Follow up to Knitting from Japanese patterns

First, the excuses: it was dark when I was finally ready last night for a pic or two. Dark this AM when dh left for work, Dark when I got home from work.
Pics will come, someday, I promise.

Meanwhile:

LisetteM asked:

• I have a couple of questions about the Japanese knitting patterns. First are the sizes small? I recently read an article about a Japanese RTW line of clothing which only goes up to a size 6.

All you have to do is look at the schematics to determine the size. I tried on a bunch of the designs at the trunk show at Kirkwood knittery, and I have to say that the only thing that was consistently small were the sleeves. The diameter of the arms were really small. At least the patterns designed for the Habu yarns tend to be really goemetric and square, so they're sort of "one size....". Which means, If I felt they fit me, then they would be huge for the majority of the Asian population of women. I'm not exactly a small woman.
I do find that many of the Japanese patterns are written in one size only.

• Second, are the Japanese knitting patterns different enough from the more easily available and easy to comprehend american and european patterns that gets you excited to go through the extra trouble?

Some are, some aren't. I have the books I got because I wanted the pattern for Am Kamin, and for the oak leaf pullover. To my knowledge there is nothing like either one of these patterns written in English.
And regards reading Japanese patterns, Kim, (knitinbrit) offered up these links:
Here's the book - Clear and Simple knitting Symbols

Very helpful!

I have found a lot of great info online. Have you checked this link out too?
How to Read Japanese Knitting Charts


BTW, if you haven't read Kims' letter to Dear Santa aka Cute Guy, then you should - it's hysterical.

And my own Cute Guy - probably has H1N1
Guess who's sleeping in the guest room tonight? - no silly, not him. ... I won't put him out but oth, I don't really want the flu at this point.

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Just a thought, Have you met, IRL, any of the bloggers that you regularly read or correspond with?

I've met Kim. Time for us to get together again actually.
And I've met several other knit bloggers, including Jae, Lorraine (no longer blogging), Elizabeth, and I don't exactly remember how many others. A few, certainly. Oh, I've actually met the infamous Franklin, of Panopticon fame. Jae even came to stay with me on the boat this summer.

But, I think I can say without exaggeration, I've never met another sewing blogger. I talk regularly on the phone with several, but I've never met, in person, any of them.
I'm an idiot - I've met Summerset. Totally slipped my mind when I wrote that - but we got to meet in a fabric store! and then had a lovely lunch. She was on her way to Paducah to show one of her art-garments. Summerset, I apologize for my memory slip. It was wonderful.

Time to change this, time to meet more sewing bloggers?

sample sample sample

Moving on to the next items in the purple passion project, this morning I'm deciding on treatments for the front of yet another skirt.

I know, all are pics of the same sample. Trying to get good pics. Sometimes it really helps me to see it in pictures to see what's working or not.

I used the patch method of making a bound buttonhole. This fabric is lightweight and the patch method is good for light-med weight projects.
But I'm thinking that
a. the lips are too wide. This whole buttonhole was marked on 1/4" wide overall, and is only 7 stitches wide. (Yes, I count stitches on my buttonholes - it's 21 st long by 7 st wide). Next one I'll make 6 st wide. I'm using a 1.5mm st length.
and
b. that I like the contrast piping for the front edge of the skirt, but I don't like the contrast for the buttonhole. It's just too much!

What do you think?

see how the stitching line is one stitch above the marking? Next one will be one stitch below the marking.






Hopefully later this afternoon I'll nab the hubby and we'll do a photo shoot of the finished garments. Productivity reigns here at Fiberarts Afloat.

Reading Japanese Patterns and

What a great little bit of knowledge!
It's amazing though, that this information isn't more readily available to Americans and that we need to take a class to find out something so logical and easy.

Yesterday I mentioned that I was taking a class in reading Japanese knitting patterns given by Takako from Habu yarns.
It was interesting! And she is delightful.
It's also so logical and easy to read the basic schematic armed with just a little bit of information. Takako explained that they (the Japanese) had to come up with a way to write patterns because they don't have the ability to abbreviate their written language the way we do. We can read K1P1 Dec 1 st eor and know what it means. They can't. So they came up with a way to abbreviate the directions on a schematic, in a box, and then they use a chart that can be easily generated on any excel spreadsheet, or for that matter written in any sheet of looseleaf or a spiral binder. Easy Peasy.

The following schematic is from one of the books that I own, not the schematic we worked with in class, and not a schematic designed for Habu yarns.

See the directional arrows? (I've drawn a red box around them, in the center of the page). Those are the direction that you knit. Which is interesting. They have you start then with either a provisional cast on and then later knit your ribbing on, or else do a regular cast on and pick up stitches to knit your ribbing. She did explain that they don't hand hold - no directions for which cast on, no directions for which method of decrease. Basically their patterns are written expecting you to know how to knit, and how to choose the correct techniques.

See the box with those 3 rows of numbers? Again, I've drawn a red box around it in the upper corner of the schematices. That tells you your frequency of decreasing, or increasing, for shaping.
Starting reading from the bottom of that box, it reads on row 2 (of this section) decrease 3 st, one time). It's abbreviated 2-3-1

But, of course she is with Habu. Habu has incredibly interesting yarns, but they don't do anything that even remotely resembles texture work. So, what information I still lack is a key to reading those charts for cables and textures. Kim, I'm going to take you up on your offer of a key.

Now, I'm certain there is just as easy a key to understanding the schematics in books such as
Pattern Magic
And, have you seen the books Cidell just got? Ohhhh my, I'm covetous.

The Purple Passion Collection

Note that Finally I have moved over to the updated template from blogger. Which means I lost all my sidebar etc. I'll fix it all in the next week, and it'll be so much easier since I won't have to do it all in the html that I did before. Thanks for your patience.

Even before SWAP (sewing with a plan - designed to coordinate the items in your closet so that you actually sew clothes that go together), I tended to buy fabrics for collections.
I cannot tell you how long some of this has been in the collection, nor how long two of these pieces have been in "production". What I can tell you is that I'm thrilled to be finally sewing it all up and wearing it this fall. (note, all photos pertaining to this collection can be seen on my flickr page here)

Pattern is Vogue 7769 - so OOP that it isn't even in the OOP part of the online catalogue.
Fabric is a Loro Piana felted wool that has a variegated orange yarn couched onto the wool. At first glance looking at the wool it is not evident that the design is actually an ascending diagonal line.

I spent two days that dh was out of town with the piece laid out flat on the living room floor getting the layout correct so that the pattern would match as well as possible across seam lines.

I am VERY pleased with the match.

Other fabrics in the collection are
-a burnt orange microsuede - see skirt hanging behind the dress form.
-a wool herringbone tweed for pants and a skirt
-a poly woven swirl fabric recently purchased from EOS for a dress (see below)

not pictured yet, still in flat fabric stage)
-a solid wool menswear flannel in purple heather for a skirt
-a hammered silk for blouse in softer purple
-a rayon jersey for a CJ wrap top in royal violet



The pant, under construction
Below: the line drawing for the planned dress and the swatch to make it. On the agenda today, get the pants lined and to the point of hand sewing, and muslin the dress.


To go with all of this I'm finally (FINALLY!) finishing the Irlandais Colchique sweater that I began in *ahem* 2005.




This is the stage it was left in January 2006.
As you can see I've finished the knitting and have begun sewing it together. I've also got the button band knit (finished it last night). Just need to knit the collar now and need to finish sewing it together this weekend. This is what it'll look like when it's done

Yarn: Inca Alpaca from Classic Elite
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More Knitting news
Later this afternoon I'm scheduled to take a class at Kirkwood Knittery on reading Japanese Knitting Patterns. The class is being taught by Takako from Habu. I'm excited.
oh, and it's so late this afternoon that dh has decided to get a cab back from the airport - he's returning from yet another week overseas. I won't be able to pick him up at 5:30 because I'll be knitting! How's that for an understanding hubby?

The Incident with the Plaid

What Not to Do

KwikSew 3850

Much of the sewing that I'm doing at this moment is driven not by what I would love to make, but by obligation. I'm teaching several classes at SewItSeams in St Louis, and class samples are a must. So, awhile ago Cindy asked me to teach a class on matching plaids. She's been bringing in plaids, however has been hearing comments that people are reluctant to buy them because they don't feel confident matching plaids.
ok. This of course means that I can't use an old piece from stash. It's imperative to use fabrics available at the store.
The plaid pictured here is not my typical color palette, but it's the best of what she had in stock when I needed to pick out fabric. Oh, and I have to use patterns available to her - which means Kwik Sew or one of the independents.

So I chose Kwik Sew 3850 - Pattern pic up top. Cute skirt. Pencil skirt shape - which means it's not a straight skirt but narrows at the hem. That's ok, it'll illustrate what happens to your plaid.

The night I bought the fabric, the bolt had just come in. Thursday. Evening. I got the first 1 1/2 yd of 60" wide Pendleton wool plaid from this bolt.
At the cutting table on Sunday afternoon I got a wild hair, and decided that the skirt with the pocket and pleat front was much more interesting. I'd purchased fabric intending to make view B, no pleat, no pocket. So I traced and laid out version A.

As you can see, I simply couldn't make the pocket fit. No problem I mused. I'll just pick up another 1/4 to 1/2 yd, depending on where the plaid fell, on Tuesday when I was there for my next class.
Honestly, as I picked up scissors to cut, the thought occurred to me that I should wait. I had plenty of yardage to cut view B and match everything. But, surely, since I just took home the fabric on Thursday evening, the bolt would still be in the store. Surely.

Um, nope. I called Monday to put a hold on 1/2 yd. And was told the fabric was gone already.
See that area in the above pic where I laid the pocket. I had cut up that area for facings. So there wasn't even the possibility of piecing the top of the pocket.
I considered using a contrast for the side front. But really, aside from the fact that it would look dopey - what kind of teacher holds a class on matching plaids then wimps out with a contrast solid in the area where the match is most challenging? This skirt languished and hung up my mental ability to sew again. Stupid stupid mistake.
Then, last weekend, a store employee - Dawn - to the rescue. She'd purchased a large piece, and had already changed her mind about what to do with it, so she allowed me to cut my pocket from her yardage. I paid her for 1/2 a yard, since I had to cut a rather large rectangle from way off the edge of her goods.

Honestly! Costly mistake. I get a good discount for yardage I use for class samples. I paid Dawn the regular price of the fabric. Ouch - for a pocket side front. But, I limited her possibilities because of my dumb mistake.

Construction pictures on The skirt: Pictures taken after dark as the camera battery died taking other pics during daylight hours. oops (yet again, an oops)

Pocket and pleat installed. You can see that the plaid doesn't match at the side seam. It's important to choose which match is more important when it's evident that only a portion will match. I'm very pleased though with the match vertically and horizontally across the pocket side front. The lower skirt front is slightly wider than the pocket side front, so I worked from the center, where the pleat is stitched down and therefore closer to the pocket. The lower skirt sticks out further away from the body more toward the side seam.
Skirt back. There is a kick pleat at the hem, so right now it's just basted below the black line I drew on the CB seam.

Side seam. Because I centered the plaid motif on this unbalanced plaid at CF and CB, the squares along the side seam fall where they will. It's a good example though for the class.

So now this skirt too is to the point of needing lining and belt carriers.
I thought I had plenty of Ambiance still in stash in light colors. Not so.
So while I was still in the stages of wondering what to do about the pocket I read about Buttons and Bolts sale. Unfortunately another independent fabric store is closing. I'd never heard of them until they announced their close, when someone put up a notice on Stitchers Guild.
I placed an order and acc'd to the website it shipped Oct 26. Still not here. When it gets here I'll line the skirt. Then it goes on display at the store, in anticipation of a January class.
edit to update: I wrote this blog post yesterday and scheduled it to post tonight. Well, I got home from work a little bit ago, but just this minute opened the box from Buttons and Bolts. None of the lining I anticipated getting was in there. Crap! Another delay on finishing this skirt. I'm teaching tomorrow night, after working tomorrow day. I'll have to buy lining then.

Moral of the story Do not cut until you've checked your layout and are sure you can fit all your pieces on the fabric. I'm still feeling a bit of the sting of such a moronic move on my part.
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Stash Acquisition
Not what I'm supposed to be about these days. Ha! Once the sewing bug bit again I've been sorely tempted more than once. I've been adding a piece here and there.
From Buttons and Bolts I've got 20 yds total of China silk (habotai, not the poly stuff) and Ambiance coming, all purchased for less than $3/yd.
and, two pieces of denim, a white shirting fabric (thought I already had one but cannot find it), a black wool crepe (which I just found in the trunk, the piece I did have but thought had used up), and a piece of cotton lawn.

More Stash Acquisition
If you follow Stitchers Guild you also know that SWAP rules and plans are up. The last fabric that I have yet to add a pic for for my planned SWAP - I'm thinking of calling it Winter Blues, is a piece from Emma One Sock. Purchased last month.

Think I'll still be buying fabric once we move to the boat? Isn't this blog supposed to be about using up the STASH?

In honor of the sun

In honor of the sun, which has decided to put in an appearance again in St Louis, I thought I'd bring you some more boating pics from the summer.
It's been raining here for weeks. I heard on the radio this AM that they've closed President Casino downtown due to flooding at LaCledes Landing.

So, without further commentary

a boat under spinnaker following us into harbor at sunset

a day outing on Lake Michigan off Pentwater with my dad and his wife Joan and friends Art and Linda.

Linda, on the left holding the book, is a knitter too and I first met her when she decided to knit the doubleknit ski hat that I've made so many of.

Sewing Going On (knock me over with a feather)

Burda 09-2009-110


I'm slowly getting my sewing mojo back. That is, my sewing mojo to sew for myself.
I'm just going to say this to get it out of the way, then we can move on....
I haven't sewn for myself in any significant way in over 2 years, mostly because I was really unhappy with my weight. I know - sew for the body you have, yada blah blah etc...
But the truth is, I didn't, didn't want to, just didn't. I got a significant amount of sewing done, from home dec sewing for the boat and house to sewing a Mother of the Bride dress for my BFF, to all the sewing I did for the girls and for my sister.
Well, finally, last April I got off my tush and did something about the weight. It's a slow process. I'm working out, and eating better. Nothing more fancy or complicated than that. So far I'm down a little more than 20 lbs but not quite 25 lbs. That's a depressingly slow 3 lbs/month. I've got more to go. But I'm finally at a weight where I can bear making clothes for me.
re: the few things I did make for myself, it's all too big. Way too big. See end of post for the pic of what's gone to the Goodwill.

Meanwhile, I'm developing a healthy dose of sympathy for those who don't know what size to choose when starting to sew. Even though I measured, and I know I've lost weight, evidently I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I need to cut a smaller size.
I cut the largest size Burda publishes, and added 1" side seam sm allowances.
after several on-and-off adjustments during a fitting phase, I ended up moving the pleats over 3/8" in front, taking a deeper dart in back and taking 2" seam allowances on the side seams. I didn't need to take it in quite so much at the hip as the waist, but I traced the waist 2 sizes smaller.

For the fitting I stitched on a Petersham ribbon at the waistline, just so that I wasn't dealing with a waistline that wanted to stretch. Here is a washed out photo of the skirt as it is now.

You can just see the white basting lines holding the pocket closed on the right.
Now I've got to add the lining. Fortunately I didn't cut that out Wednesday when I cut out the skirt. The lining is cut on a fold and eliminates the pleat fullness. I've also got to use a bit of the leftover scraps to cut out some belt loops.
I have a piece of cotton that I'd like to make a shirt out of to go with this.
I played with images yesterday (or was it Friday?) after work. Mostly I was trying to see if I could make it work to use the gathered front blouse over this pleated front. I don't think so. I wanted it to be my test blouse before cutting into a piece of purple silk. Not going to go.
But, what do you think about the ruffle collar one? Cidell made it quite awhile back and challenged me to make it to try to figure out that facing. I'm only a little late... ;)


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I did mention an incident about the plaid last post didn't I?
Well, I was saved by a very kind lady in this area who gave up a part of her piece to save my skirt. I'll write about it tomorrow, and post the rest of the pics, but here's a teaser.


And while we're on the topic of major blunders, in knitting news:

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"to save time, take the time to knit a gauge swatch"
hmmm, Yup.

'nuff said.


And, say bye bye - it's all gone to Goodwill. (well, the red maxi is still on the bed in the guest room, await the fate)