I've finally started my own Kusha/Kushu after enabling a handful of others by posting tempting photos of spools of silky steel and merino. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy knitting this wispy steel/merino scarf. For a while now, I've had the desire to knit with unusual, unique fibers and Habu fills that desire nicely. A scarf like this is a great introduction to the creative genius that is Setsuko Torii. I first fell in love with the Habu aesthetic and enthusiasm the first time I visited their site a few years ago.
It's interesting to me that so many knitters ask . . . why? Why Habu?
The answer is on their site:
Why? do we bother to take so much time and labor... actually
weaving or knitting fabrics when there are so many
high quality machine woven fabrics. They are durable,
good looking, inexpensive... Why?
Because we must stubbornly believe
all the care our actual hands give to each and every process
of making a length of fabric creates something more
than just a good look. It may be so subtle, but you know when
you wear and touch. You know when that fabric ages with you,
and you look at it twenty years from now.
We believe the same with yarns. They are the soul of fabrics.
Without ones made with good care, the fabrics will not live long.
We would like to offer you the best and unusual yarns
imported from Japan, rarely available in this country.
It took us many trips and years to cultivate the relationships with
the suppliers and discover the yarns. You do not have to do that.
They are here! There are over 450 selections and they include
raw silks from 14 denier, hamp bark, bamboo, hand-tied ramies,
cashmere with almost no twist, naturally gold silks,
handspun silks/cottons, silk stainless steel, fine silver, etc...
When somebody doesn't understand, it's truly impossible to answer . . . why? As for me, it's a connection to my past -- to another knitter:
I think she would understand.
July 31, 2007
Janet's Kusha/Kushu Scarf
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Beautiful post Janet. I, too, think she would understand - definitely. :)
Nora
What a really wonderful post Janet, thank you so much for writing it!
The creative urge is strong. I'm always surprised when fabric appears after knitting so many tiny little stitches. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
lovely post! I can't wait to see your kks too janet :)
Janet, this is such a lovely post, I want to thank you again and from other bloggers/knitters who you enabled and kinda helped to put them on a Habu roll! You rock girl, Love the Kusha! As Vanessa suggested, let's make an International Kusha Day, so we all wear it that day.. (i will scribble a post later on it).
Love your grandma pic!
Thank you all for the supportive and encouraging comments. Seeing your Habu projects in one place is so exciting and inspirational (and it makes me feel a lot less weird about my taste in fibers).
Spending the evening looking at Habu designs and projects, and stumbled on yours -- when I came to the photo of the woman you remember, tears rushed to my eyes. I guess you either get what these women gave us...or you don't.
Post a Comment