OLGAJAZZY

Most of you know by or have read earlier that me and amazing photographer and graphic designer Vanessa Yap-Einbund/coloursknits with a contribution from Kirsten Johnstone have been working for the past and this year on a publication. Which is a book, a digital and printed one. After obscene amount of work that we shared I must admit, producing a book is not an easy job at all. It is very demanding and very meticulous. Hours and hours of discussing the details, then actually arranging them, making them, producing, writing, editing, marketing and a million of other things to go with it. I would like to confess that I have learnt so much from this experience thus far. Sometimes it came at the cost of spending less time with loved ones and friends, but they all turned out being very understanding and helpful, for which I am deeply appreciative and thankful.

Last week we have started sending out the first installment of the digital book. We have named our first chapter – Practical geometry. Here is a short preview of the garments. There is much more to follow, that reminds me that I need to go back to work right now and leave you with these to ponder. Please let us know your thoughts.

We have also started Ori Ami Knits group on Ravelry. (You need to be a Ravelry member to log in).

If you are interested in subscribing to the book and have questions please go here.
Remember it is a limited edition publication and we have been taking subscriptions since October 2009. So you may want to hurry to reserve your copy today. =)

We do offer wholesale as well, please email info@oriamknits.com for a wholesale package.

photo copyright © 2010 Ori Ami Knits

Review by Laura of Newedist is here

I have been holding off some exciting news and they just started piling up, so I guess I can start spilling some of the most exciting ones. This winter an “idiot’s dream” is coming true and our household of hubby and the cat is moving to Japan for the next 3 years!!!
I know excitement was just pouring out of me, having moved overseas before, I am looking forward, but this time only a bit worried for not knowing any language [yet!]. We are going to be only hour or so away from Tokyo and very close to Mount Fuji. Japan is one of the countries that has always been a mystery to me. The ways of people, their culture, technology, fashion – all that inspiration! I can’t wait to start exploring and sharing with you!
My longest fascination with Habu Textile fibers will be in heaven and now I would be able to visit [mother company] Avril and drool all over that yumminess!!!

On the other exciting news…

For the past 6 months I have been actively working on a project along with Vanessa Yap-Einbund known as coloursknits. Earlier this month with the help of our friends we launched the website and are really to tell the World all about it! Ori Ami Knits is a book that has 15 designs knit entirely out of Habu Textile fibers, beautifully photographed by Vanessa in northern California. There is a significant amount of innovation in this book and I can’t wait for all of you to see it! For information on how to get the book please subscribe on the website.

And to top all these news, Fibre Space, a yarn shop here in Alexandria, VA is hosting us, both authors on November 5, 6-9pm for an exclusive book preview! If you are in the area come see and try on all garments as well as enjoy our company and delicious refreshments!

I wish I had time to watch tv , but when I did have it I certainly was sucked into the America’s Next Top Model show to see what real hardships are for someone to become a model and not just to have a pretty face and be tall!

I just saw over the Interweave knits facebook that an amateur model that was modeling for the magazine and happen to be also one modeling my Petal Halter design back in Spring 2009 issue! I am so happy for Jennifer, so no I need time to watch it and root for the model who did such an amazing job before!

With this also came a realization that I actually didn’t get to blog about this design of mine more extensively. It has been my first for Interweave Knits and coincidental on some part. It has been knit within a week and yarn choices where 1 out of 3 and at the very last minute everything was late on my behalf as this took place last year during the hardest times in my life. Nowadays I look back and think to myself, I wasn’t entirely there… or was I so into work that actually helped me cope.
But this outcome proves that working under pressure and when you are sometimes not happy with the other emotional part of your life it was entirely worthy being invested in a project.

Petal Halter has been inspired just from a sneak of a quilted sewn couture piece, that was very distant from my knit interpretation, but yet it triggered the right ideas and execution methods were well on the way to be figured out…

I am very thankful to Eunny Jang and Lisa Shroyer who dealt with me during that time to this garment happen and make it on the pages of IK. With each experience, you learn more and more!

And Here are some links to Knitting Daily website where Eunny was kind enough to put a workshop on the Petal halter and show different possibilities for a wearer.

As recently as June I have finished my Petal halter in grey that I wear a lot this summer ! And it is great to see how same garment looks different in a different shade!
Happy knitting!

And yet again Jennifer has done amazing job!
ANTM starts September 7.

First, I need to thank all of my readers and supporters, I am so happy you loved Grecian top! I must admit one of mine is going to live with my mother, who is actually very hard to impress, but she loved it so! So now all need to get to knitting as I can’t wait to see more of them knit up in the wild! Now onto a new adventure!

Trifecta Scarf – I think this was a project I was pushing through my holidays. Knitting it everywhere I went, even on that darn Red Line (I was once stuck for an hour and a half underground!) but having a blast at this stitch pattern!

I was told more detailed photos of the scarf will be posted shortly on the Spud & Chloe website.

But here is my swatch so you can see the details. It is in the different yarn that the original sample was made and is just scanned in the photo below. You can also make it into a shawl if desired, just add more of those repeats.

This line is utterly amazing, all is machine washable and oh soooo soft! I want to thank Sylvia who offered this amazing opportunity to work with this yarn and the company!
So in gratitude to all this I want to announce a little giveaway!

Spud & Chloe Fine yarn enough to make Trifecta scarf in the colors of the original sample as well as the printed pattern for it!
This yarn is 80% superwash merino and 20% silk. Yummm!

I can’t wait to see someone knit this up and have full Spud & Chloe experience. I missed TNNA this June, but I heard that their display was one of the most creative in the show.. so sorry to have missed it, but caught a glimpse on it on various blogs.

In fact, I want to continue working with this yarn, even though it is fine and tiny needle eat up your time, but it is so much fun, that it doesn’t even matter!

So in order to get your crafty hands on this, please leave me a comment by midnight, 26 June, Friday (linked to your blog or your Ravelry name) so I would have a way of contacting you. Then will determine a winner out of a hat!

A while back, almost 2 years now I think, I have finished this top I made out of Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, it was a designing attempt for something summery, simple, but enough detail and flair to be interesting. At that time I didn’t happen to take any notes on the process and it was when a whole lot of knitters started requesting this pattern. I tried to resize it from what I had to work with and last month I actually bit the bullet and have re-knit the whole top from a different yarn, but having learnt so much more since way back when the original was created, the pattern turned out quite pleasing!

And now I am so proud to present Grecian top [Ravelry link] to all of you, readers, knitters and lurkers 😀

For those of you who may find doing applied cable edging a challenge, I have updated the tutorial on it! So it would be easier to knit through thinking that you have some back support. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to email me to address on the sidebar.


I want to thank all of knitters who encouraged me and never stopped bugging me for the pattern! It has been nominated for Official Sexy Knitters Club KAL a while back, hopefully you are still passionate about this project!

Non-Ravelry members can purchase this through buttons below

I want to share a great joy of mine, of being published in Interweave Knits magazine, this is my second design for them and I am really pleased how it turned out. I want to publicly thank Eunny Jang and Lisa Shroyer for dealing with my difficult situation at a time to have this out of me. This experience was utterly amazing, because I took so much from it, being challenged to be presented with a wonderful opportunity at the most complex time of your life is something indescribable, but this is what you call life . As trying to motivate yourself regardless that things that needed to be done and testing self-discipline no matter what. I didn’t come out all bright and shiny, some tasks failed, some I persevered through. And here you can see the outcome. I am going to write more about Petal Halter with a tutorial later. But for now, I give you Akomeogi Tunic, which in translation from Japanese means “folding fan”. To be honest, I had the sketch and yarn for this garment since June 2007. But what all of you get to see in a finished project is a bit processed from this original sketch.

And here it is, photoshoot from Interweave Knits Summer 2009. I am so grateful to the editors and stylists and the photographer who took so many details pictures.

photo courtesy of Interweave Knits website

And yesterday, as Knitting Daily presented their galleries, I saw it being modeled by many different ladies: ages and figure and ease.
So head over there and make a judgement for yourself.

On a personal note, I learnt that I enjoyed working with linen yarn to such extent that I have acquired a new object of desire. Linen in all kinds and weights. It is perfect for sticky and changeable DC summers. This particular design reflects my taste and my desire for knitwear to carry, some are very wearable and plain, but some boutique pieces that retail for hundreds and hundreds with an oomph to them, the unusual that every woman has and yet to express it. I love expressing mine through what I wear, this is not just a cloth to cover yourself, but also reflect on how you feel. I love fashion and everything about it, it is again a theatre, just a medium for others to percept your real self.

And now, I remember I have Louet and Lin-net linen to play with, hmmm! Possibilities are tasteful!

Karida Collins and Libby Bruce, who I met upon moving to VA, over a year ago they offered me to contribute to this fun book they were putting together. It is all about social knitting. Read: knitting in a restaurant or a bar. Book is not only filled with knitting projects but also tons of advice and tips on such occasions, like which drinks would stain and what are necessary projects to keep in your notions bag. And it is just a fun read!

Front

Back

Haramaki Belt warmer came as this universal garment ( and yes many who know me, I am all about versatility). Actually, Haramaki is a part of a samurai attire that would protect the wearer as it would be stuffed with iron. Not much related to that, but more common use was to keep warm as in Japanese culture is thought that heat is concentrated around your belly area, so keeping it warm would make entire body stay warm. Recently, they have made a comeback in fleece and I have decided to give my own take on it. Can be worn as a wide belt or corset like garment, or pulled down to keep your hips warm, it is suggested to be worn on top of your clothes [on top of jeans/pants , under jacket] and fun pattern makes it a cool accessory. When I got the it back, I tried it again and pulled it up and Laura suggested it as a boob tube for those who can pull it off or even easier one – a cowl. It all worked great! To me, simple tube and mission on versatility accomplished.

Last week, Knit Happens held a Authors’ Book Signing Party where Holly, Karida and I were signing our patterns in the book (and also most of the contributors are local from around DC area). That was such a fun evening with many delicious cupcakes and even whiskey to boot! (eek!) I want to thank everyone who stopped by and said hello or got a copy! Happy knitting and Socializing (this time i spelled it right) 😉

Rest of pics of the event here.

It may be still summer, but already August, it will be cooling down here in no matter of time… Last spring I had a terrific experience working with Pear Tree Yarns for a design of this slouch hat. I know the colors of it reminiscent my Palisel Hat, but when Sue (of PTY) saw it she was thrilled and wanted me to design one of a kind with their yarns.
You see a hat, but this project is filled with techniques used: Intarsia, Various textures, short-rows, Kitchener stitch, picking up stitches, working in around. We, knitters, all come in different categories and learn those techniques on various occasions and a small project like this can be pretty rewarding.

Pattern Information
Skill Level
Intermediate

Pattern Information
Sizes Small (Large)
To fit head size: 20 (22)”
Finished hat circumference: 18.5 (21.75)”
Finished hat length including brim: 12.75″

Yarn
1 skein Pear Tree 4 ply Merino Yarn (100% merino wool; 215 yds per 100 g skein) in Sienna
1 skein Pear Tree 4 ply Shades of Alpaca Yarn (50% merino, 50% alpaca; 215 yds per 100 g skein) in Sand
1 skein Pear Tree 4 ply Shades of Alpaca Yarn (50% merino, 50% alpaca; 215 yds per 100 g skein) in Clay

Needles
Size 6 (4 mm) straight needles
Size 6 (4 mm) circular needle (16″ long) or dpn

Other Materials
darning needle
scrap yarn
stitch markers

Gauge
22 sts and 36 rows in 4″ over St st

Price: USD 6.00
Pattern is a .pdf format file, 2 pages

Purchase via Ravelry

You can find more pictures through here

I want to express special thanks to my photographer and layout designer, fellow friend and a blogger Vanessa Yap/coloursknits for her help as well as Alexandria Virgiel for tech editing the pattern and Pear tree yarns for their fabulous yarns!

Sue, the owner of Pear Tree Yarn company has a store in Torquay, Australia, where her company has started out from. I hope this would be one of my point of destinations if I ever go to visit Oz!
My flickr and Habu partner in crime, Kirsten of assemblage blog fame, has got these pictures for me when she was visiting that area last! Thank you!
So here is the store itself… regardless the size, I must assure you, their yarns are just fabulously soft and pleasure to work with!

As Sue has explained to me, the mill that produces their yarns is using old type of machinery and that is why their yarns come with a handspun look. Here is a wall of heaven!

A new pattern for a scarf, very simple, but I have gotten some requests for row and stripe count, so here is a pattern for those interested. Enjoy!

Download Here via Ravelry