Let's Knit Series new book - Autumn Winter 2007

New book out.
Browse a few pages in Amazon Japan (just follow the link with the same image, on the right side of the page).

250 Knitting Patterns Book - Part 1

More on the topic of deconstructing Japanese knitting symbols.

The symbols bellow are from 250 Knitting Patterns Book, which is gathering lots of patterns from the Let's Knit Series books.

I will use the 'translations' provided by the KnittinginJapan group members, your comments and any other contributions I will obtain further. (So don't think it's me being very smart :)).

The numbers on top of the symbols refer to the pattern number in the book.

003 Procedure from itsacardigan:

right to left: o/ slip stitch 1 to cable needle, hold at back, knit stitch 2, yo k3t it's that funky centered k3t; you want to position the stitches so that the center stitch is on top. so, slip stitch 3 from left to right needle, slip stitch on cable needle (stitch 1) onto right needle, slip next stitch (stitch 4) onto cable needle, hold at front. you now have stitch 5 remaining on the left needle. slip stitch 1 from right to left needle, then slip stitch 3 from right to left needle, k3t\o yo and knit stitch 4 from cable needle.

Pending...

At a first glance the symbols involve a decrease (stitches no 1 and 3 merge together) - a twisted stitch (knit through the back loop) and an yo.

093 - 1 Procedure by Neel:

Slip one stitch to Cable Needle and hold back, Knit one stitch Through Backloop (right slanted 'fish' along the front), Yarn Over, Knit one stitch and Pass Slipped Stitch (of the cable needle)

093 - 2 Procedure by Neel:

Slip stitch, Slip stitch to Cable Needle and keep in front, Knit Slipped stitch Together with next one on left needle(k2tog), Yarn Over, Knit stitch on Cable Needle Through Backloop (left slanted 'fish' along the front).

Swatching in vain

Remember this cover sweater?

http://knittingelegance.blogspot.com/2007/09/lets-knit-series-book.html

I did three swatches and still not sure about the yarn.

From left to right:

1. Jaeggerspun Zephyr DK - it has a certain plastic feeling - somehow I don't like knitting with it.

2. RYC Silk Wool - beautiful yarn - everything looks great - not my colour and nothing else appeals to me from their colour card. Maybe bramble ?

3. Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool - a definitely no-no for this pattern. Too thin and tweedy.

So I'm still looking for a nice DK merino-silk blend.

Any suggestions more then welcomed.

Swatch for Pattern 7 in Let's Knit 12

This weekend I swatched for pattern 7 in Let's Knit 12. The gauge calls for:

27 stitches x 31 rows = 10 x 10 cm in pattern A

And I got:
30 stitches x 29 rows = 10 x 10 cm in pattern A (unstretched and unblocked)

Verdict: This is a very pretty pattern but it is unlikely I could do a whole sweater with twisted stitches (ktbl) and ptbl for an entire sweater. I think my hands would likely fall off before I completed the sweater. That said, perhaps someone else would like to knit the sweater and so I included the photo of my swatch for chart A above. The pattern as knit is quite stretchy but I am not a big fan of the large yarn overs on a sweater, maybe there is a trick to make them looks smaller. I used size 4mm (US 6) needles with Lana Grossa Merino 2000 Superfein in color 510. This is a very light sport weight yarn and I think the needle size is a bit large for it. In any case, this was a very fun swatch to knit with the wrong side being charted out as well; I did not get bored!

Next I will swatch for Pattern 8 (a vest) and Pattern 10 (a cardigan) in the same Let's Knit 12. In the magazine they are both knit up in black but I will probably swatch in a lighter color.

Scarf Completed

I have been very busy over the last two weeks working on this scarf for my partner in the International Scarf Exchange 5. The scarf is from Let's Knit Series 3. The ISBN number is 4529042758. I bought my copy from The Needle Arts Book Shop. I am not affiliated with this website in any way. I am just a satisfied customer. I don't think I could have done the scarf without everyones help from the KnittingInJapan Yahoo group. Silvia did an earlier post with the mechanics of the scarf.




The scarf is worked IN ONE PIECE from beginning to end. I have never seen anything constructed this way. It's pure genius if you ask me. I did change a few things when I did the last section and edging. The edging is a crochet edging where you chain 7, single crochet in the next stitch, skip the next stitch, chain 7 etc. I did two rounds of the edging instead of 1, doing the single crochets in the stitch that was skipped the first time around. Also instead of keeping the entire scarf stitches live after finishing chart D I chose to cast off each D section and single crochet around to the next section where you would pick up the stitches to work another D section. For me, this was much easier than working it with all the stitches live. I would have gone nuts and this way I was able to do the double row of edging.

I must admit, I am very pleased with the final result. I hope the person it is intended for will feel the same way.

Pattern 7 from Let's Knit 12

Hi, I'm fbz, I'm new here and I have a quick question. If anyone has Let's Knit 12 and perhaps can understand the yardage requirements and/or needle size, gauge, etc., I am going to attempt to swatch for pattern 7 (shown above). I received yesterday both Let's Knit 12 and Let's Knit Start Series Mittens/Gloves (which is amazing by the way, it is pictorially very clear if you are interested in basic beginner glove construction). I don't speak or read Japanese, but I would love to learn. Thanks for any and all tips on the gauge and needle and yarn requirements for pattern 7. It does look quite a bit like the scale lace pattern of Pomatomus, but I am also eager to swatch the border to see how it looks.

edited to add the yarn requirement section of the pattern (click for large view):


Cheers from Berlin, Germany,
fabienne

Japanese scarf - Episode 2 - D

Finally finished all A, B and C segments.

(If you read this and feel like not quite understanding what's all this about, you might want to check this post first.)

We are ready for the first D. Pick up 31 stitches along the C. I've switched again to a different colour - otherwise just keep knitting with the same yarn.

Fig. 1 - Ready to start Row 1

Work in pattern. D is a sequence of short rows. In order to avoid the holes at the end of these rows I've used the YO short row method. Every time you encounter a circle symbol in the chart, just make a YO, then ignore them on the next row.

Fig. 2 - Beginning Row 5 with an YO (RS)

After row 16, I ended up with 3 YOs on each side, marked by pins.

In the last two rows (15 and 16) you will have to work the YOs together with the next stitch. This will close the gaps.

Next, remove the provisional cast-on at the end of C - recover the live stitches and knit until you reach the border with B.

Pick up 31 stitches along B and make another D.

Carry on like this - knitting along the edges and filling all required D segments.

Cast off and voila. One tinny colourful scarf :).

I left out the crochet border out of two reasons: one is that I can't crochet, the other is that I feel I had enough of this scarf :).

It was entertaining and I should not forget to say THANK YOU Judith and May for helping with the translation and THANK YOU Joan for explaining the circle.

What else did I do apart from knitting?

Well, we've had a brilliant day today so we've just tried to make the most out of it, by going for a long walk along the reservoirs in Marsden, in West Yorkshire, the very heart of the Rowan empire.

What you get in return is Autumn at its best.