Self Felting Mayfly

Again, sorry for my absence, the big holidays are still going on and I am fully occupied with... oh, you mothers out there know what it's like when the children are around all day.
I saw so many  postings of you via Bloglines I felt I had to comment on  but  am still waiting for the day I am not torn between actually doing so and crafting, in which case crafting mostly wins, so I remain mute for most of the times... sorry, really sorry for that!

Here, because it is just past midnight which means even after writing this posting there will still be some time be left for  making first  contact with what is in here, my report of what's been happening craft wise in the meantime:

[Insert here a carefully written, long post about me knitting my first Hourglass Sweater, following the pattern in this book, aiming for a fitted garment and actually ending up with a piece very close to what I pictured. Finding it a very nice pattern, easy to follow  and modify - I added about two repeats to the yoke for a higher neckline. Discovering the blessing of stitch markers (no, they are not of decorative nature as I always implied, not at all!),  getting acquainted  with the Kitchener Stitch, enjoying knitting in the round (no seams!!!) with long circulars, doubting that anybody actually can knit with 30 cm circulars... being covered with mo-hairs all over because the yarn (Diasilkombrer, Japanese yarn, 70% wool, 20% silk, 10% mohair) is generously giving away lots of those while being knitted up... me taking showers to get rid of those hairs in between - not liking air conditioned rooms in Japanese summers means heavily sweating at 34 degrees Celsius / 92 degrees Fahrenheit (at night!), getting sticky, being covered with a thin layer of mohair all the time...

Oh, and there was the discovery of the highly developed inclination of the used yarn to  get felted, almost by the pure look at it. I found out about that when I had to carefully separate the threads from each other when I wanted to weave in the loose ends...

And there was the story of how my teapot inspired me to make a pinnacle cozy and why I hope my Hourglass Sweater will stay with me some time before it auto felts itself into a tiny, unwearable piece... but in the end the point of the whole affair might simply have been to finally find that perfect yarn to make a Buttonhole Bag anyway... who knows]

But what ever I have been writing, it was eaten by whomever.

The post is gone, my time, too, I have to go to bed now there will be no crafting this night, I had to take a really deep breath and thought for a brief moment of rewriting that posting but I couldn't. A long posting that has been vanishing (yes, I forgot to save it as a draft) is just too frustrating.

I will  leave you with some photos of the finished sweater which has, by the way, already survived being washed for the first time -  wanted to see if I could  get rid of some loose mo-hairs and am happy that it worked!

 

Hope you are all well!

I will be back next week, with more time, and something crocheted for my neck, and hopefully the declaration that my craft room has been taken care of and is ready to let me in to finally sew something again!

Till then!

Take care.

Edit: The data...

Pattern: Hourglass Sweater, Last Minute Knitted Gifts , second smallest size
Yarn: Diasilkombrer (Diamondo, diakeito.co.jp), col. 509, 70% wool, 20% silk, 10% mohair, 238 g
Needles: Clover, circular/bamboo/Japanese size 8, 4.5 mm (recommended for the yarn: 5-6 / 3.6-3.9)
Started: August 12, 2007
Finished: August 26, 2007

Comments

[anna]

Beautiful sweater!

[sarah]

wow. I found your blog after seeing your fantastic owls in Eireann's one-in-ten auction, and I'm so in love with your work here! This sweater - colour, striation, style - is so incredibly beautiful. I'm envious! (but not of your weather. I start whining when it gets over 70 at night. My sympathies!)

[Marie-Louise]

That sweater is just beatifull. I love the colours of the yarn. It sure was good that it survived the first wash.

[Anina]

Lovely post. Even lovelier sweater. Wash it carefully.

[Karen à Toronto]

what a beauty !
I told you you wouldn't be disappointed with the Hour Glass Sweater.
the yarn you have chosen is gorgeous (too bad if you have mohair in your nose when you wear it...put the sweater in the freeze ;o) )

[janet clare]

That is a beautiful garment - and looks impeccably knitted too! lovely seams.

[Francesca]

Your sweater turned out absolutely beautiful.

[Sasha]

What a beautiful sweater!

[erin]

The sweater is simply beautiful and the neckline fits just so :)

[knittingnurse]

Amazing sweater AND photography. Lovely all around.

[mary db]

Reading your account reminded me of my first ever (hopefully not last) visit to Tokyo Aug 1-12 this year. Terrific, and terrific heat. So much to see! I wish I had more Japanese so that I could do more of the knitting and crocheting that I saw in Okadaya. Your sweater has the nicest variegated color I have seen.

[tiennie]

This is beautiful! I love the colourway and the neckline!

[Oiyi]

It's stunning! You did a great job. I love the colorway.

[katrin]

so schön, du "strickanfänger"!
an meinem pulli häng ich nun schon fast zwei wochen, aber noch ist kein ende in sicht...

[Zelia]

The sweater is so beautiful!
congrats!

[Susi]

Hi Alex,
der Pulli ist toll geworden,
ich möchte auch einen!
Lieben Gruss Susi;-)))

[nicole]

That's got to be one of the nicest hourglass sweaters out there. The subtle colours, the delicate striping, the way it fits... It's simply gorgeous.

[danielle]

Oh my gosh! That is stunning. I love the way the colors move, it's not too abrupt, and not so subtle that you don't notice them. Congratulations on pairing the yarn with such a great pattern. It looks wonderful on you!

[Péitseoga]

hiya, that is a beautiful hourglass sweater (or jumper as we call them over here). i have that book, too, i probably bought it because of that jumper! i haven't dared starting on it, yet. it's quite an investment and i'm not sure if i'd have the patience. what size is yours (don't mean to pry) and how much yarn did you use? i read before that the amounts listed in the book weren't quite enough for a lot of people! i have a long body and very long arms so i'll have to buy extra anyways, i just wonder how much extra... glad to hear that it was easily customisable! the wool you used is lovely, i'm not sure if i could deal with mohair though i have kind of sensitive skin...

[rebecca]

i think yours is the loveliest hourglass sweaters i've seen. it looks like it fits you perfectly. good show!

[dorie]

Your sweater really came out beautifully!

[Robyn]

It turned out beautifully!

[samantha]

it turned out beautifully. I like the extra rows in the neckline, and the yarn looks superb even if it has been giving you grief. as usual your photos are wonderful.

[Suzanne]

I love the sweater. It's really quite lovely and the colour is just so beautiful. Well done!!

[Hege]

Beautiful colours on the sweater!