Is Kimiko's stole finished?

The edges are piped and the stole is lined. What next? Still trying to figure out if I want to add the stiff cords. I think they'll be too stiff but think I'll try hand-stitching them on and see what they look like.


Here's a close-up of the back detail. This crane was cut out of the back of the blue kimono.

The stole continued...

I've finished the piecing of the stole. Here it is displayed on top of one of the kimonos that Kimiko gave me. This is the kimono that had the gold embroidered cranes at the front shoulders and centre back.

I'm at a major decision point now--whether or not to add more embellishments. At this stage, I like to leave the stole on my mannequin while I ponder...

Kimiko's stole is started...

I've been very productive since Tuesday afternoon. As some of you know, I'm taking a Sociology of Aging course at UBCO. My team did a presentation on the youth culture of the 1960s Monday night, and I decided to celebrate the end of that assignment by doing something completely different--getting back to what I love to do, and that's to sew.


But of course, I do have a deadline for this stole--I hope to deliver it to Kimiko in a couple of weeks when I next visit my folks in Vancouver.



Judging by what I've accomplished here, I fully expect to meet that deadline.




One of the kimonos that Kimiko provided had gold embroidered cranes at the shoulders at center back.





I plan to incorporate the large crane at the centre back of the stole.

And another smaller crane is pieced into the lower edge.

Knit a Perfect Fitting Sock

One of the workshops at the upcoming Okanagan Knitting Retreat is "Knit a Perfect Fitting Sock" with Paulette Lane of Vancouver. Sign up for the retreat at www.janetarmstrong.com

How do your socks fit? Do they bag around the ankles? Do they wrinkle up uncomfortably when you put your shoes on? Do you always cast on the same number of stitches and then wonder why the socks are not quite right?

The goal is a snug fit on the foot without any excess fabric that bunches up in your shoes. Some critical measurements of the foot are key to knitting the ideal socks for YOUR feet. Most sock patterns have you decrease at the heel gusset to the number of stitches cast on. Well, if your arch measurement is smaller (or larger) than your calf, you will need fewer (or more) stitches for the foot. Knitting the right shape of toe for the shape of YOUR toes is also important—are your toes short and angled like a wedge, or are they long? Are they square? Paulette will review some different options for wedge toes and wide toes.

In this workshop, Paulette will guide you through the measuring process, how to knit a quickie flat tension swatch and how to choose the right yarn and needles. By the end of the workshop, you will have the perfect fitting sock, and will be able to adapt any sock pattern so that it will fit you perfectly. And because you’ve now invested all that time and money in perfect socks, Paulette will also review how to keep them from wearing out so that you don’t have to darn them.

Kimiko's Stole...the designing continues

Thanks for the comments about the stole designs. Kimiko "waffled" between #2 and #4 so I've developed a couple more sketches based on her comments about what she liked about each of the designs. Here are designs # 5 and #6.

I went into my inventory of neckties (I have way too many!) and found some suitable greens, browns and blue-greens to augment Kimiko's collection. Most of the neckties are still from her father, and the brown and blue silk kimonos are from her mother's family. The cords that you see spiralling on top of the materials are from another family member and I think they're the cording--kumihimo--used in tying an obi.

Another design element in this stole will be the crane at centre back. This wonderful piece of metallic thread embroidery is on one of the kimono.
I had hoped to have this stole finished by the time I leave for Vancouver next Tuesday, however I don't want to rush--I have a myriad of other projects and volunteer commitments on my plate.

Okanagan Knitting Retreat...optional Friday workshops

New this year is a day of workshops prior to the retreat. Paulette Lane (of PLANE Images) will be leading "It's all in the details", a reprise of a workshop from the retreat of 2009. The orange eyelet strip is a photo of an eyelet cast-on
which is a great way of starting a feather and fan pattern

Next is the Punta cast-on which comes to us from Peru. Another great way of casting on!

And finally, a picot cast-off with a garter stitch edge. All of these treatments are applicable to garments, whether it be a sweater, socks, vest or....

It's the details which can catapult a garment from the "home made with loving hands" category to the "designer" category! Simply changing a pattern from a ribbing to one of these edges and you've become a designer. Join us at the 13th annual Okanagan Knitting Retreat--download the brochure on my website at http://www.janetarmstrong.com/

Another Liturgical Stole...

I've been commissioned by Kimiko Karpoff's family to create a stole celebrating her graduation as a deacon in May 2011. I met with Kimiko and her mother Lily last summer at Naramata to review the materials...a brown silk haori and a blue silk kimono which had both belonged to family members, and a selection of Lily's husband's neckties (reds and blues). I pulled these materials out of the bag last week and sorted them into their colour families.




These colours make me think of earth and water, or fire and water.




Given Kimiko's Japanese heritage it made sense to check Designer's Guide to Japanese Patterns, Book 2 by Jeanne Allen for wave and water patterns:








Getting my coloured pencils out, I then played around with some ideas...

Which one do you prefer? Double click any image to make it bigger!