Shiori's Stories

Back in Black!

Well, it has been a long time since my last post.  So long in fact, that I thought about abandoning the whole blog mess.  I am still very unsatisfied with TypePad but I thought that blogging might be worth the trouble.  So,  I'm back.

I have been up to so much that I can only give a cursory overview.  First,  Nihon Vogue.  Nihon Vogue! That last one was meant to be written like a curse.  Not that is has been a curse.  It just keeps me very busy and rather confused. So far, it feels worth it.  It's just...you know, NIHON VOGUE! All my sock clubs and other knitting projects have to wait.  All my knitting time is being sacrificed on the altar of Nihon Vogue.

Learning about pattern drafting alone is worth the effort.  I like being able to make real sense of shaping.  I will never again have to guess the number of decreases or increases needed for the armscye or neckline.  I do have some worries concerning the percentages used to adjust sleeve caps, however.  I am not in the normal size range and I am certain that ratios used for size 14 and smaller will not work for me.  Since, I DO NOT knit for anyone other than Shane and myself, knowing these normal percentages will be of little help in the long run.  I hope I can get Jean to help me develop ratios for plus sizes.  There are many more months of Nihon Vogue classes left so I should be able to accomplish this.  Until then, sleeve caps will remain a fuzzy matter.  Right now, my main complaint is that we keep starting sweaters and not finishing any.  I have four sweaters on the needles and will start a fifth next class.  I had to buy a new bag to carry it all!  I know, I know.  Poor me, right?

Spinning.  I am still in LOVE with spinning.  I think about it more than do it as of late due to Nihon Vogue.  Still, I have a few new spinning goals in mind and that always makes me eager to spin.  I will find the time somehow.  As to the goals, first, I would like to master spinning for lace.  I am able spin very finely but the yarn lacks the exquisite elasticity real masters of the art achieve.  The yarn should move like a rubber band when stretched.  When yarn of this sort is knit into the lace, the resulting fabric has a handle like no other.  I am fairly certain my problem lies in not attributing enough twist to the singles and plies.  It is a bitter irony that after years of over-twist, I now under-twist.  As my Okaasan would say, "Shikata ga nai."  That means "It cannot be helped."  I don't have the requisite ennui to say it myself. Don't you just love the world-weary?  All those whiskey and cigarette soaked sexy sighs? Californians like me cannot carry it off.

Secondly, I would like to master long draw on a spindle.  It is easy on a charka and wheel.  However, I simply cannot get the twist to travel between my hands while spindling.  I am going to have to try this one and not worry about looking a fool due to constant spindle drop.  I think my difficulty lies in trying to double draft the way I do on a wheel.  Spindles are a different species and I am going to have to forget everything I know (via wheels) to really get the hang of this.

Finally, I would like to think more about spinning, just think more about it.  There is considerable opinion out there about the how and the why of it and I would like to take the time needed to define my own feelings on the matter.  Janelle once questioned the sense of spinning.  So much of the yarn we makes doesn't get used and some of what is made is of rather poor quality.  This is of course true of all handwork.  How many sites are devoted to ugly items made my professionals let alone hobbyists?  So, with so few guarantees, why do I go to so much trouble?  Well, as you read below you will note that one reason is that I simply love crafting.  Craft is a wonderful word expressing skill and devotion to handwork.  Even when I lack skill, I always have devotion. I see no difference between the expressions "Art" and "Craft."  They are necessary to each other and could not exsist in isolation.  I should not get started on this or I will be here till Xmas.  As to spinning in particular, I feel that the more I spin, the more deeply I move into the mystery of twists and fiber, the more depth I find in the crafts of knitting and weaving.  Even sewing and lace have richer meaning, broader horizons.  My initial thoughts lead me to compare this to when a calligrapher grinds his own ink or when a sculptor quarries his own stone.  Making your own supplies and tools is a time honored traditon.  In fact, in many modes of art and craft it is a necessary step to mastery.  As I said, I want to think on it more but, I do not think this is a bad way to approach spinning. 

Weaving.  Oh how I love weaving!  If it were more portable, I would weave more and knit less.  Weaving is just brimming with possibility and variation.  One could never travel all it byways.  Knitting seems a small cul-de-sac in comparison, depsite what I wrote earlier. I may be merely infatuated with weaving.  I don't care.  I love it without knowing it, like a schoolgirl's crush.  Anyway, I was lucky to take a class with Judith a few months ago.  I learned so much!  I worked on setting up to weave fabric for a bog jacket.  I was sampling my little heart out! The other students made everything from rugs to lace.  Have you ever heard the beat of a rug weaver?  It sounds like harp strings.  We did a little dyeing, too.  (I got to do a little dyeing on the forth of July, as well.  Just enough for a few pairs of socks.  I was pleased by the ease.  I must buy a Weck!) I am still a little uncertain regarding the proper treatment of selvedges (tabby or twill?) but otherwise, I left feeling empowered and ready to be bumped on the head and tied down in a marsh. Just a little bog joke there.  If I can find time, I will finish the fabric.  Then, I will only have to work on my sewing skills.

Regarding sewing, I have finally begun that Amy Butler bag project I have been thinking about.  I bought the fabric ages ago but only managed to start sewing now.  I have finished about 30% of it.  I will not be able to finish before the end of the month but that is OK.  Sewing gives one such a feeling of productive purpose.  There is something sweet in those even little stitches! Someday, I would like to sew garments. The stuff I learn in Nihon Vogue should help with pattern alterations.  Until then, the straight seams used in making hand bags keep me happy.

Baskets!  Another new love.  I was lucky enough to take a class in Mt. Vernon from a very skilled maker of willow baskets.  I love baskets but I especially love willow baskets made in the European style.  Well, Katherine does just that.  I will be taking more classes in the future.  It is incredibly hard on the hands, but the willow is so seductive.  It smells like woody incense. Shane came with me and his basket looks great, much better than mine.  I have not too secret plans to turn him into a basket maker.  He seems to have a natural talent.  I have been pricing basketry tools (Shiori, the hardwarian!) ever since.  Imagine have someone at home who could make knitting and spinning basket custom made for you!  Heaven!

Beading and Chainmaille are on hiatus.  Just as I finally managed to get really good at closing rings in my chainmaille and beading very secure cabochons I had to put it all aside.  My projects sit there on my beading table looking more and more forlorn as the dust gathers.  Don't even ask me about glassbead making.  I have a little studio all set up in my garage (I finally got a kiln!).  There are rows of beautiful glass rods just waiting for flame but I just don't have the time.  I am suffering from craft overload.

Lace.  I haven't mentioned this before but I learned to make bobbin lace many years back.  On a whim, I broke out my bobbins and started a bookmark in Torchon.  What was I thinking?  The spangles looks might pretty on the pillow, though.

Where does this leave the rest of my life?  Well, the house will not receive visitors for a very long time.  I do laundry only when the hampers can hold no more.  Shane and I did little to celebrate our 18th anniversary and I forgot to send my brother his birthday card.  Sorry Bro!  Luckily, Shane is incredibly tolerant of all this.  He keeps me up on my feet when all the chaos get to me.  He can always be relied on for excellent coffee and real hugs. 

We have not gone out for a new puppy yet but, I think it will happen soon.  While we enjoy not having to clean the yard and not making last minute runs to the vet to buy expensive dog food, other folks' dogs are looking really cute to us.  Plus, Seattle is such a great place to have a dog.  People around here seem more and more willing to tolerate dogs everywhere.  I saw one in the market the other day.  It was not a guide dog in training, as I first thought.  I was just a pet, a cute black and white malamute.  I thought that was great.  I mean are dogs any dirtier than kids.  I've certainly seen my nieces and nephews shit on the floor.  I'd rather pick up dog poop than kid poop any day.  Don't sign me up or anything.  I'm just saying...

That is it for now, my little chickadees.  Shane and I have rented a buttload of horror movies and British comedies from Scarecrow and it is time to tear into them.  Did you know I love horror movies? 

...5,4,3,2,1!

Huston, we have moon booties!

Yep, I finally finished them.  Well, I have yet to sew on the leather soles but other than that they are all done.  They do, in fact, stand up on their own.  They had to be felted down until all stitch definition was gone in order to do so, but I think that felted knitting looks best that way.  If you can still see the stitches, I think the object is only fulled.  It maybe over fulled (is that a word?), but it is not felted.  Anyway, I really like them.  They fit Shane rather well.  Let's just hope they hold up.  Shane could wear a hole in concrete!

Thursday was spinning with Eastside Spinners. Good times!  Good, good times!  Nancy joined us for the first time.  Generally, it is hard to love double drive types.  They look so sad as they stubbornly cling to their outmoded drives. Why fight the superior power of Scotch Tension?  They must have cell phones bigger than a bread basket (IF they have cell phones) and drive VW Rabbits.  Their poor kids are probably home schooled in tuffskins.  Makes you cry. Well, Nancy is so nice and such a good crafter, I find I can forgive her her faults.  Well, I can as long as I do not look at her wheel.  It's like watching someone spin park and draft.  I want reach over and grab the yarn from them and say "Learn to spin properly!"  You know me, I'm hardcore! 

The whole spin in was grand until some old guy came over and stuck his hand in Shane's fiber WITHOUT asking!  I wanted to kick his cane out from underneath him.  Like I said...hardcore.  The calming power of spinning must be no joke because none of us said anything. We just smiled sweetly.  Of course, it may have been the shock.  Usually, people just ask what we are doing.  It has got me thinking that we should make a sign that says "We are spinning."

Thursday ended beautifully with the viewing of Sean Penn on The Colbert Report.   Shane and I laughed so hard that Tucker looked worried. Tell me you saw it.  You are fans of Stephen, aren't you? 

Friday, I went out and bought fabric and patterns for some handbags.  I blame Suzanne and Diana.  They have been talking about their recent adventures in sewing and I...Well, I admit it.  I got jealous of their fun.  So now, I have $200 worth of Amy Butler fabric and a slightly dirty feeling inside.  I couldn't help myself.  Her designs are so beautiful.  But, when am I going to have time to sew? 

Friday night, Shane and I went to see Hot Fuzz.  A fine film if you love silly but smart movie references and violence.  Lucky us!  I was surprised to see Paddy Considine in a small role.  I love his acting, especially in In America.  I weep constantly whenever I watch that film.  I am glad to see he is getting work.  Another surprise was a trailer for another Simon Pegg film.  This one starring Dylan Moran.  Oh, if only I was a little bit Irish!

Saturday, I went to The Bead Factory for a pmc class.  Well, I am hooked.  The process is a wonderful marriage of organic and scientific process.  The results get so close to iki, I would call it perfect if iki wasn't all about imperfection.  Anyway, just what I needed!  ANOTHER expensive, time consuming hobby.  Well, now I am pricing kilns on the 'net.  If I can find one that will work for both pmc and my lampwork beads, I am ordering it.  Sorry Shane! 

Tidbits - Tucker is hanging in there.  She had a small accident yesterday but that is the first in about ten days.  I am worried as I can she her front legs are now beginning to get a little weak.  It seems the spinal degeneration may be moving up. 

Spinning with the camel/silk continues.  After, I finish this bobbin, I will test out some dyeing ideas I have before proceeding any further.  I am hoping to take advantage of differences in take up to make some subtle variegation. 

Weaving...uh, what weaving?

Weekend Update!

So, I had a busy little weekend!  Here's the break down.

Saturday - Shane, Nancy and I went to the Seattle Knitting and Fiber Expo.    We actually began our day by having breakfast at El Greco. I love that place.  I find the restaurants on Broadway are generally not very good.  Most seem to cater to the lowest common denominator.  For example, Thai on Broadway uses ketchup on their Pad Thai!  I know...unbelievable.  El Greco, I am happy to say is an exception.  So, after a delicious breakfast, we made our way out to SeaTac.   I must say I was not expecting much.  The expo's class list was dismal.  I am not in the least interested in machine knitting despite owning a machine knitter.  Additionally, the vendor's list looked small but I went anyway and I am glad I did.  I spent about $500 in yarn, fiber, and fabric.  The real score was a pelt of Lincoln.  The pelt has a beautiful variety of colors, ranging from white and apricot to black and charcoal.  I fell in love instantly.  I bought it without even glancing at the price.  Shane is now its lucky custodian.  It keeps him warm and comfortable at work.  We split as soon as we had made our purchases, however.  None of us saw anyone we recognized and the crowd was not really ...well, our crowd honestly.  Everyone there seemed to be over 65.  Is it the machine knitting? 

Because we spent so little time at the Expo, we decided to take a little LYS tour of our own.  We hit Acorn Street, where I bought several lace shawl patterns.  We then went to Weaving Works, where I decided to finally buy some Rowan Denim.  I have always liked the look of that yarn but I am not a big cotton fan so, I held off purchasing any.  But this is for Nihon Vogue so I made the leap.  My plan is to knit swatches in various cable and lace patterns, so I can get a little head start on the class.  I am so looking to forward to that class!  I guess it is the hardworking Capricorn in me.  Yet, I am cusp Sagittarius so I should be a little too fiery to much enjoy uphill slogs (as this promises to be).  Oh, who cares!

Sunday - I went to Fusion Beads to attend a chainmaille class.  This was OK.  Generally, when I take a class like this (IE. one day only; less than 4 hours; and I will never see these people again), I find there is someone, usually another student, who I hate to the depths of my dark soul.  There is never any good reason for it.  It can be as simple as the way they laugh or the way they monopolize the instructor or conversation.  Well, true to form, there was someone there I couldn't stand.  Luckily, I didn't have to work with her or sit next to her or I would have hit her for the few homophobic and racist remarks she made.  What is it with people lately?  Does warm weather make folks break out with discrimination?  No wonder I hate summer! Despite her, the class went well.  I learned the pattern very quickly and made a bracelet for myself in about half the time we were alloted.  I got out of there as quick as I could.  Shane and I decided to relax buy going to the University Village Barnes and Noble, where I bought a few magazines.  We then went to dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, Preet's.  You must go there!  It is in no way like other Americanized Indian restaurants.  The selections are few but all of them are good.  Try the eggplant. 

Monday - I know, I know...Monday is not the weekend but I don't work.  Everyday is the weekend to me, toots!  Anyway, after staying home and catching up on the laundry (some weekend, eh?), I picked up Nancy and Shane so we could all go the Feral Knitters meeting.  I have only been to this group a few times.  I like everyone I have had the chance to meet and the skill of nearly all of them blows me away.  In this small group is several kilo-tons of knitting power.  The meeting overall was fun but there was a strange moment in the beginning.  Like I said, I have not been attending very long, so I don't expect folks to have much to say to me or Nancy.  Honestly, I can be hard to get to know.  However, I always try to be inclusive.  When a group of us entered the small back room, Nancy and I made an effort to spread out by moving to the end of the tables.  We soon realized that no one was going to sit next to us.  They all hovered at the far end of the tables, squeezing together to bunch up even more.  No one spoke to us or even looked at us for 30 minutes.  It wasn't until other folks arrived that anyone addressed us.  There was no more room at that end of the table, so they had to sit next to us.  Happily, I did enjoy talking to the folks who did sit near us.  I know knitting groups can be clique-ish but, I have never felt so excluded before.  I hope they warm up to us in the future.  Nancy, Shane and I would  love to continue going.  However, we are beginning to wonder if we smell bad or something.

Of course, I didn't get much knitting, spinning or weaving done.  The moon booties are 95% finished.  I've just got to sew the second one up and felt it.  Luckily, the sun has been making appearances. So, if I can get the booties felted soon, they just might dry out in a day or two.  Usually, it takes a week up here, living under the tress like we do.  I have been spinning mainly on my charka.  I am quite fast at it now and can spin finer than I can count wraps per inch. Really! I've got the find the magnifiers to see the threads side by side.  Alas, I have picked up the habit of over twisting the cotton.  This, of course, developed as a consequence of my trying to break the habit of under twisting.  Live and learn and learn and learn and finally shout and throw things against the wall.  Weaving...well, I finally did a few more rows.  But, I don't like the way the sample is turning out.  So, I've decided to resley the reed at a tighter epi, whenever I get around to it.  I would laugh if it didn't hurt so much.

Tucker - she had one week without any accidents!  Yea!!  We have been taking her out to walk every hour or so and after every meal.  It seems to help.  She will be 18 in June.  Unbelievable!

Eastside spinners will be meeting this Thursday!  I've been looking forward to it.  We have had a few more folks join since the last meeting so I am hopeful that this will be a bigger meeting.  Keep your fingers crossed! 

Good times!

I had a great time at the latest meeting of Eastside Stitchers.  Such a great group!  And some of them actually read my blog!  Thank you, guys! 

I was gratified to hear that there is agreement about the egregious nature of the racist comment made at the OTHER spinning group.  Suzanne rightly pointed out that some of the most racist folk out there are those involved in mixed marriages.  I have always wished it was different, but people marry for lots of reasons.  Sometimes, those reasons are the racists assumptions they make about their partners.  I am lucky that Shane is sensitive to things like this.  Many of the people I dated (yes, the phrase is gender neutral - I did date girls) were not. 

I have come to grips with my haircut.  I can delay my planned suicide.  I had really hoped for a cut more on the lines of Cookie's 'do.  I should have brought a picture with me.   I think dyeing it red might help.  I'm thinking big red streaks in the anime style.  I love the anime style!  Granted, I am not so interested in anime (who could be interested in little girls and boys that turn into animals?) but I love the way they dress.

Nancy pointed out that short hair always makes me look more Asian.  I agree.  It is one of the things I like about short hair.  When I was a child, I tired many things to look more Japanese.  I always felt lucky being Japanese (I still do) but disappointed that it was not obvious.  I just have never fit the stereotype.  My brother looks very Japanese, however.  This is one of the joys of being multiracial.  Some siblings pass, some do not.  Anyways, in kindergarten, I actually smeared yellow finger-paint all over my face.  I had remembered my father referring to my mother as "yellow." Yep, he is one of those inter-marrying racists. I thought the yellow pigment would help me look more like mom.  Sad, huh? I thought I looked great.  My father, alas, was not amused. 

I finished the sample skein for my friend. It went OK.  The colors are rather muted but then she did leave a lot of white areas on the top.  The top was also just a little felted.  I hope she likes it.  I can finally get back to the baby camel/silk top I was spinning. Charity's top was nice but the camel/silk is so yummy!

The moon booties continue.  They should be ready for felting by this weekend.  I have yet to pick out another knitting project.  I must admit to being a little hesitant as I will be so busy with knitting once the Nihon Vogue class starts.  Nevertheless, someone at Eastside Stitchers (I have forgotten who) was crocheting the cutest monkey amigurumi.  I was thinking it would be just the thing for my nieces.  Coco was born in the year of the monkey, so it would be perfect for her.  Camille would then get a sheep amigurumi.  Cute, eh?

The weaving has moved from "I really need to get on that!" to "I don't want to look at it!  It makes me feel so guilty!"  What to do, what to do?  I think a picnic blanket would be so much fun.  Luckily, Judith MacKenzie McCuin is teaching a weaving class this June.  It is weaver's choice, so maybe I will work on it then.

Oh, I forgot to mention I took a class in viking knit at Fusion Beads this weekend.  The class was fun and the wire-work was easy to learn.  I actually finished a bracelet for Shane and he actually wears it!  I call that a victory!  Honestly, he will wear anything I knit or sew for him, but it is different for jewelry.  He is not really a jewelry guy and he is very tough on the pieces he does wear.  So you can see why I am glad the viking bracelet seems to be working out.  This weekend I have another class at Fusion Beads in a chainmaille technique with which I am not familiar.  I hope it is as fun as the last.  Also, I will be shopping at the Fiber Expo.  Fun, fun, fun!

Sucky Soldering

So, class was fun but I clearly do not have a talent for soldering.  I went hoping to increase my skills but that did not happen. The class began OK.  We started with soldering jump rings.  The instructor had a method of applying the solder I had not tried before.  Basically, you preheat the solder until it condenses into a little ball, pick the ball up with your pick, heat the join and drop the solder on when it is hot enough.  For me, it works really great on jump rings.  It allows me to use an absolute minimum of solder which greatly enhanced the look of the joins.  Sadly, when I tried to use it on anything else, all I got was a melted mess.  I ruined at least four earring components before I got a set that matched (they were only SLIGHTLY melted).  I was unable to make anything else.  At moments like these, I try to remember that I have managed to learn many things, some learned quickly and some learned slowly.  All it ever takes is attention and practice.  I will clearly need more practice.

I did have one exciting moment in class.  In a moment of frustration, I forgot to pay attention to my torch.  It took less than a second for me to ignite the water bottle of the woman sitting next to me. A huge melted hole appeared in the side. The smell was awful! Luckily, the water poured out and extinguished the flaming label.  Yeah...lucky me.

On a happier note, I am more than halfway finished with the moon booties.  They are ENORMOUS!  But, they are supposed to be felted until they can stand up on their own.  Once they get down to a wearable size, they just might stand on their own.  I promise photos very soon.

Spinning is progressing along nicely.  I have set aside the 50/50 camel and silk for the moment to work on some hand dyed top made by a friend of mine.  She wanted to see what her work would look like spun up and I thought it would be the perfect project to take to spin ins (IE. how it turns out is not very critical). 

The weaving still gets looks and sighs but I have yet to lay a finger on it.  But I will, I will!

Finally, I am thinking of sending a teaching proposal to BCC.  My glass bead teacher suggested I should so I checked it out.  The application process look very easy and I have often thought I would like to teach spinning. 

Bead Class!

Wow!  I had a lot of fun at my bead class.  It has been quite some time since I've done any lampworking so I forgot how much fun it could be.  Well, I plan on not letting that happen again.  It only took a little while to remember what to do.  After that, because the number of students was so small, the teacher was able to give me lots of individual instruction.  Generally, I hate that.  I like to work things out on my own.  However, this teacher was so quietly encouraging that I did not mind her hovering. I learned alot.  The best part had to be learning to incorporate fine silver in my beads.  On top of a black base and encased under a tranparent layer, the silver  looks like a field of stars.  Beautiful!  I am going to make lots of those.

Alas, I will not be able to take another lampworking class for a few months.  Therefore, I have invested in a small home studio.  I bought a kit form Arrow Springs.  It has to one of the best online shops for glass.  The seem to carry everything and have page after page of information.  I learned so much just reading their catalog.  Check it out!

Tonight, Shane and I will get to enjoy a nice quiet evening at home.  That has been a rarity as of late.  Neither of us have any urgent deadlines or tasks requiring our attention.  Since it is supposed to snow tonight, we plan to lie under blankets, drink hot coffee and pet Tucker as much as we can.  Tucker is hanging in there.  She hasn't had an accident today which we take as a good sign.  She even seems more alert.  We are hopeful.

Knitting- I am nearly finished with the first moon boot.  It is huge, but it is supposed to be felted very severely.  I like it so far.  The alpaca yarn is a pleasure to work with and pattern has been clear and error free.

Spinning - I have finished all the singles for the Wensleydale sock yarn.  There is only the plying left to do.  This should give me plenty of time to knit them into socks before the NWRSA conference.  I like to show off my hand spun, hand knit socks when I spin.

Weaving - no additional progress as of late.  How often do you have to work on something to be able to say it is "in progress?"  Is looking at it and sighing a few times a day enough?