My family and I are OK but it was a HUGE scary event! The fifth largest earthquake in recorded history (8.9 on the Richter Scale), we in the Tokyo/Yokohama area had wide train stoppage (voluntarily, to check the rails) and cell/land phone outages but are otherwise just shaken up. The situation in northeastern Japan is the footage you have seen on the news: towns leveled, tsunami water and salt damage, thousands dead and missing.

We are in a tentative state, with hourly tremblors/aftershocks and a 70% chance of another big quake (3/12- 3/15).

There have been explosions of nuclear facilities, with limited radiation leakage, but I think they will largely be able to contain and limit that damage. 

Yet, already, I can say that no place on Earth is better equipped to handle this catastrophe than Japan. People have been orderly, organized, generous,  other-directed, well-prepared, and civic-minded. I have not heard of one incident of looting or panic or disorder. This whole high-tech society has opened up to care for each other and, despite all the pain and suffering, that is a life-affirming thing to see.

If you are knitter who sees knitting as a meditation (kind of like a rosary), then knit a row— or 50— of kind thoughts/prayers for the people who are cold and hungry and sad in Japan tonight. They are the most deserving of that universal healing at this moment.

Anyway, with summer looming, I’m on a cotton kick. Not that I’ve completed all my previous wooly projects but I’m just jonesin’ to crank on the cotton. Scored the requisite second skein of Katia Jamaica (#4000) from my fav LYS Puppy Yarn in funky recycle shop and student theatre district Shimokitazawa. Here’s what it looks the front looks like (already finished the back):

Cool and island-y

A Black, (E white), I red, U green, O blue : vowels, I shall tell, one day, of your mysterious origins: A, black velvety jacket of brilliant flies Which buzz around cruel smells,Gulfs of shadow; (E), whiteness of vapours and of tents, Lances of proud glaciers, (white) kings, shivers of cow-parsley; I, purples, spat blood, smile of beautiful lips In anger or in the raptures of penitence;U, waves, divine shudderings of viridian seas, The peace of pastures dotted with animals, the peace of the furrows Which alchemy prints on broad studious foreheads;O, sublime Trumpet full of strange piercing sounds, Silences crossed by Worlds and by Angels: O the Omega, the violet ray of Her Eyes!

- As translated by Oliver Bernard: Arthur Rimbaud, Collected Poems (1962) 

Scary and trippy right? I’m off on a tear now to incorporate those colors into the linen and cotten summer top I’m knitting up for myself. Looks like this:

Rimbaud Vowel Vest

Rimbaud Vowel Vest

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I got very inspired by the origami mind of Elizabeth Zimmermann to knit the extremely simple but fun Moebius Vest with built-in i-cord (yarn forward then slip (purl-wise) last three stitches of each row).  So far, I’ve done this:

so cool and green

 Against the sour global economy, I’m busy in-vesting!    

#1 is my guilty pleasure. They may not be highfalutin but Lime & Violet never fail to educate, entertain, and enlighten. Brimming with knit-energy, Starbucks, and gin, these foul-tongued fiberistas got it going on 24/7.  Even tho Lime ain’t been heard from in many a moon, Carin does her best to contain and channel that force of nature that the world knows as Violet (but Sideshow Husband knows as “The Chesticle Host”).  God bless em, these gals’ll be rich n’ famous one day (as opposed to poor and . . .)!

#2 would be on anyone’s list, and almost always is. Number one under “knitting” in iTunes search is Cast On with Brenda Dayne. Long-time caster and a smooth-throated master, Brenda casts out a professional airing every time. Ask anyone.

#3 is David Reidy’s Sticks and String. The guy is so knice, and knowledgable, and knit-busy that I defy you to not be pulled into his bustling Sydney circle. It’s all so well organized and seamless that you feel like you are at the best yarn party every time you listen. His essays are always sensible and vehicles for the “that’s right” insight.

#4 is Stash and Burn. Jenny and Nicole are SF yarnettes with know-how and charm. Phocused yet phun.

#5 is a newbie but already on the lips and iPods of many a string-picker (or thrower, as the case may be): Never Not Knitting. Alana is a pro who share her largesse with the world with creativity and verve.  Seriously, look at her blog: this gal can really knit! Inspirational and elegant.

#6- Knit Spirit

#7- Knit Picks- Top in iTunes under ‘knit”

#8- It’s a Purl, Man

#9- YKnit

#10- Knit Obsession with ZKnits

Honorable Mention for Sheer Heart: Knaked Knits and Knitting at Night

Podcasts that are good as far as they go but have dissappointingly podfaded: Unwound, Yarn Thing, Knitters Uncensored, and SSK

Podcats that I really really really want to like and have listened to every episode but think are just boring every time I do: Stitch Stud and his Bride (who’s the “stud” and where’s the “bride”?-  overly earnest and monotone) . Sorry guy, it’s just dull . . . Infrequent schedule hurts this one as well.

Sweaters for Dragons- I must admit that I’ve never really gotten the dragon/sweater connection. Eric, you are funny when you are with Violet but (I take responsibility here), I may not be geeky enough to appreciate your infrequent, Star Trek-infused podcast. Actually, these last two may be examples of the difficulty of making an good single-presenter podcast. Unless you are really a fascinating speaker (ex. Brenda, Kelley, David), a conversation is usually more interesting.  

More later. My fingers are itching to knit.

As I’ve said before, I’m really not a collector of anything, so not a stash person. I like knitting a project from beginning to end. For me it’s about the interplay of the colors and textures on the needles; uncommitted balls of yarn look kind of lifeless IMO. But, despite my spartan outlook, yes, I have amassed bits and pieces from previous projects. These were bothering me as they were on the verge of  assuming “stash” status, thus ruining my stash-free reputation. Over the new year’s holiday, I got a great idea. I dumped all the bits out onto a shelf, and culled out anything not at least 80% wool, anything too bulky or lace weight, and any very bright colors or black. Then I sorted the yarn into color groupings: blue/grey, green/blue-green, brown/rust/tan, cream (no bright white), and Noro ends with red and black removed. I lined them up and first cut them into 4 metre lengths and then tied these together with square knots, moving in order from group to group and then repeating. I plan to let those ends show in a regular pattern on the front of the work. The resulting yarn is one that I like very much. Reminds me of the sophisticated striping motifs used by Missoni. but also has a bit of the raggity look of used sari yarn. 

Interesting side note: Livejournal diva/sage sleepsong noticed fron this pic that I had been purling the wrong way, causing a twist in each stitch. I am so grateful. I might have gone on forever screwing up project after project in ignorant bliss! I spent all yesterday doing purl swatches to get the right way into my fingers. It is amazing how much better my knitting looks now! (Duh!)

Thinking of making a sweater vest for me out of this glorious ragtag yarn. Can see it really popping with a brown turtle-neck! Here’s the thing: the last few sweater vests I’ve made,  I’ve thought that the Noro or other striped yarns I like have not offered a flattering horizontal stripe across my body. Anyone relate to that? So, I’d like to do a sweater knit from side-to-side to make my new yarn stripe vertically. Subequent to writing  this I have decide on the Bold Zebra pattern from Guy Knits , done in the vest design from Knitting with Balls. It really allows a striping effect of alternating yarns that I really like while still emphasizing the vertical up and down lines without being knit side-to side. I think this will be a cool vest.

So, projects in queue: Forks in the Road sweater, Seraphim shawl, and Bold Zebra sweater vest.  each has its own good points and difficulties.

The Forks in the Road has been started and stopped  so much. I need to jump in and really enjoy what I began. Have frogged it twice due to mistakes, not easy with mohair. I think it will go well now that I can get a rhythm.  

Seraphim Shawl: I’m not exactly feeling it and I had a big shock yesterday. One of the Livejournal diva/sages, sleepsong,  generously pointed out that I have been purling incorrectly, twisting each purl stitch from the wrong side. She was spot-on correct; all projests I have done to date have been flawed with this. At this point in Seraphim, I have totally finished the 58 repeats of stockinette before the lace pattern begins. It took me forever. If I frog it, I will abandon the project. I just can’t redo that boring expanse. So, go on correctly with the lace pattern? Or should I keep purling the wrong way on this project to make it consistent? My inclination is to now continue, purling correctly. I think I will just proceed on and see how it goes, if the change is very apparant but I can justify it with ” this is where it changes to the lace pattern” then I will keep it, If not, maybe froggy pond, here we come. 

Bold Zebra is my current passion, fueled by the fun new yarn I created from odds and ends.  I’ll devote a whole entry just to this. 

More later on my great Christmas knitting ideas this year and plans for a podcast in the New Year!

So, what do you do when you can’t get your knitted gift goals completed by the holidays? Let me know in this poll: View This Poll

What, no pics of the portrait on the building? That’s almost as interesting as your thrift-score sweaters!

Well, we here at the hAMImono main offices aim to please, so here is the aforementioned official sign/portrait:

Don't worry, the Iwata Shop will recycle anything!

Iwataya Recycle Shop

One thing was this silver metallic yarn sleeveless turtleneck sweater . . . Comme des Garcons . . . absolutely gorgeous, would have cost at least 35,000 yen in Tokyo (about $350.00!). Another goodie was this great cabled white wool sweater. I didn’t like the cabling pattern so I frogged the while thing and knit it into a diagonal throw for the living room. Most recent bin-diving delight: a wonderful Canadian Indian wool sweater. Big and thick and warm and buttonless. I handwashed it (some idiot had dry-cleaned it !), depilled the whole thing, and replaced the buttons. Isn’t this gorgeous?!

Found Canadian Sweater

Detail of buttons on Found Canadian Sweater

I checked online and found a very close sweater for $280 Canadian. Am I lucky (and observant) or what? Also, you can’t say “oh, they don’t know the value of great knitwear in Japan” because a) Tokyo-ites are very fashion-forward, and b) knitwear is super hot and trendy this year, in all the stores and everyone sporting great knits. I’m lovin’ this season and continue to haunt that freebie bin.  I’ve lurked around the shop so much that the other day, the old guy gave me a hot steaming yaki-imo (baked sweet potato)—yum!

Noro Practice Seaming Vest

Love seaming! Picking up stitches- not so much. Lack of technique?

Next up, this, the Arty Sparkle Sweater Vest:

Arty Sparkle Italian Vest

detail of i-corded collar and sporty button

This was a sale yarn from long ago. Lots of it. Black wool, thick and thin, with bits of iridescent sparkle. Fun, huh? No! A nightmare to knit. Splitty, couldn’t see it, … Finally I got tired of fighting with the knitting and decided to deep-six the whole binful by machine knitting a sweater vest. I machine-knit six panels, seamed them together, ribbed the bottom, i-corded free-form around the neck and armholes. Love the result. Warm vest. Learned a lot!

Next on to Forks in the Road from Guy Knits and then manfully forward to the Knee Length Coat. Recently inspired by news of a completed coat by Uvon of Ravelry. His looks really great. Can I do as well?

Also, on the trail of a very handsome Argyle Vest as encouraged by Alana of the Nevernotknitting podcast. Alana, thank you for the inspiration!