Today is Friday. Let me show you my usual afternoon.
After lunch, I go to BeauKnits in Cohoes, NY.
I have only 2 weeks in NY. So, I took picture with Barbara, the owner of BeauKnits and Pat, her partner.
Near future, I would like to open a knitting shop in Japan same with BeauKnits, and I want to name it BeauKnits Japan.
Barbara taught me many American custom, such as Easter, Chiristmas stocking, cooking, etc. I enjoied them.
Barbara made me a list what I should eat before my leaving U.S.A. Today was the fisrt day for eating the menu list, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich.
Cooking Lesson at Yarn Shop !
First : Tasting a peanut butter.
more ... "Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich"
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I have been spinning for 9 months.
I learned spinning from Debb. I enjoy spinning very much!
The many other pictures at Altamont Fair were uploaded in this Album Page. Please see both of them.
Debb is a member of the Guild of Fiber Arts.
The members of the Guild of Fiber Arts showed spinning, knitting and felt making at Altamont Fair.
They let me join with them. So, I showed spinnig with drop spindle there.
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I knitted this necklace from this pattern.
This necklace is leaf motif design.
I enjoy wearing this in Autum.
When leaves in your town changes color, this necklace will be great to wear.
more ... "Leaf Motif Necklace"
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I learned this scarf by Pat from BeauKnits.
So, I call this "Pat scarf".
This scarf is simple and easy. But pretty!
You can use summer yarn or handspun yarn or anything pretty yarn.
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I knitted this slippers from this pattern.
After I knitted them, they were felted.
Felted slippers are endurable and very warm!
Felted projects are cool!
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I knitted this lace shawl from this pattern written by Rebecca Hatcher.
I like this design very much. This lace shawl is convertible to shrug with putting buttons on or off.
It's neat!
I used the yarn that I bought at Green Mountain Spinnery. I like this color of yarn.
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I knitted this Teddy Bear from "The Knitted Teddy Bear" by Sandra Polley , page 33.
Just knit one piece and make up to bear's body. Easy and fun!
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I knitted this Teddy Bear from "The Knitted Teddy Bear" by Sandra Polley, page 27.
He has very flexible body. Maybe he is good at yoga.
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I knitted this Teddy bear from "The Knitted Teddy Bear" by Sandra Polley, page 77.
White bear dressed with rainbow color vest is pretty.
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I knitted this Sleepy Sam (Teddy Bear) from "The Knitted Teddy Bear" written by Sandra Polley, page 60 .
This bear is sleeping. I like his happy face.
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I bought this Teddy Bear at Vermont Teddy Bear Factory.
I like this Teddy Bear Factory very much! You should go there if you love Teddy Bear.
This bear looks like lady. So, I knitted a dress for her.
Isn't she cute?
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I bought this Teddy Bear at Build-A-Bear Workshop.
This Build A Bear style is new for me! It was fun to do it!
I heard that last year, this Teddy Bear Company came to Japan. And this bear is great vogue in Japan now.
But I have been living in NY since last summer. So, it was my first time to try it.
I knitted vest, hat, bag and bow for him. He is adorable!
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Debb came to my house and she showed me Kool-Aid dyeing.
Kool-Aid is drink powder. So, dyeing with Kool-Aid can be done in your kitchen.
It is neat technique to do.
You will learn more about Kool-Aid dyeing from these websites as follows.
http://www.bivens.ca/koolaid.htm
http://www.gaea-creations.com/koolaid.html
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Take a look at my adorable puppets!
I used the pattern from "Knit from the Heart:Quick Projects for Generous Giving" by Kristin Spurkland.
Making puppet is fun project!
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I like trying to knit with pattern all over the world.
It's challenging and fun to do.
I have knitted with American, Canadian pattern from internet.
British and Norwegian pattern from knitting magazine.
Of course, Japanese pattern from knitting books.
I found Rana Grossa website. It's German yarn company.
From this site, we can get free knitting pattern from Filati, which is German knitting magazine.
If you have any suggestion or advice about my knitting all over the world project, I will appreciate it.
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Now I learn American crafts as many as possible.
My friend Judie taught me Rug Braiding. It's popular American craft.
It was my first time to try rug making.
She showed me how to make round rug.
It is fun craft to do!
Then I made oval rug for homework.
It was wonderful lesson. Thank you very much, Judi!
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My friend, Heather made a knitting group in Troy, NY about 1 year ago.
They meet on 1st and 3rd Tuesday night.
Actually. I met Heather throgh this knitting group.
I had great time with her since last summer.
Knitters in this group are nice. We can get idea of knitting and have fun!
more ... "Knitting Group in Troy, NY"
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Let me introduce my favorite yarn shop.
I have lots of wonderful memory with BeauKnits in NY.
I spent most of my free time for knitting there during my staying in NY.
The owner of this yarn shop, Barbara and her partner, Pat are like my American family.
I learned lots of knitting and American crafts here.
They have a knitting group on every Friday night.
Great experienced knitters come to this knitting night.
We can ask them if we have any trouble with knitting.
Knitters at BeauKnits are friendly and kind. I met many nice people and made friends with them through this group.
I really appreciate that I join to this knitting group. I had great time there with them.
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I learned weaving at Spinning Room in Altamont.
It was beginner class. I leaned plain weaving and Log Cabin pattern.
In Japan, to learn weaving means to be professional. There are many people who weave as a hobby in USA.
It is more opened to people. I think this is good thing here.
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I made this teddy bear from "Knitted Teddy Bear" by Sandra Polley, page 57.
I put baby socks on him. He is well dressed, fashonable bear!
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I learned Japanese and European Flower Arrangement for six years.
I like flowers very much.
One of my favorite time is botanical lessons by Debb.
During drive, I find interesting flowers and ask her the names of them.
Sometimes we exchange names of flowers in English and Japanese.
When she drove me to Altamont in June, I found a bunch of lilac.
I have smelled lilac perfume. But I have never smelled fresh lilac.
So, she stopped car for me to smell them. The lilac smell were so good.
I learned that there is a flower calendar. You see same kind of flowers at one season.
But once the flower time is over, you never see it untill next year.
Each flowers has meaning. It is called Victrian Language of Flowers.
In Japan, we have our language of flowers, too.
And I realize that every coutry has their language of flowers.
Language of flowers from their shape or smell has same meaning in each country.
Language of flowers from religious or historical story has different meaning in each culture.
To study how flowers got their names, and folk tales with flowers are interesting.
I want to make the list of Language of Flowers in comparison with other countries.
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My friend, Debb took me to Vermont. The first purpose of this trip is to get my own drop spindle.
We went to Golding. Golding is a spindle maker of good reputation.
There were so many beautiful spindles. So, it was hard for me to select one of these.
I chose a spindle with sun flower design.
Debb bought it for me as a gift. It was so nice of her.
This beautiful spindle is treasure of mine and it will remind me of her!
Then she showed me interesting bridge. This bridge is typical architecture of New England.
To protect from snow and rain, this bridge has a roof.
Our next purpose is to visit yarn shops in Vermont.
We went to these yarn shops as follows.
Not Just Yarn I like this shop. People there are nice and friendly.
Green Montain Spinnery Color of yarn is great.
Margie's Muse Handweaving and Gallery
By chance we found Mary Meyer. It's a Teddy Bear company.
There are many adorable bears and stuffed animals in this shop. We can see how to make a Teddy Bear.
They exhibit their old Teddy Bears with their history.
I like to read Teddy Bear history.
Maybe you notice that I am Teddy Bear person from this blog name.
I really had great time on this trip with Debb.
Thank you very much, Debb!
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I like to knit teddy bears. Today I want to show you my new teddy bear.
This teddy bear pattern is written by Vivian. She is the author of Domino Knitting.
Domino knitting is neat technique to learn.
I used this free pattern.
This bear is easy to make. Just knit three garter stitch pieces and sew to make up bear's body.
It's great project for beginners who love Teddy Bear!
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