Fever!

One of my colleagues used to say, "I can play tennis evey if I have a fever, 40 Celcius (104 F)!" She really loves tennis. She's a fabulous athlete.

Now, I have a fever, 38.3 Celcius (100.9F). Yeah, I know. I must take some medicine and rest. But I can knit, tat, crochet, and spin still.

Not your job kills you; your hobby.

What Kind of a Spinner am I

I've formally started spinning last September. Well, it's a long story. I'd never thought I would spin. I just wanted more twist on my beautiful silk thread. That's all. And the silk thread has never been spun to add more twist.

I'm hooked to spinning. My favorite spindles are Bosworth mini and midi. The mini is made of purpleheart with birch shaft and the midi is made of quilted maple with morado shaft. They spin amazingly well for a very long time. Also, they are so beautiful. I can't stop admiring their beauty every time before spinning with them. They are what I use most among the top whorl spindles. For low whorl spindles, I love my ebony spindle and right now I'm devoted to Spindolyn. Boy, Spindolyn is real something.

As written above, I have but spindles for spinning. I have no spinning wheel and I don't think I would get one.
I saw a web page that says, "Don't care for spinning wheel? What kind of a spinner are you?"
Well, what kind of a spinner am I?

Sense of Wonder

That's the most important essence of science fiction, sense of wonder. The last time I read SF novel is a long time ago. And these days I often felt this strange feeling when I'm knitting.

Once in a while, I just can't enjoy knitting. The yarn tends to slip off from my needles every time I try to knit. I had no trouble with the same yarn and needles yesterday. Why?
But then, on the same day, I'm very pleased with my knitting. I use the same yarn and needles and I can knit as fast as possible with fun.

They say that knitting makes you relaxed. I concur, but not always. Knitting can be frustrating.
Still, I'm hooked to knitting.
And that makes me wonder.

Something to Knit Other Than Socks

The one of the reasons why I knitted Fetchings is I was looking for something to knit other than socks. Or, I'd rather say, I was looking for something to knit instead of socks. I've already made too many pairs. Also, it is not very easy to show off handknitted socks. Mittens and gloves are much easier. Hats, scarves, and shawls are also easier. Sweaters? Just show off and be proud of yourself.

But socks.

I enjoyed knitting Fetchings so much. They are so useful. They made me warm a lot this winter. I think I will make other pair in a future.

However, I'm knitting socks right now. Gloves and mittens are lovely. It is fun to knit them but I cannot replace them with socks.

Why?
Dunno.
I would write about it again if I come up with the idea.

Knitting Bag

Since I got one this January, I always bring my knitting bag with me.
At first, I didn't think I needed one. My bags are fine with my project. I usually bring only sock-in-progress with me when I go out. I like big bags and they have enough room for a ball of yarn , knitting needles, and WIP.
But, as a handbag-lover, I was just curious about knitting bags. Are they really of use? Isn't ordinary purse fine for that purpose?
Then, I saw knitting bags in sale. I chose the smallest which is suitable for a small project such as scarves, hats, mittens, and also socks. I thought it was checkered with dark beige, but i isn't. It is gold. Alas, gold. I'd rather prefer more quiet colour.
Somewhat disappointed, I started using that bag.
Soon after that, I've found out that it is very useful. It is small enough to bring around as the second bag, and at the same time, it has sufficient space for a ball of yarn or two and knitting needle and other tools. You don't have to worry if your knitting needle sticking out of the bag at all.
Now I can't go out without it. I'd like to have bigger one, and someday I will. So I believe.

Encouraging, Discouraging

Log Cabin Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Need a step or two for real goal, but anyway I have finished knitting this pair, Log Cabin Socks from _handknit HOLIDAYS_.
The yarn is handspun perendale and I made it. This is my very first pair with my own handspun yarn. And really ugly.
I know I should have knitted plain stockinette stitch socks. Then my somewhat awkward handspun yarn would add some kind of taste on them.

But, at the same time, I think I was right for choosing this pattern. It was fun to knit this pair. I've been having trouble with cable pattenrs. When I knit them, crossed stitches seem so flat. They must form texture. What a poor job I've done!

Well, you can see from the picture, the cable stitches aren't flat at all. They loo (not to mention the yarn) just fine. I love them.

I'm going to spin and knit socks. You bet it is so fun!

Total Disaster

Card-Blended Fiber
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

What I wanted was green fiber. Not grayish purple-something fiber like the right one.
I chose two shades of light blue and yellow to blend. Also for a bit depth, I picked orangish pink, very light lavender, natural ecru, natural rather dark brown, and deep reddish purple.

Now I know I put too many colours to blend.
Also, I assume something like this : When you add deep or strong colour for depth, choose same shade of the colour you want as a result. Otherwise add a contrast colour. I believe it would do. Need some experiment.

Left fiber is made of all colours above except light blues and yellow. This fiber came out pretty good. That's why I thought I put too many colours to blend.
I've already spun both fiber and found out they were soooooh discouraging. Even left fiber turned into a dull coloured yarn. Gee. I don't want to talk about the yarn made of the right fiber. I've never seen such ugly yarn.

However, my experiments of blending fiber are going to proceed. At least I'm sure about it.

As a Matter of Fact, I Spin

A little.
I've never thought I would spin. Actually, I started spinning not because I want to. I just wanted more twist on my beautiful silk thread. I looked for a tool to add twist on it and there I found a spindle. Then before I knew it, I was struggling to spin. I wonder why.

I'm but a novice spinner. These days I'm thinking of spinning only for socks. I love to knit socks (you may already know if you see other entries in this blog) and socks require rather small amount of yarn. Since I spin only with my spindles, sock knitting project seems suitable.

But novice spinner means he/she just wants to spin any fiber he/she has never spun before.
And I'm just right in middle of that stage.

Now I'm knitting Log Cabin Socks with handspun yarn. So far, they are the ugliest socks I've ever made. But I don't care. After all, it's just a beginning. There is a long road of spinning and knitting ahead of me.
Isn't it wonderful?

Knitting Rules the World

That what it means, I thought at first. And I'd believed so until I started reading this book : Knitting Rules! by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka Yarn Harlot.
But, hey, doesn't it sound wonderful? Knitting Rules the World. Knitting Rules the Universe!

Now I'm around the middle of the book. This book is about the rules of knitting, not about the things that are ruled by knitting. I've already read two books by her and really enjoyed reading them. I love to read the books on what I care for. Most of the books on knittings are pattern books. I love knitting patterns, but also I want to read about knitting. And her books really meets my need.

Read a Mystery Book on Handcraft

Finished reading Crewel World by Monica Ferris. Amazon recommended me this book and I bought it with other knitting books.
It was easy for an auslander like me to read. It takes less than a week to finish that book and that's amazingly fast for me. I'm not good at English, you know.

The story takes place in a small city in Minesota, near the Twin Cities. There came a lady to visit her sister who runs a handcraft shop name Crewel World in that city. And this shopowner is murdered.

As a foretelling mystery reader, I'd like a reversal or two in the end, but it was interesting to read it. Oh, I'd like to make it sure. I'm not a big fan of mystery novels since all I've read are some Sherlock Holmes, some Miss Marple (I'd rather prefer Miss Marple than Poirot), some Drury Lane (Again, I'd rather prefer Mr. Lane than Mr. Queen), other American mysteries, and some domestic novels.

And here comes Knit One, Kill Two soon.

Sometimes I wonder

Once in a while, that enourmous feeling comes to me: It is sooooh fun to knit!
I know that. I've already known that and still I can't help stopping feeling that way. I knit stitches after stitches and never get bored.

I wonder why I feel like that. Maybe stunning yarns make me so. Or splendid patterns. Maybe I'm fulfilled with my achievement, accomplishment, or something like that. I've already done many projects. They say that the more you make, the less you feel satisfied. The very first project makes you most delighted. But that happy feeling would get less and less while you get more and more experience.

Is it so?

Which Sock to Knit

Sock in Progress
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I have a list full of socks that I want to knit. Also, I have a whole bunch of yarns that I love and am going to knit.
From time to time, the patthern and the yarn don't go well with each other at all.
And I've been thinking so hard for a while which pattern matches with which yarn.

I've just given up thinking about that and started knitting.
This is what I'm doing so far.
The yarn is Schaefer Anne, colour #9. Beautiful blue green and dark purple. It is so fine that I'm worrying about it would become a delicate pair; too delicate that I may not be able to wear them as many times as I'd like to.

Well, I'm so happy knitting with this yarn so far, though.

It would be a variation of K2P2 rib. Ribbing patterns are my favourite for socks.

When I Want to Tat

Tiny Tatted Bud
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

But not quite sure what to tat, I always pick up this book, _Tatting with Visual Patterns_ by Mary Konior.

I love tatting.
I used to tat on weekends while watching _Star Trek Deep Space 9_ and _Star Trek Voyager_. And I always told my mother besides me how delighted I was to tat and watch my favourite programs.
Now she's gone to so-called Western Pure Land. I have nobody to tell such kinds of things.

I don't tat as much as I used to, but I still bring my shuttle (GR-8 shuttle's my favourite) filled with thread everywhere I go and enjoy tatting anytime and anywhere I can.

I don't care for this kind of small stuff to tat, but this one is different. Everything in the book is different. I love all the pattern in it.
I'm so lucky to have this book with me.
And so with my shuttles and threads.

Scotland in Spring

Feather and Fan Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Don't know why, but I can't follow knitting patterns these days. Well, not these days. For a few years.
Just I get overwhelmed. There's no reason. Maybe I'm just tired for working so hard at work.
Or, I've been on the strain unconsciously. Something makes me rush. There's no need to be in a hurry, but I hasten even my hobby, such as knitting, tatting, and crochet.

But this pair, I followed most of the original pattern. I used Magic cast-on method and knitted one pair at a time with a circular needle. Those are the changes I made.

I've been looking for knitting this pair, Wendy's Generic Toe-up Feather and Fan Socks (PDF).
And, I've been longing for Socks that Rock! It's been difficult to buy them for me, but at last, I've got some.
I used Scottish Highlands colourway. I thought it was more subtle or quite colourway. That's my image of Scottish Highlands.
However, this red-less colourway seems so exotic to me. This yearn looks like Scottish Highlands in spring time, thistles are in full bloom and leaves are green. Sky and water are in mild pale blue and small yellow flowers are here ane there.
In our country, spring colourway is redder. Maybe because of colours of flowers blossom out at that time of year.

It's been so delightful knitting this pair. Though K2Tog with superwash merino is not very suitable on the commute train, I've really enjoyed.