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January 10, 2006
Knitting for DS, or Cork season
No Bohus progress, first of all. Now I am a bit busy for knitting for boys, a winter hat has turned FO since a week:
It was the most needy project and small, I finished immendiately. I asked him if he wants a star, and he said yes. As it was circular knitting, an intarsha motif was out of question. I just embroided it, with Cork shade Vapour(orphan ball), with a bit of Kidsilk night, to be modelately shiny star.
Other than that, I am now rather kniting his Phildar sweater. I finished the back and front, now knitting the first sleeve, will finish very soon. Fast knittng with 8mm needles are good for busy working mom like me. And another WIP has occured since the last post, by knowing about a newborn of a friend. I would meet her next week, so I have to finish a gift for her new baby boy. Ladies, these are the reason why I didn't touch my Bohus gloves.
BTW, have you ever heard about "Fukubukuro" season in Japan?
Here as an annual/seasonal event, new year is much more important than Christmas for Japanese. We close the work around December 29, clean up anywhere in the house, prepare the new year. Our official New year holiday is absolutely until January 3, all the business open on January 4, except some department store's "new year sale" starting on January 2.
"Fukubukuro" means "Lucky bag", and it is generally big paper bag, which contains many items togather,(i.e. if it is from fashion boutique, it would be many cloths, if it is from jewelry shop's, it contains that kind of stuff, you know)AND you cannot see WHAT are in the bag, for it is sealed. The price depends, often it is JPY10000( around $90) or half of it, or other price, anyway the promise is that the contents should be much more valued than its price. So it is kind of a surprise bag, but many Japanese would pay such an amount for the stuff which she(he) cannot know what it is in advance. Strange?
And new year sale is the starting this "Fukubukuro" sale. Each shop prepares their limited number of Fukubukuro(often it is between 20 to 50).Recently sometimes the shop disclose the contents, showing inside of one of example bag. But even in that case, normally the contents is not the exactly same.
My story is to show you my "Fukubukuro", which I bought as the first time of my life. You can easily imagine what it is, I bought this one at our local Rowan shop's new year sale. I could see inside, and this is the contents:
A book of Kaffe Fasett, "Glorious Knitting " in Japanese, 10 balls of Cork, 2 balls of Kid Soft, assortment of small amount of DDK for motif making suggestion, two patterns call for Cork from Cork collection book, translated in Japanese chart, even a handkerchief made from Kaffe Fasett fablic. Not so bad, ah?
It was 1 man-en(approx.$90) bag and all these are undoubtedly 3 times of the value from its price. I am very happy about it, and now I found a sweater pattern which is seducing me, and call for Cork!
Posted by trico at January 10, 2006 10:08 PM
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What cute hat and a fabulous yarn find! Love the colours of the kidsoft and the DKK.
Posted by: erin at January 11, 2006 07:32 PM
Hi Trico - thank you for telling us about fukubukuro season - it's a very interesting idea! In the US we would call the "lucky bag" a "grab bag." Sometimes you see them in different shops but there is no regular season for it, and it is only done rarely. I did once buy one at a clothing store and got a beautiful necklace and scarf that I still have. I LOVE the idea of a knitting "lucky bag!" I hope some LYS will read your post and decide to bring this Japanese custom to the US! Happy New Year!
Posted by: Luann at January 13, 2006 01:41 AM
I was reading anxiosly about the fukubukuro story and guessing that you would show a fukubukuro knitting bag! :D I can imagine your happiness, the yarn and book is a great deal.
The little red hat is adorable, how nice you can knit for your kids.
Posted by: mimi at January 26, 2006 08:55 PM