J is for ?

J is for Jean Greenhowe, that wonderful toy pattern designer! She has a free patterns page, and these cute chocolate-egg covers are one of them! I love her patterns, have purchased some on the internet, and I'd really like to knit her nativity set.

Alphabet blogging can be a challenge at times. Here is a good example: what the heck do you say about knitting that starts with a 'J'?!

So I have a couple of go-to research assets I use when I get stumped. I go on Ravelry and search groups that start with J, or patterns, or yarn names...that's a pretty up-to-date reference for what's out there.

And I peruse my "Principles of Knitting" by June Hemmens Hiatt. Unfortunately, this time, the only thing there is "joinery" which is a fancy way of lumping all methods of joining to a previous knit edge or joining 2 pieces together. Kinda un-inspiring, and really involves too many techniques to list in a blog post. So, onward to Ravelry!

But first, jackets. I think I mentioned previously that I love jackets! In addition to "A Jacket Called Horse", and Meinstein (aka 'My Einstein' Jacket for those who don't know), there are so many jackets I desire, I'd make them all if I could live to be 300 years old. I guess I'm just gonna have to be picky what I make =)

J is for Japanese knitting! I'm a big fan of Japanese patterns, I purchased a few books from YesAsia, and have yet to knit any of them. But I KNOW that if I only get around to knitting one of them, it will be the Acorn and Oak design called 'Herbstlied'. Even if I only knit a swatch of that pattern. Love it!

Here is a great blog to help knit Japanese patterns! This is for poor slobs like me who cannot read Japanese. You can find help with translations and the photos of WIPs and FOs are amazing. They have links to help you purchase the difficult to attain pattern books. (I know, I'm enabling you...)

Also, there is another blog called "Crossed in Translation" that highlights the Am Kamin sweater pattern published in a Japanese pattern book, and offers translation advice. This blog is no longer active that I can see, but has loads of great advice for some patterns.

There are also groups in Rav that are all about Japanese knitting!

There is a pattern that Barbara G Walker called Japanese feather & fan: Izzyknits made up a beautiful crescent shawl pattern in this lace, and it is available as a Ravelry download. See her blog about it here--very pretty!

There are links to Japanese Kanji charts at KodyMayKnits! She has charted a lot of the kanji symbols, such as the happiness symbol here.