kitty: Food for thought

Photo captured from CNN news cast - China's famed Pearl River under denim threat

While working last night, I caught this news piece on CNN International. It really gave me a lot of pause. Though I have never been blind to the hazards of chemicals and dyes used in the textile industry seeing this aerial view of the Pearl River really horrified me. Then they were showing shots of what few fish were still left in the river and the colours they had become from all the textile and large industry. Maybe we should all think a minute before throwing out that perfectly good pair of jeans for updated looks. In this throw away society I think we all forget about what we are doing to the world. Or maybe just take a minute and watch the video. Or look at the news about China's sandstorms that are hitting even Japan and South Korea caused by the Cashmere industry. OK Stepping off my soap box now.... Knitting content to return

kitty: Sakura... Sakura... Sakura... Sakura Textured Shawl Recipe

Sakura... Sakura... Sakura Textured Shawl (The flower in the photo is actually a plum. My Sakura trees are in bud still.)

Pattern: Textured shawl recipe Fiber:Avril 1ply Silk and Wool Colour: Sakura Leaves Dyed by: Barefoot Shepherdess

Last year MG gave me two bundles of amazing fiber to spin for my birthday that had been dyed with the leaves of a Sakura. I absolutely fell in love with the colour and thought it was one of the pretties colours I had ever seen. So MG let me know whom she had ordered the fiber from and I went to check out her etsy store, Barefoot Shepherdess. (blog - etsy) I immediately ordered almost all the rest of the sakura roving and a hank of her yarn. I had wanted to make a shawl for a friend's birthday and thought it would be perfect. Even though I have had the yarn for a long time I still was sadly a month late getting her, her shawl. Sorry Vanessa, I feel really bad about it being late. It arrived yesterday so I can post photos finally.

(Playing with Custom Filters)

It is another version of the Textured Shawl Recipe. I went through all the patterns that she faved on ravelry and this was one of the ones on her list. :) Textured Shawl recipe remains one of my favorite patterns; I think this is version 4 that I have knitted in the past 12 months. Though I think I should probably find another pattern to make.

kitty: Pull Kimono #012-T8-484 by Phildar Design Team

Dear Phildar, I love your smart designs, your appreciation for the fact that women come in all sizes/shapes and if we choose to wear them no matter our size that the pattern size is available. (Unlike Vogue knitting who tells us what they think we should wear. I have chosen to boycott them, and will no longer give them my money after one of the responses to a letter they printed.) But....

Really, your construction at times leaves a lot to be desired and your yardage should definitely be checked. Pull Kimono #012-T8-484 by Phildar Design Team has been off the needles for a long time, but seaming it up just seemed so daunting.

The body is finally sewn together, but I have another 103 ends left to weave in. Or not, I may get the sewing machine out and just stitch the waist band ones several time and just cut the ends off or create a placket to hide them. So other than ends and the cuffs the sweater finally looks like a sweater vs 4 pieces gathering dust beside my bed.

Phildar in the future, please come up with something a little easier for your construction. This sweater is going back to my nightstand until I think I can face all the ends again. Sincerely, Kitty Kitty