakame Tunic Top from the same magazine. I am using Bamboo yarn, which is a blend of cotton and bamboo, and I received them from my mother. Last year, she sent me five balls of this yarn, and I asked if she has extra three balls this year, and she said yes, so I decided to work on this project. It's a nice yarn with a bit of sheen and drapery. The only thing I would complain is that this ball falls apart super easily. I always have to keep each ball in a small ziplock bag to prevent it from collapsing.

今は同じ号からWakame Tunic Topを編んでいます。内藤商事のBambooというコットンとバンブーの混紡の糸を使っています。実家の母が昨年５玉送ってくれて、追加の３玉手に入るか聞いたところ、手元にあるということだったので、今回使ってみました。バンブーが藍っているので、光沢もあり、ドレープも綺麗にでて、いまのところはいい感じ。唯一、玉崩れが激しいのが難点です。

Have you seen the latest book of Norah Gaughan, vol. 3? I have always wanted to try some of her design, but never had a chance to get it. This one has a lot of my favorites --- here and here and here and here and here and here!! I can't wait to get this book!

Norah Gaughanさんの最新刊、 Norah Gaughan, vol. 3をご覧になった方いますか？彼女のデザイン、いつも編んでみたいと思いつつなかなか機会がありませんでした。今回は私の好みが目白押しで（これとこれとこれとこれとこれとこれ）、ぜひ本を手に入れたいと思っているところです。

For My Little One

2008-01-30T11:01:00.000-05:00

It's been over a month (or almost two month!) since I updated my last post --- I don't know why, but christmas always takes away a large chunk of my time and it takes quite a while to catch up with all errands after holiday season. Anyway, I had been knitting once in a while for my second son --- and here are the finished ones:

前回アップデートしてから気がついたらまた１ヶ月以上（ほとんど２ヶ月！）経っていました。なぜか、クリスマスは毎年非常に忙しく、そのあとのもろもろ雑用を済ませるのに１月のほとんどを費やし、ようやく落ち着いたかな？という感じです。これまでにうちの赤ちゃんに編んでいたものをここで一気にあげておきます：

Design: Usagi from Organic Cotton no Yasashii Teami (p. 8)
Yarn: Hamanaka Paume Irowata (33) 1 ball

My son loves it! He is chewing everyday --- he is teething since he is 2 months, and this is one of the perfect toy to chew.

我が家の息子はこのうさぎさんを大変気に入っています。２ヶ月の頃から歯がため代わりに噛み付いています。

Next is Hooded Cardi by Debbie Bliss. This came out very light. My son doesn't wear this too much, as it is too warm, but we always carry this around with us.

つぎはデビーブリス先生のフード付きカーディガン。これはとっても軽くし上がりました。あまり着る機会がないのが残念ですが、いざというときにいっつも持って歩いています。

Pattern: Hooded Cardigan by Debbie Bliss from Simply Baby
Yarn: Joseph Galler Peruvian Tweed (100% alpaca)
Weight: 120g

The hood was too big for him when he was one month old, but now it is a perfect size.

１ヶ月の頃にはフードが大きすぎて、お顔が隠れてしまうぐらいでしたが、３ヶ月ぐらいになってちょうど良くなりました。

One more thing that I wanted to knit:

もう一つ、作ってみたかったのがこちら：

Pattern: Curly Purly Soaker by Marnie Ann Joyce
Yarn: Noro Kureyon (150) 1 ball

We don't use this too much either. We use cloth diaper, so I thought this would be a great pattern, but leg opening came out too big (there was no specific numbers of stitches to be picked up on the pattern) and my baby has super sensitive skin, so Noro Kureyon is simply too scratchy to him. The pattern says not to use merino wool, but I guess we need to use merino.

これもあまり使っていません。布おむつなので、このパターンは優れもの！と思ったのですが、足回りが大きくなりすぎたのと、うちの赤ちゃんは超敏感肌になってしまったので、野呂のくれよんはちょっと‥パターンにメリノウールは使わないように、と書いてあったので使わなかったのですが、うちはメリノウールを使わざるを得ないようです。

Now, I need to put serious effort to finish up my Tangled Yoke Cardigan --- I have tough time working on the sleeves. I ripped it off three time already. It seems to me too wide, so I changed my needle size from US5 to US2...

そろそろ真剣にTangled Yoke Cardiを終わらせないといけません。どうも袖が太いような気がして、もう３回もほどいています。ボディはUS5号で編んだのですが、袖は今US2号で編んでいるぐらいです。手が緩くなってしまったんでしょうか？

Baby Blanket from his Grandmother

2007-12-12T21:50:00.000-05:00

My mother made a special blanket for our new baby. She made one when my first son was born; it was a blue one since we knew that it was going to be a boy. This time, we didn't know the sex of the baby, so I asked my mom to make something neutral --- maybe in beige tone.

今回赤ちゃんが産まれるにあたり、私の母がブランケットをプレゼントしてくれました。長男が産まれたときも作ってくれたのですが、このときは事前に男の子とわかっていたのでブルーの色合いで作ってもらっていました。今回はどちらが産まれるか調べなかったので、どちらでも使えるようにとベージュ系でお願いしていました。

It is quite big --- there are 45 squares, and each measures 15cm by 15cm.

広げるとかなり大きい。１５センチx１５センチの正方形が４５枚並んでいます。

Here is the close up photo. She used mainly Filatura di Crosa's Zarina.

クロースアップです。いろんな模様が並んでいます。ベースに使っているのはFilatura di CrosaのZarinaだそうです。

We usually use it in his crib. We also bring it in his bassinet when we go out.

普段はベビーベッドで使っています。その他、外出するときのバシネットの中でも必ず使っています。

Thank you very much, mom!

お母さん、ほんとうにありがとう。

Gifts from Knitting Friends

2007-12-05T16:19:00.001-05:00

I have received lots of gifts for my new son from knitting friends ---

今回赤ちゃんが産まれるにあたり、あみものがらみの友人から多数お祝いを頂きました。

Sometimes in summer (many many months ago...), I have received a lovely baby shower gift from my knitting friends.

夏に（何ヶ月も前ですみません‥）お友達からこんなすてきなベビーシャワーのギフトを頂きました。

Three skeins of Lionbrand Organic Cotton, and organic cotton bib from Skoon. These skeins are so soft, and perfect for sensitive new born baby's skin.

ライオンブランドのオーガニックコットン３かせとSkoonのオーガニックコットンのビブです。この糸、とっても柔らかくって、肌が敏感な新生児にはもってこいだと思いました。

I have spent a good amount of time figuring out what I can make out of these skeins, and I decided to work on Pinwheel Sweater, and here is the result:

ずいぶん長い間これを使って何を編むか悩んだあげく、Pinwheel Sweaterを編むことにしました。

Pattern: Pinwheel Sweater
Design by Shelly Mackie
Yarn: Three skeins of Lionbrand Organic Cotton (50 g /82 yd 100% Organic Cotton) --- One skein each of Bark, Cypress and Vanilla

Here is how it looks on my little one:
きせてなんぼはこちら：

Close-up:
もうちょっと近くから：

The front looks like this:
前はこんな感じです：

I also received lots of gifts from Japanese amimono-group knitting friends:
それから、あみものGの方々からもいろいろ頂き物をしてしまいました。

Thank you very much everyone! I very much appreciate your kindness.

みなさん、ありがとうございました。本当に感謝しています。

Hello World

2007-11-19T17:41:00.000-05:00

It has been almost 6 months since my last blog --- sorry for my laziness. I wanted to update my blog, but I wasn't able to handle too many things as my belly got bigger and bigger --- it grew up to 108cm at the end.

前回アップデートしてから、既に６ヶ月近く経とうとしています。なかなかアップデートできず、すみませんでした。アップデートしようしようと思いつつ、おなかがどんどん大きくなっていき、いろんなことが出来ないまま妊娠生活が終わってしまいました。最終的にはおなか周りは１０８センチになっていました。

Anyway, now we have another beautiful boy in our family! It was such a quick labor, and it took only 20 minutes to have him in this world after we arrived at the hospital.

とにかく、無事に出産を終え（病院についてから実際に産まれるまで２０分しかかかりませんでした‥）新たに男の子がもうひとり、我が家に迎えられることになりました。

Since we didn't know if it was going to be boy or girl, I ended up making two hats for my baby --- I made emli version first, and my husband said if the baby was going to be a boy, he was not allowed to wear it --- he said it is too girly, and I should make another one for a boy. So, I made another one, and we used this one as we had a boy.

出産前に性別を調べなかったので、帽子は二つ作ることになりました‥葉っぱ模様のものを先に作ったのですが、主人がかわいすぎる、これは男の子にはかぶらせてはいけない、というので、仕方なくもう一つ作ることに。結局こちらを使うことになりました。

The one on the left is emli hat. I used organic cotton, and I modified a little bit --- instead of starting with 80 sts of cast on, I had only 8 sts and increased to 80 sts. I like the way it came out.

左の帽子がemli hatです。オーガニックコットンをつかい、パターンを少しだけ変えて、作り目を８０目から８目にして、最初は増目をしていきました。なかなかかわいく出来たように思います。

The right one is from the same organic cotton, and I made up some bobble stitches and worked all the way. It came out a bit stiff as the fabric got very thic.

右の帽子も同じオーガニックコットンを使っています。パターンは適当に、ボッブルスティッチを散らしてみました。編み地が厚くなってしまったので、ちょっと固くなってしまったように思います。

Anyway, here is how it looked:

かぶった感じはこちら：

I also made a first pair of shoes --- this one is crocheted with pearl cotton, and I am very pleased with the result.

ファーストシューズも作りました。パールコットンをかぎ針で。パターンは「はじめましての赤ちゃんへ　手編みの贈りもの」からです。すごくかわいく出来上がって、大満足です。

They looked very small when finished --- yet they were almost too big for a new born baby. They do have little feet.

出来上がったときは小さいかな、と思いましたが、生まれたての赤ちゃんの足には大きすぎたぐらい。生まれたての赤ちゃんの足、本当に小さいです。

Since he was born, I was busy taking care of just about everything --- plus my older son's school just started and I have to drive back and forth twice a day for almost one hour each with my new born son, so it was a bit stressful. But gradually, I was getting used to it and started to have some spare time to knit something little for my new born son. I decided to work on a cardigan as I totally fell in love with this. Here is how it came out:

赤ちゃんが産まれてから、なんだかずっとばたばたしていました。産まれたとき丁度長男の新学期が始まって、毎日新生児を乗せてくるまで送り迎えを午前と午後に１時間ずつしているので、最初の頃は結構大変でした。だいぶ慣れてきて、少しずつ時間も出来てきたので、カーディガンを編むことにしました。naganasuさんのこれに一目惚れしたので、こんな風に作ってみました。

I used one ball and a little bit more of Nature's Palette. This yarn is hand-dyed with natural dyes and is just so beautiful! It's machine washable, so I don't have to worry too much about my baby burping everywhere.

Nature's Paletteという糸で、ひと玉とちょっとでできました。自然の染料で染めた糸で、すごく綺麗な色合いです。洗濯機で洗えるので、ゲップされても気にならないかな、と思って使いました。

I didn't have a pattern book for this, so I looked into her photos very closely and knitted up.

編み図を持っていなかったので、naganasuさんのブログをまじまじと見つめながら編んでみました。

Here is when I finished knitting the first skein:

１玉目がおわったところ。

Close up of the leafy york part:

ヨークの部分はこんな感じです：

My son in this cardigan:

息子に着せてみたところ：

I also made a matching monky pants:

お揃いになるようなモンキーパンツも編んでみました：

The back of this pants is very cute:

モンキーパンツは後ろ姿がかわいいですよね：

I have a lot more to show to you, but for now, this is all what I can do today! Hopefully I can update this blog on regular basis.

もうちょっと、いろいろと編んでいるのですが、今日はここまでです。なんとかこれからぼちぼち更新できるといいのですが‥

VK Spring/Summer 2007 Lace Dress Finished

2007-05-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

I finally finished VK's Dress:

ようやくVKのドレスが仕上がりました：

Pattern: Lacy Dress from VK Spring/Summer 2007
Designer: Shirley Paden
Yarn: 4 balls of 100% Bamboo (probably SWTC's , but with no label, so not sure...) approx 400g
Needle: US #6 (4mm) Circular (Addi)
Mods: Omitted Panel 1 (the bottom flair), omitted one repeat of lacy knot pattern on bottom sleeves

I am very pleased with the way it came out. It was not easy seaming the acorn inserts and body parts together all the time --- I was happy with the lengh of the body and sleeve; I am not tall at all, so this worked perfect. The only thing is that it looks like the neck line is going to stretch out a lot as I wear, so I may have to crochet slip stitches around the neckline to tighten it up.

出来上がりにはおおよそ満足です。レースのパネルがいっぱい入っているので、とじはぎがかなり面倒だったのですが‥ボディと袖の長さを短くしたのは正解でした。あまり背が高くないので、このくらいがちょうどいいようです。唯一気がかりなのは、首周りがどんどん伸びそうなこと。そのうち引き抜き編みかなにかして縮めないとだめかもしれません。

Here is how it looks with mu 6-month pregnancy tummy --- I can still wear it, as it stretches very good.

妊娠６ヶ月のおなかで着た着てなんぼです。ものすごい伸びるので、しばらく着れちゃいそうです。

Here is my Enid Cardi so far --- it's been sitting like this for a while. Why? Because something is wrong with its measurement. The collar was too wide and when I first tried it, it came off from my shoulder so much that I decided to add one more decrease... and now, the yoke part is too long that underarm doesn't fit at all, and the sleeves became too long... so I have to figure out what I can do to fix the measurement. I don't want to frog, though...

Enid Cardiはこんな感じです。ここまで出来てからしばらく放置されていました。というのも、なんだかサイズがおかしいからです。首周りがあきすぎていて、肩からずり落ちまくっていたので、もう一回減目を足したところ、ヨーク全体が大きくなりすぎてしまって、脇の下がぴったりこなくなってしまいました。さらに袖が長くなりすぎてしまって‥というわけで、なんとかいじって直してからステーク切りに入りたいと思っています。この次の秋までお預けでしょうか。ほどきたくないのですが‥

And here is my new project, Camellia. It's a fast knitting - using US #11 (8mm) and working on lace. I hope I will get this done very soon. Perfect for this weather!

それから新しいプロジェクトはCamelliaです。US11(8mm)号でがしがしレース編みなので、進むのが早いです。早く仕上げてきたいんです。ちょうどいい季節柄なので。

Another one; Baudelaire from Knitty. I can finally resume working on sock knitting! My needles were all broken and I was not able to knit any socks or gloves for a while --- I can't work on dpns (because of my son), and I couldn't find any bamboo circular needles in small size in US. Then my friend suggested me to get a Japanese bamboo circular needle, and when she went back to Japan, she picked up my needles from size 0 to 3 (as this company won't ship them to overseas). I am using Sundara's yarn, and so far, I love it!

もうひとつ、ようやく靴下に取りかかっています。KnittyのBaudelaire です。ずっと編みたかったのですが、手持ちの針は全部折ってしまったので編めずじまい。５本針は息子がいるので使えず、竹の輪針の細いものはアメリカでは見つからず、悶々としていたところ、お友達が日本にあるよと教えてくれ、一時帰国の際にわざわざ買ってきてくださいました。ほんと感謝感謝です。今回はSundara's のソックヤーンを使っていますが、とっても編みやすいし、色も綺麗で大満足です。

Recent Works

2007-04-12T13:46:00.000-04:00

Sorry for long absence.... I had been tortured by cold for the whole winter and all the house chores backed up... and I got pregnant and had to fight with nausea for a couple months, so I couldn't have enough time to relax and knit, but thank god, my nausea is over now and now I can come back to my routine life!

しばらくアップデートが全く出来ませんでした。冬の間中風邪にやられていて、家事が山積みになってしまったのと、つわりが襲ってきたためなかなかあみものをする余裕がありませんでした。ここにきてようやくいろいろ片付いてきて、落ち着いて編む時間が取れるようになりました。

I made this tiny baby cardi for my friend's new born boy --- actually he was already four months old when I went to see him, and he was too big to wear this... so this went to his teddy bear instead.

お友達が男の子を出産したので、カーディガンをお祝いにつくったのですが、会いにいったときには既に４ヶ月になっていて、カーディガンはちょっと小さすぎて入りませんでした。というわけで、テディベアに着てもらうことになりました。

Pattern: rosebud cardigan from simple knits for cherished babies
Designer: Erika Knight
Yarn: 2 skeins of Rowan Rowanspun 4ply (100% pure wool, 25g/164 yds; Color: #702 - Stone)
Needle: US#2 circular (Addi)

Next is my son's sweater --- i started to knit this last summer for his birthday, and started again for christmas, and ended up not finishing at all --- and I finally finished this recently.

次は、去年の夏からずっと持ち越しになっていた息子のセーターです。最初は昨年の夏にお誕生日プレゼントとして編みはじめたのですが、全く終わらず、クリスマスにあげようにも全く進まず、結局最近になってようやく仕上がりました。

Design: original
Yarn: 7 balls of Rowan All Season Cotton (60% cotton, 40% acrylic, 50g/98 yds; Color: 212 - Mocha Chocolate)
Needle: US#8 circular (Suzanne)

Here is how it looks on him --- I made it a lot bigger than his size so that he could weare it for a while (at least next year).

息子の着てなんぼです。少なくとも来年までは着れるよう、かなり大きめにつくりました。

My recent work is this --- Lacy Dress from VK Spring/Summer 2007. I finished the back and now I am working on the front. I am going to omit the frilly bottom part, and make it a bit like a tunic.

最後に、最近編み出したのがVK Spring/Summer 2007の表紙の作品、Lacy Dressです。今は、後ろ身頃が終わって前身頃を編んでいるところです。一番下のフリフリの部分は省略して、チュニック風にする予定です。

A couple weeks ago, it was very very warm here around nyc and that totally discouraged me to knit winter sweaters --- and that's why I started to knit this, but now it's been so cold here, I am knitting back and forth winter sweaters and this summer outfit. I am still working on Enid Cardi, and I finished the york part, so all I have to do is to pick up stitched for the bottom and make a hem, and then I can cut the steek! Hopefully I can wear this at least a couple times this spring.

２〜３週間前はどんどん暖かくなってきたので、冬物を編む気が俄然失せていました。なのでこのチュニック風ワンピを編み出した訳です。ですが、ここに着てまた雪がちらつくぐらい寒くなっているので冬物と行ったりきたりしています。Enid Cardiはようやくヨークの部分が終わって、これからボトムの始末をして、いよいよステークを切ります。この春は寒いので、少しでも着れたらいいな、と思っているところです。

Union Market Pullover Sweater Done!

2007-02-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

Finally, after over a year of struggle, I finished my Union Square Market Pullover!

一年以上てこづったUnion Square Pulloverがようやく、ようやく完成しました。

Pattern: Union Square Market Pullover from IK Fall 2005!
Designer: Kate Gilbert
Size: 33 1/2 finished size
Yarn: Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud: less than 6 skeins of Iris Feather and less than one ball of Sand Feather
Weight: 254g
Mods: I added a couple inches in lengh in the middle of the body --- I guess my gauge was way off from the original.

This came out really small --- partly because of yarn, and partly because I didn't think 33 1/2" would be too small for me...I always knit sweaters in the smallest of the second smallest, assuming that my gauge is a bit off and therefore, they come out a bit larger than the original pattern.

これはとっても小さく出来上がってしまいました。糸の性質と、33 1/2インチというのが自分にとって小さすぎるとは思えなかったからというのが理由のようです。たいていセーターを編むときは、こちらのパターンの一番小さいもの、あるいは２番目に小さいサイズを選んで編みますが、私は手が緩いのでゲージが多少ずれて大きくなると勝手に予想してのことなのです。なので、今回のようにジャストサイズで出来上がるとものすごく小さくなってしまうのでした。

When finished, it had only 19" in length! So, I decided to frog one row in the middle to separate it into two pieces, and add a couple inches in length.

最初に出来上がったとき、身頃は１９インチしかありませんでした。なので、身頃の真ん中の部分を１段ほどいて身頃を二つに割り、少し身頃をのばすことにしました。

When separated, I laid a tape measure to see how long it should be, and decided to add about 3 1/2 inches.

身頃を二つに割ったとき、メジャーをおいてどのくらいの長さにするかを決め、3 1/2インチほど足すことにしました。

Here is how it looks --- it still looks small, but at least I can cover my tummy!
This outfit is incredibly warm --- it's almost too warm to wear in heated room --- but it helps me a lot as we have seriously cold weather once in a while.

着てなんぼはこんなかんじです。まだピッチピチですが、とりあえず丈をのばした分着れるようになりました。
このセーター、めちゃくちゃ暖かいです。暖房の効いたところだと暑すぎるぐらい。でも、今年の冬はえらい寒くなる日が時折やってくるので、すごく重宝しています。

Now I finished this sweater, I can work on my Enid cardi and phildar's jacket. I almost finished the second sleeve of Enid card (still all single color stockinette...) and phildar jacket is about the middle of the back... This year, I have been having cold so many times (my son! he brings germs to our house all the time from school...) and so many days I could not knit.

ようやくこのセーターが終わったので、Enid Cardiとフィルダーのジャケットに取りかかれます。Enid Cardiは二つ目の袖が丁度終わるところですが、いまだメリヤス大平原です。フィルダーの方は後ろ身頃の真ん中あたりでしょうか‥今年の冬はもうずっと風邪を引きっぱなしで（いまも大風を引いてしまいました）、全然編物が出来ません。我が家の息子が学校からしょっちゅうばい菌をもらってきてくれるのです。これも母親業、仕方のないことのなのでしょうか‥

Spinning

2007-02-11T16:17:00.000-05:00

I purchase a fiber sampler from Hello Yarn a while ago and it had one ounce of handpainted BFL:

しばらく前にHello Yarnでファイバーのサンプラーを購入したのですが、その中の一つにハンドペイントのBFLが入っていました：

And here is the skein --- it's a very thin, single skein:

紡いだのがこちら。細めのシングルです：

With this yarn, I knited a scarf --- it was so cute and airy.

この糸で小さなマフラーを編みました。かわいくってとても軽いのが出来ました。

Last year, I signed up "Spin to Knit :Handspun Secret Pals Swap" and I was supposed to send my handspun yarn to my secret pal in January and February. I signed up as a begginer, but my pal signed up as an advanced spinner, and there was something wrong with the website, so she was mis-categorized as a beginner...so I got more pressure on this exchange.

昨年、 "Spin to Knit :Handspun Secret Pals Swap" にサインアップしました。１月と２月にsecret palに糸を送り、もう一人のsecret palから糸を頂くというもの。私はビギナーでサインアップしたのですが、なぜか、私が送る相手のpalは、アドバンスでサインアップしたのにビギナーにされてしまったそうで、さらにプレッシャーがかかっていました‥

Anyway, she mentioned she likes dark plum color, so I was looking around for a while to see there is any fiber that is deep plum, and I finally fell in love with Amy's fiber called Purple Haze:

This fiber was so beautiful and very easy to spin. It was a simple wool blend.

このファイバーはウールブレンドというものでしたが、とっても紡ぎやすかったです。

My pal wanted some plied yarns, so I tried to make 2 ply... just putting the yarns into chopsticks, and put them in pararrel in a basket. This worked fine... everything was from our house.

私のpalは双糸がいいといっていたので、紡いだ糸をお箸に通しておいて、バスケットに通してみました。すべてうちにあるもを使ってみましたが、これで十分でした。

Here is how it looks after setting twist... It's a thick & thin yarn, and these two skeins are different in weight... I am not good enough to adjust the fine weight, so this is all I could do; these skeins have 60 yds and 70 yds.

ツイストセットしたあとはこんな感じです。相変わらず太さがまちまちですが、まだまだ細かい調整が出来るほどには上手になっていないので、出来るのはここまで‥それぞれ、６０ヤードと７０ヤードです。

I got a lot of left yarns from the same fiber, so I ended up knitting my handwarmer... it is very uneven, but i love it!

糸がだいぶ余ってしまったので、自分用にハンドウォーマーも編みました。不揃いですが、とっても気に入っています。

I loved this colorway, so I ended up ordering another fiber in a same colorway... this time, I ordered merino wool Purple Haze. Here is my first skein with merino... it's a lot more spongy and not easy to spin...

この色合いが大変気に入ってしまったので、同じ色合いでメリノのファイバーを頼んでみました。紡いでみたらこんな感じ。メリノの方が弾力性があって、なかなか真っ直ぐ紡ぐのが難しいですね‥

The color is also different --- the left is from wool blend and the right is from merino. I guess wool blend had a lot more gray than the merino... I was originally thinking about making a shrug out of this merino fiber... but the color could be too light for me, so I may mix some other yarns to knit it, or I may make something else.

色もだいぶ違っていました。左がウールブレンドで右がメリノ。ウールブレンドの方が灰色が強かったようで、メリノの方がかなり軽い色に。これでシュラグでも編もうかと思っていたのですが、私にはちょっと軽すぎる色かな‥と思ったりするので、別の糸を混ぜるか、あるいは全く違うものを作るかもしれません。

And, my secret pal sent me this wonderful yarn --- it was from colombia wool and it is incredibly soft! My request was natural fiber - fingering weight - and this was exactly what I wanted! Thank you my pal!! It is too precious to knit, but I will decide what to make soon.

そして、私のpalが送ってくれたのがこの糸です。コロンビアウールというファイバーで、これがものすごく柔らかいんです。私は、ナチュラルファイバーで細い糸を、というリクエストを出していたのですが、これがまさに！です。とってもうれしかったです。編んでしまうのがもったいないのですが、早めに何を作るか決めようと思っています。

Volunteer Work

2007-02-09T09:50:00.000-05:00

I have been working as a volunteer mom at my son's Japanese school and I have donated some of my knitted accessories for their New Year's Festival for fundraising. I was originally posting this before the fair to get more people coming to the event, but my son was carried to ER a couple days before the event and our house was in a sort of panic for a while, so I wasn't able to update any of those items a head of time... anyway, I just wanted to leave the photos for my record.

息子の日本語学校でお正月フェアがあり、昨年同様、今年も小物を編みました。事前にお知らせして少しでも多くの人に来ていただこうと思ったのですが、あいにく息子が前々日にERに運ばれるなど家中がパニックになっていたので、全くお知らせが出来ませんでした。ただ、自分自身の記録のためにも写真を残しておきます。

Baby Pink Hat: some acrylic yarn

Fancy Yarn Hat & Scarf: 100% Wool -- very, very soft!

Bobble Hat & Scarf: Acrylic Wool Yarns --- Pattern Reference: 手編みでお出かけ：Teami-de-Odekake

Stripe Scarf by My Handspun Yarn - BFL Handpainted by Hello Yarn

Snowy Scarf & Hat - 100% Wool and 100% Silk Combination

Soysilk Scarf & Hat - 1 ball of Paton's SWC

Finger Knitting Scarf - some acrylic yarn

That's all for this year. I had more time working on these last year, but I did my best this year as well...

今年はこれだけ。昨年の方ががんばっていましたが、今年はこれが限界でした。

Knitting Cafe @Loop of the Loom

2007-01-17T12:18:00.000-05:00

I was invited to join a Knitting Cafe at Loop of the Loom, which is located in Englewood, NJ. It will be open from 10:30am to 2:30pm on Saturday, February 3. If you are interested in, please contact 201-567-8771 for details.

ニュージャージー州Englewoodにある手織り工房Loop of the Loomにて、以下の通り一日限りのニッティングカフェを行うことになりました。もしお近くに住まいの方でご興味ある方がいらっしゃいましたら、下記宛ご連絡ください。楽しみにしています。

------------------------------------------------

２月３日（土）　ワカナ・ゲイツさんのニッティングカフェ
open １０：３０ am 〜２：３０ pm

日本クラブでも人気の講師ワカナさんをお迎えして、 1日限りのニッティングカフェをオープン！
はじめてでも大丈夫。
ビギナーからアドバンスまで、自宅からお手持ちの編み物を持ち込んで編み物を楽しんでいただいても結構ですし、この冬中に終わりそうにない編みかけの作品を持ってきて先生のアドバイスで頑張ってみませんか？
英語のインストラクションの読み方や糸の選び方など、質問に先生が丁寧に対応します。

イチから始める方には、キットを販売しています。いっしょに始めましょう！
初級者向け：ハンドウォーマー　（肌触りのいいシルク＆ウールのNoroの糸をご用意してます）
中級者向け：ハリネズミのパペット　（ウォルドーフスクールの手編みキットをご用意しています）

参加費：　＄１５　 NY現役パティシエ（友情参加）による十八番ケーキと、おかわり自由のコーヒー付き。
定員：　10名まで。
お申し込み・お問合せは　Eメールかお電話で（２０１‐ ５６７‐８７７１）。

＊Emailアドレスは、Loop of the Loomのウェブサイトから左下にあるmailを選択すると表示されます。

Greetings

2007-01-16T09:13:00.000-05:00

Very belated Happy New Year to all of you... I am sorry I wasn't able to update this blog at all for the whole months. This December - January period is always hectic with lots of events, and I usually can't do to much with knitting.

大変遅くなりましたが、あけましておめでとうございます。なかなか更新できず、すみません。１２月から１月にかけてはいつも行事が盛りだくさんでなかなか編み物がはかどらない時期です。

We had a wonderful Christmas party at our apartment on Christmas eve, and had a family dinner on Christmas day, and I had a couple year-end parties with my friends, and my mom and auntie came from Japan at the end of December and spent New Year's Day together, and soon my son's school started, and he got some germ from somewhere, and got sick with fever, and last friday, when his temperature finally went down to normal and we thought he finally fought it off, the fever all of a sudden went up from 98.3F to 104.6F in an hour! He started to shiver so much and started to lose color, so we called 911 and got an ambulance, and with oxigen mask, poor my son was taken to ER...

我が家でクリスマスパーティをしたのですが、とても楽しいひとときを過ごすことが出来ました。クリスマス当日はファミリーディナーで、その後忘年会が何回かあり、年末年始にかけて母と叔母が日本から来ていました。年明けはすぐ息子の学校が始まり、あっという間にばい菌をもらってきたと思ったら発熱。先週の金曜日、ようやく熱が平熱に戻ったのでよしよし、と思っていたら、１時間ぐらいの間に一気に熱が３６度台から４０度台に上がり、がたがた震えだして、だんだん赤みがひいて青くなってきたので、これはまずいと思い、救急車を呼んで緊急治療室へ。

Since then, he is on antibiotic, and we were so hoping that he would get better, and he was actually behaving pretty much normal, but then, we got a phone call again from ER that his sickness could be more serious than they thought on friday, and therefore, we needed to take him back to ER... and he got a very painful shot on his butt, and lots of bloodwork, and now, he has so many bruises on both arms and palms... the shot was probably very painful, because he was limping for a long time after that... i felt so bad...

それからは毎日抗生物質を飲ませていて、早くよくなるといいねえ、なんてのんきに構えていたのですが（というか、本人がぴんぴんしていて元気に見えるので）、また緊急治療室から電話があり、先日の診断よりも状況は悪いかもしれないので、すぐに戻ってきてくださいと言われ、また緊急治療室へ。何回も血液検査をしなくてはならず、腕も手の甲も針の跡で真っ青です‥さらに、今服用しているよりも強い抗生物質が必要だとのことで、今回はお尻に一気に注射されたのですが、これがかなり痛いらしく、終わってからもずっと泣いて、足を引きずっていました。かわいそうに‥

and I have to take him back to the doctor's office to get another shot on his butt.... i don't want to go, but i have to take him.

今日もまた同じ抗生物質の注射が必要だとのことで、これからお医者様に連れて行ってきます‥すっごく行きたくないけど、行かなくては。

Anyway, I just wanted to keep track of what I did at the end of last year. I finished Swallowtail Shawl, Gossamer shawl and brown caplet. They all came out, I think...

話がずれましたが、昨年の年度末に仕上げたものをのせておきます。Swallowtail Shawl, Gossamer Shawl, Brown Capletを仕上げました。いい感じになったと思うのですが‥

Swallowtail Shawl from IK Fall 2006 designed by Everyn Clark
Yarn: less than one ounce of Jaggerspun Zephyr in Blueberry

It has a good definition on the center, and I like it.

センターが綺麗に出てくるので、すごくいい感じだと思います。

Edging, especially the lily of the valley pattern, is so pretty!

エッジング、とくにこのスズランのパターンはすごくかわいくて気に入ってしまいました。

Overall, this triangle shawl was well designed so that you won't get tired of knitting at all!

三角形のショール、いろいろありますが、このパターンはいろいろ変化があり、大きさもそれほど大きくないせいか、全く飽きずに編むことが出来るように思います。

Here is the finished gossamer shawl. I used almost three balls of Karabella's Gossamer. It has a beautiful shine in it.

I was using a pattern on N. 456-5 mohair sweater from Phildar's Tendances Automne 06/07.

次はgossamer shawlです。KarabellaのGossamerという糸を使いました。キラキラしていて綺麗です。
フィルダーのN-456-5のモヘアのセータのパターンを使いました。

And lastly, I finished my caplet, too. This is a combination of diagonal knot stitch (brown part) and simple stockinette & garter stitch (beige part). The beige yarn is a combination of Suss mohair in brown color and Habu's Tobi moire. The brown part is Suss ull and Cascade 220. While I was knitting the middle part with Suss yarn, I ran out of the yarn, and I decided to use cascade 220 for the rest because they look quite alike. Can you see the difference? The colors are a bit different. I also put i-cord ribbon through the neck to tie it up later on.

最後に、カプレットです。diagonal knot stitch（茶色の部分）とメリヤス＆ガーター編み（ベージュの部分）を組み合わせたもの。ベージュの部分はSuss MohairとHabuのとびモールです。茶色の部分はセンターの部分がSuss Ullというウール１００％の糸で、下の方はCascade 220という糸。途中でSussの糸が亡くなってしまったのですが、この糸屋さんもなくなってしまって買い足すことが出来なかったので、似たようなCascade 220で続けました。途中から違う糸を使っているの、わかりますか？色がちょっとだけ違うんです。この写真にはありませんが、最後にi-cordのリボンを通しました。

For now, I need to focus on my son's recovery. He is pretty strong, and almost never gets sick, so he should be all right.
I am going to post on a couple more stuff in the next couple days, and hopefully start working on my wishlist - phildar's jacket, enid cardi and venetia pullover. Oh, I love Norah Gaughan's cabled shrug on the cover of VK Winter 2006/07!! Isn't it amazing? I want to knit it so bad!

今は息子の回復を待つばかりです。普段ほとんど病気をしないので、体力はあると思うので、おそらく大丈夫だとは思います。
近日中に今年に入って編んだものをのせたいと思っています。それから、昨年からずっと言っているphildarのジャケット、enid cardi, venetia pulloverをいい加減始めたいです。今回のVKの表紙にあるNorah Gaughanさんのケーブルシュラグ、すっごく素敵！すっごく編みたいんです‥

Accessories ---

2006-12-09T14:16:00.000-05:00

For the coming Christmas, I have been working on accessoires --- scarves, caplets, shawl, etc..and here are some of the accessories that I finished:

クリスマスが近づいてきたので、マフラーやショールなどの小物類を編みためています。仕上がったものはこちらです：

Kureopatora's Snake Scarf
Designer: Kim Brody Salazar
Yarn: 2 balls of Rowan Tapestry (70% wool, 30% soysilk; 506/131yds) SH: 170
Size: Width: 3.5" (9cm) Length: 71" (180cm)
Needle: US #6

I wanted to knit this yarn since I first saw it... yet I knew it would have been difficult to knit an outfit with this type of multi-shade yarns...so it was a great opportunity to knit this scarf with this yarn. I love the way it drapes a little bit, it has some silkish sheen, and the way color changes...what a beautiful yarn!

ローワンのタペストリーをずっと編みたいと思っていたのですが、なかなかセーターを編むのは難しいと思い、躊躇していた頃にこのパターンに出会いました。見た瞬間、これはタペストリーで編もう！と決めてしまったくらい。ドレープがきいていて、光沢もあって、色の変化も楽しく、大変お気に入りの糸となりました。

Here is how it looks when wrapped around the neck --- I used my vase instead, though.

首に巻くとどうなるか、花瓶に巻き付けてみました。

Next if a scarf with drop stitches. It is more like a necklace than a scarf. I wanted to make something to add a bit of accent around my neck when wearing something very simple.

次はドロップスティッチを使ったスカーフです。スカーフというよりは首飾り？に近い感覚かもしれません。首元がちょっと寂しいときに使えるかな、という感じです。

Design: Original (combination of drop stitches & garter stitches)
Yarn: less than 1 oz each of habu kakishibu silk; Diakeito Diamisto F mole; Rowan Kidsilk Haze; habu silk mohair
Needle: US #8 circular

I also put this around our vase.

こちらも花瓶に巻いてみました。

Next is a 1x1 ribbed scarf. I used wool and silk yarns from my stash.

次は一目ゴム編みのスカーフです。手持ちのウールとシルクを交互に編んでみました。

Design: Original (simple rib stitches)
Yarn: wool thick & thin in natural color & handdyed silk in blue
Needle: US #15 for wool part & US #8 for silk part

I knitted wool with larger needles and silk with smaller ones to create some ruffle texture.

ウールを太い針で、シルクを細い針で編むことによって少しギャザーがよるような感じにならないかな、とねらって編んでみました。

Next is feather & fan scarf. I had tough time working on this:

次は波形のマフラーです。これは大変苦労しました。

Why? Because this is not my color --- I am not good at working on pink/red yarns. I ribbed it so many times. It doesn't look too bad when wrapped around my neck, and it is, in fact, very very warm, probably because of frog tree's alpaca. Yet, so many times I was about to stop knitting this... I have some peculiar attitude toward a certain color.

何が苦労したか、というと、糸の色が私の色ではなかったので、とっても編みにくかったのです‥ピンク、赤系はやっぱり苦手です。何度もほどきました。アルパカの糸が予想以上に暖かく、首に巻いてみるとそれほど悪くもないとは思うのですが、編んでいる間は何度もやめようと思いました。色って難しいです。

Next is a caplet. I used lots of yarns from my stash. I love knitting something with leftover yarns. I knitted in both directions (ups and downs) to create this form. I love butterfly's zigzag lace edging, so I made it separetely and sewed into the main part. I didn't know how long the edging should be, so i added more lace a couple times to make a long, almost too long edging.

次はカプレット。うちにある糸を混ぜて作りました。あまり糸を適当に組み合わせて作るのは大好きみたいです。これもあっちこっちの方向に継ぎ足して最終的にはこんな形になりました。裾のフリンジはバタフライのようにジグザグレースエッジングがいいなあと思ったので、後からこれだけ編み足してみました。どのくらいの長さにしたらよいのかわからず、何度か継ぎ足して、最終的にはかなり長めに。

I was wondering if it was too long and won't fit to the main part, but it came out alright. I am not good at calculating details, so I always knit on a hit or miss basis.

長すぎたかな？とも思いましたが、いざつなげてみるとちょうどいいぐらい。この辺の計算は上手にできないので、いつも行き当たりばったりです。

Now, I have two projects on the needle:

それから、今編みかけなのが次の二つです。

The first one is going to be a cape. I am using Suss Design's wool and mohair, and habu's tobi moire. It is going to be a reculangular in shape, and I will put some ribbon or string to tie it around the neck. The brown wool part is a knit three stitches together, and it takes long time to knit even one row...

上の方は、suss designのウールとモヘアにハブのとびモールをいれて編んでいます。長方形に編んで、ひもを通してきゅっと縛って使う形にしようと思っています。茶色のウールの部分が３目一度の模様なのですが、これが意外に手こずっています。

The bottom one is Karabella's Gossamer. It is made of mohair and silver /gold metallic yarn. It is 220 yds long in 50g ball. I was planning to make a shawl with two balls, but I I ran out of yarns when I was knitting the first part... so I guess I need to have three balls. I will make two identical shape and stitch together at the center.

下の方は、Karabella YarnsのGossamerという糸。モヘアとラメ糸で出来ていて、50gで220 ydsぐらいあります。２玉で作ろうと思っていましたが、意外と幅が出てしまったせいか、どうやら３玉かかりそう‥同じものを２枚編んで、中心ではぐ予定です。

Along with these, I was working hard on Union Square Market Pullover, which has been carried on from last year. I almost finished it, and tried it on to realize that it is way too short! I shortened the lengh by 1 inch, but it came out 3 inches short. That's a major difference! Furthermore, it is sooo small! I guess I gained a bit more than last year, so now, it has literally no extras and fits very very tightly. I won't redo the whole body part, but I may add a couple inches in length by cutting off the sweater around weist. I will do it sometimes, but I don' know when... I should do it now so that it won't be left over, but I have been very patient not to start any other new project (enid cardi, venezia pullover, phildar swing jacket...etc...etc..) and I don't think I can wait any more...I want to knit more scarves, I want to spin, and ... I have so many of "I want" thing in addition to this hectic christmas season that I am going to go crazy!

これらと平行して必死になって編んでいたのが、去年からの編みかけ、Union Square Market Pulloverです。おおよそ完成したのですが、着てみたら着丈がものすごい短い！自分で１インチほど縮めたのは覚えているのですが、出来上がりをはかってみたら、パターンより３インチも短かったです‥というわけで、おへそが丸見えで、しかも太ってしまったせいか、身頃もぱつんぱつんです。身頃はもういじる気はないのですが、着丈はのばしてあげないと着れないので、ここで落ち着いたら身頃を途中で切って、編み足してあげようと思っています。これが終わったら、念願のenid cardi, venetian pullover, phildar's swing jacketを一気に始めようと思っていたので、編み足してから新しいプロジェクトを始めるか、平行してやっちゃうか、他にも編みたい物がいっぱいあるし、紡ぎもしたいし、相変わらず頭の中がぐちゃぐちゃです。

Meathead Hat Knitalong

2006-11-27T22:11:00.000-05:00

The other day, when I first saw Adrian's Meathead Hats, I was so impressed with them. The shape of the hats and beautiful & cute decorations, her color sense... and I instantaneouslly started to look for a pattern for this --- and found out that there was a Meathead Hat Knitalong by Larissa and I was lucky to be able to sign up.

先日、AdrianのMeathead Hatsを見た瞬間、すっごく感動してしまいました。シンプルな形といい、センスあふれるデコレーションといい、なんといっても彼女のカラーセンスの抜群さに脱帽。で、この帽子、どうやって編むんだろう？と思っていたら、これはどうやらLarissaさんが主催するMeathead Hat Knitalongに参加するともらえるパターン。ということで、早速参加してみました。

First, I made small/Medium size, and it came out a bit small for me. I still had about 16 yards left when I made this, so I decided to frog it once and try to make larger size. It came out perfect this time, with only about one yard left...

まずはS/Mのサイズで編んでみましたが、私には小さすぎるよう‥糸も１６ヤードほど残っていたので、この際もう一度！と思い、一度ほどいて今度は大きい方のサイズで編んでみました。今回はばっちり。糸も１ヤードしか残りませんでした。

Now, I had to think about the embellishment... I thought about it for almost a week; couldn't decide what to do; I know I wanted some flowers or vines or something from nature, and I put some pink yarns on top to see if I can knit some flower motif with it, and it wasn't for me. What was wrong? It's the color. I needed to find a yarn that had beautiful color to harmonize with the hat. And one day I found my favorite motif sitting on top of my yarn basket.

問題は飾りを何にするか‥１週間ほど考えました。お花とか、ツタとか、なんか自然のモチーフがいいなあ、と思っていたので、とりあえず手元にあるピンク色の糸をのっけてみたりしたのですが、これはボツ。最近私はピンク色と相性が合わなくって、すっごく苦労しているんです‥この帽子にすっとなじむような、綺麗な色の糸を見つけないと！と思い、いろいろ見ていたら、そういえばずいぶん前に作ったモチーフが山積みの糸の上にちょこんと座っているのを見つけました。

Finallly done! Here is my Meathead Hat:
やっと出来上がった私のMeathead Hatはこちら：

Larissa's Meathead Hat
Size: Medium/Large
Needle: US 15 circular (magic-loop): knitted in circular
Yarn: 1 ball of Lamb's Pride Bulky (100g) in brown heather
Embellishment: Noro's Silk Garden

I am happy with the way it came out. It was such a wonderful experience to knit this hat and see others'. Thanks Larissa for such a great project!

出来上がりには満足です。こんな風に同じ帽子をみんなで編む機会に恵まれて、とってもうれしかったです。

btw, if you want to see everyone's hat, click here.

みなさんが作った帽子を見たいという方は、こちらへどうぞ。

Deep V Argyle Vest Fini!

2006-11-13T21:20:00.000-05:00

It's been for a while since I posted my blog for the last time... sorry for the long absence. We had lots of things going on (my son's first 7-5-3, Japanese ceremony, Halloween, my mac's battery exchange, etc.etc.etc...) But I finally finished Deep V Argyle Vest:

しばらく更新を怠ってしまいました‥息子の七五三やハロウィーンがあり、私のマックのバッテリーが交換対象となってしまったので、マックの調子も悪く、なかなか更新が出来ませんでした。とにもかくにも、ようやくDeep V Argyleが出来上がったのでお披露目です：

Pattern: Deep V Argyle Vest
Designer: Eunny Jang
Yarn: Rowan Harris/Scottish Tweed 4 ply; 4 balls of 014-Heath (MC);2 balls of 006-Sea Green (CC) and tiny bit of 002-Machair for Steek; approximately 150g

Here is a photo from the inside of the vest after I added ribs:

ステークを切って、リブ編みをつけた後の裏側はこんな感じでした：

The left side of this photo is finished and blanket-stitched; the right side is just crocheted and waited to be sewn-down (I didn't take off these crochet chain stitches--- I sew them all down together):

下の写真の左側はステーク処理が終わっている部分で、右側はステークを切り離したままの状態です（私は鎖編みをほどかずにすべて一緒に縫い付けました）：

I thought I may have finished this earlier as it is a vest without sleeves --- not true! It took good two months! Now, I have a lot more to knit by christmas --- I joined a KAL for Phildar's Swing Jacket, and I just received yarns for Enid Cardigan (just for the main color, I will use some yarns from my stash for the circles), and lots of more stuff to knit --- but now, I am knitting some scarves. They give me some break, as I don't have to think too much about shaping.

これ、もう少しさっさと終わるかと思いきや、意外と長い時間がかかりました。袖もないのに‥クリスマスまでに編もうと思っている物が山積みになってきました。先日、PhildarのSwing JacketのKALにサインアップし、IK Fall号のEnid Cardiganの糸も入手し（メインカラーのみで、デザインの部分は在庫を使うつもりです）、その他にも編もうと思っている物が山積み‥でも、最近はマフラーをちまちまと編んでいます。クレオパトラの蛇がようやく終わったところ。マフラーはあんまり考えなくてものんびり編めるので、ちょっと休憩がてらにはもってこいです。

Cable Shrug Finished

2006-10-23T08:28:00.000-04:00

My Cable Shrug is Finished!
ケーブルシュラグが完成しました！

Design: my original (combination of Bobble & Twine, Lacy Chains and Ridged Lace Pattern; I used Lace Bind-Off to bind off all edges )
Yarn: Art Yarns Silk Rhapsody (100% Silk & 70% Mohair/30% Silk; 100g/260 yds; Color: 249) 1 skein
Louet Kidlin (49% Linen, 35% Kid Mohair, 16% Nylon; 50g/250 yds; Color: Smokey Grape) 1.5 skein
Needle: US#7 32" Circular
Size: 28" x 22"

I love these yarns! Silk Rhapsody is so soft and shiny, and Kidlin has a bit of linen's firmness in it. I don't know how this would change once it is washed, because linen tends to get softened as washed...

この糸、大好きです。シルクラプソディは柔らかくて光沢があり、キッドリンはリネン特有の張りがあります。リネンは洗うたびに柔らかくなるので、この先どうなるかは不明ですが‥

It is a very simple square shape...you will see when it is folded in half:
形は至ってシンプルな四角形。半分におってみるとよくわかります。

In the beginning, I tried to put many different types of arans like this...
最初はこんな風にいろんなあらん風にしてみようかと試みていました‥

But I didn't like it, and ended up frogging...
でも、気に入らなかったのでほどくはめに‥

Both yarns contain lots of mohair, so it was a nightmere.
両方ともモヘアがいっぱい入っていたので、ほどくのはすごく大変でした。

Here is how it looks when I wear it:
着てなんぼはこちら：

It is very easy to wear, and so warm! I am happy with the way it came out.
簡単に羽織れるし、とっても暖かいので、出来上がりには満足です。

Now, I have to finish my deep argyle vest before I get my IK magazine... I haven't received VK either...
IKの最新号が到着する前に、アーガイルを完成させないと‥VKの最新号もまだ届いていないのですが‥

IK Winter & VK Holiday Preview

2006-10-16T07:28:00.000-04:00

The other day, I went to purl to get some needies and happened to see the VK Holiday issue... I even haven't started the fall issue yet, and they already have the holiday issue... anyway, here is the link to the preview on their web. I like the purple cowl neck sweater with super-bulky yarn... I want to knit something bulky these days, but I know I won't wear it too much if knitted with bulky yarns...

先日パールに行ったら、もう既にVogue KnittingのHoliday号が出ていました。まだ秋号のプロジェクトも始めていないというのに‥ここにリンクがあります。パープルの太ーい糸で編んでるセーター、かわいいな。たまにはこのくらいの極太糸でセーター編んでみたいです。でも、そうするとあんまり着ないんだけど‥

I was so exited to see IK Winter issue preview, because I finally found Eunny's Venezia Pullover.I have been waiting for this since I first saw her post about this sweater on her blog back in July.. and I totally fell in love with it! I have long wanted to knit some fair isle sweater, but not in a traditional style, and Eunny totally did what I wanted to do! She beautifully transformed a traditional fair isle sweater into something that I would love to wear today. So, I am going to knit this as soon as I get this issue.

ようやく待ちに待ったInterweave KnitsのWinter号のプレビューがでてきました。Eunnyさんのこの記事を７月に見てからずっと待ちこがれていたVenezia Pullover.フェアアイルセーターに興味はあったものの、どうも私が着る雰囲気ではないなあと、いつか、自分で着やすいスタイルにアレンジしたフェアアイルを作ってみたいと思っていましたが、Eunnyさんが実現してくださいました。というわけで、これは絶対編む予定。

I found another one... Veronik Avery's Enid Cardigan! I LOVE this!! I love polkadots, and she has beautifully arranged these polkadots with gorgeous colors... I love this color combination. I have heard Reynolds Whisky is a new yarn, and it can substitute those traditional fair isle yarns (such as Jamieson's), but I have never seen the real one. I would like to try this new yarn!

もう一つ編みたいものを見つけてしまいました‥Veronik AveryさんのEnid Cardiganです。これはつぼです〜私の大好きな水玉模様が綺麗に配置されていて。しかもこの色合い！！私が大好きな色合いです。RaynoldsのWhiskyは確か、新しい糸で、フェアアイル用の糸にかなり近いものと認識しています。でも現物は見たことがありません‥是非指定糸で編んでみようと思います。

I know I have so much sweater on the needle, and I should not start these new projects, but I probably can't resist them once I get the magazine...

編み掛けの山に埋もれそうなくらいなので、新しいプロジェクトなど初めてはいけないことはわかっているのですが、雑誌が届いたらきっと始めてしまうでしょう‥

Deep V Argyle Vest

2006-10-08T11:33:00.000-04:00

It took so long to get it started since I first saw this great vest by Eunny. I got one ball each of Rowan's Scottish Tweed 4 ply from purl, test knitted to see if the gauge worked fine, and went back to purl to purchse more, and found out that they totally sold out!! I was a bit shocked as I have already finished knitting the fist MC ball, and I liked the combination of color, so instead of giving up these yarns, I decided to find it somewhere on line... and luckily, I found the same one (with the same lot!!) at Two Swan Yarns. Karen from the Two Swan Yarns responded my email very quickly, and even told me that they had 20% off for tweedy yarns for September!! I ordered them right away and finally I was able to start working on this vest.

Eunnyさんのこのベストを初めてみてから、ずーっと編みたいと思っていたのですが、なかなか実現せず、ようやくRowanのScottish Tweed 4 plyを手に入れてスワッチをとってみたところ、ゲージは合いそうだったので、これでいこう！ということで編み始め、purlに追加の糸を買いにいったら（最初は１玉ずつしか買っていなかったんです‥）すべて売り切れ。ほどくのも悔しいし、どうしようと思っていたら、Two Swan Yarnsにて、ロットが一緒の糸玉たちを見つけました！！しかも、９月中はツィードの糸が２０％オフだということで、慌てて購入。ようやく少しずつ編み進めることが出来ました。

I thought I may be able to finish this soon --- then I found this error! One of the stitches on the bottom rib is wrong... what did I do? I always make this type of mistake...

わ、結構進むから意外と早く終わるかしら〜なんて、調子に乗っていたら間違いを見つけました！しかも、最初のリブのところ。なんでこんなところで間違えちゃうんでしょう。私はこういうミスが多いです‥

Additionally, my circular needle is broken now... I was working on this so hard, so this cheep circular needle from ebay could not resist my stress...As I don't have any extra needles, I need to go get them to restart.

さらに、輪針が壊れてしまいました‥ebayでお安く買ったから、やっぱりだめでしたね‥曲がってしまっていたのですが、ついにチューブが切れてしまいました。という訳で、針を購入するまでしばらくお休みです。

Before this vest, I was working on this shrug... I wanted to make some pullover first, but I knew I won't have enough yarns to finish, so I decided to make a rectangular shrug... this is going to be the center of the shrug, and I am going to add different patterns in both directions. I am so so hoping that I have enough yarns to finish this...

このベストを編む前は、このシュラグを編んでいました。最初はプルオーバーにしようと思いましたが、絶対に糸が足りなそうだったので、真四角に編んで、半分に折って袖をつける形のシュラグにしようかと。今編んだ部分はセンターの部分です。これから、両方向にまた違った編み地をつなげていこうと思っています。糸が足りるといいのですが‥

Shopping Extravaganza

2006-09-25T08:13:00.000-04:00

I was very very interested in the new shades of Rowan Felted Tweed --- and I simply could not resist to buy and ordered one ball each...

ローワンのフェルティッドツィードに今年の秋の新色が出たと知り、つい１玉ずつ取り寄せてしまいました‥

From the top left clockwise -- Pine, Camel, Wheat, Carbon and Whisper. Can you identify the one that is not this year's new color? It's easy --- the amount of tweed in this ball is a lot different from others.

左上から時計回りで、Pine, Camel, Wheat, Carbon, Whisperです。ひとつだけ今年の新色ではないものが含まれていますが、どれかわかりますか？ネップの量が断然違うのですぐわかるのではないかと思いますが‥

I also purchased four different shades of Rowan Kidsilk Haze ---

ついでに？KSHも４色頼んでしまいました‥

The colors are Swish, Elegant, Jacob and Hurrycane from the left. The left two are last year's new color, and the right two are this year's new color. They are absolutely beautiful!

色は左からSwish, Elegant, Jacob, Hurrycaneです。左２つは昨年の新色、右二つは今年の新色です。

I finally got yarns for Eunny's Argyle Vest:

それから、ようやくEunnyさんのArgyle Vest用の糸も手に入れました：

They are Rowan's Scottish Tweed 4 plys --- I am going to use the left two colors; the brown will be MC and the green is going to be CC.

ローワンのスコティッシュツィード４plyです。左の２つを使う予定。茶色の方がメインカラーで、緑がコントラストカラーにするつもりです。

Louet's New Yarn --- Louet Kidlin! I am a big fan of Louet Sales Yarns, and this is absolutely gorgeous! It's 49% linen, 35% kid mohair and 16% nylon. Lace weight, 50g skein carries 250 yards. I chose Smoke Grape color.

Louetの新作、Kidlinも買ってみました。私はLouet Salesの糸が大好きなのですが、これはまさにつぼ！の糸です。リネン49%、キッドもヘア35%にナイロンが16%となっています。レースウェイトで、50gで250ヤードあります。Smoke Grapeという色を選びました。

I have been longing for this--- it is called Rhapsody from Artyarns, and it's $40.00/100g skein!! It's two stranded --- one is 100% silk with beautiful sheen and the other is 70% kid mohair/30% silk. I wanted to purhase this so bad, but I was not able to afford it... but the other day, when I went to purl, I happened to find this in the 40% sales box! Of course, I couldn't resist...

この糸はずっと憧れていた糸です。ArtyarnsのRhapsodyという糸で、100gで40ドルもするんです‥これは２本取りになっていて、100%シルクと70%キッドモヘア／30%シルクとのコンビです。このシルク、光沢がすごく綺麗です。この糸、以前からずっと欲しかったのですが、４０ドルは高いなあ、と手が出せませんでした。先日purlに立ち寄ったところ、40%offのセールラックに入っていたので、ついに手に入れることが出来ました！

School Products in NYC has a good selection of Karabella Yarns, and this yarn called Breeze (to the right, dark green) is, I believe, this fall's new yarn. I fell in love with the color and texture. It's 40% cashmere and 60% silk, very soft, airy, and although it's a bit pricy (I forgot how much, but it was around $13.00), it has 202 yds for 50g skein. The one on the right is Vintage Cotton, a 100% mercerised cotton.

マンハッタンにあるSchool Productsというお店には、Karabella Yarnsの糸がずらーっと並んでいて壮観なのですが、今回はこのBreezeという糸に目が止まりました。今年の新作の色だと思います。右側の深緑色の糸です。色といい、テクスチャーといい、かなり惚れ込みました。１３ドルぐらいするのであまりお値段は優しくありませんが、カシミア40%、シルク60%の配合で、50gで187mとかなりお買い得感のある糸だと思います。ちなみに左側の糸はvintage cottonという糸で、つやつやのコットンです。

Using new four colors of Felted Tweed, I am thinking about making something like this:

フェルティッドツィードの新色４色を使って、こんな感じの物をつくろうかなあ、とぼんやり考えています。

It's a tunic, with different sizes of polka-dots. I am not sure how it is going to come out, but I took a swatch and it looked nice, so I am going to start this soon.

大きさの異なる水玉模様が入ったチュニックです。どんな風になるのかまだちょっとわかりませんが、とりあえずスワッチを作ってみたところ、なかなか感じが良かったので、編みはじめてみようと思います。

I was wondering what was the best way to use the Rhapsody & Kidlin, and I made a swatch:

それから、ずっと憧れていたRhapsodyとKidlinを使って、こんなスワッチを作ってみました。

I had some idea of a pullover with big arans crossing all the way in my mind, but after a careful culculation as to how much this aran will consume yarns, I had to give up this idea, as I don't think this one skein is enough to make this. I know I can get more Kidlin, but I don't think I can get Rhapsody anymore...I do like this aran design, so I will make some shrug (again!) that needs only one skein of this yarn.

このRhapsodyを使ったアラン模様が横一杯に入っているセーターを考えていましたが、いろいろ計算してみると絶対糸が足りないという結果に到着したので、このセーター案はボツ。Kidlinはいくらでも買い足せると思いますが、Rhapsodyは無理だろうということで。なので、また、またになってしまいますが、シュラグみたいなものを作ろうかな、とぼんやり考えています。

Here is the sketch of Forest Green Tunic ---inspired by Anthropologie's everglade dress. I am not sure if I should add sleeves...and what shape... but I like the combination of colors so far. From the botton, the yarns are Vintage Cotton (black), Scottish Tweed (light green), Scottish Tweed (peacock) and Breeze (dark green). I haven't done any calculation, so it may take for a while till I get started. I am also interested in finding some other yarns in the same peacock shade, as I don't want to use scottish tweed twice, and instead, would like to incorporate something that has a texture between Scottish tweed and Breeze. I do love this color, though.

これはForest Green Tunicと勝手によんでいますが、Anthropologieのeverglade dressがすっごく気に入ってしまったので、この雰囲気のものを作りたいと思って作ったスワッチです。袖をつけるかどうか、どんな形の袖にするか、などまだ決めかねている部分がたくさんありますが、とりあえず、この色合いは気に入っています。スワッチの下から、Vintage Cotton（黒）, Scottish Tweed（淡緑）, Scottish Tweed（ピーコック色）, Breeze（深緑）を使いました。何の計算もしていないので、編み始めるまでにはまだもう少し時間がかかりそうです。それと、このピーコック色の糸、出来れば他のタイプの糸を使いたいと思っているのです。スコティッシュツィードが二つ並んでしまうのがちょっと‥なので。色は大変気に入っているのですが。

I haven't decided what to make with Kidsilk Haze --- I just love to see them! Very gentle in my eye.

KSHで何を作るかはまだ決めていません。見ているだけで幸せなので。

Herringbone Glove

2006-09-18T08:13:00.000-04:00

It took for a while to knit this glove --- I was using US0 needles, and it was very difficult to figure out how to hold two strands of yarns together --- I managed to make one glove anyway! horray~

手袋、ようやく片方できあがりました。US0号で２色の糸をいっぺんに持って編み込んでいくのになかなか慣れず、ちょっと時間がかかりました‥

Here is the picture of my glove before blocking:

これがブロッキング前：

Here is the one after --- it doesn't seem to be so much different, to my sadness... I thought the knitted fablic would be smoothed out a bit more, but I guess it was already knitted tight enough so that there was no room for the yarn to expand itself to create a smooth surface...

これがブロッキング後ですが、あんまりかわらなかった‥もうちょっとぼこぼこしたところがごまかされるかと期待していましたが、なかなか期待通りにはなりませんでした。

As for the color, I like it a lot! I am very pleased to see the subtle contrast between these two colors. I was a bit nervous when I put the glove into water, as I have dyed one of the yarns and was afraid if it was going to lose some color, but I guess it looks all right to me at least for now.

色について言えば、結構満足です。このくらいのコントラストを目指していたので。水通しするときに、染めた方の色が抜けてしまわないかとヒヤヒヤしましたが、意外と色落ちもありませんでした。

That Day

2006-09-11T10:48:00.000-04:00

It's been five years since it happened... I can't believe it...We have lost so much...
It totally changed our life, and I still don't know how to receive it... especially when I see my family friends crying for the lost...
Every year, when I see victim's names read at WTC site, I can't help but crying... especially when I recognize their names...
My husband was grown up in FDNY family, and they have lost too many friends, and I still rember how horrible that day was; almost every day, we had guests crying for the loss; almost every day, we went to funerals...
I don't want to see the scene on TV when the airplanes crushing into the towers and the towers totally collapsing down any more. Every year around this time, we see that scene dozens of times and we all get so upset.

I would like to give my condolences to all the families that lost a loved one.

あれからもう５年も経ってしまいました。
あれから私たちの人生ががらりと変わりました。
あの日がくるたびに、心がとても痛みます。
いまだにあの日をどうとらえたらいいのか、わからないでいます。
追悼式を見るたびに、涙が出ます。
毎年この時期になると、あの映像が何十回も放映されるのですが、もう、見たくありません。

最愛のご家族を亡くされた遺族の皆さまにお悔やみ申し上げます。

Tea Dye

2006-09-10T08:26:00.000-04:00

I wanted to knit Tata & Tatao 's Herringbone Gloves for a long time as I have seen so many knitters knitted them. So, the first project for this fall was this gloves. Here is my first try:

たた＆たた夫さんのヘリンボーン手袋をみなさんが編んでいるのをずっと眺めていて、いつか編みたいと思っていました。なので、今年の秋の最初のプロジェクトはこれだ！と決めていました。これが最初にトライしたものです：

I used Rowanspun 4 ply as the pattern suggested: Last year, I used Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4 ply and ended up knitting a big men's glove... I guess Rowanspun 4ply is a lot thinner than other 4 plys... I picked up beige as a main color and silver gray as a contrasting color, but it seem to be too similar that I had tough time knitting these two colors --- I simply couldn't tell which color I was working on...

指定糸のRowanspun 4plyを使いました。昨年Yorkshire Tweed 4 plyで試してみたら、ものすごい大きな男性用の手袋のような大きさになってしまって‥Rowanspun 4 plyの方が細いんでしょうね。今回はMCにベージュ、CCにシルバーグレーを使ってみましたが、色が似すぎてしまって、編んでいる途中でどちらを編んでいるかわからない状態に‥

As I had another skein of beige, I decided to tea dye this skein... soaked the skein in luke warm water while I was making the dye bath with two tea bags of lipton earl gray, took out the bags and put the skein in it and left the stove on low for about 30 minutes.

ベージュの方はもう１かせ持っていたので、これを紅茶で染めることに。このかせをぬるま湯にしばらくつけておいて、お鍋にリプトンのアールグレイ（これしか家になかった‥）を２つ入れて煮立てて、その中にかせをつけ込んで、だいたい３０分ぐらい弱火で煮込んで‥

Then I shutted off the stove, leaving the skein in the dye bath until it gets completely cooled off. The color turned darker than what I had expected...I thought maybe one bag was enough...

それから火を止めて、完全にさめるまで放冷しました。色がだいぶ濃くなってしまって、あれ、ちょっと濃すぎたかなあ‥と‥

But when it was dried up, the color turned back to what I wanted it to be... thank god! I wanted to have a tiny bit of contrast in these colors so that I can see the herringbone pattern, but I didn't want to get too much contrast. So, I was very happy with this attempt. I like the subtle contrast that these yarns make. The top one is the original beige color, and the botton one is tea dyed.

でも、乾かしてみると、また色がちょっと落ち着いて、私が想像していた色にだいぶ近づきました。ほっ。この２色、微妙に色が違う、ぐらいのコントラストを目指していたので、結構満足です。上のかせがもともとのベージュで、下のかせが紅茶染めしたかせです。

This is the back side of the hand... you see the herringbone pattern?

これが、手の甲側。ヘリンボーンのパターンが見えますか？

This is the palm side. You have to change colors one by one. & increase the stitches for the gusset. I guess I stretched the yarn too much when I dried from dyeing, the dyed skein is now a bit thinner than the other skein, which makes it a bit more difficult to knit evenly. Yet, I enjoy knitting this gloves very much!

これは手のひら側です。１目ずつ色を変えるので大変‥さらに親指の部分の増やし目もあり‥紅茶染めした方のかせは、乾かすときに引っ張りすぎてしまったようで、糸がちょっと細くなってしまいました。なので、余計に均等に編むのが大変ですが、念願かなってこの手袋が編めているだけで、幸せです。

I have a question to ask --- how do you hold two strands of yarn at the same time?

皆さんにお伺いしてみたいことが‥みなさん、糸を２色いっぺんにどうやって持っているのでしょうか？

Surprise Gift

2006-09-08T08:39:00.000-04:00

About a week ago, I got an email from my precious knitting friend that she wanted to send me a secret gift and asked me to go pick it up at Habu.... I was very surprised to hear that, and I went to pick it up yesterday to receive this:

およそ１週間ほど前でしょうか、編物のお友達からメールがあり、プレゼントを贈りますのでハブまでとりにいってもらえませんか、との連絡をいただきました。とっても驚きましたが、喜び勇んで昨日ハブへ伺いました：

Oh my god~ this is the latest knitting book by Setsuko Torii, who is a knitting designer at habu...It is so gorgous! It has just about everything --- how to choose a project, how to choose yarns, how to take a swatch, finishing... and of course many patterns of sweaters, vest, jacket.... This is all in Japanese, but the lady in the store said they will publish an english version as well.

頂いてびっくり！みなさんが手にされている鳥居節子さんの最新刊でした！眺めているだけで幸せ‥すごいな、と思ったのは、編み図だけでなく、どうやってプロジェクトを選ぶか、糸はどうやって選ぶか、ゲージの取り方、仕上げの方法など事細かに手法を伝授くださっていることです。英語版もそのうちでる、ということです。

To my surprise, i found this on the last page of this book:

本の一番後ろに、こんなものを見つけました：

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

本を送ってくださったお友達に大感謝です。

Soothing

2006-09-06T09:14:00.000-04:00

My first drop spindle was from Louet Sales and I purchased it from my LYS last spring to take my first spinning class. Since then, I tried to practice once in a while, and realized that it is already broken... the top part has a crack and everytime when I spin with it, it falls apart.... so I thought it was about time to purchase a new spindle.

最初に買ったスピンドルはLouet Sales社のもので、昨春スピンドルのクラスをとるために近くのお店で買ったのですが、既に壊れてしまって‥まわすたびにバラバラになってしまっていたので、そろそろ新しいものを買うことにしました。

I looked around for a while to see which one is good for me, but I couldn't make a decision for a while, because they all looks so beautiful and hard to determine... I was sort of interested in spinning some thinner, maybe lace weight yarns as well, but I could n't make up my mind to purchase a spindle solely for lace weight.

どれがいいかさんざん迷いました‥どれもすごく素敵で捨てがたい‥レースウェイト用の軽いスピンドルがいいかとも思いましたが、どれにするか決めかねていました。

I totally fell in love with the Mt. Rainier from Cascade... it's shape, gorgeous material, etc, etc... it's just so beautiful that I could not resist to buy ... and here it came!

で、結局買ったのはCasacade社のMt. Rainierというスピンドルです。見た瞬間に惚れ込んでしまって‥形といい、木目といい、とっても気に入ってしまって、これにしました：

I ordered it from Spunky Eclectic, as I wanted to try her Almost Solid Fiber as well. I wasn't sure if I should purchase the sampler, but this time, I ordered one single fiber --- Merino Superwash in Pine. This was surprising, because the color was totally different from what I saw on screen; but it was a pleasant surprise, because it was just so beautiful! I love the colorway. She even wrapped my precious spindle with complementary fiber --- the almost pink fiber.

Spunky Eclecticさんから取り寄せたのですが、なぜかというと、こちらのAlmost Solid Fiberを試してみたかったからです‥ここのsamplerもすっごくいいなあと思っていましたが、今回は単色で、Pineという色を選んでみました。ウェブサイトで見たときと届いたときのファイバーの色があまりに違ってびっくりしましたが、すっごく素敵な緑です。配送してくださるとき、スピンドルをピンク色のファイバーにくるんで届けてくれました。なので、おまけ、のピンク色も頂いてしまった訳です。

The color pink never exists in my color pallette --- I almost never purchased pink yarns --- but this deep, variegated pink is different --- it is stunning! I couldn't resist and started to spin it right away, and here is the yarn that I spun with it before twist set:

ピンクって、私はほとんど使わないんです‥ピンク色の糸もほとんど買ったことがないし。でもこのピンク、何とも言えず深い色合いがすっごく気に入ってしまって‥すぐに紡ぎ始めました。これがツイストセットする前の状態です：

After the twist set, it became this cute little skein. This has about 75 yards:

ツイストセットした後はこんな感じのちいちゃなスケインになりました。およそ７５ヤードあります。

Does anyone have any idea as to what to make with this 75 yard skein?

７５ヤードで出来る、何かおすすめのものはありますでしょうか？何にしようか、考えてしまって‥

My spinning doesn't stop at all, and I spun this corriadale from Habu. It was only 0.5 oz so it spun up quickly:

いったん紡ぎだすと止まらなくって、今度はこの間ハブさんで買ってきたコリアデールを紡いでみました。0.5オンスしかなかったので、あっという間に紡ぎ終わってしまいました：

Now I have to struggle with whether I should knit or spin... and I am spinning more and more... it's just so soothing to me.

最近は編もうか、紡ごうかと葛藤する毎日です‥でも紡いでいる時間の方が長いです。紡いでいると、とっても安らぐので‥

Hot Lava Finished

2006-09-03T16:41:00.000-04:00

I finished knitting Hot Lava the other day ... Here is the increase for front and back; this reminded me of Sunrise Jacket a little bit:

Hot Lavaが終わりました‥とりあえず、前後ろ身頃を作るための増やし目の部分はこんな感じ。ちょっとだけ、Sunrise Jacketを思い出しました。

The bust increase draw a beautiful curb line like this:

バストの部分はこんな風に増やし目になって、綺麗なカーブを描いています：

As I knitted as the pattern, the front and back part came out too big, and the sleeve came out too long, so I decided to cut it off for about 4 inches in between:

パターン通りに編んだところ、前後身頃も大きく、さらに袖がめちゃくちゃ長くなってしまったので、袖は仕方なく途中で１０センチほど切ってしまいました。

I used kitchener stitch to sew them together:

接合はメリヤスはぎで：

Here is the finished Cardi --- I guess the gauge was a bit off and the nature of these yarns ( silk & mohair) were so different form that of the original (=Manos del Uruguay = 100% wool). It drapes beautifully, but it stretches vertically too much and there is almost no elasticity horizontally so it doesn't snuggle into me at all... Another tough experiment with substitute yarns!

そして、こんな感じになりました‥ゲージがちょっとずれていたのと、糸の性質があまりに違うため（オリジナルはウール100%でしたが、今回はシルク＆モヘアの組み合わせ）、ドレープは綺麗にですのですが、縦方向に伸びすぎてしまって、横方向への収縮性が全くなく、体にフィットする感じが全くありません‥また代替糸で苦しい思いをすることになりました。まだまだ修行が必要です。

Pattern: Hot Lava
Designer: Jenifer Paulousky
Yarn: Puppy Comosilk (100% silk, 40g/160m, Needle: JPN #4-6, Gauge: 20-21 sts/ 24-25 rows); Color: 55 --- 3 balls + Habu Silk Mohair in gray --- about 2 oz
Needle: 7mm circular (32" long)
Adjustment: cut off sleeve for about 4 inches each; reduced the number of increase for the bust in the end from 11 times to 6 times

Slowly...

2006-08-26T07:41:00.000-04:00

I have been working on Teva Durham's Lace Blouse since last summer, and I haven't made that much progress yet. I finished making the back last year, and I didn't have any motivation to start working on the front, as I knew it would involve short rows...But the other day, I have decided to start working on it again, and here is what it looks right now:

Teva Durhamさんのレースブラウスを昨年から編んでいましたが、なかなか進みません。昨年後ろ身頃を作ってそのまま放置してあったのですが、前身頃は引き返し編みがあるんだ‥と思うとつい乗り気にならず、なかなか着手できませんでした。先日ようやく、やっぱりがんばるぞ、と思ってここまで編んでみました：

I knitted the ribbed part in short rows to create almost like a mountain shape, and start knitting on one side of the front again in short rows to fill the space created by short row ribbing, and this creates a diagonal line between ribbing and english lace. What a clever idear!

最初にゴム編みの最後の部分で引き返し編みをして山形にし、そのあと身頃を二つに分けて、片側を編み始めるときにまた引き返し編みをすることによって、ゴム編みの引き返しでできた斜めの部分を埋めていく感じです。すばらしい！

Here is the back that I finished last year:
去年終わらせた後ろ身頃はこちら：

What makes it very difficult to keep working is that it has 133 sts on each side... I am knitting this with addi's US #0 (2mm) and it makes such a slow progress... I should keep working on this, but sometimes I get very tired of working on, and ended up escaping to Hot Lava, which uses 7mm needles... what a difference!

これ、前後身頃それぞれ133目あるのです。なので、なかなか進みません（言い訳）。今回はAddiのUS0号（2mm）を使っています。なかなか進まないので途中で嫌になって、Hot Lavaに逃げてしまうのです‥Hot Lavaは7mmを使っているので‥

Shopping at Habu

2006-08-23T07:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I needed to go to habu to get some silk mohair for my hot lava cardigan. I was determined not to buy anything else but the silk mohair, but as soon as I went into that little space, I got so obsessed with their yarns again, and ended up bringing back home these yarns with me...

昨日、足りなくなったシルクモヘアを購入しにハブに出向きました。今回は、シルクモヘア以外は買わないぞ！と心に決めていたのに、やっぱりあの空間に足を踏み入れた瞬間から我慢ができず、結局こんなに糸をつれて帰ってきてしまいました‥

I got couple different colors of silk tsumugi, which is so far, my very very favorite. I am thinking about mixing colors somehow this time... One of the cones is called silk stainless, and it has 31% of stainless in it, so it holds shapes a bit more than regular yarns, and I can't wait to knit this yarn... The little brown skein on the right is called kakishibu tokkenshi, and it's 100% silk dyed with natural persimmon tannin... oh, such a beautiful color! I don't know what to do with this at all, but I just wanted to keep this in my hand...

今回は、シルク紬を何色か買ってみました。そのうちいろいろな色をあわせて編んでみたいと思っています。コーンのうちの一つはシルクステインレスという糸で、ステインレスが３１％入っており、少し曲げたりできるのです。これ、編んだらどうなるかと楽しみで‥右側の小さな茶色いスケインは柿渋特絹糸という糸で、あまりに素敵でおいて来れなかった‥何を作るかは全く未定。何も作らなくてもいいんです。ただ、手元に置いておきたいと思ったのです。

Habu always makes me happy.

ハブに行くといっつも幸せな気分になります。

Hot Lava Cardigan

2006-08-21T08:18:00.001-04:00

These days, it's been quite nice here around NYC ... although it was a bit hot yesterday... and I wanted to start working on some fall stuff, and looked around to find what I can make right now. I have lots of stock up yarns, especially summer yarns that my mother sent to me (or correctly I asked her to send them!) and I have touched none of them (=guilty). So, I decided to work on this yarn:

最近めっきりいい気候になってきたので（それでも昨日はちょっと暑かった）、秋ものへ移行しようと思い、手持ちの在庫糸をながめていたら、そういえば母にリクエストしてせっかく送ってもらった夏糸、ひとっつもまだ始めてないことに気づき（ごめん、ママ）、これを編んでみることにしました。

Puppy Comosilk (100% silk, 40g/160m, Needle: JPN #4-6, Gauge: 20-21 sts/ 24-25 rows); Color: 55

I have four of them! They instantaneously became my favorite! They have just the right feel that I love... Not too rough, not too smooth, a bit nubby (which I love!!), airy light, perfect earthy color, etc, etc... I would say this yarn resembles habu's silk tweed (which I also love), but a bit thicker and more solid, not as soft as habu's. I almost wanted to get all colors just to try...Check out all the colors here!

今回は４玉送ってもらいました。初めて編んだのですが、とっても気に入ってしまいました。私のお気に入りの肌触り‥固すぎず、柔らかすぎず、とってもいい感じ。私、こういうツィード調というか、ネップの入った、雰囲気のある糸が大好きなんです。こういう糸、アメリカではほとんど見かけないので、貴重です。色もすっごく気に入りました。こういう色もまた、なかなか手に入らないんです‥ちょっとハブ（avril）のシルクツィードに似ている感じですが、あちらよりもっと張りがあります。全色そろえたいくらい！！

Here is the swatch that I tried:
スワッチはこちら：

The very bottom is this comosilk only. I was thinking about knitting Hot Lava Cardigan and the pattern called for US11 needles, I used US11 as well to make this swatch. Yet, because this yarn is so thin, it looked almost too loose to knit a cardigan, so I added habu's silk mohair in brown color (shown in the middle) and in gray ( shown on top) as I had a bit of each. I liked the brown a lot, but as I always ended up picking up some brown-cocoa color, I decided to work on a bit different --- the gray.

スワッチの一番下はコモシルクのみ。 Hot Lava Cardigan を編むつもりだったので、指定針の8mmで編んだところ、ちょっとすかすか、なので、手持ちのハブのシルクモヘアを入れてみました。真ん中が茶色で、一番上はグレー。いつもならほぼ間違いなく茶色にいってしまうところですが、今回はグレーにしてみました。

When I finished using the first balls, I knitted almost to the middle of the back... and I just started the second ball, and now I ran out of silk mohair. So, here is how it looks right now:

最初の１玉で、背中のセンターの近くまで編めてしまいました。やっぱり糸が長い！２玉目に突入しましたが、今度はシルクモヘアがなくなってしまったので、しばらくお預けです。

It looks so yummy, don't you think?

すっごくいい感じに出てきていると思うのですが‥

Lace Cami from VK Summer 2005

2006-08-18T08:53:00.000-04:00

I am trying to consolidate all my blogs into this... I have a couple of them in Japanese and it's just too much to manage everything... and I just happened to find that this blog can be written in Japanese... horray! So, here it comes~

Butterflyを編んだあと、何を編もうか考えていたのですが、なかなかこれ、というものがなく、結局ずいぶん前にI Doを編んだときに一緒にオーダーした糸で、作り目だけしてほっぽっておいたキャミソールに着手することにしました。
糸は、Frog TreeというところのPima Silkです。

I started to work on the Lace Cami from VK Summer 2005... I casted on for this long time ago, and left it as I started to work on I DO instead... I used Frog Tree's Pima Silk for the first time.

Yarn: Frog Tree Pima Silk (85% Pima Cotton, 15% Silk; Sport Weight; 50g/155yds) Color: #851

Frog Treeは、ボリビアにある非営利協同組合（Non-Profit Cooperative）で、この地域に住む女性が家事の傍らに糸を生産し、家計の支えにしているようです。こういうCoopは、特に南米には結構あるようで、有名どころとしてManos-del-Uruguayの糸などがあります。Frog TreeはおそらくAlpacaの糸がメジャーなのではないでしょうか。秋冬になるといろいろなお店で見かけます。とても綺麗な色合いです。

Frog Tree is a Not-For-Profit Cooperation in Bolivia, and women in the neighborhood come over to this coop to produce these yarns. There are many coops of this type in Latin America, such as Manos-del-Uruguay. I think Frog Tree is famous for their alpaca yarns, as I have seen them at many stores in NYC. They have some beautiful color palette.

今回初めてこのpima-silkを使ってみましたが、あまりシルクシルクという感じではなく、コットンにかなり近い感じです。５０gで１５５ヤードあるので、こちらで手に入る夏糸の中では、かなり軽めではないでしょうか。他のコットンヤーンと同様、糸割れが結構激しいです。

This was my first time to work on this pima-silk...It feels more like cotton (of course! it has 85% of cotton). The yardage is 155 per 50g, which I think is quite long for the summer yarns in US.... ( I am always, always looking for nice and light summer yarns in LYS and it's very hard to find them!

そして出来上がったのがこちら：
Here is the finished cami:

Pattern: Lace Cami from VK 2005 Summer
Yarn: Frog Tree Pima Silk 2.5 Balls
Needle: US #6 & US #3, crochet hook 2.5mm

４玉買っておいたのですが、今のところ２玉半。オリジナルはシルク１００％でつくられていて、もっとゆったりした感じです。糸が細すぎたようで、思ったほどふんわりしなかった‥ゲージもずいぶん違ったようで、下の模様は１回余分に足してあります。それでも短め。上のダイアモンドの模様をもう１回足して、バンドをもうちょっと太くしないと、私の体には華奢すぎる感じです。

I bought 4 balls and used only two and half of them. Original cami is made of 100% silk, and it looks looser. I probably picked up too skinny yarns and ended up making something more tight and not airy... The gauge was off a lot as well, so I added one repeat on the bottom part of diamond and cable pattern. Yet, it looks still too tight for me to wear this...I probably need to add one more repeat on the top diamond part, and widen the band as well to make it a bit bigger. Or, I should completely frog this and redo it with larger needles, which is not likely to happen.

なかなか代替糸を探すのは難しい、と痛感した１枚です。

This came gave me a tough lesson about finding an alternative yarn.. it's very difficult and challenging!

Butterfly from Rowan Magazine 37

2006-08-07T08:46:00.000-04:00

We just moved to a new apartment last month, and I was unable to find a time to knit at all...
So, it took over a month to finish this Butterfly, but it is done after all!

Pattern: Buttefly from Rowan Magazine 37
Designer: Jennie Atkinson
Yarn: Louet Sales Euroflax Paris (color: pewter) less than 50g
Size: XS
Modification: insead of making ribbons on the shoulder in garter stitch, i made i-cords to connect front and back

I wanted to knit this with some summer yarn, and it was a bit difficult to find a yarn that is thin enough to knit this. I was looking around to see what could work for this pattern, and all of a sudden realized that my favorite euroflax has a variety in size, and tried this 2-ply paris for the first time. This was such a wonderful yarn and I totally loved it.

Here is how it looks on me:

I am very happy with the way it came out. It could be a bit tight, but that's ok--- it streachs a lot in both directions. I am very impressed with this border design!! It is a bit intricated, but not too bad, and creates such a beautiful line...

Now I have seen VK Fall 2006, I would like to start knitting some fall/winter sweaters, but it is still sooo hot (especially when the heat weave is here) and I have lots of stocks in summer yarns, so I will keep working on some summer stuff...

Celia Completed!

2006-06-15T08:19:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Adrienne Vittadini Spring Collection 2005
Yarn: Rowan Linen Drape #841 4 balls
Needle: US #7

Totally inspired by domesticat's celia, I tried to make one for myself ---

I had only 4 balls of yarns, and when I knitted the front, I used almost 2 balls, so I deceided to rip off couple inches around neck, shortened the sleeves, and somehow managed to make one!

Print O'The Wave Stole Completed

2006-06-06T09:08:00.000-04:00

I finished making Eunny's Print O'The Wave Stole. Here is a photo when blocking:

And center grafting:

Pattern: Print O'The Wave Shawl
Designer: Eunny Jang
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr (50% wool, 50% silk) Elderberry 1ball（２oz/58g, 630 yds)
Needle: US 4 circular
Finished Size: 150cm x 55cm
Modification: I reduced the repeat in the center pattern from five to four to make it a bit narrower, and I ended up frogging lots of center part because i didn't have enough yarn... the pattern calls for 17 repeats of 12-row set on each side, and i did only 13 repeats. I was not able to make the edging all around, so only two side (wider side) has edging; the other two has a little picotish finisihng... that was all i could do.

I happened to purhase this ball sometimes in spring on inpulse... and i didn't know what to do for a while, then i was told by my husband to go to wedding one day, and i started to find my dress that I haven't been wearing for several years... when i saw it, i suddenly realized that the ball i purchased a while ago may go well with this dress, and decided to work on this stole.

This stole was relatively easy to knit, although it looks very complicated. Unfortunately i didn't have enough yarn to complete this pattern, so i had to modify a lot. Yet, it came out fine and here is the photo at the wedding:

The back of this stole looks really nice:

Hurray~ i' done with another major project! Now i can start working on some summer top.

Principessa finished

2006-05-18T07:31:00.000-04:00

Here is my new Principessa ---

Pattern: Principessa from VK Spring/Summer 2006
Designer: Gabriell Hamill
Yarn: Lion Brand Micro-Spun (100% micro-fiber acrylic; 70g/ 168 yds): 2 balls in mocha (#124), 1 ball each in purple (#147), lilac (#144) and french vanilla (#98)
Needle: US #4 (3.5mm)

Adjustment: almost none. I was unable to make the collar symmetric with the pattern, so I recalculate it. There were also some error in the diagram.

I love this picot edge ---

it is a very simple sc & chain combination, but came out great! i love it!

When I picked up stitches for the collar, it was not too bad along the purple and white part, as there were almost no decrease and the line was straight, but the blue part had lots of k2tog and was a bit hard for me to pick up stitches. Yet, it came out fine ---

This came out a bit small and tight, but I like the way it fits perfect... and it's machine washable & dryable!

Principeessa from VK spring/summer 2006

2006-05-08T10:19:00.001-04:00

The other day, my sister-in-law asked me if I want to go to Michaels with her, so I went to find these yarns..

These are the yarns used for the Principeessa Sweater on VK spring/summer 2006. The original sweater uses pink and orange, but I am not a big fan of red colors, so I purchased blues and purples instead. And here is the back of this sweater:

It is not so difficult to knit, despite of the description which says " a cpmbination of intarsia and lace patterns". There is only one size (Small/Medium) and there is no way I can recalculate this to fit my size, so I just knitted as the pattern says.

I realized that I like patterns with lots of diagrams! Instead of reading k2tog, k2tog, yo, k... it's alot easier for me to see the symbols like //o ...

This yarn is 100% acrylic and is very easy to split, so I would say it's not my favorite... yet, it's very inexpensive and machine washable and dryable! I like easy-care yarns these days, as my little baby messes my sweater a lot.

I Do --- finished

2006-05-02T17:46:00.000-04:00

I recently finished making this ---

Pattern: Ido from Knitty
Designer: Jody Prival
Yarn: Classic Elite Premiere (50% pima cotton, 50% tencel; 50g/108 yds; color#5275) 4 balls
Needle: US #8 (16" circular)
Adjustment: I omitted three repeat (27 rows) in each arm, as it was too long for me.
Here is the back of this shrug; it is sewn together in the middle, and it came out fine...

The yarn I used for this project is 50% cotton & 50% tencel, so it has a bit of sheen... and most of all, I love this color, and that's the reason to choose this yarn. Yet, I wish this yarn is a bit thinner... the shrug came out a bit too thick to me, especially when you compare it with the original.

The pattern was easy to knit, and this lace pattern was not that difficult as it looks. It took only a week or two to finish it!

Kool Aid Dye Project --- Elfine's Socks

2006-04-10T22:51:00.000-04:00

I have decided to dye some yarns with Kool Aid, as it is non-toxic.... I am very interested in dyeing yarns, but I didn't want to work on chemicals which could be possibly toxic especially for my little baby... so I almost gave it up, and all of a sudden remembered that I can use Kool Aid to dye a yarn!

I chose Ice Blue Rasberry Lemonade and regular Lemonade to create a varigated color, but as soon as I poured the Lemonade powder, it started to spread all over the pan, so I quickly poured the blue one from the other side of the pan. They kind of merged together to create a beautiful green color, with a little hint of yellow. The two package was not enough to dye 100g of merino wool, so I added the third one --- another blue color.

Here is the skein that I got! I love the little yellow on the green. This is very close to what I have expected.

I was not good at dyeing fiber, as this is my first try, so some part of this skein got a bit felted, and I was having a little bit of tough time winding up into a ball, but I somehow managed to do it:

Again, I like this slightlly varigated color. The swatch looked great as well, except that the gauge was a bit off from what I wanted to be --- it came out as 29-30sts/4", while the pattern called for 33 sts/4".

Yet, I could not resist to knit the Elfine's Socks, so I started ... may be a bit too big, and I will decide whether I will continue or frog it after knitting one more leaf pattern. I love the way the color came out!

Jaywalker completed

2006-04-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

I finally finished my first Jaywalker socks! It took so long... I started to knit these in January and now it's April.

Pattern: Jaywalker from Magknits
Designer: Grumperina
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM (200% merino wool, 50g/175 yds; color: P300 107) 2 skeins
Needle: JPN #0 (2.1mm)

I like the way it snuggles into my feet. It is not tight, or loose, and just fine, but I can tell the second sock (the left one on the photo) is just a bit looser than the first one, and I like the first one better. I tend to knit looser and looser as time goes by, so this was a good lesson again for the next project.

This is my first koigu kpppm pair, and i love this yarn! It has a bit of elasticity that make these pair very snuggly. I feel so comfortable wearing this pair, and hope these are going to last for a while without a hole... let's see...

My First Spinning Attempt

2006-03-30T17:28:00.000-05:00

I finally had an opportunity to take a drop spindle class.

I purchased some rovings and a spindle last summer to start practicing spinning, and was never able to do it.
So I decided to take some classes to give me a motivation to enter this new world.

This white ball is my very first yarn:

I also worked on a roving that I bought long time ago. It is beautiful! It happens to be a one dyed by my teacher. What a coincidence!! It came out as super thick & thin, but that's fine for now (I hope...).

The second class was about carding, combing, 2ply, blocking and finishing. I carded two different rovings (blue & pink shade) together and made a fine yarn on the left. It was so smooth and easy to spin. I also tried to make 2ply yarn, second from the left.

The next right one was a wool dyed by my teacher. I carded this wool and made a yarn and plied into 2 ply, shown far right.

I also purchased a roving of wool, silk and mohair mix. I tried to spun, but it was very gentle and easy to break off, so I ended up making a super bulky yarn (shown as balls). Then, my teacher demonstrated how to spin this type of fragile roving, and made some fine, fantastic yarn (shown on the spindle).

Oh, what a differece! I just need more practice.

What a great class! I truly enjoyed this experience. Hopefully I can continue to work on some spinning!

Trellis Scarf Finished

2006-03-27T08:08:00.000-05:00

My Trellis Scarf is done! I can finally send this to my mom... I knitted this for my mom's b-day, which was in early March, and ended up taking a lot more time than I thought... Yet, I like the pattern, and it is very airy and warm, and hopefully my mom will like it!

Pattern: Trellis Scarf from Interweave Knits Spring 2006
Designer: Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud (100% Baby Alpaca; 440 yd/50g) : Smoke 1 skein
Needle: US #5

I skipped a couple repeat so that it came out a bit shorter than the original. I blocked this on a regular towel, so it didn't come out nice... I wish I had that blocking board that everyone has! This time, I realized that the blocking board is very useful for blocking a lace knit.

Now, I have to go back to Jaywalker... I am totally plunged in the Second Sock Syndrome... I should get out of this very soon, or otherwise, I won't finish it at all...

Domino Vest Finished~

2006-03-23T08:26:00.000-05:00

Domino Vest is finished ---

Here is the front:

And here is the back:

Pattern: Sekaino Amimono Fall-Winter 2005
Yarn: left over yarns

It came out a bit loose, but it is very airy & warm. I like this type of asymmetric design. Very unique!

Here is a couple images of sew in together---

I tried many different ways to sew them together, and these worked the best for me. It's always a struggle to finish the sweater, but I have experienced lots of different ways to weave in this time.

Domino Vest

2006-03-17T07:53:00.000-05:00

I have finished 14 pieces of domino motif --- 6 more to go. I don't know if I can finish this weave in ends finishing, though... I change yarns every four rows, so it would take forever to finish this...

It's still pretty cold here, so I still have a chance to wear this for a couple times... let's hope so!

Another yarn purchase...

2006-03-09T08:25:00.001-05:00

One of my resolutions for this year was "Not to buy one ball of yarn, unless I know what to make with it", and I totally can't stick to it.

It is my bad habit, but I simply can't leave yarn stores without purchasing anything... Since I don't have enough money to purchase multiple yarns, I ended up buying only one skein... oh...

Anyway, these are the yarns that I purchased yesterday. They are Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed and Jaggerspun Zephyr.

These days, I am so tempted to knit with something purple, which I almost never worked on, and I am now wondering what to make out of these yarns... I hope I can come across something light and airy for spring~

BTW, I made a tiny bit of progress in my trellis scarf. I really like this pattern. Simple & beautiful! Now I can see the diagonal shapes... hopefully this will be done soon!

Stock Bin Clearance Vest?

2006-03-09T08:25:00.000-05:00

I decided to work on this vest... This pattern is from a Japanese Knitting Book called "Sekai-no Amimono" and the photo is on hte front cover. This original vest uses a yarn called "Cortona", but I couldn't find any substitute yarn for this, and I have decided to bring some of my yarns in the stock bin and combine them to look a bit like the original.

I probably have to do awful amount of "weave in ends" finishing...

IK Spring 2006 Trellis Scarf

2006-03-03T10:37:00.000-05:00

I happened to be knitting another scarf with this Alpaca Cloud yarn (in same color!), and as soon as I saw this issue, I decided to frog it and knit this scarf instead.

This is a great pattern! So simple, and beautiful. It enhances the best part of this fine Alpaca yarn.

"7 into 5 cluster" is new to me --- it comes out so nice! Another new technique to learn.

I know I have to finish other sweaters first, but I am going to keep knitting this as well...

Jaywalker - First Sock is done!

2006-02-24T12:59:00.000-05:00

Finally, my first sock of Jaywalker is finished --- it took way over one month, because I changed my needle size from JPN #1 to JPN #0, and I lost my needles so I had to wait till my mom sent another set of dpn for me...

I especially like the heel...

It's so cute! I can't wait to get them done!

Valentine's Day Gift

2006-02-13T22:25:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make something simple for my husband. So, I made a very simple scarf with garter stitch.
I used three different yarns --- Noro's Silk Garden (201), Rowan Kid Classic (831) and Cascade Yarns Indulgence (506).
It came out very light for men's scarf --- less than 100g!

Now, I am working on my son's sweater for Valentine's Day (which was supposed to be a Xmas gift, by the way), but I don't think I can finish it... oh...

Flying Fish?

2006-02-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

I recently received a question about "flying fish" from a couple of knitters...

I am not sure which symbol it means, but if it is the symbol with fish's face up to the top, it should be either "twisted stitch" or "strand increase". This twisted stitch is often used in this type of sweater to emphasize the cable/rib lines.

If you have a moment. please visit ABC's of Knitting by tata & tatao. On the left column, you will find "Basic Stitches" section under "Illustrated Basics" which is listed at the fifth row from the top. When you click it, you will find the table of major Japanese knitting symbols and brief descriptions. When you click the illustrations link on the right, you will come across the illustrations of "how to make" that stitch. This is well made and worth taking a look!

Hope this will help...

Ishi's Knitting

2006-02-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

I received some messages regarding Ishi's sweater. She was working on a couple projects from Toshiyuki Shimada's book, and everyone loved them!

And now, she was leaving a little memo about her sweaters, and one of the knitters in the same knitting blog group (she is an administrator of the whole group! lot's of work!!) translated her message into English, so I am leaving a link to this translation.

Hope this will help everyone!

My Winter Goodies

2006-02-03T11:18:00.001-05:00

This winter is almost exceptionally warm here in new york, but we still need a set of gloves and hat. So, I made the whole set of these goodies for myself---

Pattern: Elf cap from handknit holidays

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay color F and #33; 1 skein each

Needle: US 10 1/2

Note: I love this pattern!! The yarn is double stranded. It's very warm and easy to wear. I needed to adjust the pattern a bit because the gauge was off, but not too complicated.

Pattern: Ruffles Gloves from Loop-d-Loop

Yarn: Jaeger Luxury Tweed (Sh:821) 2 balls

Needle: JPN #2 & #6

Note: When I was knitting the fingers, I lost my needles, and had to use longer (probably 12" long) needles to finish it... It was extremely difficult to knit these tiny fingers with long needles. Overall, I like this pattern alot! It looks complicated, but not too much, and I had fun knitting this great pair. I used the yarn the book called for, and I am very happy with the way they came out.

Pattern: Hand/Wrist Warmers

Yarn: Rowan Soft Lux 1 ball

Needle: JPN #6

Note: I made this to put these over the gloves (too much?). I made them a lot longer than the pattern says and I am happy with the result. These come in handy!

Pattern: Nicky Epstein's Flower Pins from Handknit Holidays

Yarn: Merino Fur & boucle from New Zealand

Needle: US #8

I totally love this!! I am wearing this everyday~ It's such a nice accent to your hair! Many friends like this and ask how to make --- it's very simple and beautiful. Again, great design!

Now, I go back to my Union Square Market Pullover from IK Fall 2005. I have determined to finish up the project on the needle first before working on the next one.... tough decision...

christmas gift to my son - elf socks

2006-02-02T11:16:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make a same irregular rib raglan sweater for my son, but I didn't have enough time at all, so I ended up knitting this cuty elf socks for him...

This is knitted with Alchemy's Reservoir. my favorite, favorite yarn!! I bought this yarn a couple years ago, and I never see this again... I wonder this is discontinued...

The yarn that I use for my son's rib sweater is 50% wool & 50% yak. I bought this at school products, and this is just so soft! Hopefully this will be done by valentine's day~

christmas gift to my husband

2006-02-01T11:14:00.000-05:00

Here is the photo of a sweater that I made for my hubby---

Someone may notice, but this is Teva Durham's Irregular RIb Raglan with Toggle from Loop-d-Loop. I loved this pattern, and knitted this for a while, and realized it may be too big for my hubby, not because he is small, but because I knitted this kid classic too loose...

I have a tendency to knit loosely, but since this pattern says one size fits small woman to large man, I was a bit scared if it would come out too small for my hubby (who usually wears Large-X Large size).

Anyway, he tried this on on the christmas day and turned out too big, and now I have to fix it, but I totally lost my motivation to do it, and it's been sitting on the chair for more than a month...

Volunteer Work

2006-01-14T10:37:00.000-05:00

I was working on some volunteer work...

My son's school had a new year festival, and I donated all the hats and scarves that I made for this event.
It took soooo long to make all of them, and this was a great opportunity for me to try some of the pattern that I wanted to work on.

1. ruffles scarf and tweed hat

Pattern: my original (hat: an inch of rib on the botton + stockinette stitch; scarf: cast on about 100 sts and inc every other row four times --- nothing special, very easy)

Yarn: detail unknown; from my stash; the white one is 100% wool heavy worsted weight, and the blue one is 100% alpaca in sport weight

Needle: US 10 1/2 for the hat and US 8 for the scarf

Note: I thought this came out great! so simple, and so cute for little girls---

2. Gradational Hat & Scarf

Pattern: Hat - corrugated hat from Loop-d-Loop (designed by Teva Durham); Scarf - my original (garter stitches --- that's it)

Yarn: Knitpicks palette in white, mist and fog

Needle: US10 1/2

Note: I held two strands together to make a gradational effect. I wanted to try this corrugated hat pattern, so I took this opportunity. It came out very nice and soft. One of the first items that were sold at the festival.

3. Bonnet & Mini Scarf

Pattern: bonnett: baby bonnet from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (designed by Joelle Hoverson); scarf: my original

Yarn: brown - Joseph Galler Prime Alpaca (alpaca 100%), pink- Suss Design Ull (wool 100%)

Needle: US 8

Note: This is another pattern that I wanted to try, but had no opportunity to knit a girl's hat. This came out so beautiful, and I love the pattern. The scarf is again just a garter stitch, but instead of tying scarf, I made 1x1 rib holes to put through the end of the scarf.

4. Elf Hat & Tweed Scarf

Pattern: hat-Elf Hat from handknit holidays; scarf-my original

Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Hush and Andrean Silk in Hyacinth

Needle: US 10 1/2

Note: I make my elf hat and I love it, so I made the same thing in smaller size. It came out so cute! I held two strands together to knit the scarf so that it looks like tweed... I love this scarf as well. It is not so long, but has a big hole at the top to put through the other end.

5. Cable Hat & Scarf

Pattern: hat- asymmetrical mock cable hat (designed by Teva Durham); scarf- my original

Yarn: detail unknown; 100% wool in heavy worsted weight from my stash

Needle: US10 1/2

This is another pattern that I wanted to try -- she is so smart!! I can' believe how this complicated-looking pattern looks so simple, cool & sofisticated --- this hat stretches a lot that even adult can wear it. I wanted to make a scarf that are kind of matching to the hat, so I conbined 1x1 rib and mock stitich to make it as a part of the set. Since I used only 1x1 rib and mock stitches, so it looks same from both front and back.

6. Simple rib hat & scarf

Pattern: my original (simple 2x2 ribs)

Yarn: detail unknown, 100% wool in heavy worsted weight from my stash

Needle: US 10 1/2

Note: This yarn had some accent bopples here and there, so I knitted very very simple 2x2 rib pattern.

7. Crochet Hat & Moss Stitch Scarf

Pattern: hat- crochet pattern from this Japanese book. I love this pattern! so cute... I don't crochet so much so I took for a while to finish it, but it came out nice. The scarf is my original; it's a simple moss stithes all the way, and put a crochet edge and flower motif mini band to put through the other end.

Yarn: peach- sirdar superwash (100% wool); green- detail unknown (alpaca 100%)

Needle: crochet hook JPN #7 and US #8 needle

Note:I like this combination of color; something that I can' wear at all but looks so cute on kids.

8. Neck warmer

Pattern: this Japanese book

Yarn: Red Heart Supersaver

Needle: US 8 and JPN 7 crochet hook

Note: This is knitted with yarns donated to school. This is another pattern that I wanted to work on. It's a combination of knitted 2x2 ribs and crocheted meshes. It took for a while to put all the fringe. It came out nice, and even an adult can wear it.

9. Flower motif scarf

Pattern: my original

Yarn: Lion wool-ease

Needle: US 8

Note: This yarn was also donated to school. I was trying to use the exactly same technique (2x2 rib & crocheted mesh pattern) in a different style, and came out as this. It looks for a while to make all the flowers...

Oh, I think I made a lot!!

Trellis Finished

2005-12-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

I finally finished Trellis for my new born nephew-

Pattern: Trellis from Knitty
Design: Britta Stolfus Rueschhoff
Yarn: 4 balls of Rowan All Season Cotton (Shade: 212)
Size: for 6 months

I love this cardigan! I have made some sweaters/cardigans for babies, but this could be my favorite! I love this so much that I may try to make it a lot bigger for my son some day...
Rowan All Season Cotton was very pleasant to work with. I really really love this color.
Now with less than a week to go till christmas, I have to start knitting my son's sweater.. I don't know if I can finish it though...

Trellis

2005-12-10T09:28:00.000-05:00

My sister had a baby boy this week! I am so glad everything went well. I wish I could see him in person, but since he is in Japan, I am not able to see him for a while, so I decided to make a Trellis cardigan for him to celebrate his birth.

I got Rowan's All Season Cotton in Chocolate brown color. It looks so yummy! I really love this color. I may get more for some other project...

Speaking of color, I also ordered RYC Cashsoft. I thought I ordered some kind of gray-bluish color, but what I got was a bit golden, yellow green, sage color. Oh, no... Sometimes the color looks awfully different on the screen... I am now wondering if I should go ahead with these color, or I should reorder the yarn again, which is very costly... (I can't return these yarns, since I ordered from England, it may cost more to ship them back.) My another bad luck is that my contact lens (gas permeable -- hard lens) broke in pieces in my eye! ! My son's friends came over the other day, and they started to throw blocks, and one of them accidentally smashed my eye... so, I am having a tough time right now. Hopefully I will get the new contact lens soon...

Elfin Finished ---

2005-11-29T17:20:00.000-05:00

Started: November 5, 2005
Finished: November 27, 2005
Pattern: Elfin from Rowan #34
Yarn: 6 balls of Rowan Felted Tweed in Cocoa, and 2 balls of Rowan KSH in Majestic
Needles: JPN #2 and 3
Adjustments: None

Finally, my elfin is done!! Oh, I am so happy it's done by this month--- i have a lot to knit for the holiday---
It came out ok, but I guess this is a bit too royal and fancy to me to wear everyday... it will be perfect on party, though.
It took long time to knit all the ruffles; i almost went crazy (plus my mac is doing really bad these days... i wanted to update the progress so much but it didn't work at all for a while...)

now i am taking a little short break, and will start a new project soon!

Nightmare Ruffles ---

2005-11-16T15:07:00.000-05:00

I finally started Elfin from Rowan 34 last week --- I finished the front and back relatively easily, but this ruffles are a bit too much to me --- I need a break once in a while! I knocked down six ruffles for sleeves --- each ruffle has over 200 cast on! And the nightmare is that I still have to work on another set of six --- and they are alot longer, total over 2,000!!

I have been working on these ruffles for many days now and I think I need a break...

Project Schedule

2005-11-04T09:23:00.000-05:00

I have been working on so many projects, and I myself is getting very very confused, so I decided to organize them (and my mind as well) so I can enjoy working on (or contemplating on) each projects.

Here is the list of PROJECT ON THE NEEDLE -

- Rowan Elfin in Rowan #34 (Rowan Felted Tweed in Cocoa and Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Majestic)
- Union Square Market Pullover in IK Fall 2005 (Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud in Iris and Sand)
- Twisted Float Shrug in Vogue Fall 2005 (K1C2 Mousse and some unknown yarn stash in my house)
- Triangle Hat (Noro Kureyon)
- Herringbone Gloves ( Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4ply)

Here is the list of PROJECT READY TO GO -

- Loop-d-Loop Diagonal Twist Princess Seam Jacket (Classic Elite Gatsby)
- Loop-d-Loop Irregular Rib Raglan with Toggle (Rowan Kid Classic)
- Fair Isle Cardigan in IK Fall 2005 (Noro Mayu & Archemy Reservoir)

Here is the list of PROJECT GETTING READY TO GO -

- Phildar Tendances Autumn 2005/06 No.20 --- looking for yarn for this project; i can't get phildar yarn here, so i have to find some alternative yarns, but so far, no luck
- Leaf Scarf in Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2005 --- I am SOOOO much inspired by this post. It is simply beautiful. Stunning! SO, I decided to make one --- yet I have no yarns --- Originally I was going to use the same yarn (ie, cashmerino), but I also read her comment and wondered if I should pick up something more drapy. I just don't know yet.
- Ameria's Jemima --- This is exactly I want to wear in the house (and of course outside, too). Looks almost too comfortable; I can't wait to get her pattern. BTW, I also want to make her Holly & Sally.
- Granperina's Jaywalker. I love the pattern!! I definitely want to make this with some beautiful koigu - I haven't got yet.
- Clapotiscap. I am in search of a hat that fits me --- I have made so many and none of them look nice on me. It's simply because I don't look nice at all with hats. But I keep looking for a pattern that will make a beautiful hat for me.

Well. I can't stop listing my favorites, but I guess that's enough for today!

Fether & Fan Shrug Completed

2005-09-23T21:23:00.000-04:00

Here is my finished Feather & Fan Shrug---

I love it! I love the combination of color and different texture---
I tried to bring the concentration of dark color right in the middle of the back:

I am very happy with the way they came out! I may try to make another one --- one more casual.

Stitch Marker

2005-09-20T23:12:00.000-04:00

Here are my favorites stitch markers. When I was knitting socks, I always got confused as to where the start was, so I decided to get them. They are just so beautiful!! I almost wanted to use them just to show them off...too bad, I have no projects knitting in circle, but I will soon start working on Union Square Market Pullover, and it will be in circle! Can't wait!

Sockapal-2-za Socks Arrived

2005-09-18T09:21:00.000-04:00

Today, I have received a beatiful pair of socks from my sock pal. Ohhhh, it's just gorgeous, made with my favorite cashcotton, and fit perfect! I love the colorway and the design!!!

This is one of the few occasions when I receive some precious handmade work, and I realized how appreciative it is to have someone who knits for me. I will cherish this socks forever.

She also sent me my favorite sheep-measuring-tape from Lantern Moon. I wanted this so bad!! I used to have simple retractable one like this, but my son played with that and broke down...

Thank you so much, my sock pal. This was truly a wonderful expreience.

My Mom's New Book

2005-09-10T09:23:00.000-04:00

My mom's works were published in the new knitting book "Teamigasuteki - Hamanaka handmade wears collection".
It is in Japanese, but you can browse my mom's work at my mom's HP. Pls take a look...

New Title

2005-09-08T00:43:00.000-04:00

This morning, my hubby came up to me and said,

"You have a yarn life."

I like that a lot! and I decided to change the title of my blog from Knitter's Indulgence in Yarns to Yarn Life.

I thought it's very simple and convincing...

Fool-Proof Feather & Fan Shrug in Progress

2005-09-05T22:21:00.000-04:00

Since I finished my sockapal2za socks, I started to work on my shrug today. Here is the snapshot of how it looks as is now:

I am still not sure if the contrast between two grays (koigu dark gray and jaggerspun light gray) is too much... Sometimes I feel like that contrast almost make it even more beautiful, but sometimes I feel like it's just too much and I should find a lighter koigu which matches this jaggerspun better.
What do you think??t

My Sockapal-2-za Socks Finally Finished~

2005-09-04T14:42:00.000-04:00

I finally finished my Sockpal2za socks today! Horray~

Yarn:
Lornas Laces Shepher d Sport (100% Superwash Wool) Pewter (MC) and Sand Ridge (CC) one skein each

Pattern:
My original

*Sock pattern is fromWendy's Toe-up Socks

Design Reference:
"Pansies in the Snow" glove s pa ttern from Spin-Off Winter 1996
Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila McGregor

Here is the snapshot o f how it looks on my feet---

My feet are a lot smaller than my sockapals', so it doesn't fit at all, but still looks fine to me.

To tell you the truth, this is my first pair of socks that I ever made! I am very gl ad i t came out nice and hopefully my sockpal will like them as w ell.<

Yarns for Fool-Proof Feather & Fan Shrug

2005-09-03T21:58:00.000-04:00

I have decided to work on this "Fool-Proof Feather & Fan Shrug" which has been displayed at Downtown Yarns in NYC for long time. I have seen it for the first time sometimes last spring (if I remember correctly), I fell in love with it and I kept asking which yarns the designer used fo r this shrug, and I never started to work on it.
My husband gave me a wonderful gift on our anniversary --- a ticket for Carnegie Hall Opening Night! What is exiting about it is that they (St. Peters burg Phil) are playing Rachmaninoff Concerto No.3 ~~~ Oh, I love it! I LOVE Rachmaninoff!! It's so emotional and beautiful!
So, I decided to make something nice for the opening night --- I won't wear formal dre ss, so I thought it may be a good idea to make a bit fancy shrug for the special night...

And these are the yarns that I picked up at Downtown Yarns the other day. Hope it will come out nice!

Sockapal-2-za sock --- First sock done!!

2005-09-02T21:36:00.000-04:00

Here is my first sockapal-2-za sock --- It may be slightly short, but I a m not sure if I have enough yarn (main color - pewter) for longer socks, so I am going to start working on the second sock and see how much yarn I will have left over. I wanted to incorporate this clover pattern somehow an d I am very happy that I was successful in putting them together!<

My Yarn Stash for Coming Fall

2005-09-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

Here is the photo of my yarn stash for coming fall --- The brown tweed b alls are Rowan's Felted Tweed in Cocoa and I am going to make ELFIN (cardigan). My friend set up a petite elfin kal with four friend knitters, and I am going to join them.
The purple and beige balls are for Union Square Market Pullover. I would like to jo in the kal as well, but i guess i am not able to start this for a while. so, i just have to wait...
The golden tweedy ball in front is for a jacket from Loop-d-Loop. This is exactly the same yarn as the one she used in the book, so hopefully it is going t o come out nicely. This, however, is going to be stashed for a while...
There are a couple m ore yarns, and i may make a pair of gloves, but this is again still only a plan.

Now, my priority is to finish up my sockapal-2-za socks and start working on a shrug, for which i already got yarns the other d ay. I will post the photo of these yarns soon!!!F

Sockapal-2-za swatch

2005-08-26T13:02:00.000-04:00

I made a swatch out of two yarns that I purchased yesterday. They look nice! I w as worried about how two different colors merge together, but I am very happy with the way it came out.<

Unable to update

2005-08-26T09:17:00.000-04:00

I have a big problem with this blog... I am unable to log in from my computer these days!!

I am trying to fix this issue asap, and will update my knitting soon, so pls be patient...›

Sockapal-2-za yarns decided!!

2005-08-17T12:44:00.000-04:00

I finally decided to work on my sock pal's socks... I ended up purchasing two differen t skeins of Lorna's Laces in sport weight. I wanted to work on koigu's kpppm in white & variegated purple, but I couldn't find the purple

that I like. Instead, I got pewter (semi-solid) and sandridge (variegated). I loved the combination of th i s variegated color, little blue, little beige, and very gentle. Hope my sock pal will like them!!

>o.

Sockapal-2-za .... What Can I Make?

2005-07-23T10:46:00.000-04:00

i signed up Alison's sockapal-2-za and haven't done much...i still cannot decide which yarn to go...6

New Yarns---

2005-07-02T08:29:00.000-04:00

New Yarns---, originally uploaded by w_design_atelier.

My mother sent me lots of yarns today~

This was a total surprise!! It's very nice to receive something unexpected,

especially when they are yarns!!!!

I haven't decided yet as to what to make... I may make Lady Eleanor Entrelac

Stole from Scarf Style with the left yarn, and maybe Rowan's Deborah or

something similar with the blue one in the middle. The left one is

superwash, so it may be good for my son...

My son's Tank Top

2005-07-02T08:19:00.000-04:00

My son's Tank Top, originally uploaded by w_design_atelier.

As my son's b-day approaches, i made a tank top for him.

It looks cool; it is a bit austere color for a little boy--- but i like it!

Whenever i make sweaters for him, he grew up so fast that the sweater looks

too small after a while, so i made it a bit big; but it looks a bit too big

for him.... but that's ok. he will grow into it!

Yarn: Euroflax Original (silver gray:2214 & emerald green: 2484) less than 1

skein each

Needle: US 3

Pattern: My original design

I have to frog this....

2005-06-23T17:57:00.000-04:00

I started to knit a lacy sweater from Loop-d-Loop the other day with raw silk yarn from habu, but it seems to be a bit too big to me... I hate to frog....

Before saying good-bye, here is a close-up photo...

And here is the photo after frogging... too sad...

I just ordered another circular needle (#0) today, and as soon as I get it, I will start again.

Father's Day Gift

2005-06-19T14:33:00.000-04:00

Here is the Father's Day Gift to my hubby~

Yarn:
Araucania Nature Wool (100% wool, 100g, color: #11) 2 skeins
habu silk mohair (A-32-9) in chacoal gray, 1.5oz

Pattern:
Interlocking Balloons from scarf style

Close up photo is here:

I used silk mohair to make it a bit more fluffy. It looks a bit heavier thanthe one in the book, but I wanted to try this araucania yarn to see how this subtle variation in color was going to come out. I was happy when my hubby said "I can't wait to wear this!!"

More yarns...

2005-06-17T13:39:00.000-04:00

I went to Habu Textile & Downtown Yarn yesterday.They always have such a nice selection!! I can't resist to buy...So, here's what I got this time. I am making a tank top for my little boy with this Euroflax (on the left).Isn't it a nice green? I have one skein of this yarn in silver gray, so I am thinking about making a bit of stripe on the bottom. The rest of the yarns are from Habu, and I am going to make a lace sweater for myself with the yarn in cone (on the right). This is 100% raw silk and feels great for summer! I can't wait to start doing these new projects. I love knitting~~

Baby Socks done!

2005-06-16T09:07:00.000-04:00

I've finished with my first pair of Baby Socks for my sister's coming baby. I used Rowan's Cashcotton (SH904). This yarn has 35% cotton, 25% polyamide,18% angora, 13% viscose and 9% cashmere. Wonderful combination!! Very soft, very cozy, and perfect for baby project. I love the way it looks! It is for newborn baby, and it looks like a real socks!! I got the pattern from IK (http://www.interweave.com/knit/default.asp). It is called "Better than bootie socks", and it really is better than booties. I can't wait to see my coming niece/nephew to wear them.

Ribbed Shrug Finished!!

2005-06-08T23:18:00.000-04:00

Here is the finished ribbed Shrug from IK summer 2005. I used two skeins of Rowan Calmer (in Calm).This yarn stretches a lot, and gets very fluffy, so it is perfect for this type of ribbed pattern. The color is so gentle, almost too gentle for me...This will be very useful in movie theaters, bookstores, malls, restaurants...etc.

I thought I can use this just as a scarf as well like this.

Ribbed Shrug in Progress

2005-06-06T11:21:00.000-04:00

Now I am knitting my first shrug ---
The pattern is from here.
I am making Pam Allen's Ribbed Shrug with Rowan's Calmer.
This yarn has a good stretch and I think it is perfect for this design.
The pattern says to knit it in flat and sew the sleeves in the end,
but I decided to work in circle so that I don't have to sew anything.
So far, it looks good ---
the only thing that bothers me is the temperature suddenly went up
and it's close to 90F now... oh my god... it's just too hot to knit!

Another baby stuff... hat!!

2005-06-04T22:11:00.000-04:00

The next baby item is a hat. I used DB wool/cotton, and I made up the pattern, and this came out all right. It could be a bit too big for newborn, but they will grow up right away, so it should be no problem!

Another bib

2005-06-03T17:50:00.000-04:00

Another bib, originally uploaded by w_design_atelier.

I made another bib, as I love it!!

I used the same yarn as before (Lily's Sugar'n Cream) in different color.

This is sooo cute!!

I really love to make something for baby... They knit up fast, and most of

all, they are so cute!

Baby Kimono

2005-06-03T17:49:00.000-04:00

Baby Kimono, originally uploaded by w_design_atelier.

This is from Erika Night's "Simple Knits for Cherished Babies".

I used Lorna's Lace's Shepardsock Yarn in Aslan.

It knitted up very fast, and is gorgeous!

This can be washed in machine, so perfect for baby outfit.

Yarns for my first shrug

2005-06-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

Yarns for my first shrug, originally uploaded by w_design_atelier.

I got some yarns from my LYS today: three balls of rowan's calmer in calm

color, and two balls of DB cotton/cashmere.

I have been very interested in rowan's calmer for long time, as so many

knitters are working on it, and looked very nice.

It was a bit difficult to choose the color. I guess rowan's color is more

feminine and soft.

I am making a shrug for the first time with this yarn. let's see how it

turns out...

Second Hourglass Sweater Done!!

2005-05-29T13:09:00.000-04:00

I have finished my second Hourglass Sweater.
This time, I used three skeins of Louet Sales' Euroflax Original (Linen
100%).
It tangled occasionally, but came out wonderful.
I also shortened my sleeves by 4 inches so that I don't have to fold the
sleeves when doing dishes. Very comfortable to wear, and I love it !!

Loop-d-Loop ballet-t-shirt

2005-05-25T22:20:00.000-04:00

I recently bought "Loop-d-Loop" and wanted to try something new.
This looked relatively easy with chunky yarns, so I decided to work on it.
It took only a day to make this...
If you are a fast knitter, it will take only a couple hours.
Thanks to a great design, it looks great!!
I thought cotton yarns were a bit heavy, but not with this shirt.

Yarn: Brown Sheep Company's Cotton Fleece (80% cotton, 20% wool)
2 skeins; color: cavern
Needle: US#11

crochet time...

2005-05-19T23:19:00.000-04:00

My friend taught me how to make a cup holder, so I decided to make it for my
son.
It came out great! I am not good at crocheting, so it didn't come out neat,
but it looks cool with lots of love from his mom~

Hourglass Sweater Part II Started

2005-05-11T13:22:00.000-04:00

I just started my second Hourglass Sweater.
This time, I am using Euroflex original from Louet Sales (Linen 100%).
I thought it would be easy to wear with blue jeans...
I will make the sleeves a bit shorter (probably 3/4 sleeves)
so I can wear it in summer time, too.

Mother's Day Scarf Part II

2005-05-09T16:00:00.000-04:00

This one is for my mother-in-law.
I used one skein of Morehouse Lace Yarn in Santa Fe Color.
I started to knit it as the direction says,
but I didn't like the way variegated color came out,
so I decided to pool...
it took for a while to figure out how to adjust yarns, but after a while,
voila!!
it started to create a stripe pattern... i was so glad~~
I kept pooling once in a while, but over all, i didn't adjust too much
since I was using #12 needle for a lace weight yarn.
This is incredibly soft and light, I used only one skein of 1 oz...
I may try in different color for myself. I liked it.

Mother's Day Scarf

2005-05-08T22:09:00.000-04:00

I made this scarf for my mom back in Japan.
This is very cool!!
It took only ten minutes to make it, and it looks wonderful,
thanks to the yarns that I got from Habu...
They really have such a wonderful yarns!! I love them!

ruffles scarf done~

2005-05-06T00:57:00.000-04:00

I finished this scarf a couple days ago. It is nice, but a bit heavy.
The pattern called for 4 skeins of premiere (Classic Elite),
but I used only 3 skeins, and it was enough.
I have to think about what to wear with this... a bit difficult...

La Luz - Roses Scarf done!

2005-04-27T23:14:00.000-04:00

I have finished with this scarf a couple days ago, but had no chance to putit up on the blog... my life is somehow so busy with so many errands everyday, and having a tough time to find a time to knit... but anyway, this scarf came out gorgeous!! i love it !!

La Luz - Roses Scarf

2005-04-21T08:39:00.000-04:00

I started to make this scarf as soon as I got this yarn... These yarns areincredible, and I could not resist it... so, my ruffle scarf is put off for a while....
When I started to knit my ruffle scarf, I was very impressed by its softness, and now with this 100% silk, I am even more pleased to work on.
It's simply gorgeous!! I love it! My husband says it looks like a East Villagian scarf...