i love the light in the morning. I especially love not being to work before it kicks in so that i get to admire it at the kitchen table.

even the bears agree

Mary, of The Wool Palace, posted her new year’s resolution of making at least one item each month from a book or magazine in her collection from which she has never knit anything.

Wow, what a great idea!

So, being the eternal copycat that i am, i pulled out my magazines and books last night. Then, as i am trying to be realistic in my expectations and i am currently still finishing one of sop’s christmas presents ( the irregular rib raglan from loop-d-loop), i started to limit myself to small items for January. But i am already knitting a pair of socks (from Hand Jive’s Nature’s Pallete yarn – yum!) and well, they are not really speeding along. Just as i was about to get overwhelmed with my lameness, i pulled out Interweave’s Fall 2005 and looked at the article on shibori.

So, in January of 2006, i am going to make a something in the shibori technique while using some noro kureyon from my stash. I am thinking either a scarf or a bag. Guess i’ll know when i start…

thursday night i declared the kumihimo braid officially long enough! Then friday night i added a bit more, just in case. Glued and wrapped the ends, after running to the library to get a better description than “wrap the ends in the traditional fashion” and fabric-glued the end-threads. (I didn’t really find a better description by the way, it is probably just my own insecurity that made this a daunting task). Saturday, sop attached the end clamps with E6000 glue and sunday night the necklace went out on the town.

ring-side seats

the braid will most likely stretch from the weigh of the platinum ring, so i have an extra clasp set for that time, when i will re-wrap the ends at the correct length and cut off the remainder.

rear-view

i’m also looking forward to re-doing the clasp. i am not quite happy with the plentitude of residual glue.

If you are looking into kumihimo, i made this braid using the plate and disk book and disk available from braidershand. Janis is extremely helpful and knowledgeable and i would definitely recommend braidershand as a resource and supplier. I will probably make a few more braids on the plate and disk before i contemplate purchasing a marudai, but i really enjoyed making this braid once i got the trials (and HUGE errors) done.