Knitted Tawashi?

 

Toria from Unfinished Business commented on yesterdays post that one can do much more with crochet than knitting as far as dish clothes. This is partly true. I think that if one can decipher Japanese knitted charts though, there are some good ideas out there. I can’t quite decipher the knitting but am trying to work on that right now.

Its not that its rocket science but it requires some persistent research which entails sifting through countless Japanese websites. The way I learned is this: First visit site. Next, find the downloads. Download document. Go back to site. Find the recommended yarn icon and the recommended needle/hook one. Click. Do a search on the yarn to get better photos. Do a search to find the American equivelent of the needle/hook size (they differ).  Visit Tawashi Town on ravelry to see if there is a discussion on yarn. Do more research.  Find comparable weight American yarn. Find hook. Print chart. Go back to site to find photo again. Read chart. Find important symbols and their meaning. Translate to American (English, French, whatever system you use)  equivelants if you don’t know this already. Proceed as usual.

To do this with knitting would be easy enough:) I’m doing it anyway after all.  I just haven’t because when I see Japanese knitting charts, it makes me want to pull out my hair. Its not the actual stitches, those are fairly easy. Its the finishes. When you assemble some of the  knitted Tawashi, you would do well to have done some origami in your life. And if you have done some origami from Japanese kits, you know that those arrows can mean the opposite of what you think they mean.

So are there easy knitted tawashi? Yes. Here is one. Wishy Washy Fishy Tawashi (I didn’t name this!) and it is in English! I made this in the round to get a double layer but the pattern is for straight knitting. If you want to make it in the round, it is a matter of figuring out decreases. Or make two and sew them up. They work better with double thickness.  I can help with in the round if you want. I don’t write things down but I need more for the apartment kitchen so I can work along with you and write it down this time.  Just ask.

There are more but they are on Japanese sites, I’d have to go through hell and high water to find them for you. If you want them, leave a comment, converse. Thats what blogs are for.  Toria, I’m happy to send you some PDF’s if you want more but if you go to Tawashi Town, there are pages of links there too.