I was at the SCA event today and did my very first braid. It went well and really looks nice. I was so sad when I got to the end of the thread on the bobbins because I was having so much fun making the braid. I have only a little more to go before I have this braid completed.

I got a lot of compliments on both the Maru Dai and on the braid. Wood and bobbins from Michaels, pole, base, glue, and sand paper from Lowes.

I honestly didn't get any knitting done because I was working on the braid but, I was asked to teach a beginner's knitting class at one of the upcoming SCA events. That will be interesting as I've never done anything like that before. I would have a lot of prep work to do since people like handouts at these classes as well as hands on instruction. Just something to think about!

How many different craft type things are you working on?

This is the first picture of the Maru Dai that I have been working on. The base it an 8.5 inch disc and the top is a 7 inch disc even though they actually look the same in the picture. The dark gray disc you see on the base is a PVC flat plate. There is a matching one under the mirror.

The two flat plates are off-set so it might look a bit weird but, due to the shape of the plates. The center hole of the plates need to be used for the pole which also are PVC.

The plates are superglued to the base and the mirror.

The plate under the mirror actually covered part of the center hole. Thanks to the ever handy Dremel tool and the correct bit, I was able to remove that part of the PVC plate.

The pole is extremely variable in height. This picture shows just one 12 inch length. With the base and mirror, the total height is 14.5 inches.

This picture shows the second 12 inch length with the connector. The overall height of this one is 26 inches and works well with my computer desk chair since it is rather high. The angle of the picture sure makes it look spindly and unstable but it's not. It's pretty darned sturdy.

PVC pipe comes in lengths from something like 3 inches on up. I'm thinking of getting a 9 inch and maybe a 6 or 3 inch piece so I'll be able to have a comfortable height no matter which height chair I'm sitting in.

The other thing... with the flat base and single pole, I'm able to tuck the base under my legs with the pole between them while sitting and I can relax back in my chair and have the Maru Dai at a comfortable height directly over my lap so I don't have to stretch to reach it.

Once I get a braid started on the Maru Dai I should have another picture to share. Tonight's job is to do more sanding on the mirror to make it smoother. Current sandpaper is 320 grit and next will be 600 grit.

I also made my Tama out of the PVC connectors and endcaps. They each weigh 45gram empty. It will be interesting to see how they work. I was thinking of using the bolts but worried about the metal clanging... though they might actually be the next Tama I make just for the smaller size.

All total, the current Maru Dai and Tama have cost me $26.

On the Knitting front! . . . Yes, I have done a bit of knitting. The Purple sweater is moving right along and I'm almost to the beginning of the arm hole shaping. I still need to get 1-2 more balls of the yarn but I'm definitely having problems finding the same dye lot.

After learning how to use the Maru Dai, I want to learn Inkle weaving and card weaving. hehehe in my spare time....

Kumihimo is the ancient art of Japanese braidmaking. I'm getting ready to teach myself how to use a maru dai to make a round braid. I figured I had better start on something as simple as possible.

This is a picture of my homemade maru dai. Actually, this is just the top of the whole setup but it's all that I have made so far. Since I'm just a beginner, I figured I would just get buy with very simple equipment. I still need to make the bobbins that the thread is wrapped around. I still need to work on a stand to put the disc on but this is a pretty good start.

With being a beginner, I put some simple notches around the outer edge to help me get used to handling the threads. The center isn't totally round because I made it with a dremel drill. Talk about a handy tool. I borrowed a friends and it did the job. Yup, that is a little nick you see.... my hand was getting tired holding the dremel and it slipped. The top is still nice and smooth as is the center and all the notches around the outer edge.

On the knitting front, here is more of my Purple Gatsby sweater. I need to find someone who has 2 more balls of this yarn... Katia Gatsby in color 23, dyelot 56586. I think of it as purple though I have seen the color listed as Lapis. The silver thread really makes the yarn sparkle.

Does anyone out there have any of this yarn they would like to part with?

I love Purple. It's one of my favorite colors!

I couldn't resist this yarn when I saw it in the LYS. They hate it there... not because it's purple or that it doesn't knit up really nicely but because it S L I T H E R S. LOLOL You pick up one ball on the shelf and 4 others fall off. You walk by the shelf and 2 balls will fall off. You pick up a ball and the band pops off and at least 10 wraps of the yarn slide off the ball.

This is Katia's Gatsby. I'm using the purple with a metallic silver thread through it. The pattern is Angell St. from Berroco.

The Teal Tank is almost done. I have about 15 more rows till I cast off then... uuurrrggghhh, I have to weave in all the ends. Next I'll have to block it, then sew the front and back together and do the finish stitches around the neck and arm holes and it will be done.

::sigh:: Tomorrow is Monday.... less knitting time. What is your week going to be like?

No pictures of the Teal Tanktop today since the back is rather ordinary in shaping. I have about 3-4 inches left of the front before starting the arm hole and neck shaping... hurray... the weather will still be warm enough to wear it when I'm done, I'm sure.

Here is another recent purchase. Mountain Colors Sock yarn in Huckleberry. Superwash wool, Mohair and Nylon and very soft. The color is yummy.

I ordered the yarn for the one and only MidWinter present that I have thought of to make. I have two more presents to make and I'm at a total loss as to what to make them this year. Last year, I made them gansey sweaters and hats. I don't think I have enough time to do anything that elaborate this year but I still can't think what to make. I did find out that the woman doesn't like the feel of wool against her skin so I need to think of something else to use or to use something that has very little wool in it. HHuummmm.

Any ideas for projects?? Have you started your holiday knitting already?

I couldn't resist. Berroco's Cotton Twist yarn in white, teal and berry colors. I hope to have enough for a short sleeved or sleeveless top even if I have to use white as the main color and then just use the berry and teal as stripes or whatever I decide. I love the colors together. Unfortunately, the teal color number 8306, lot 60593 seems to be discontinued. :( I bought the 3 skeins (and 3 of the berry) that my LYS had in that color. Only 85 yards per skein so the top I make with it just might wind up with the colors only on the front leaving the back solid white.

Yes, I know the yarn splits but then so have the last two that I have used and I have compensated for that by knitting slower and more carefully and things are working out just fine.

What do you all think about just using the color on the front of the top and leaving the back white?

Well, that is definitely an unhappy computer... and I would say that is what I looked like last night.

It all started off innocently with the keyboard not wanting to type. The mouse was fine (they are combined in one unit), so I decided to try an old back up keyboard that I had. Shut the computer down, connected the old keyboard... now I can type but the mouse doesn't work. HHuummmm, used the keyboard to get to the shut down window and, when I pressed enter, the computer didn't go into shut down mode, it just went off.... and refused to turn back on.

WAIL!!!!

Okay. Cables all checked and tight and in the right places... no surges since the UPS is working just fine and the alarm didn't go off... hhuummm... time to place a call to my friend who's SO is a computer guru.

To make a long story short, the computer booted just fine in the computer store. Diagnosis: possible power cable going bad, possibly the UPS wearing out, possibly the power supply wearing out, possibly the on/off switch wearing out (though I hardly ever use it), or........ GREMLINS!

I have no idea what was wrong and he doesn't either since my computer behaved for him. He did give me a brand new power cord for free and I'm using that so it might have been the problem.

Needless to say, no knitting got done last night and I was busy getting caught up with email and life stuff tonight after work....

I promise! I'll knit tomorrow!!!! Knitting withdrawals is almost as bad as going through computer withdrawals!