Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Japanese Knitting Symbols - Demystified
I posted more findings of knitting symbols to the Hebride list and thought it would be good to note it here at my blog. Go to Japanese Translation Tips. Scroll down to the bottom.
BGK
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Secret Pal Strikes again!
I am leaving a quick note of thanks to my secret pal for sending me my last package.
So many lovely treats. The lace shawl pattern I've been hoping for. And my first set of Addi Turbos! I was always afraid to order them because it might spoil me. I have over 30 other non-Addi needles.
And there were so many other cute goodies. I'll post a picture of everything after Christmas and reveal my secret pal then. Thank you secret pal.
BGK
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Another sample of the Aran
Wow. This japanese knitter has the back finished and is working on the sleeves. And she's not even part of the knit along. Wish I could ask her opinion on her knitting progress. But I did not get a reply when I e-mailed her.
Lovely. Just lovely.
http://amimono.g.hatena.ne.jp/ishi-knit/20051211
BGK
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Join the Japanese Aran Knitalong
edited: Dec. 22, 2005
The Knitalong will begin January 1, 2006. Cara of http://www.januaryone.com/ will be setting up a knitalong blog so members only can post their progress there.
We will be knitting from a Japanese language pattern book. The aran cardigan pattern: Am KaminThe pattern book is call "nitsuto ni koishite shimada toshiyuki no se ta butsuku dentou nitsuto no atarashii densetsu ~ by shimada toshiyuki"
a.k.a. New Style of Heirloom Knitting
ISBN: 4529039927
Here is the initial info she posted about it.http://www.januaryone.com/archives/cit_kal/
I ordered the pattern book from YesAsia.com and it took a about a week to arrive from California.
It has 17 gorgeous designs. Here are some of the pics.http://montrealknits.blog-city.com/new_style_of_heirloom_knitting.htm http://www.myknit.com/member/j-knit.htm http://evashiu.typepad.com/evas_knitting_journal/2004/10/busy_long_weeke.html
Check out Mary's swatches . She made them even before she received the pattern book. And she provides a sample of the Swatch Chart she used too. Awesome!
edit: I've joined two discussion groups that touch on this pattern. Recently there were discussions about yarn choices, questions on swatching and resizing the pattern. You can join them at Aranknit Yahoo Group, Knitting Beyond the Hebrides list
BGK
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Crossed in Translations - Japanese Translation TIPS
I'm excited to join in the Crossed in Translation knitalong. For this beautiful sweater set. And I just got in my copy of the book. As mentioned here on my blog, I don't know Japanese. But have worked on interpreting a toddler japanese pattern from another book. So here are a few hints on interpreting the pattern.
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Crossed in Translation:
Aran Knitalong Translation tips
Added Dec 19, 2005
Added Dec. 21, 2005
Added Dec. 22, 2005
Added Dec. 27, 2005
Updated Jan. 03, 2006
Suggested Cast on method:
Looks like a tubular cast on is the method I'll try on the ribbing. There are several tutorials for Tubular cast on that require cutting the waste yarn. But I like this one the best. Using a string of crochet stitches to start with and then just pull the end of the crochet stitches to remove quickly, without cutting. http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=65253.new
Gauge - On the project description, line 8. It mentions 10cm. On the same sentence is 28 a boxy charater then 24 and another character.
edited: In addition it lists A~I with a four character phrase before it. The phrase = pattern stitch
Translation: Swatch size is 10cm or 4" square. 28 stitches, 24 rows in pattern stitch A through I.
Yarn substitution possibilities - Aran weight yarns: Cascade 200, Blackwater Abbey, Virtual Y arn 3-ply (Stitches have less definition), Jamieson's or Jamieson & Smith (Stitches have more definition). They're all nice yarns. On the Hebride knit list, it's been suggested that DK yarn may work too.
Yarn substitution calculations:
http://bubblegumknits.blogspot.com/2006/01/substitution-calculations-such.html
On the a top of the back panel chart is 14 (40 boxy character)
Translation: 14 cm (40 stitches)
Increase and decrease notations. For example the sleeve increases noted as 2-1-6 and then 4-1-2.
Translation: First number is how many rows before an increase,
second is how many stitches to increase, third number is how
many repeats.
From example increase every 2nd row, 1 stitch at each end,
repeat 6 times, then increase every 4th row, 1 stitch at each
end, repeat two times.
Additional decreases by sets.
On right side of the back panel are three sets of decreases. Then a '> 9 with box in box character'.
Translation: You decrease as noted 1-1-3 and 2-1-1, repeat the first then second decrease sets 9 times before doing the third set of decreases.
(Box in Box is the charactor for 'Repeat')
On each of the diagrams is a bold arrow.
Translation: Cast on from that edge and knit in arrow direction.
(I've seen on another pattern where there were two arrows on the
diagram. Indicating to cast on above the ribbing to knit up and
then pick up on cast on to knit down for waist ribbing.)
The script 'L' symbol is knit through the back so the stitch twists.
I don't know about the symbol that looks like a flying fish. Someone mentioned the Austrian Twisted Stitch (Bovarian Twisted stitch) is part of this pattern. Is this it? I'm going to look up this stitch in the 'Knitting in the Old Way" book.
edit: "Knitting in the Old Way" describes the traveling cable as a cable formed by a knit twist stitch with the knit or purl background stitch. Twisting the stitch gives the cable more depth.
In the aran pattern, there are two types of flying fish symbols. One with a hyphen underneath the fish flipper and one without the hyphen. A hyphen means the cable is formed by a knit twist in front and purl stitch on back. No hyphen means two knit twist stitches that cable cross. For how-to diagrams (without a cable needle method) click HERE and scroll down to the flying fish symbols. Note: Read the diagrams from RIGHT to LEFT. This link has clearer images on how to knit through back loop for a "knit twist stitch", and purl through back loop for a "purl twist stitch" .
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Updated Dec. 27, 2005
Japanese Knitting Symbols - Demystified
On the Hebride list. There was a request to clarify a symbol used in the front cover sweater. And some question on the flying fish symbol. I checked my Japanese pattern books and found the two symbols in question. I also found that Tata-tatao has illustrations for the most common ones too.
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/e-index.html
Cover Sweater:
'Old fashion water pump with handle on right and hyphen under symbol'. (Hyphen means you purl the two stitches instead of knit shown in this illustration)
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/increase/e-index.html#rightinc
Old fashion water pump with handle on left and hyphen under symbol'. (Purl both stitches instead of knit.)
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/increase/e-index.html#leftinc
'puppy nose symbol' http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/increase/e-index.html#loop
'standing fish symbol' = Make 1 (M1) or Twist stitch. Look at next row in pattern. If more stitches appear then it is M1. Otherwise it is a twist stitch.
Make one, twist right, knit - Used in cover sweater
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/increase/e-index.html#make1
Make one, twist left, knit - Used in cover sweater
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/increase/e-index.html#make2
(If hyphen is present under symbol. You make one as shown in the illustrations above and you purl instead of knit.)
These 4 kinds of M1 stitches are used in the cover sweater. (See page 69, Chart E, next to row number 70, standing fish notations (Bold and non-bold)
Twist stitch (Used in Am Kamin, red sweater and hat pattern)
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/stitches/etc/e-index.html#twist
'flying fish'
The illustration in my japanese pattern book confirms this is cable cross. With the front stitch as a twist stitch. And the back stitch as a knit stitch. Unless a hyphen is present then the background stitch is a purl.
Just as illustrated previously.
http://www.jessica-tromp.nl/breisteken_knitting_stitches/breisteken_basic_knitting_stitches.htm
BGK
Friday, December 09, 2005
Slow progress
With the winter weather I have a bunch of projects I would love to finish up. But I've had little time to focus on my knitting. Other life obligations butting in.
I did finish the feather fan portion of KBS, a few rows on the Mosaic socks, and a test swatch here and there.
BGK
