amimono note

Herringbone Glove

I had a serious gauge problem with this pattern. The gauge from the pattern is 40sts x 44rows / 10cm (appx.4inch) x 10cm and mine is 40sts x 38rows. I ripped the glove and re-knitted it several times but couldn't get the right gauge. So I decided to modify the pattern. All I had to do was shorten the pattern to about 0.8times. The problem was the thumb gusset increase. I did some calculations but I was not sure I did it right... But it looks fine now!!!

By the way, I laughed when I saw the picture of Minako's Herringbone glove progress. It looks exactly the same as mine. Of course it does, we are knitting the same thing... but the needles are in the same place and somehow even the colors of the pins which hold the stitches look like they are the same, white and pink.

Yesterday's comment

Lisa, I think I misunderstood your comment yesterday. You were talking about the sweater on the top page of Tanishi House (which is Sea Pink), not her other sweaters... sorry. Tanishi-san wrote on her web that she borrowed the sweater design from a Japanese Fair Isle knitting book(*) and changed the color for Sea Pink. I've seen similar pattern in some Fair Isle knitting books at the library in the United States and Shetland Museum has a picture at the bottom of the page (Geometric Shetland pattern).

Tanishi-san, it seems like you need a web site in English! :) Your sweaters are beautiful.

(*)ISBN:4529039234 Amazon.co.jp and Shaela (the auther's web site)

Another Japanese Fair Isle knitting designer's web site ten old, for your information.

Fingerless gloves

• pattern: The Knitter's handy book of Patterns (ISBN:1-931499-04-7)
• yarn: my spindle spun yarn
• spindle: Emily, homemade(?) Navajo spindle
• wool: Crosspatch Creation "Opal"
• needle: Plymouth bamboo, US#0 & 1

I spun the single with Emily spindle, then did Navajo ply. It is fun to knit with homespun yarn. Maybe because of the Navajo ply, knitted fabric has subtle stripes. I don't spin much with my spindle recently, but I really should do it.

I bought this "Opal" roving and Emily spindle almost 2 years ago from The Bellewether. At that time my husband and I were living in Seattle, so we drove there on one weekend. The store was not big but they had so many good things!

LoTech Sweat

I started LoTech Sweat for K last weekend. I hope it will be done by the Valentine's day.

Aran Tea Cozy

• pattern: Original (Borrowed stitch pattern from K's Sweater)
• yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool
• needle: Clover Takumi, Japanese size #6

It is a bit taller than I expected. If I knit it again, I'd make the height shorter for and the bottom wider.

Easy mittens

I knitted them yesterday afternoon. It took only a few hours to complete.

My herringbone glove is not going well. I ripped it 4 times. I just can't achieve desirable gauge, so I decided to change the pattern!! I hope next attempt would be final.

knitting with homespun yarn

Fingerless gloves for K using my spindle spun yarn. The pattern is from "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns". I love this book.

I think Interweave Knits' multiple gauge patterns are one of the reasons I got into knitting, because I can use any yarn I like. It was not common in Japan (I think still not), so when I saw it first time I was shocked by the concept of multi-gauge. That is so clever! I really think Keito-dama(*) should have at least one multi-gauge pattern in each issue.

(*) A Japanese knitting magazine, their web site is in Japanese. I can't believe their web site has not updated since spring 2002...

Tazo Chai

I drink a lot of tea, so I'm always looking for new tea which suite my taste. As for black tea, I used to buy European brands but started to try American brands recently. So far I’ve tried Harney & Sons, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Tazo, and The Republic of Tea. The first two are my regulars for now.

The picture is Tazo Chai whole leaf tea. Although I think spiciness is rather strong comparing to black tea flavor in it, it’s still good and I like it.

Herringbone gloves

The pattern is from "ABCs of Knitting", a Japanese knitting web site. They have a web site in English too, but unfortunately this herringbone gloves are not listed there.

This first glove turned out to be too big (dpn in the picture is 6") so I'll change needle to smaller size and try again. It does not discourage me at all because it is very fun to knit and I really like the yarn (Rowan Yorkshire Tweed)!

DNA Scarf

• pattern: Interweave Knits Fall '03, Misty M.Lees version (slightly changed)
• yarn: Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran x 6 ,2 stranded
• needle: Brittany US#11

This scarf is for my husband K (his initial).

I showed K Interweave Knits when I was knitting another version of DNA scarf (Ann Budd's). He said it would be fun to wear it since he majored biochemistry in college and asked me to knit one for him.

K has a colleague who also studied biochemistry and he noticed that the scarf's cable pattern is DNA shape! I don't think I would find that unless I am told so. How about you?

Aran tea cozy

I've been always a tea drinker but never had a tea cozy. I decided to knit one since it's very cold these days and there are some leftover Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool from the felted slipper.

I think I should have seamed the side part first.

Cold day

Aren't they beautiful?

When I was a kid we had icicles and ice needles in winter, but I don't remember when was the last time I saw them. Many people in Japan say it's getting warmer every year and now summer is like subtropical (depends where they live, of course).

I wonder if it's same here in U.S. Although it's cold today, is it warmer than it used to be?

Felt slipper felted

• pattern: Caryll Designs' FreeBees
• yarn: Lion Brand Fishermens wool (2 strand)
• needle: Brittany US#11

It seems like I sewed the seam too loose... there are holes at the heel and instep seaming is stretched. But I really like the shape of the slipper. Next time I need to sew them up a bit more carefully then they'll look very neat.

Felt Slipper

I've been planning to knit a Fiber Trends Felted Clog for a long time, but too lazy to read through the pattern. So I tried this pattern. Very simple! They are going to be felted in the washing machine.

Yet another new year resolution

This is my ??th attempt to start a weblog in English. I started a blog at bloggers.com last year but just couldn't keep it. I think I was trying to write same as I do in Japanese (my mother language) and got too frustrated. So this time I set my goal as low as possible... just not abandone it. I'm thinking something like photo log, post pictures of my knitting projects and hopefuly with some notes.

By the way my name is Noriko, I'm Japanese and currently living in United States (Vancouver WA) with my husband. My blog in Japanese is here.