This is the chorus of the song that the knitting prince sung to us - yes, you heard me right - he sung to us. It basically means that I am really happy when I knit! The tv crew brought a little boombox with the prince's cd - a song he recorded to sing along with kids (and us!). HA! I have a feeling I'll cringe when I see that scene on tv.
So here are some things I learnt after last night's Special Tokyo SNB with Japan's Prince of Knitting, Mitsuharu Hirose:
1. TV cameras make you sweat like crazy, and some people are not born to be in front of the camera (uh, me).
2. The knitting prince likes drinking beer.
3. The knitting prince crochets mostly and really fast. He likes lace knitting and fine guage yarn.
4. The knitting prince knit/crocheted his sister's wedding dress and it took him two years to do so (luckily she wasn't in a rush to get married!).
5. The knitting prince is a tv professional, utterly charming, sweet and talented.
What a night! You know - out of all the members of royalty around the world, I am super glad that I got to meet knitting royalty. I was sweating most of the time, and was stuck with the uneviable task of being the on-the-spot interpreter. Not that I minded - it was all about knitting after all. I think everyone had a great time. Hirose-san asked us about how the group started, why we like about knitting in a group and what we like about knitting in general, etc. To see our unprepared and most likely seriously edited answers, tune into:
NHK Channel 1 on June 1 (Wednesday) at 10am - the program is called 'Seikatsu Hot Morning'.
I will be in the US - in New York actually on that day, so I won't be able to watch it live, but the producer said that he would send me a copy of the tape. If it is not too embarassing, then maybe I'll stream it on the web.
So I know what you are thinking - Stop writing and show us the pics!!!! OK, here they are:
It's a little over exposed but here's my most prized possession (now). Very kindly retouched by Claudia - thanks!
Claire and her special prince
Special Tokyo SNB announcement: PINN is getting married!!! Congrats to Pinn and Ken! And guess what - Ken is making Pinn's wedding dress!! A super talented and crafty couple. Watch out for Pinn's design in the upcoming summer issue of Knitty. We just realized that when we started the SNB a year and a half ago, we were all single. Since then every single one of us has gotten married or engaged, AND Jen had a baby! Hmm, so if you want to stay single, don't come to the Tokyo SNB!
Here's the prince making his way around the room - here he is holding the back of Claire's cardigan - he described it is 'beautiful'.
Those princely hands in action
And to finish up, the perfect prince pose
To see the rest of the photos, visit the Princely Gallery!
Ahhhh! I'm dying here. Look at his sweater! And his little shirt. And the hair. And he brought his crochet. :-) I so wish I could have been there. Babies, I tell ya.
Posted by: Jennifer in Tokyo | May 18, 2005 at 01:31 PM
Also, how dorky am I? I actually watch "Seikatsu Hot Morning" some days. To live the life of a Japanese housewife! Will definitely record it to the DVD hard drive on June 1, and burn a DVD copy for you.
Posted by: Jennifer in Tokyo | May 18, 2005 at 01:35 PM
Looks like a dreamy evening. I want to live in Japan to watch "Seikatsu Hot Morning" as well. :'''( I checked at both the local Japanese tape rental places and it isn't on there list. Thank you so much for sharing your pictures. I particuarly like the close up of his back to see the sweater.
Posted by: Kitty Kitty | May 18, 2005 at 02:26 PM
My favorite is the one where he is knitting so fast the needle is a blur!
Posted by: db | May 18, 2005 at 02:38 PM
ooohh Kat that is tooo cool. Firstly... do not worry about the TV cameras making you sweat... you look gorgeous in that photo so I'm sure you will on TV also... :) It was probably the heat of the lights more so than the cameras... Also, congratulations to Pinn... who I have never met or heard of before but she looks so cute in that pic I feel like hugging her! ha ha. Thirdly, not to be disrespectful at all to the amazing knitting prince... but did he remind you at all of Michael Jackson in the flesh? I think possibly it's just his clothes that reminded me... xxx
Posted by: Lucy | May 18, 2005 at 03:09 PM
Oy! He's getting married AND making the wedding dress? Wow...I hope she's not entering menopause or anything. Otherwise all the years in the making will create some horrible delays! Tell him to get some assistants! (I have never seen that overhand way of crocheting. Very interesting. And that coat of his, wow!)
Posted by: wendy | May 18, 2005 at 03:29 PM
love the 'prince' addition to your banner! is he there for keeps? Sounds like a great evening!
Posted by: rae | May 18, 2005 at 06:29 PM
Gotta love that knit lace cardigan! ;)
Posted by: frecklegirl | May 18, 2005 at 10:44 PM
Lovely post! What a fab experience. Thanks for sharing.
Jess
Posted by: Jess | May 18, 2005 at 10:47 PM
sutekiina! (sp?) coolness...like i said, I always miss the good stuff. i was over that way a couple days ago! congrats...I can"t wait to see the video
Posted by: queen t | May 18, 2005 at 11:36 PM
Holey moley, that is amazing! That lace cardigan is awesome--I want that pattern! :)
Thanks for sharing the great pics!
Posted by: Lolly | May 19, 2005 at 12:04 AM
Wow, that is cool. I've seen Mr Hirose's clothes in a museum in stockholm, Sweden when they had a show about swedish Do redo!. Nice stuff!
Se here:
http://www.nordiskamuseet.se/publication.asp?publicationid=5314&cat=148&catName=Nyheter&tmpID=5314
http://www.doredo.se/
Posted by: Hanna | May 19, 2005 at 12:06 AM
haha I just noticed the Prince in your banner... awesome!
Posted by: frecklegirl | May 19, 2005 at 12:48 AM
Oh!!! So wonderful!!!
Posted by: momo | May 19, 2005 at 12:52 AM
Your brush with fame! It sounds like it was a blast. I really want to see it!!! And hey, is that a pinku secret swap hair clip I spy in your hair?
Posted by: Mariko | May 19, 2005 at 05:47 AM
That must have been so awesome! Love the pictures.
Posted by: myra | May 19, 2005 at 06:15 AM
heehee...LOVE the banner addition! :-]
Posted by: chris | May 19, 2005 at 01:49 PM
Tanoshiso! O, Kat, what a great story!! congrats to the tokyo S&B for being deemed worthy of TV stardom by the Prince himself! great pics, i've been chuckling through all of them. looks like it was a great, fun night.
Posted by: martine | May 19, 2005 at 04:38 PM
Wow - sounds like a fab experience! I hope the tape turns out well.
Posted by: jen | May 19, 2005 at 04:51 PM
thanks for posting the great pics! looks like it was a night to cherish for all time!
Posted by: Lily | May 20, 2005 at 03:14 AM
Your brush with knitting/crochet royalty, literally! Great pictures, too.
Posted by: MJ | May 20, 2005 at 10:24 AM
This is so great! I love all the princely photos -- and that princely cardigan! Zoiks! The photo of you and the Knitting Prince is just lovely, too.
Posted by: alison | May 20, 2005 at 05:07 PM
Interesting. He seems a little, eh, swishy to me.
Posted by: michigancatholic | May 23, 2005 at 01:38 AM
WOW! That is so fabulous that you got to meet the knitting prince. The photos are great!
Posted by: Amy | May 24, 2005 at 06:27 AM
I love it! I had no idea, no clue, that there was a knitting prince! Great post!
Posted by: marichan | May 28, 2005 at 09:12 AM