kitty: Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

kitty: Hand Center Saves Monster

A friend filmed this for a local hospital, but I can not stop laughing. Please check out the video, "Hand Center saves Monster." Happy Halloween!!!

kitty: Happy Beggars Night

Photo of this year's anime inspired pumpkin taken by M.

Happy Halloween!! It is the best holiday of the year.

kitty: Issey Miyake to receive Japan's Order of Culture honor by the Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace

I feel like I am really going to date myself here, but I remember back to when I was a young kid on Saturday morning I had a date to watch Style with Elsa Klensch on CNN at 10:30 est. I wish the show was still on, I miss not getting my Saturday morning fashion fix. At that point in my life it was the best introduction I had to world of designers and couture. I quickly developed my favorites, some have passed away, others have declared bankruptcy, and a few have survived. There was always one designer that truly stood out and always fascinated me to no end, Issey Mikaye. I would spend hours trying to figure out the construction in my mind. Wondering how the shapes were even humanly possible to create. This November 3, marks a momentous event in Issey Mikaye career. He will receive Japan's Order of Culture honor by the Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace. I can not think of a designer that deserves it more for all that he has accomplished during his career. Words from the master to WWD..... "I see this decoration as a form of encouragement to all the people with whom I work," Miyake tells WWD. "This includes not only our young designers but also those in the textile industry: spinners, weavers, knitters and dyers all of whom are still managing to create things of beauty and quality despite very difficult economic and manufacturing conditions in [Japan]." (Vogue.com)

kitty: wonders of fiber - Wisteria Yarn / Fujifu Fabric

One of the reason that I have been totally obsessed with Habu yarns is the use of unusual fibers and the hand spun quality of so many of there yarns. When thinking about it thought, it is more the use of from what seems like to a westerner such unusual fibers. Over the weekend Sri Threads posted about a fiber that I had never heard of so I really want to do some more research about it. Here is at least a quick look see what I came up with through google.
丹後藤布　Tangofujifu　Tango Fujifu (Tango Wisteria Cloth) nippon-kichi	A Work Coat Woven from Wisteria Yarn Sir Threads
Wisteria Yarn / Fujifu Fabric From the Tango region of Japan, yarn spun from the vines of wisterias.

kitty: New FO for the week - Foggy Hat

Name: Foggy Hat Designer: Olga Buraya-Kefelian Pattern : Ravelry - Click Here for Pattern

Need a quick 2 hour knitted gift item, nothing better than Olga Buraya-Kefelian's new hat pattern. I originally bought this pattern because I wanted something to sit and knit while I was on lengthy conference calls or to through in my purse, but sadly it was done before I knew it. Such a cute quick pattern!! Update: I am so excited. MG may be taking my foggy hat to keep her head warm. :) Happy Dance

I think it looks like a sea urchin when setting on the table.

kitty: FO for the week... Razor Back Turtle Shawl

Name: Razor Back Turtle Shawl Designer: Priscilla Meredith Fibers: limited edition merino/bamboo by Madelintosh Needles: 3mm
Razor Back Turtle Shawl was started around the time of the BP oil spill in the gulf. I was really moved by the photos and tragedy that we were seeing on the news each night. Hate to say it, I don't think we will know the impact of the spill for many years to come. I don't believe a word they are saying about the clean up and I certainly don't believe the seafood is safe to eat. But that rant is for another day. The yarn I chose reminds me of the colour of the ocean. The subtle blue variations of the yarn really evoke water to me. When I started working on the design I had the design goal of trying to solve a shawl problem a lot of Rubenesque girls face. If it is long enough to wrap in the front, it is going to be far to long in the back. And if it is the right length in the back, it is far to short to fold in the front. So I constructed a shawl that would expand faster than it would lengthen the point. The resulting edge ended up reminding me of a razor back turtle that we all saw on the news covered in oil. So the shawl is dedicated to all the animals who tragically have lost there lives in the gulf due to incompetence of man.