Colour Zen

"I never cease to be amazed by this design." This is one of the Flickr comments I got for the Colour Wheel Quilt. Actually, I always feel the same way about this design too:
Actually, it is mesmerizing just looking at how one colour morphs into another ... and then the wheel comes full circle. Round shapes ... circles ... infinity ... completeness ... wholeness ... isn't that very Zen?

This is the quilt resting on our bed. I made it larger than the original design. At first I planned on an extra 9" around, but the width of the batting came narrower than stated in the package, so I could only make it extra 7" around. It now measures 69" x 69".

Because the quilt lines are radiating from the centre following the seams of the wheel, I thought the best way to do the extension is mitered corners:
Pretty neat, huh?

Instead of white binding, I used a tie-dye type red fabric in small prints. How do you like it? I think it works well ... at least for me! :) I chose to do the double-fold binding instead of machine-attached binding. I like hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt. The hand stitching went pretty fast ... faster than I expect ... I finished it in one day. And with me getting more familiar with using a thimble, the stitching was a breeze.

As a first full-size quilt project, I think I did a decent job ... and there is not much puckering. Of course, the thread-basting proved to be worth the while. I spent 2 days on it, but the machine quilting actually benefited from it ... the layering was pretty even, and I didn't have to stop and remove pins.

Specs:
Pattern: Colour Wheel Quilt from Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts
Fabrics: The bundle for the project from Purl; Egyptian Cotton, Calico White Prints, red fabric remnants from JoAnn's
Batting: Mountain Mist Cotton Blossom Cotton/Silk Blend

I'm sure you can understand my excitement ... so a couple more pictures of this beautiful quilt:
I should be taking it out to the park and take pictures, but since the backing is white and the temperature here shoots up to 100F today, indoors shots are fine with me.

Now I think I can really say "I love quilting"!

Next time, you can just tell me I'm crazy!

When I said I decided to do "hand-basting", what I meant was "thread basting". I can see that many of you know what "thread basting" is ... as I read "patience" and "ambitious" in your comments ... hahaha ... but next time, if I say I'm going to thread baste again, you can tell me outright that I'm crazy!

I came to that conclusion myself after spending 2 days doing the basting, and having great pain in my left arm (this is strange since I'm right-handed) and butts and thighs. The pain in the arm was so severe that I could feel it in my sleep ... so I didn't sleep well and had to get up and take an Advil.

Luckily, the pain just lasted one day. With the right tools ready, I got things done relatively quickly:

thimble, curved needle, Hera marker,
dressmaker's cutting board

I didn't come to appreciate the true value of having a Hera marker until working on the quilt lines of this project. The marked lines can actually hold up for 3 days ... that's amazing! Since 90% of my apartment is carpeted, I really need the cutting board for the marking. This made me miss my grandfather's dressmaker's cutting table. He ran a home-factory with a few seamstresses (my mother and my aunts) sewing garments. In his home, there was a huge cutting table ... so big that me and my brother could play on it.

The quilting is done and I can now move on to the last step - binding:

The joy of clean carpet

The carpet cleaning man came on Wednesday. This was my first time having someone clean the carpet, so didn't know what to expect; now I know I would ask him to vacuum it dryer so that it would dry faster!

But the great joy of having clean carpet is being able to start basting the Colour Wheel quilt:
I chose to do hand-basting and it is going to take forever!

Aloneness

I read this inspiring post a few days ago.

When I first came to the States, Husband was a bit worried about me always being alone at home when he was at work ... hardly knowing anyone else, not knowing how to drive, so I was pretty much confined to staying at home. He was able to feel relieved when he found that I enjoyed being in my own company and never ran out of things to do. Maybe to some people, I am even too much of a hermit. But the fact is when I am alone, I don't feel lonely.

I am quite sure that little girl would thank her mom for handing down such a precious gift. :)

One of the excitements of completing a big project is the opportunity of starting new ones. My original plan was to start the Unst Stole after finishing Diva. Actually, if I did start, it would be my third attempt on this lace project. However, one thing I forgot was the use of provisional cast on ... which I am still not able to do without checking knitting how-to books. Being lazy and not wanting to figure out how to do that again, I turned to another lace project:
Isn't this pretty? The pattern is Lacy Dress on the cover of VK Spring/Summer 2007. The is the back of the bodice. I am using a much thicker yarn (TLC Cotton Plus) than the one used in the pattern.

There is also new sock on the needles:
This is supposed to be a cable pattern (Brigid). But as you can see, the pattern is completed obscured by the colourway. I can tell you that almost nothing works for this colourway, except plain stocking stitch and simple ribbing of course. I just want to finish this pair as fast as I can and start something else.

08:09 Diva and new books

Before I tell you about the new FO, let's talk books. To be more specific, knitting books. Due to the lack of space, I am now really selective with knitting books. Most of the time, I checked them out from the library to decide if they are worth owning. If it is mainly a book of knitting patterns, the answer is usually no ... I don't have time to knit those I already own anyway. However, when it is a book like The Knitter's Book of Yarn, one that is worth reading besides the lovely patterns, I just think every fiber lover should own one.

And then there comes books like A Fine Fleece. I tried, but I know I am no spinner. Basically, I can just skip the spinning section and go directly to the patterns ... so it is a book of knitting patterns to me. But this is a book I know I have to have ... even without checking it beforehand. I just can't resist exquisite cable/aran designs, even though the sweater designs are mostly guernsey-style without much waist-shaping. I made one sweater like this before and I just love wearing it (yes, it was originally for Husband!) Besides, the book is so beautifully produced that I just don't want to put it down!

Now let's talk project FO. I just wish I had started this project earlier so I can wear it immediately instead of putting it away for a few months. But still, lucky me that it was a bit cool when I took the picture so I wouldn't be sweat-soaked ... hahaha ...

Anyway, I love this cardigan. I love the big shawl-style collar, although I wish I had used a smaller needle for the that part so that it would be less drooping than now. But I still love it ... love the style. I made the small size and it fits me ... I am not really a small woman, especially now I have gained some weight, so I guess this pattern is not for the true petite type. Besides, I think the collar requires a body frame with relatively wide shoulders in order to hold the shape. I do okay but I wish I had straighter and wider shoulders.

Details:
Pattern: Diva designed by Hanne Falkenberg
Very special garment structure which makes the knitting a very fun process even though the whole thing was knitted in garter stitch. As you can expect, the pattern was well written and I just followed the instructions ... though sometimes I would wonder why, and I would then soon see why.
The pin that came with the kit feels a bit too heavy, so I will be looking for a lighter one. I especially love the slit cuffs. Actually, a lot of features of this cardigan reminds me of Teva Durham's Diagonal Twist Princess-seam Cardigan.

Yarn: 100% wool Shetland 2ply yarn (in colours black and oatmeal)
I bought the kit from this eBay seller ... super fast shipment from UK, reasonable price and shipping cost, well-packaged ... simply put, I can't say enough good things about her store. The Shetland wool was pretty rough to the hand but softened greatly after bath. The 2ply yarn gives a very light but warm cardigan ... perfect for everyday wear in California winters. There is even a sewn in designer label for the finished cardigan but somehow I didn't know where I put mine. :)

Needles: Addi turbo circulars 3.5mm for the body and collar; 3.25mm for the sleeves

Cast On: 03-11-2008
Cast Off: 05-03-2008

With one cardigan finished, I have moved on and have my eyes on this. :D