Good Bye Istanbul!

I won't be posting for nearly one month. I'll be off, I will visit my parents and sister in Romania. I am very happy because I miss them a lot and spending time with them makes me sooo happy. So, I will resume my knitting experience in May 2007. Of course I will check out the yarn stores in Romania too.

See ya! and Happy Knitting!

My favorite LYS (Local Yarn Store)

I am buying all my yarns from Dikiş Kutusu (The Sewing Box). The main reason is because they are caring ONLY high quality yarns and knitting accessories. The lady owner, Ms. Vildan, is so helpful with lots of recommendations and instructions, you could say she will do the knitting herself for you!

Ms.Vildan, the yarn store owner and the most talkative (in a good way) knitter. If you are short of inspiration, just drop in and you will leave with a bag full of stash and ideas.

don't be too envious please :)

This is my second knitted bag. I used 2 skeins of Lidya from "Himalaya" yarns (Turkish yarn from local small manufacturer) and wooden needles. As a technique: entrelac. I embellished the knit with wooden beads. The handles are made of plastic. The lining is made from 100% cotton fabric.

Knitted Bags

Since one week I have been knitting a lot. I am going to visit my parents in Romania at the end of March. I want to give to my mom and my sister a knitted bag each as a present. I am working (knitting) hard. But I don’t complain. I recently discovered a “magic cabinet” in my LYS. “The magic cabinet” is packed with discontinued yarns, and of course the price is so low. The yarns are beautiful. It takes time and a certain amount of luck to find 2 or 3 skeins of same yarn but it is worth it. It is a real pleasure and joy to knit with high quality yarns. I don’t like anymore 100% acrylic yarns. It is like: "after fresh Danish pastries, dry bread tastes horrible". My favorite LYS owner knows I am knitting to relax so she recommended me good knitting needles too. Knitting with cheap, low quality needles and yarns is so frustrating. You wish every single second to finish the project asap. Grrrrrrrr!

So, here are my projects (finished and unfinished).

First pic is of a small black purse (my “failure” in felting) knitted by request for my mother-in-low. It is embellished with silk ribbon embroidery (my first attempt of silk ribbon embroidery)

And ENTRELAC bag for my mother. I can’t wait to see her face.

1st March - Celebration of Spring in Romania

Romanians have a beautiful ancient tradition on the first day of March : Martisor (The Amulet). Mărţişor is the celebration of the beginning of Spring in Romania and Moldova. Mărţişor consists in small jewel or a small decoration like a flower, an animal, etc., tied up with red and white string. Women wear it pinned to their blouses on this day and up to two weeks after. It is strongly believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be lucky and healthy for the rest of the year. Exchanging them is a gesture of love, friendship, respect and appreciation. Today people wish each other health and happiness.
Today is the first day of 7 days of continuous celebration dedicated to Spring and women. Women are gathering together without men (now it is men's turn to stay home and take care of the kids and household generally) and are having fun in parties.