Knitting
A few years back ConBust (a yearly sf/fantasy/anime/manga con at Smith College in Mass) dragged me into the anime/manga world. This year it reignited my dormant love of knitting. It seemed everyone in the audience at the panels was knitting away at some beautiful, colorful project.
Yes, I admit it. I'm a knitter, too. It's about the only "handicraft" I'm any good at, and I love the way the fabric spills off the needles. The process is at once challenging and soothing.
Last weekend the urge overwhelmed me and I went to a wonderful shop here in Redlands called The Yarn Deli I picked up some gorgeous, hand painted Japanese yarns (Noro), some nice new wooden needles, and patterns for a simple scarf and hat set for the boys, and a huge skein of white alpaca and a more complicated scarf pattern, to work on fancy stitches. I also dug out my packed away yarn stash, needles, tools, etc, which is quite sizable.
Since Saturday I've turned out two Noro scarfs, two Noro caps, the beginnings of the alpaca scarf (something's wrong with the pattern or my reading of it, probably the latter) and two child's mittens made from my stash of Canadian worsted wool.
I also picked up two knitting books at YD, "Knitting for Peace" which gives many projects and addresses of charities that accept knitted goods (the mittens are going to Afghanistan) and "Compassionate Knitting" which has many beautiful and unusual projects patterns. Once I knock out a few more sets of mitts, I think I'll tackle caps for chemo patients. Those are fun and quick.
Yes, I admit it. I'm a knitter, too. It's about the only "handicraft" I'm any good at, and I love the way the fabric spills off the needles. The process is at once challenging and soothing.
Last weekend the urge overwhelmed me and I went to a wonderful shop here in Redlands called The Yarn Deli I picked up some gorgeous, hand painted Japanese yarns (Noro), some nice new wooden needles, and patterns for a simple scarf and hat set for the boys, and a huge skein of white alpaca and a more complicated scarf pattern, to work on fancy stitches. I also dug out my packed away yarn stash, needles, tools, etc, which is quite sizable.
Since Saturday I've turned out two Noro scarfs, two Noro caps, the beginnings of the alpaca scarf (something's wrong with the pattern or my reading of it, probably the latter) and two child's mittens made from my stash of Canadian worsted wool.
I also picked up two knitting books at YD, "Knitting for Peace" which gives many projects and addresses of charities that accept knitted goods (the mittens are going to Afghanistan) and "Compassionate Knitting" which has many beautiful and unusual projects patterns. Once I knock out a few more sets of mitts, I think I'll tackle caps for chemo patients. Those are fun and quick.