Knitting in the Valley

A yarn bombing music video

2011-12-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Ok ... so it's been a looooong while ... but I have good reason, trust me. Starting a business is no easy task ...
But I'm not here to talk about my business (which is completely unrelated to knitting or yarns, BTW).
I just discovered a yarn bombing video and am absolutely want to share -

Seventeen Evergreen - Polarity Song from Lucky Number Music on Vimeo.
There is an article accompanying the video on HuffingtonPost too.

Hey there! It's me!

2010-01-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

OMG! It's 2010! How's everyone been doing? A heartfelt thank you if you still come by!

No BS ... I haven't visited a yarn store or craft store, not posting on my own blog, not visiting your blogs, not pattern-browsing in Ravelry ... If you ask me which is the latest hot pattern now, sorry, no idea. But the truth is, I felt pretty good like that. No more feeling extremely agonized because I couldn't knit fast enough to catch up with the trend. No yarn buying in 4 months ... and I survive pretty well ... LOL!

I am still knitting though. Definitely not a very productive 2009, but I still managed to finish up a few things (socks, basically) before the year ended.

Pattern: Be Still My Heart Socks designed by Sandy Lake (Socks à la Carte)
Yarn: TOFUtsies sock yarn color 876 Limited Edition (my favourite summer sock yarn ... I would love it more if there are more solid colours)
Needles: Darn Pretty Needles US1 (I am in love with these needles ... don't want to knit socks with any needles else)
Notes: I didn't bother taking pictures with this one because the pattern is not really very visible. They require extra caution in knitting too. From experience, the TOFUtsies sock yarns are not very hard wearing ... or maybe I didn't have enough socks made from this yarn. The first pair I made were already worn out ... since they are non-wool, I don't know darning would work. And to be honest, I am too lazy to darn. :)
Cast On: 07-23-09
Cast Off: 08-19-09

Pattern: Crosshatch Lace Socks (pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Patons Stretch Socks (41% Cotton, 39% Wool, 13% Nylon, 7% Elastic) Colour: 31242 Olive
Needles: Darn Pretty Needles US 1
Notes: Just like the TOFUtsies sock yarn, the colourway of this yarn is pretty hard to find a good matching pattern. I tried several from the book and settle on this ... and I think they turned out pretty good.
Cast On: 08-20-09
Cast Off: 10-31-09

Pattern: Matilde Socks designed by Debbie O'Neill
Yarn: Ivy Brambles Sockscene Fingering Weight (410 yards, 100g) Colour: Pine Tree
Needles: Darn Pretty Needles US1
Notes: Everything came together perfectly for me. I think the pattern is one of the most gorgeous ones I've ever seen. The green is just irresistable. And now I can tell you that the yarn wears and feels great.
Cast On: 11-13-09
Cast Off: 12-13-09

Pattern: Mamluke Socks designed by Nancy Bush (Folk Socks)
Yarn: Regia Silk (55% Wool, 25% Nylon, 20% Silk) Colour: Natural & Red
Needles: Darn Pretty Needles US1 and US2
Notes: I love this pattern! It is great fun to knit. Though I had doubts about the heels, I followed the pattern anyway. Since I have wide ankles, I need to change to larger needles starting from the heel. The socks turned out to be surprising comfortable to wear ... and super warm! Which one do you like better? I think the one with Natural as the base colour and Red as the pattern colour is great.
Cast On: 12-19-09
Cast Off: 12-30-09

This is the progress I've made on the Unst Lace Stole so far. I must say the edging is a bit of a drag to me ... and I am not always very motivated to work on it. But believe me, I would have it done this year ... hahaha ...

After warming up with the Mamluke Socks, I started the Autumn Rose Cardigan on New Year's Day. The colour combo I chose is the very first swatch I made:
The only thing bothering me is the deep green in the center of the medallion. I decided to switch to another softer green. I am now halfway of the first medallion. I'll show you how it looks next time. Yes, I am going to post again ... hehehe ... and also start visiting friends' blogs again.

So, before we meet again, take good care and happy knitting.

What's wrong with this picture?

2009-08-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Here I am again ... after an unannounced and unplanned hiatus. The knitting hasn't stopped though, just going on leisurely. Nothing too exciting to show you, just a new sock project for the month. See if you can spot what is wrong:
I know it can be really hard. ;) It would be better if the yarn was in solid colour ... just why they didn't make solid colours in TOFUtsies? Here is a little help:
For some reason, I made up part of the lace pattern myself after turning the heel ... LOL! Sharon Miller said in her book, "... never settle for second best ..." So true. Second best would only deteroriate into an eye sore. So, even though the sock has been finished (even the loose ends were sewn in), I didn't hesitate frogging it.

Talking about Sharon Miller. The edging of the Unst Lace Stole has also been frogged because I just didn't like the way the corner was turned. Never settle for second best. Since I have to start over, I did the doubling right at the beginning this time. But I am still hopeful to finish the stole this month.

Some exciting news about Sock Knitters Anonymous Sockdown schedule:

Sockdown 2009 - 2010!!

September – Technique: All knit with the same color (Solid or Semi-Solid Yellow)
Designer: Wendy Johnson Mystery Sock Designer: Nancy Bush
October – Technique: Holiday Stocking/ Man Socks/Knitting for a Cause
Designer: Jeannie Cartmel
November – Technique: Mosaic/Slipped Stitches
Designer: Chrissy Gardiner Mystery Sock Designer: Star Athena
December – Technique: Almost Socks/Leftover Socks/Stashbuster Socks/Stripes/Self Striping Yarns
Designers: Kirsten Kapur/ Kristi Schueler/ Hunter Hammersen
January – Technique: Texture Other than Rib/ Beaded Socks
Designer: Nancy Bush Mystery Sock Designer: Debbie O’Neill
February – Technique: Underappreciated Patterns/ Entrelac/ Intarsia
Designer: Yarnissima
March – Technique: Lace
Designer: Janel Laidman Mystery Sock Designer: Kristi Geraci
April – Technique: Designs from an Online Magazine
Designer: Cookie A.
May – Technique: Cables/Traveling Stitches
Designer: Cat Bordhi Mystery Sock Designer: Cookie A.
June – Technique: DYO, Vintage Patterns
Designer: Stephanie van der Linden
July – Technique: Stranded/Colorwork/Fairisle (Including Nordic/Scandinavian)
Designer: Anne Hanson Mystery Sock Designer: Chrissy Gardiner

August - VACATION

I didn't do too well last year. The new schedule seems a lot of fun ... so I am all geared up for the new year!

09:10 Grey Miele Socks

2009-07-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

Wow! End of July already! It seems that my blog routine has become one post per week. I would like to post more often, but there really is not enough time ... and sometimes I feel like knitting instead of blogging. Especially recently when I started the Magical Mosaic Blanket. The mosaic knitting method is pretty easy to grasp. I would think once I got familiar with the method, the knitting would become monotonous ... or even boring. Surprise! I haven't been able to stop and am now into the 4th square already:

Unlike the Great American Afghan, all the squares in this project are of the same number of stitches. So I chose to knit the blanket in stripes. I still have a long long way to go ... there are 63 squares. :D

The mysterious sock mojo has also been back. Not knowing how long it is going to stay, so just try to capitalize the opportunity. Kathy's Miele Sock pattern is fun to knit and is fast. I didn't make her very popular Jaywalker pattern because the chevron pattern is just not my favourite. But I really love this one:
However, it seems I should have used an even smaller needles so that the leg and heel would be more snug. But the socks actually fit ... comfortable too:

Details:
Pattern: Grey Miele Socks designed by Grumperina from knit.1 Spring/Summer 2009
Yarn: Furryarns MaineBearSOX 4 in Opal (65% SWT Wool & 35% Tussah Silk)
Needles: Grafton Fibers Darn Pretty dpn US0
Cast On: 07-14-2009
Cast Off: 07-24-2009

I have actually started another sock project immediately ... just forgot to take picture. Will show you later.

I guess it is also time for the monthly-goal accessement. Pretty simple this time.

July:
Knitting: finish the GAA DONE!

August:
Knitting:

finish the Unst Lace Stole (still remember this? hahaha ...)
finish one stripe (9 squares) for the Magical Mosaic Blanket
finish one pair of socks

Exercising:
I seemed to find a way to insert the strength training exercises from Keeping Fit in Your 50s twice into my weekly exercise routine. I aim at consolidating that so that I would be lifting some dumbbells 3 times a week.

Random Thursday

2009-07-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Just got a clean bill of health from my doctor. I always schedule my yearly physical examinations around the time of my birthday ... so that I won't forget! My doctor seemed really excited when I told him about my exercise routine this year. Last year, he told me that swimming was good, but was not intense enough to accelerate the heart rate to a healthy level. Obviously I am a very good and obedient patient when I am given sensible advice. :) And oh, I dropped 5 lbs compared to last year!

We watched "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" Sunday night. The book is my most favourite in the series and the movie is excellent. Before this latest installment to the series, I used to love "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" the best because I just loved the 3 of them as kids. But now, I think "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" just trumped any of the previous one. The script was well written ... very good selection of materials from the original book. The director has done a very good job this time in portraying the mood and atmosphere. I especially love the movement of the camera in showing the loneliness of Malfoy. It is also delightful to see those little kids have grown into really good actors/actress, especially Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy. I am now waiting for the DVD to come out.

The sock mojo has come back a little bit:
These are Kathy's design from the latest issue of knit.1, Miele Socks. The first attempt failed because I cast on for the larger size, which was too large for me. It is quite an enjoyable pattern, just that in my version, the twisted stitches don't pop out as much:
I think it didn't come out as cute as Kathy's version, but still, not bad ...

09:09 Great American Afghan

2009-07-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

I checked my Ravelry entry for this project and the start date was July 2007. Wow! It took me the entirety of 2 years to finish these 30 squares! Now, here it is:

Due to the colour of the yarn, I figured the beauty of the afghan would never be fully appreciated if I took the pictures indoors. And since the weather has been so good these days, so I took it to the lawn under glorious sun. Voila!
All the smallest details can be seen reasonably clearly. However, I was actually feeling a little bit traumatized while taking these pictures (due to a little episode of locking myself out of the apartment ... must have been too excited, just took the afghan and the camera and forgot the keys!), I didn't think too right and just took the pictures from one side of the afghan. Therefore, not all the squares could be seen in close-up shots, including my favourite "Tree of Life" square (which you can see in my last post).

Making patchwork afghans is a magical experience for me. Like every other projects, it usually starts off with great anticipation and excitement with me feeling very ambitious and eager to work in full force. Then the passion cools off ... a bit ... then a lot ... and the project goes into hiatus. At some point, either out of guilt or annoyance looking at the pile of knitted squares, I would come back to it with greater enthusiasm. The excitement would mount when it comes to sewing time. But the real magical moment is when I knit on or attach the border and see how beautiful the whole thing is:
And since it is my own work, it always surpasses what I see in the pattern book. Mine is the best! And so now you can understand the narcissistic act of taking photos of the same afghan from more or less the same angle ... LOL!

Since I didn't buy the yarns in bulk, I had great difficulty tracking how many balls I used. I already made a mental note to self to do better in this aspect when I work on the next afghan project. :) Yeah, I think I would start the next one really soon.

Details:
Project: Great American Afghan
Yarns: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Forest Green Heather and Seaspray
Needles: Denise Interchangeable
Cast On: July 2007
Cast Off: 07-11-2009

Down the drain they went!

2009-07-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

That would be my June goals! LOL! Due to the back injury and the new development in the GAA project, I didn't have anything in June. Besides, despite being my birthday month (I am officially 45 now ... woo hoo!), for me, June has always carried a melancholic mood with it since that tragic night 20 years ago. The death of Michael Jackson last month only added weight to such a mood. Therefore, I am just too happy to welcome July.

About the GAA project, I can finally report to you that the knitting of the last 5 squares was finished. Seen below are the 3 squares I chose from GAAA:
I have too many favourites from GAAA, but I finally decided on these 3 because they are beautiful and meaningful. While they are being blocked to measurements, I started working on the edging.

I definitely do not like the original idea in the pattern (using 2 working strands of yarn, knitting one row on one square and then using the other strand to bind off and so on). Experience from past afghan projects told me that a well-chosen edging would help a lot in evening out the size differences of the squares. So I browsed through Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge series and decided on this:
I did actually test knit many selections from the books, however, this simple 4-row pattern (sorry, the book was not around, so I couldn't tell you the name ... next time, okay?) trumped the others. The fact that it is a reversible pattern for both sides makes it ideal because it doesn't curl. And of course, it is beautiful.

I think, it's time to look at my monthly goals, right?

JUNE:
Knitting:

1 pair of socks (I have started Vine Lace Socks from Socks, Socks, Socks) FAILED
finish the Great American Afghan (only 2 squares left ... I optimistically think it is doable) FAILED
continue working on the Unst Lace Stole edging FAILED

Sewing:
Really ... I should get those bookcovers done! FAILED ... AGAIN!

Exercising:
I think I have successfully integrated exercising into my daily life. So I'll just keep it going. DONE ... the only success in June despite the injury.

July:
Knitting: I decided to just have one and only one goal for this month ...

finish the GAA

Exercising: Ever since the recovery, I notice my back, though suffers no pain, would feel tight from time to time. This is not good. Tight muscles are prone to more future injuries. So, I plan to incorporate more serious stretching exercises into the routine. One great discovery in the local library is Keeping Fit in Your 50s. There is a whole section on stretching. I am going to do the whole routine once every week and some of the smaller exercises every day.

Fully recovered

2009-06-24T18:44:00.000-07:00

It feels good to be pain free. Today, I didn't even feel the tiny point of the origin of all the troubles at the back, so I can really say I am fully recovered. Workout routine has been interrupted for the last 2 weeks. It is great to be able to work out to my full capacity again. Since summer has officially started, I am alternating laps in the pool with time on the treadmill too ... hoping this would help the back.

The last row for the afghan is almost finished. I don't remember knitting so fast on sample squares before. I finished 3.5 squares during the weekend! These 2 are from The Great North American Afghan pattern book:

I certainly had fun working on them. And needless to say, I am definitely going to make the GNAA. :)

Came out too short

2009-06-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

All the squares have been sewn and I am indeed very happy with they way they came together:
I've seen other afghans with different choices of colours. But I am glad that I chose to minimize the number of colours used.

The only problem is the afghan came out a bit too short. I would like it to cover a whole person. With the sewing and the inevitable shrinking of the squares after blocking (the yarn is largely acrylic, you know), it is now 53" long. So I decided to add one more row. I would be choosing some squares from the Great American Aran Afghan and the Great North American Afghan that would go well with this one. These 2 are from the latter:
Got to start knitting again. :)

I have so much to share with you!

2009-06-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

Right after my last post, I hurt my back practising the piano. It was ridiculous, I know, and I would spare you the details. The fact is I've been hurt and spent every ounce of energy figuring out whether I should sit on the sofa, on the swivel chair or stand to make myself more comfortable. For the first 2 days, bending forward was an impossible posture. I did see a physician in the urgent care center; but as we all know, there is not much a doctor can do to most back pains other than telling you that it would get better with time and be careful with your postures; or prescribing some heavy painkillers. I was happy to know that the physician I saw was not one easy on doing the latter. I really don't like that.

I am doing much much better now. The pain is almost completely gone. With the help of a back brace belt, I could even vaccuum with relative ease (never felt so happy doing housework before ... hahaha ...)

During this painful week, I only worked solely on the afghan. Since one square didn't work out for me, I think it would be a good idea to have a signature square. I got the inspiration from one knitter who did a similar square for her Great American Aran Afghan (but I couldn't remember who). And I want to make the signature with my Chinese name. So, I found this very cool Chinese calligraphy editor and chose an ancient style:
The next step would be to transfer the above into a chart. For this, Chart Smarter from knitty Spring 05 is a wonderful help. In order to go ahead with the charting, I needed to know how many stitches and rows would make up a square of the desired size. Luckily, the previous square I worked on was this:
It is basically a plain square with 3 tree appliques. After much calculations, I got my charts:
After printing them out, I had to clean up the year chart a little. Then the knitting was the easiest part:

Now I am doing the unpleasant task of cleaning up the loose ends. I swear I would take care of the loose ends after finishing each square from now on. I swear!

May hasn't been a good month

2009-06-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

May hasn't been a very good month for me. Nothing serious and certainly nothing tragic ... just little things here and there that made me pause and appreciate when things were good.

After serving me for almost 10 years, my Nike Air shoes fell apart into pieces. I hate wearing new shoes, especially sports shoes. But a nice salesman recommended a new pair to me that fit like gloves and didn't feel like new shoes at all. So, I am happily jogging on the treadmill again.

I have been feeling pretty good ever since I started working out. However, there were several days in May when I knew I was not in good shape ... not sick, just not well. So, I listened to my body and took things easy. :)

Then the knitting did go that smoothly. I am just happy that I got over the hurdle of the corner-turning dilemma. Now all I need is the perseverance with working the thousands of rows! The sock mojo has been come and gone at her own wish. After much search and try, I finally landed another lace pattern for my next pair.

MAY:
Knitting:

as usual, 1 pair of socks (but I haven't made up my mind yet this time) DONE (the VK Lace Socks)
finish the Unst Lace Stole NOT DONE (far from it actually)
1 GAA square (there are 4 left) DONE
swatch and cast on for another sweater project (I really like the Akomeogi Tunic from the latest IK) HALF DONE (I did the swatch but not start the project)

Sewing:
still the same ... but since I have started the cutting, things should look better this month ... hahaha ... STILL NOT DONE (but I did get things going)

JUNE:
Knitting:

1 pair of socks (I have started Vine Lace Socks from Socks, Socks, Socks)
finish the Great American Afghan (only 2 squares left ... I optimistically think it is doable)
continue working on the Unst Lace Stole edging

Sewing:
Really ... I should get those bookcovers done!

Exercising:
I think I have successfully integrated exercising into my daily life. So I'll just keep it going.

Oh, I also wish to be able to exercise better self control and not waste so much time playing Scramble on Facebook. But this little game is soooo highly addictive. :)

(Mental) Paralysis

2009-05-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

This was what happened.

Right after finishing the lace socks from VK, I moved on to the edging of the Unst Stole. And then it came to the point of turning the corner. This corner-turning thing is always a problem for people like me, who never study the instructions properly before working. The suggestion given in Sharon Miller's book is that for deep edging (over 20 stitches), the knitter should do doubling* 12 returns before and after the corner.

Problem: What about the beginning of the edging? Following the logic of the suggestion, I should have done the doubling at the beginning 12 returns since the knitting started at the corner.

I was completely horrified by the idea of having to rip back all the 185 returns of edging and starting all over again. This sent me into a mental paralysis ...

So, I moved on to a new sock project. I picked up a couple of Patons Stretch Socks a while ago. I'd like to see if they are good for summer wearing. However, I tried them with at least 3 different patterns and none worked well. It seems I can only make plain socks with them. I am in no mood for plain socks.

So, I moved on to sewing. Finally, something worked. After a lot of drafting, drawing, cutting and measuring, I managed to churn out something:
It just feels great to be able to trust your sewing machine, knowing that it won't give you something funny at the back ... LOL! However, the bad news is that the size came out short. I can still use this for coasters. Good news is I learned a lot. The most important thing is to leave lots of margin when cutting the fabrics, especially those along the edges.

Oh, about the Unst Stole. I finally decided what the hell with it ... I just go on doing doubling at the corners and hoping blocking would help. :)

* Doubling is instead of attaching the edging to the main body at each return to every stitch or ridge, do it at every other return.

09:08 VK May Lace Socks

2009-05-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

When the yarn clicks with the pattern, magic happens:
The knitting felt almost effortless. I didn't even have the time to talk about it before.

This is another record for me. Finishing 2 projects from the latest issue of VK. Probably there is something about the pattern that lured me to make it, I just haven't figured out what it is. Anyway, lovely lace pattern with a little detail that makes it special. However, I happened to not liking that detail too much ... it was a little bow tie at the back just under the cuff. What I don't love, I don't knit. So, my socks are sans bow tie:
One good thing about the pattern: no need to worry about the gaping hole between the gusset and the heel ... there are holes there already!

Maybe besides the perfect marriage between the pattern and the yarn, there is another booster:
I finally got myself some Darn Pretty Needles! I absolutely love them! Most of my bamboo dpns are curved already. While I don't mind that much, it is just refreshing to knit with strong straight smooth needles with really sharp points.

Details:
Pattern: Lace Socks by Star Athena from VK Spring/Summer 2009
Yarn: SWTC Tofutsies (50% Superwash Wool, 25% SOYSILK brand fiber, 22.5% Cotton, 2.5% Chitin) Col: 861
Needles: Darn Pretty Needles dpns US1
Cast On: 05-04-2009
Cast Off: 05-13-2009

09:07 Botanica Medallion Cardigan

2009-05-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Actually, I can entitle this post as "I knitted a big circle":
I have to say this is a really really fun project. First of all, the eye-catcher central medallion. Starting with 6 stitches with dpns is always a little bit tricky, but once the number of stitches increases, the knitting is a smooth sail. And believe me, you don't want to stop until casting off. :D However, one thing to remind those of you who are going to make this: cast off with a bigger needle and loosely.

Then, there are 4 stitch patterns with different row gauge in the outer band. There is only one thing I didn't really enjoy -- the k3tog. And there are LOTS of them ... LOL! That was why I need a little time off after a while ... the fingers really hurt. But that was all worth it because the cardigan is so so cute:Do I look like a big bear with a huge back? hahaha ...

Mmm ... okay, this one seems better ...

I should have started the outer band with a provisional cast on which would make it more seamless. But with the different stitch patterns, it's not difficult to match well. Blocking is definitely a must for the medallion before finishing the outer band because that would give you a more accurate measurement.

Oddly, I like how the cardigan looks in the front more than the back:
But the cardigan is truly a summer garment because it doesn't go well with anything with long sleeves. This shirt is the only sleeveless one I have handy right now. :D

One thing I am sure ... I love this cardigan!

Details:
Pattern: Botanica Medallion Cardigan designed by Shiri Mor from VK Spring/Summer 2009
Don't forget to check the errata page before you start.
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Banana Cream (157) 5 balls
Needles: Denise US5 (the outer band) US7 (medallion)
Hook: 4.5mm (single crochet around the armholes)
Cast On: 04-07-2009
Cast Off: 05-04-2009

Already May?

2009-05-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

April came and went ... so very quickly. Already we are past one-third of 2009. I should have written this post last week, but was so engrossed in finishing the Botanica Medallion Cardigan that I totally forgot it was time for new goals for the new month! Ooops ... so now you know. There'll be new FO coming ... hehehe ...

APRIL:
Knitting:

1 pair of socks (Cookie A's Milo from her new book) DONE
finish the Unst Lace Stole (this means the second border plus the edging) HALF DONE (I finished the second border and just started the edging):
1 GAA square DONE (Marge Hayes Square):
cast on for one summer garment project DONE (started the Botanica Medallion Cardigan and I have it finished now!)
I expect to receive my work on Lesson 1 plus materials for Lesson 2 from the instructor soon. This time, I would like to work faster on Lesson 2. FAILED (I haven't even started! But I decide that once I start, I would have it finished quick.)

Sewing:

the same as for March ... and I will start working on that tomorrow NOT DONE BUT NOT FAILED COMPLETELY EITHER (I started cutting the fabrics ... :D)

Exercising:
I hope to increase the days for exercising from 3 to 4 a week DONE (Actually, I am doing 30 minutes a day every weekday. I feel pretty awesome about this.)

MAY:
Knitting:

as usual, 1 pair of socks (but I haven't made up my mind yet this time)
finish the Unst Lace Stole
1 GAA square (there are 4 left)
swatch and cast on for another sweater project (I really like the Akomeogi Tunic from the latest IK)

Sewing:
still the same ... but since I have started the cutting, things should look better this month ... hahaha ...

Exercising:
One thing I learned from my exercising regime this year is the value of patience. Another thing is the importance of listening to your own body. Without either of these, I may have pushed myself beyond my ability and given up long ago.
In May, I plan to add sections of Cindy Crawford's Shape Your Body workouts to my daily exercise. Cindy Crawford was the pretty face for this DVD, but the trainer Radu is the real deal. These are kick-you-in-the-butt workouts (you can read the reviews on the Amazon page). How do I know? I checked the VHS out from the local library a long time ago. Not knowing my own ability, I tried following the routine to a T and almost couldn't get out of the bed the next day.

09:06 Milo Socks

2009-04-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

At the time of writing, WHO has already raised the alert to Level 5. Two schools here in the Bay Area are to be shut down for a week because of students suspected of suffering from the Swine Flu. It does seem the situation is going to worsen ... to what extent I don't know. But it doesn't hurt to be careful. When the news first broke, I already called my mom and asked her about preventive measures during SARS. In times of advice, always turn to mom! :)

Anyway, I hope you all exercise common sense and stay healthy.

And of course, I finished my socks for this month. I chose Milo because of its name. The first thing that came to mind when I saw the name "Mile" is a cat ... Jessie's cat. I watched this cat grow up (by reading Jessie's blog, of course) ever since he was a baby ... One good thing about adopting others' cats on the internet is that you get to enjoy all their loveliness without suffering their evilness. :) So, once I saw the Milo pattern, I decided to make it if I could find the yarn to match it in my stash. I found Panda Silk:
I'm wondering ... what colour did you see? Blue? Grey? I felt confused too when knitting ... most of the time I saw grey. But despite the colour, I love the feel of this yarn while knitting. Silky soft and smooth. 52% bamboo makes it a bit splitty. That was expected ... but really, not so serious as can be called a problem.

Milo is a lovely pattern. What I love most is the XOXO running along the heel:
Actually, the front pattern is XOXO too ... just in a larger scale:
Can you see the sheen in the photo? It is lovely, isn't it? I am hoping Panda Silk would be another choice of summer sock yarn for me after TOFUtsies. Though there is 43% of merino wool, the yarn is of true fingering weight and feels cool on the hand. However it still has to be tested in the real warm weather and in the washer. Will keep you posted.
Details:
Pattern: Milo by Cookie A from Sock Innovation (Love this book ... love this book ... )
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Silk (52% bamboo; 43% Machine washable Merino wool; 5% combed silk) in Colour Pearl Blue
Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns 2.0mm
Cast On: 04-01-2009
Cast Off: 04-27-2009

Hibernating

2009-04-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

I've been hibernating from the blog this last week ... not from knitting though. I'll be back next week.

Oh, and I just got my first star in my President's Challenge! YAY!

Almost a half circle

2009-04-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

Almost but not yet:
This project would really need serious blocking. As you know usually with circular knitting, the center of the circle would pop out naturally:
I don't want to walk around wearing this looking like upright standing tortoise.

Random Wednesday

2009-04-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on 3 projects - the Botanica Medallion Cardigan, the Milo Socks, and the Unst Lace Stole. I love working on the lace stole during the weekends when I can have a longer stretch of uninterrupted time to focus on the complicated lace. And usually this would allow me to have good progress. For the BM Cardigan, I am now at about 20° of the circular outer band ... quite a long way to go. In a word, knitting-wise, there is nothing visually new to show you. :)

I am very happy to report that I've been doing very well in my exercising goal. This week, I started trying to step on the treadmill every day for 30 minutes. I also explored the different programmes of the treadmill. I like the Alpine Pass the most ... the elevation makes the workout more intense, which is great. I also bought new items for my own home gym:
The lightest dumbbells in the gym are 10 lbs ... way too heavy for me. The 3 lbs ones I have are too light for some exercises.

I used to read my paperback when walking on the treadmill. But when I am on the jogging speed, reading is not possible. Now, I turn the tv to Food Network channel and watch it during the whole 30 minutes. I don't know how watching people cook while exercising would affect the effectivenss of the workout, but at least I picked up some recipes I'd like to try. This morning I made the celery root bisque and substituted the sauteed lobster with mixed seafoods ... yummy!

Besides exercising, I also changed a long-time bad habit. Besides coffee, I am having cereals/museli and fresh fruits (usually banana) for breakfast; or sometimes I would have whole-grain toast and yoghurt. This is really great because it really helps to curb some of my guilty pleasures, such as ice-cream, candies and Thomas Kemper Black Cherry Soda.

I made a smart investment a few weeks ago:
This is a Progressive Herb Keeper. It really works. The thymes and rosemary inside are at least 3 weeks old ... but they are still fresh and green. I am thinking of getting a second one for parsley.

I have never been a follower of Fashion, never dye my hair and haven't used make-up for years, but still find this article inspiring. Jenny Joseph's Warning has been one of my favourite poems a long long time ago. And I did wear purple sometimes ... :D

Still waiting for VK

2009-04-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

... to get back to me. But I am pretty sure I had figured out the errors in the Botanica Medallion Cardigan pattern correctly. In case you want to make it too, maybe these would save you some time:

Botanica Medallion
Row 2 [K, yo, k] in the next stitch 6 times -- 18 sts.

Row 10 [K1, ssk, p1, yo, k1, yo, p1, k2tog, k1] 6 times.

Outer Band
Row 3 K2, [sl 1 wyif, k1] 5 times, k2, p6, k26, ...

Row 4 K18(24), *[k1, yo, k1] in next st, k3tog; rep from * 5 times more, p2, k2, 4-st LC, p2, k12.

The outer band is absolutely gorgeous:
Especially the outermost the Indian Cross Stitch:
But this is going to take long ...

The search for the best summer sock yarns

2009-04-08T03:42:00.000-07:00

Well, at least that was the planned post title yesterday ... before I was sucked into the beautiful cover project of the latest VK (they finally put the preview up!):
Knowing my track record of making garments like these, I suppose you won't be too surprised. But you must admit ... this is gorgeous!

However, before everyone gets too excited, just remember this is a VK pattern. ;) First error appears in Row 2! But wait ... there are more. Myra has already ranted about that here. I immediately emailed to VK asking to clarify the errors, and specifically stated that I wanted to work on the project ASAP, so I hoped they would get back to me soon. I'm still waiting. Luckily it's not that complicated and I actually sorted them out myself.

The center medallion is super fast:
However, I may need to redo the bind off using a larger needle.

So, the search for the best summer sock yarns will have to wait! LOL!

How did I do in March?

2009-04-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

It's the beginning of a month again ... the time to examine my goals in March.

Knitting:

1 pair of socks (for the moment I have chosen to make Cat Bordhi's Spring Thaw Socks) DONE
2 GAA squares (I started the first one already) HALF-DONE (I could only manage to make one)
at least one border for the Unst Lace Stole DONE
2 baby knits (Hooded Carrying Bag & Changing Mat Bag) for a friend HALF-DONE (but I finally decided that the Changing Mat Bag was not really a good idea)
cast on Autumn Rose Pullover FAILED (I think putting this to September would be better, since once started, I need to finish it ASAP ... the weather is just not right for any wool project now)
swatch for Seamless Hybrid FAILED (since this is also going be a wool project, so it would also be moved to a later time)
get the written part of lesson 1 done and have it mailed DONE

Sewing:

2 Crazy Quilt Bookcovers (promised to make for 2 friends ages ago ... it's time to work on them!) COMPLETELY FAILED!

Non-Crafting related:

Get the taxes done! (this is always a headache!) DONE

Though I completely failed in my sweater goals, I still feel good because I know that the March goals were a bit aggressive. But I did feel bad about my sewing goal. So, I have decided to hide all my knitting stuff away tomorrow so that I would free myself for the sewing! LOL! Seriously!

For April, I'll keep things simple.

Knitting:

1 pair of socks (Cookie A's Milo from her new book)
finish the Unst Lace Stole (this means the second border plus the edging)
1 GAA square (I am getting really close to finishing all the squares ... have to pace up)
cast on for one summer garment project (I'm still looking around ... but the 17th century Undershirt from Piecework March/April 2009 is strangely attractive to me)
I expect to receive my work on Lesson 1 plus materials for Lesson 2 from the instructor soon. This time, I would like to work faster on Lesson 2.

Sewing:

the same as for March ... and I will start working on that tomorrow

Exercising:

I hope to increase the days for exercising from 3 to 4 a week

09:05 Spring Thaw Socks

2009-03-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

The baby knitting and lace knitting took a bit more time that I expected, so once again I pushed the finishing of the socks to the last. Luckily March is a longer month (okay, one day longer ... hehehe ...) so I felt I had a little more room to get them done.

I really like this pattern. The spiraling leaves along the socks are beautiful and the stretchy twisted ribbing makes it very comfortable to wear. However, honestly, it wasn't that much fun to knit. Constantly twisting the knit stitches seemed to add stress to my right elbow and lower arm. So, as much as I love this pattern, I doubt I would make it again soon. Besides, I expect to receive Cookie's new book in the next couple of days! I've been psyched to get this new sock book ...

Wanna have a closer look at the leaves?
There is one thing I need to improve on, though. Even after adjusting the length of the foot before starting the heel, the socks are still a tad long ... not much, just a tiny bit. If I want to get a better grip of this new sock structure, I certainly have to make another pair soon ... otherwise, the enthusiasm would be taken over by the comfort of the familiar cuff down method.

Details:
Pattern: Spring Thaw Socks designed by Cat Bordhi (Knitter's Magazine 91, Summer 2008)
Yarn: Opal Uni Solid 4 ply (75% Superwash Wool, 25% Polyamide) in Light Olive
Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns 2.75mm
Cast On: 03-03-2009
Cast Off: 03-29-2009

I got a surprise in the mail today. The latest VK just arrived and I love it! It is just too bad that they didn't even get the preview/contents to their web yet. The lace shawl by Shirley Paden is very tempting. It is nothing very sophisticated, just chevron lace, but the crocheted edging makes a great difference to the whole look of the shawl. If you are not a subscriber, check back on their site for the preview ... I think you would like this issue too. :)

It took longer than expected

2009-03-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

I thought there were only 68 rows in the border. Again, my carelessness in reading patterns. There are actually 136 rows.

But it is certainly lovely:
The piece was only slightly stretched in the picture. I am sure with proper blocking, it is going to be very beautiful. :)

09:04 Hooded Carrying Bag

2009-03-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Unlike many of you, I'm not a big fan of baby knitting ... even though the finished projects are very often cute. Therefore, I am really excited that this baby gift was finally finished! And I also reconsidered the baby items on my March goal-list. I decided to scratch out the Changing Mat Bag ... I would think a baby blanket would be a more welcomed item.

My gauge using the yarn was a bit bigger than the one in the pattern, so my finished bag would be a bigger. I think for baby items, bigger is always better than smaller, isn't that right? I hope it would be able to accommodate the baby beyond his/her first year.

I've seen quite a lot of stitch pattern variation of the project on Ravelry. However, I decided to keep to the garter stitch ... even though it was getting pretty tiresome. The great thing about garter stitch is its stretchiness ... which is good for baby knits.

Badly in need of a model for the carrying bag, I recruited my stuff animals; but unfortunately, they are not exactly of normal baby-size:

Due to a mistake I made, instead of being placed side by side, the two fronts have to overlap on 3 stitches when joined. This made the installation of zipper quite inconvenient. So I used 6 sew-on snaps instead.
If you are thinking of making this, I would suggest you to use provisional cast on so that you can make a seamless bag by kitchener stitch at the end. I used 3-needle bind off to complete the hood:
Quite a nice way ... look seamless from the outside.

Details:
Pattern: Hooded Carrying Bag from Essential Baby by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Print (100% Acrylic) in Seaspray Mist (5.5 skeins)
The colour I've chosen is absolutely lovely. The yarn is reasonably smooth. I put the finished bag into the washer and dryer and it holds up well.
Needle: Denise US6
Cast On: 03-03-2009
Cast Off: 03-20-2009

The hummingbirds never leave

2009-03-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

This year, the clock change for DST arrived unbelievably quietly ... maybe it was because of the economic crisis, tv news and radio stations just gave a brief mention and that was it. This past winter, I found out that hummingbirds here never leave. They would be in hiding when there was a storm or if it rained, but once it was dry, they would come out again. Compared to other parts of the country, there is really no winter here.

So, give it another couple of weeks, maybe I have to put away the wool sweaters. I only needed to wear the bulky sweater once this past winter. Got to re-evaluate the to-knit list ... but bulky items seldom make it to my list anyway.

Today, some people were wearing short-sleeved cotton tees. I had my February Lady on. I kept asking myself ... should I start the Autumn Rose Pullover now? It would be good to start now and have it finished well before the next cold season comes. But yet, when it is so springy and warm outside, I am wanting to make something for the warm season!

The baby knitting is finished and all I need is to sew the snaps on:
Yeah, due to a mistake, zipper is no longer the ideal method of closure. ;)

Patience

2009-03-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

My exercise routine reached a new milestone last week. I am still working on the treadmill for 30 minutes every time. Last week, I was able to walk/jog 2 miles in 30 minutes! Yay! I am still alternating the walking and jogging sessions, but now I can do 5 minutes/5 minutes sessions and the jogging speed is 4.8 mph. I think this would be the limit for me, so if I want to accomplish more distance, I would need to spend more time on the machine.

Or, I can add strength training exercises. And I did. Once again, keeping things simple helps. At first, I just did one set (10) each of squats and lunges. These have always been exercises I really dislike doing ... but they don't need any equipment ... simple. This week, I start doing sets of 12 ... not much, but still improvement. I also add 2 sessions (25 counts each) of plank. My goal is to be able to do 1 minute at a time.

One thing I learned from this exercising experience is ... Patience is the Rule. Start as moderately as it suits you. Set humble, reachable but still challenging goals to keep the motivation alive. Before you know it, you are making progress!

The baby knitting is progressing too:
I think I'd better go get a zipper tomorrow so that I would be able to put that in if I can manage to finish the knitting the coming weekend.

New Green

2009-03-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

Last time I tried Cat Bordhi's new way of sock knitting, I didn't get anywhere. But I figure this is what may happen when one leaves her comfort zone and tries something new.

So, I tried again. :) The Spring Thaw Sock is a really eye-catching pattern. Making it in March is the perfect time to welcome spring. And what's a better colour than green?
Just finished the heel turning. But getting there was not smooth sailing at all. I know there are numerous ways to cast on for toe-up socks: Bordhi uses Judy's magic cast on and many knitters favoured Turkish cast on. Unfortunately, both didn't work for me. Every time I knit toe-up pattern, I attempt to use these 2 methods ... and get frustrated. Then I have to resort to Figure 8 cast on. Maybe next time I should save myself some time and go straight to my tried and successful method. :)

Then, the needle size. I used the suggested US2 since the total number of stitches after the toe-increasing is only 58. However, the twisted rib turns out to be quite stretchy in this pattern. I am using US1 now, but I suspect even US0 would be okay.

Next is the foot length. I used the calculation in the pattern and started the leaf pattern after 4" of knitting even. That was proved to be half an inch too long. Now it is just right:
I like the arch structure of Bordhi's pattern. But I think I need more practice to get the new approach internalized ... especially the numbers involved in the heel turning.

Thank you very much for your input on the Autumn Rose swatches. (I have pulled the poll.) I like the top half of Swatch #1 and the bottom half of Swatch #3. Since I don't want to get stuck in the swatching zone, I decide to combine the two parts that I like instead of swatching again. However, the fair isle pullover would have to give way for the baby knitting ... baby grows fast, you know, so I don't have one minute to lose. :)
Another project in green! The gender of the baby is unknown, so green would be perfect.

Plan for March

2009-03-03T16:36:00.001-08:00

Before talking about March, maybe I should evaluate my February goals:

1 pair of socks (just cast on but the yarn may not work out with the pattern, so may have to start over again!) DONE! (Dublin Bay Socks)
1 square for GAA DONE! (Celeste Pinheiro Square)
make at least 3 repeats for the Unst Stole (I already have 5 done, so the goal would be to have a total of 8 complete, leaving 2 remaining for March) DONE! (Actually I managed to finish the remaining 5 repeats!)
make a swatch for Autumn Rose Pullover DONE! (I made 3!)
work on the TKGA Basics, Basics, Basics Lesson 1 (there are 5 swatches plus questions for each to be submitted) PARTLY DONE (the knitting was finished but the written part not!)

Conclusion: Not too bad indeed! :D

For March, I have plans in different areas:

Knitting:

1 pair of socks (for the moment I have chosen to make Cat Bordhi's Spring Thaw Socks)
2 GAA squares (I started the first one already)
at least one border for the Unst Lace Stole
2 baby knits (Hooded Carrying Bag & Changing Mat Bag) for a friend
cast on Autumn Rose Pullover
swatch for Seamless Hybrid
get the written part of lesson 1 done and have it mailed

Sewing:

2 Crazy Quilt Bookcovers (promised to make for 2 friends ages ago ... it's time to work on them!)

Non-Crafting related:

Get the taxes done! (this is always a headache!)

About the Autumn Rose Pullover, yes, I made 3 swatches for it (Husband said I was obsessed!). Decision has already been made, but just out of curiosity ... which one do you like most?

Swatch #1

Swatch #2

Swatch #3

Results of the Poll:
Swatch #1 50%
Swatch #2 33%
Swatch #3 17%
Total Votes: 18

Thank you very much for your input. :)

09:03 Dublin Bay Socks

2009-02-28T14:12:00.000-08:00

It is Stitches West weekend here. But I don't feel like going. So, I am staying home and playing with the Palette swatch and the keyboard instead.

The socks were finished just in time to reach my February goal. I am in a green mood lately. The Cherry Tree Hill Supersock greens/blues colourway is absolutely beautiful:
It reminds me of the Regia Canadian Socks, which I love wearing. The Dublin Bay pattern is really simple ... just a bit of lace added to the plain socks. Definitely one of the best patterns to go with this kind of colourway.

Details:
Pattern: Dublin Bay Socks (Ravel it!)
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock (100% Superwash merino) in Greens/Blues
Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns 2.25mm (leg); Knit Picks dpns 2.00 mm (heel & foot)
Cast On: Forgotten!
Cast Off: 02-27-2009

Also, one more GAA square done:
Man! I felt so accomplished in February!

Swatch #1

2009-02-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

Hello. You still come here? Thank you! I'm just busy with the usual business of life here ... and am feeling great. How about you?

The weather has been great here. By "great", I mean it is getting back to the normal seasonal weather ... there have been alternate periods of rainy and sunny days, which is great because this way, harmful damages may be minimized. Yet, it seems mandatory water rationing in the coming summer would still be necessary. I am still not sure how this would affect my daily life since I don't know how water rationing works here. Luckily I am not too interested in dyeing my own yarns yet.

This year, I am determined to do more on my part to help honey bees. First in mind is to grow as many flowers they like in my little patio as I can. I hope you can help too ... go and read more. I am going to.

The Swatch #1 in the title is this:
How do you like the colour combination? I finished and blocked it last night and thought it was okay. I like the greens ... but not sure about the yellows and the green in the very centre. It is a good thing my gauge was not right ... so I get to make another swatch and play a bit more with the colours.

The Knit Picks Palette is soooo soft! Love it so far.

Progressing

2009-02-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

Since I have set goals for February, I am making progress gradually. I feel pretty good about accomplishing all the goals except the fair isle swatch.

Right now, I am trying to figure out how to make this chain with one 40" i-cord:
Actually, I have a good idea how to make it ... just that I didn't expect to have to run the i-cord from the right side into the wrong side and back up again. The unexpected makes me pause and hesitate. Any alternative idea?

More Eye Candy for Friday:
Malabrigo Sock Yarns in Eggplant and Chocolate Amargo. I just caved in to a 20% off sale ... now I'm telling myself these are for my being good with the exercise regiment for 4 weeks! LOL!

Wish you all a wonderful weekend.

I am not a born pack leader

2009-02-17T17:27:00.000-08:00

Recently my most favourite tv reruns are Dog Whisperer. I never had a dog before but Husband did. If conditions permit, we would like to have a dog and a cat. But after watching several episodes of the show, I start to have a certain idea that, without guidance, what kind of dog owner I would be ... the kind who would have my dog controlling me! LOL! Really, this show is very educational. Now I know some basic principles of establishing relationship with a dog. And if we really are to have a dog, first thing I do is to seek out local dog-training class.

My exercise routine is still being maintained. My next goal is to add some weight/resistance training. I am researching on the internet to work out my own circuit-training routine to be done in the gym I go. The first and foremost principle is still to keep things simple so that the motivation can be kept high.

Knitting-wise, I spent the Presidents' Day long weekend working on the Unst Lace Stole:
All 10 repeats for the center of the stole are done! The problem of putting down the project and picking it up again after a period of time is that I am more prone to making mistakes. So after finishing the 8th repeat, I decided to keep going. Honestly, I felt quite a relief to have this part done. Next would be the borders on the two ends ... but that would be the goal for March.

Eye Candy Friday

2009-02-13T11:19:00.000-08:00

Since I still have nothing to show, why not? These are from the Spring 2009 issue of Marie-Clarie Idees.

I have a feeling that "owl" is going to be big in 2009.

Busy ... but not much to show

2009-02-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

Last year, except the summer months when we could dip into the swimming pool, I pretty much gave up exercising. I did pick up a few pounds along the way, but that is not really the problem. What is then? I've been feeling guilty because I know I should exercise. So, I decide to really really drag myself away from the couch and tv set. To make sure I won't stop after, say just one week, I keep everything simple this time ... 30 minutes on the treadmill every time I go.

During the first week, I managed to go 3 times and basically could only walk at a snail (comparatively) speed. Last week (the 3rd week), I was able to go 4 times ... and I could slow jog (that is, at other people's walking speed) for 9 minutes during the 30-minute workout. I read somewhere that alternating the walking and the jogging would be much more beneficial. Actually, it is more satisfying too ... the jogging becomes more do-able to me and I could feel I accomplished more. Yesterday, I finished 7 laps in 30 minutes ... felt pretty good!

I started working on the colour combination of Autumn Rose. Googled a little on the web and found an interesting little tool that would be great help in colour work. It is called JDraw. The problem is it only runs on Windows. Besides, the number of grids seems to be fixed ... at least I couldn't find out how to add. So at the end, I had to return to Gimp. It's not as ready to use as JDraw, but that is not really the problem. My colour sense is. ;) A lot of work has to be done before I can get down to the actual swatch.

So, for the time being, I only have half a sock to show:
Isn't the colourway gorgeous? This was the last of Debi's gifts, Cherry Tree Hill Supersock. I first used it with Saxony Socks from A Fine Fleece. The cables would be alright, but the moss stitch and the colourway just won't get together well. So, after 3 rows into the pattern, I decided to switch. Dublin Bay is perfect. For Saxony, I think the solid Kroy in my stash would be great.

GAA - Celeste Pinheiro Square

2009-02-07T23:08:00.001-08:00

Forgot to post this last time. This square doesn't count as this month's goal as it was finished in January:
This is one of my favourites. The use of stitches really hit the right chord in the symbolism. However, I am still not good at embellishing ... as proved by the poor crab's legs and claws!

February Goals

2009-02-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

Wow! Thank you all very much for the nice comments on my Tangled Yoke Cardigan. My comment section hasn't been this crowded and spirited for a long time ... LOL! As a long time Blogger user, I am still in the process of changing the habit of not responding to comments. Halo Scan allows me to do that, but if I am short of time when I receive the comments, I am usually not able to reply ... and then eventually forget to. I am really sorry about that ... changing a habit takes time. :)

I am still in the typical chaotic period after finishing a major project ... you know, pulling all the books out, yarns and half-done swatches here and there, needles of various sizes spreading around while nothing seems to get done! Things do seem to clear out gradually. I did swatches on a new cardigan (Espresso ... love the name!) Most probably I will have it started this month.

Also, remember my plan to make the Palette Fair Isle Cardigan in 2009? Well, there will be a change of plan. After working on Tangle Yoke Cardigan, I am inevitably impressed by Eunny's pattern. Honestly, Autumn Rose Pullover would be a much more beautiful project, so I have been doing some work on choosing the colours:
Those would be my home-made Palette colour-cards. They are actually very easy to make (some punching and cutting) and a great help in the colour choosing process. I would like the main colour of my pullover to be green. A swatch will be done to see if the colours work well together.

One thing that impressed me deeply in 2008 is Dawn's monthly goal-setting. It seems that the practice helps her to achieve quite a lot. So, I am trying to do the same. It's already one week into February, which is a shorter month, so I am trying to be realistic in my February goals:

1 pair of socks (just cast on but the yarn may not work out with the pattern, so may have to start over again!)
1 square for GAA
make at least 3 repeats for the Unst Stole (I already have 5 done, so the goal would be to have a total of 8 complete, leaving 2 remaining for March)
make a swatch for Autumn Rose Pullover
work on the TKGA Basics, Basics, Basics Lesson 1 (there are 5 swatches plus questions for each to be submitted)

09:02 Tangled Yoke Cardigan

2009-02-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

Last week, I have been busy. On Thursday, I took a private sewing lesson. The whole purpose of this lesson was to figure what was wrong with my machine. You see, I have been having similar problems like this:
Sometimes, the mess was even messier than this. I tried every movable part of the machine to no avail. It turned out when I bought some extra thread bobbins, I got the wrong type which were smaller in height. But of course, I took advantage of the lesson and asked the teacher lots of questions about sewing. I was happy that the problem that's been bugging me was finally solved.

Then on Friday, I got sucked into this fake death rumour that exploded over the weekend on Rivalry and Knitty Board. I was just reading the forum posts and development as a bystander since I didn't even know this person before her death; but I did feel sympathy for her family when I learned about her disease and death. If the rumour turned out to be true, it would be horrible ... for almost everybody involved!

And of course, I was busy finishing my first sweater of 2009 ... Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I.LOVE.IT...VERY.MUCH! Honestly, I may not be always overtly impressed by the IK under Eunny's leadership, but I do think this pattern is impeccable. It is almost flawless (there is a minor mistake in the number of stitches somewhere, I think) and the shape and fit are extremely flattering:
I just have a very good feeling wearing the cardigan. The sizing may need some adjusting. I wanted a more standard fit, somewhere between the 34" and 38" bust. If you have the same problem with the sizing, patient and generous swatching is a must. The size of my cardigan turns out to be exactly what I wanted (a great reason for anther round of happy dance):
My first yoke sweater ... and I am really impressed! The fit of the cardigan is very comfortable ... and the intricate cabling pattern running along the yoke makes the cardigan so very elegant:

However, one thing caught me by surprise -- the yarn. The Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool is very lovely in its own tweedy rugged way and the colour is gorgeous. I didn't remember reading anywhere knitters mentioning that it is scratchy! But it is ... seriously! Maybe it is just me. Last night when I tried it on, I discovered that no way can I wear this cardigan next to the skin! Too bad ... I would have second thought using this yarn again. :(

Details:
Pattern: Tangled Yoke Cardigan designed by Eunny Jang from IK Fall 2007
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool (45% wool, 35% silk, 20% Nylon) Colour: Cornflower 7 skeins
Needles: Addi Circular 3.5mm and Addi Lace Circular 3.25mm (for button and buttonhole bands)
Cast On: 01-13-2009
Cast Off: 02-01-2009

Random Wednesday

2009-01-28T16:00:00.000-08:00

Still working on Tangled Yoke Cardigan ... it would most probably be finished this weekend. Buttons for the cardigan were also chosen:

I threw the February Lady Sweater into the cold water wash cycle last night and let it dry on the rack. The sleeves were a bit too wide before the wash, now the whole sweater is shrunk to the perfect fit! Great!

I am still working on the stash record in Ravelry, but what remains is mostly those single balls I picked up from time to time just to try out, as well as some acrylic yarns I bought in the early years. One bonus from this recording is that I managed to destash 2 items so far. :)

Something I have thought of doing for years and I finally took the plunge ... taking the TKGA Basics, Basics, Basics (Hand Knitting) course. My ultimate goal is to take the Master Hand Knitting Program.

After 3 months of piano lessons, one fact is confirmed -- I have absolutely no talent in music ... and I am pathetically bad at rhythm! LOL! But I also learn that one doesn't have to be a musical talent to enjoy playing. I enjoy the lessons, the practice at home, and also the fact that I am learning something new.

I'm in love!

2009-01-26T17:49:00.000-08:00

Isn't it just lovely?
Closer look:
Yes, I'm totally in love with this ... maybe except one thing. The way it is knitted makes it really hard to try it on to see if the piece fits. Okay, I can thread the stitches onto a long piece of waste yarn and try it on ... but that's too much of a hassle with over 200 stitches. Given the way I swatched, ::fingers crossed:: it should be fine.

I guess it's time for button shopping. :)

09:01 Winter's Eve Socks

2009-01-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

My first ever FO under a Democratic President! Too bad it's a pair of beaded girly socks, otherwise, I would send it to the President as his inauguration present! Every time I see him on tv, I can't help but feel the invisible but enormous weights on his shoulders. Knitting him a pair of socks may be the very least I can do. What do you think?

Okay, about my socks. I really really love this STR Mustang Sally colourway, which knitted up very blended, no pooling at all:
And the deep burgundy red resembles warm mulled red wine ... perfect for winter time. Pretty pretty pretty! I am hoping this would not fade as much as the other STR yarns.

At first, I wanted to avoid the tediousness of threading the beads before knitting, but upon more careful reading of the pattern, I discovered that this was a necessary step since the beads were all positioned between 2 stitches instead of on one. Talking about beads, 350 beads were required ... 175 for each sock. So, the finished socks are pretty top heavy.

There is a line of beads running along the front and back of the leg. The one on the back extends into half of the heel:
I can definitely feel the beads are there, though not to the extent of discomfort. Maybe now I have an excuse to shop for a pair of clogs? LOL!

Details:
Pattern: Winter's Eve designed by Sivia Harding for Socks That Rock Sock Club December 2006
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight
Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns US1
Cast On: 01-01-2009
Cast Off: 01-21-2009

First Cardigan

2009-01-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

It's Eunny Jang's Tangled Yoke Cardigan. Since it is the first sweater of the year, I took extra measures to make sure it would come out right. So, I swatched, and swatched, and swatched ... literally! This had to be the first for me ... 3 full size swatches (30 stitches x 36 rows) in 3 different needle sizes. All swatches washed and dried in the way the sweater-to-be would be handled. Measurements taken before and after the washes.

I am glad I did all these. Seriously.

The sizes of the pattern seem a bit odd to me. The smallest is 34" bust, then the next jumps to 38". I know for sure I can't squeeze into the smallest size, but the next size might be too big. I want a 36" bust.

The yarn I chose for the cardigan is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool (Hooray for knitting from stash!). Thanks to Ravelry (again!), I knew this lovely yarn definitely blooms with the first wash.

Therefore the swatching, washing and measuring to find the right needle size to get the 36" bust. I am using US4 to make the 38" size.

And the yarn! Despite the quite frequent appearnaces of plant matters mingled in the wool, Silky Wool is lovely ... lovely ... and lovely:

State of the Afghan

2009-01-14T19:57:00.000-08:00

One more square down:
This is No.2 most challenging square after the sock square. You would think it was knitted in the round ... Wrong! Starting from the centre, it is knitted flat, increasing stitches at the four corners and then the cast off edge sewn to the cast on one. I can tell you that the last row before the garter-row edge was really crazy ... you can count the bobbles! LOL!

I think it's now time to look at the Great American Afghan tally:

17 squares completed
8 squares waiting to be done

Among the remaining 8, this one would be, well, has been actually, trouble:
I tried several times and just couldn't make it work. Most probably, I would drop this and make an intarsia "signature square".

How have you been doing so far?

2009-01-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

Second week into 2009, I have been a bit underwhelmed by my knitting so far.

Though I did make some progress on the GAA, I haven't knitted a single stitch on the Unst Stole.

There are 2 sock projects on the needles. The beaded one (Winter's Eve) is coming along pretty well:
The colourway (Mustang Sally) turns out to be very beautiful. However, when the sock was on the feet, the beads seem to go crazy in whatever directions they fancy:
See? They are not aligned at all. Maybe it was my fault ... these are cheap beads I came across in Tuesday Morning a long time ago. Their sizes are irregular but they are definitely larger than 8/0. But I still like the sock so far.

Then, in the last week of 2008, I cast on the Snowflake Socks:
This is the nth attempt but when I tried to put it on, there was still a bit tight when going through the heel. I am wondering if I should going up another needle size (now it is US3) or add stitches ... or keep going. When I put the 2 socks together, they seem to be of the same size:
Why one doesn't fit as well?

I found my New Year Resolution

2009-01-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

I decided it was time to be honest with oneself and face the stash situation head on! So, I've been taking crappy photos of my stash and inputting the data into Ravelry.

Knitting project content will resume after the above task is done.

The busiest square ever

2009-01-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

The sock square was finished, finally:
Except the socks and the tassels, other details were lost. In the panel next to the socks, there are 3 heart patterns:
In the photos from the booklet, these were pretty obvious. So naturally, I thought I didn't follow the chart properly. This was one of the reasons I had to redo this square so many times. Finally, I decided that it was not me. I am thinking maybe I should use the lighter colour to embroider the hearts.

Then, there should be the word "SOCKS" all around the central panels:
Again, these are much more obvious in the booklet photos. Maybe it was because of the deep colour I am using.

But still, it is a lovely square. It was also named the No. 1 most challenging square. Only after having worked on it did I realize how true that is. After intensely knitting various types of projects for 4 years, sometimes I forgot how many different skills I have learned during the process. With this square, I felt like going through almost all the skills all over again.

For the socks:
-circular cast on (toe-up sock)
-knitting in the round (with dpns)
-make a stitch
-stranded knitting
-after-though heel
-bind off (alternate colours)
-k2tog, ssk, M1

For the square:
-provisional cast on
-flat knitting
-knitting in the round
-picking up stitches
-knitting from a chart

For the finishing:
-how to make tassels
-how to make twisted cords
-how to sew on appliqués
-embroidery (double knot)

Wow!

Happy New Year 2009!

2009-01-02T18:06:00.001-08:00

To start the new year, I'd like to thank you all for the support and kind comments in the past years. It is a wonderful thing that people from all corners of the world can share a common passion. So my one New Year wish is that we'd all be able to have satisfying experiences in our fibery adventures in the coming year.

My New Year's Day has been a great one. I finished my first pair of socks and started a beaded pattern for January's SKA Sockdown! I am not kidding ... I not only finished a pair of socks, but a fair isle pair:
I didn't have a penny with me when taking the photo, so I used the pin instead for scale. Aren't they cute? They were made with US00 dpns and 2-ply Wool Ease in 2 colours. They are part of a square for the GAA. As it turned out, the socks were easier to make than the square. I tried twice but was still not able to get the square right.

The SKA Sockdown challenge for January is beaded sock pattern. I happened to have one beaded sock kit in my stash:
It is the last Sock That Rock Club Kit I have. Not having knitted with the yarn for quite some time, it is a pleasant reminder of the STR beautiful colours. It was a fun pattern. But since I couldn't use the crochet hook method to put the beads (the holes of the beads are irregular ... and even the smallest steel hook I have couldn't pass through some of them), I had to thread them first ... this was the painful part.

2008 Knitrospect

2008-12-31T06:14:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again when one would naturally tend to be a little nostalgic and a little progressive.

So, the easy part first ... numbers:
17 pairs of socks
1 huge Christmas stocking
2 sleeveless summer tops
1 wrap (Clapotis)
3 sweaters
4 cardigans
1 dress
1 quilt plus some sewing projects

Things did seem to have slowed down a bit in 2008 on the knitting front. That's what happens when you're widening your range of interests. I spent quite some time fiddling with the sewing machine in the middle of the year. I consider that time well spent and I plan to do a bit more next year.

Now some thoughts and plans.

1. My proudest moment was when I finished my first ever full-size quilt:
Honestly, it's not a really difficult pattern. But I can't stop feeling amazed at the harmonious beauty. However, knitted afghan is still my most favourite. In the coming year, I see myself finishing at least 2 afghans. Sound ambitious? One is actually done halfway.

2. 2008 was my self-assigned "Year of Nancy Bush Patterns" for socks. I did that partly because very often I felt lost in the bizillion sock patterns available and ended up not knowing which one to make. Now I can say that the resolution served its purpose. For the first half of the year, I focused on making Nancy Bush's patterns and got myself into a good sock knitting groove. Once I was there, I was able to move onto other designers and patterns. Nancy Bush was like a safety net for me ... don't know what to make? Just pick one from hers and you are all set. :)

3. I have been pretty productive in socks last year ... largely thanks to Sock-A-Month Knitalong. The totally minimal requirement is an amazing motivation to make socks. Guess what? I'm definitely going to continue with the knitalong ... big surprise! The Sock Knitters Anonymous was one step beyond SAM. It requires a little bit more planning but again, no pressure ... just fun. So far, I was pretty good in keeping up. But I think 2 sock knitalongs are enough to keep me going while still leaving time for other projects.

4. I did quite a lot of one-piece garment knitting. Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I didn't ... especially when it was in the round. I know all about the many advantages of knitting in the round, but for me, knitting back and forth is still the most feel-right way. So, it would be very unlikely for me to change a pattern from flat knitting into knit-in-the-round.

5. The only colourwork project I did last year was Laila's Socks, which was a lot of fun ... and I love wearing the socks. I have yet to try a garment-size fair isle project. I think 2009 would be the time. Actually, I have everything I would need for the Palette Fair Isle Cardigan. This would also be my first experience at steeking ... ::gasp::

6. Recent discovery ... amongst my various handknits, Husband's most favourite is my first afghan:
This is his favourite cover up when taking a nap on the sofa ... in his words, "It's soft, warm and beautiful." Even though there would be new ones coming, I am not sure if he would allow me to retire this one! LOL!

Finally, it's time to say goodbye to 2008! With the projects I have planned so far (2 afghans, 12 pairs of socks, 1 fair isle cardigan, a lace stole, Unst), my 2009 schedule seems pretty substantial already. I just can't wait for the new year to come and this feeling has never been so strong ... do you feel the same?

08:29 Mad About Plaid Socks (SKA November Mystery Socks)

2008-12-28T17:25:00.000-08:00

Oh hi! How was everybody's Christmas? We had a great time here ... the meal was great, the Yule Log was delicious, the tree was smelling good and Husband loves his present. I tried not thinking too much about the mysterious package. Then, it turned out to be another package from my MIL. Since we received one from her earlier already, I didn't expect another one. More chocolates from France ... LOL!

I also finished my SKA Sockdown project in time. This is officially my last FO of the year.

Details:
Pattern: Mad About Plaids designed by Debi for SKA November Mystery Sockdown!
Another great design from Debi. I was just happy to be able to use some of the leftovers and add some interest to the otherwise very boring grey socks.
I am amazed by how beautiful the plaid pattern created by slipped stitches:
The fit of the socks is not a snag one on me, but they are very comfortable, especially the heels which feel like cushions against the shoes.

Yarns: Elann Sock It To Me Essential 4-Ply in Colour Grey Shadow (7620) (just a little more than 1 ball); leftovers of Fleece Artist Basic Merino Socks (Wild Flowers) and Inspirations Yarn Cappuccino
I always feel happy when I am able to use up some of the very early stash.

Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns 2.5mm

Cast On: 11-30-2008
Cast Off: 12-27-2008

I also finished one more GAA square:
This Meg Swansen Square looks simple but is great fun to make. I especially love the "mystery" (Meg's word) knots:
I think my finishing the GAA in 2009 is looking good. :)

Christmas Mystery

2008-12-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

I missed ~~Santa~~ the postman today ... so now I am left with a mystery to ponder over for Christmas:
Completely no clue what this is going to be ... and I know this would drive me nuts! LOL!

Anyway, my most favourite snow man wishes Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate, and Happy Holiday to those who don't:

Just in time for new year

2008-12-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

... or maybe not. Narcissus are one of the traditional flowers Chinese like to display during Chinese New Year. Just by looking at the picture on the package, I thought paper whites were narcissus ... most probably they are kind of related, but definitely different ... the colour and the aroma. Anyway, my paper whites bloomed during the weekend:
Since Chinese New Year is still a month away, maybe I'll get a real narcissus bulb to see if I can have the real thing in time. :)

As planned, I picked up the GAA again during weekend and made the Maureen Egan Emlet Square:
I was hesitant in adding the embellishments at the beginning (because of the extra extra work) but now am glad that I did because the little bullion stitch flowers are so cute:
Okay, so they came with a price ... I didn't show you the back of the square ...

08:28 Gabi

2008-12-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

As I said before, Gabi would be the last garment project I managed to finish in 2008. For the remaining of the month, I would concentrate on finishing my SKA socks for this month (to be more accurately, November) and making a couple of squares (hopefully) for the Great American Afghan.

But to be honest, the GAA is a lot less interesting to me than the GAAA. Some of the squares just seem not too fun to knit. Yet, I am not one to quit easily. :) I would give all the squares a try. If I fail, I think I would just substitute them with doubles of those that work. The most important thing is to be able to move on ... since I already have my eyes on another afghan project.

Yesterday, I wore the freshly finished Gabi and concluded that I need to be a bit more careful. The large kimono-style sleeves in lace means I would easily be caught by door handles ... which already happend more than once yesterday ... hahaha ...

Details:
Project: Gabi designed by Marie Wallin from Rowan 43
One interesting about this project is that it is not a very photogenic piece of garment. At least you need to have a photographer to try and find the best angle so that the beauty of the piece would show. For someone using a self-timer at a cluttered home, it is almost impossible ... not to mention the darker plum colour I chose! :)
The rib peplum turns out to be looser than I expect. Besides, ribbing in the mohair yarn isn't really that elastic. So, I think if you have a narrower hip than I do, you can pick up less stitches for it.
I think the best way to wear this is a camisole of contrasting colour underneath so that the beautiful lace would pop. But you know, to survive yesterday's weather, I need a long-sleeved turtle neck sweater ... hehehe ...

Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Night (67% Super Kid Mohair, 18% Silk, 10% Polyester and 5% Nylon) in colour Macbeth 5 balls
The difference is very slight, but I can say that Kidsilk Night is not as soft as Kidsilk Haze, perhaps mainly because of the shiny bits (which I assumed to be the polyester). Don't get me wrong ... Kidsilk Night is still very very soft ... and I love the little glitters though some may think they would make the sweater a bit over-dress for daytime. :)

Needles: Denise US7 and US5

Cast On: 07-27-2008
Cast Off: 12-18-2008

Sparky instead of Pearly

2008-12-17T15:30:00.000-08:00

Not much knitting news as the 2x2 ribbing is pretty boring, but I did pick out the buttons for Gabi ... instead of the pearly ones I first had in mind, I chose this sparky one:
I think it would go well with the Kidsilk Night.

Last night, we watched "The Great Escape" ... a great movie but I am always hesitant in watching it because (1) it is pretty darn long (close to 3 hours!) (2) though there were a lot of positive things celebrated in the movie, I always find the story very sad ... or heavy. However, since it is a really great movie, once you start watching, you would just get drawn into the story.

Besides, I made 2 discoveries last night. First, I saw the young actor who would later come Dr. Ducky Mallard, one of my favourite cast members in NCIS. Second, the "Cooler King" Steve McQueen reminded me of someone ... I spent 1/3 of the movie time trying to figure who it was. Finally, I got it ... Damian Lewis! Obviously, I was not the only one!

Taking shape

2008-12-15T19:24:00.000-08:00

Finally there is some much-needed rain and snow storms here. It has been said for quite some time now ... that the possibility for compulsory water-rationing next year would be really high. I don't know how the rationing would be executed here, but no matter how, routine habits would be affected. I am just hoping rainfall and snow content would be able to ease the crisis ...

Still working on Gabi and she is taking good shape:
Plum on red doesn't really show too well. There are still 2cm + 15 cm of 2x2 ribbing to go ... pretty boring. I still have no idea what is the best way to wear Gabi; but the loose fit and big sleeves are kind of nostalgic of the 70s Hippie style, so maybe long flowing big skirt and long boots would be great.

I really can't explain this

2008-12-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

I finished Diva in May ... a little more than half a year ago. So, I really can't justify this:
Yeah, for the last couple of weeks, I have been wearing the cardigan with these 2 ends dangling around. All I need to do is to pick up a darning needle and thread them into the i-cord. I know ... I'm going to do it after posting this. ::grin::

Remember the Cascading Leaves Socks I just started? They are no more:
There is nothing wrong ... except that the yarns shouldn't be used for socks. Jo Sharp's Alpaca Silk Georgette is a very lovely, super soft yarn. However, it is also one that screams "HAND WASH". I do not hand wash my socks ... and am not planning to change that. So, there is a new plan. I haven't made any smoke ring before but it would be a great and practical accessory for the cold weather.

I have also been working on Gabi:
Hopefully, this would be my last garment project in 2008. ;)

08:27 Cardigan Cozy

2008-12-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

I thought I would never see this again ... actually I had been prepared to brace the gas price going over $4. Today, the price for the premium grade gas is below $2! Even in the high-price days, we didn't really complain ... Husband is from France, so to him, gas prices here are always cheaper than in Europe; I didn't drive in Hong Kong, but I do know that prices are way higher there too. Actually, I think that the really high prices in the last year has helped to bring the consciousness of getting independent from oil ... it seems new (driving) habits are starting to take place and the drive to explore other sources of energy is given momentum. So, while I am happy not having to break the wallet every time I fill up the car, I think having the gas prices maintained at a certain level is not really a bad thing.

Since it is December already, I've been thinking about my knitting in 2008. On the whole, I'm pretty happy with my projects, though not all of them turn out to be practical ... but I did have a good time working on them and that's the most important. However, one little regret/disappointment ... it seems I won't be able to finish my 2 afghan WIPs. During the weekend, I saw Dawn's beautiful Picnic Blanket ... so, I am going to set finishing the two afghan projects as one of my 2009 goals.

Now, the FO. One word of caution ... please ignore the grossly incorrect size I chose to knit. I knew I wouldn't have enough yarn before I started, so I chose to make the small size, hoping to push my luck. Besides, my gauge turned out to be tighter (I hate swatching with KSH). So, you should imagine the cardigan be put on a less ballooned body ...

Details:
Pattern: Cardigan Cozy from Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines
The Romi shawl pin turns out to be the perfect accessory for this cardigan. It is like wearing a shawl with sleeves ... great! Though I don't mind it being larger ... LOL!
It would be wise to use stitch markers for the cables ... I almost lost my places at the beginning. Also, I knitted 3 rows in garter stitch before all the bind-offs.
From the book: "We have had to keep the samples for this airy cardigan under lock and key. Everybody who sees this wants it."

Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% mohair, 30% silk) in colour Lord (3 balls)
I think the miscalculation of the amount of yarn required is the only complaint I have for the pattern. Though I learned from a Flickr comment that 2 balls were definitely not enough, I already had my mind set on making it using the 2 balls in my stash. Sometimes, human minds really work in a strange way!
Thanks to Ravelry, I was able to track down one more ball to finish the project. Though the dyelots are different, after washing, it was barely visible ... perhaps only when you pay really close attention.
It is always a lovely feeling wearing something made from KSH ... the yarn just makes you feel pampered. I bought a cashmere sweater for Husband recently ... KSH feels almost like cashmere!

Needles: Denise US8 and US10.5 (for binding off)

Cast On: 11-09-2008
Cast Off: 12-05-2008

Can you see it?

2008-12-04T15:24:00.001-08:00

For me it would be hard to miss:
I knew the dyelots were different, so I was completely prepared for this to happen. I thought alternating the new ball with the remaining of my last ball every 2 rows would be okay. Obviously, the difference would still be quite visible.

So, I ripped back 10 or more rows before the joining of the new ball. It's always a hard decision to rip a project using Kidsilk Haze ... anyone who has used this lovely yarn knows that ... the loveliness just vanishes when you try to frog. But there is a trick, though, which can make the hard task easier ... kind of like being caught in Devil's Snare (do you read Harry Potter?) ... you have to make the fuzzy yarn relax and go slow.

Then, I joined the new ball and switched between the 2 threads every row. Much better:
The new ball is more like stone-washed version of my own 2 balls, which are much richer in colour. But then, when you run out of yarn in a discontinued colourway, you don't really have the luxury to match the dyelot, right? :)

Mohair Craze

2008-12-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

I am still waiting for the ball of Kidsilk Haze in Lord to arrive. Since it is coming all the way from England, it may take a while ... hopefully, it'll be here towards the end of the week.

In the meantime, I am working on another Rowan mohair project. Last time I showed you Gabi, I only had 2 pattern repeats done. Progress has been slow since I was struggling with memorizing the pattern. Now I am all familiar with it, the knitting has gone pretty smoothly:
I just finished one side of the neck opening and am now working on the other one. I like the lace pattern a lot ... it is very pretty ... although it won't be too visible when worn because the yarn is really fuzzy. We'll see.

New socks on the needles:

Cascading Leaves Socks
... a sock club kit from last year
I am happy that I can finally start it

SKA November Mystery Socks
designed by Debi

Oh, I eventually managed to get most of the ingredients for the Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie (except ground clove, I think). I haven't had pumpkin pie before ... but I can tell you that the one from Martha Stewart's recipe is delicious. The thing I like it best is that it is not too sweet and the combination of the various spices tastes great.

08:26 Booby Socks

2008-11-29T16:32:00.000-08:00

Last night, we watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on DVD. Since I like The Last Crusade so much, I had eagerly wanted to watch the latest in the theatre ... which we never did due to various reasons.

That turned out to be a good decision. I don't think I would be able to endure the whole movie sitting inside the dark. The story is weak, the romance seems cheesy, and the acting is unconvincing. I couldn't help comparing it to the 2 National Treasures movies, which I love and can keep watching and watching again. As I get older, my patience for bad movies seems to become thinner.

Perhaps that applies to everything else ... life is short, don't waste another minute on something that doesn't really please you. :D

Now this is something that pleases me:

Details:
Pattern: Booby Socks designed by Rosemary "Chappy" Chapman
This came with the yarn as Skacel's "Knit for the Cure!" kit promoting Breast Cancer Awareness. This is my first pair of socks with beads ... quite interesting to knit. I just wonder if the beads would get loose after wash.
I chose transparent beads so they are more subtle in the socks. I also like the star toe very much:

Yarn: Trekking Sport XXL (75% New Wool; 25% Nylon) in Pink Ribbon(1450)
The colour was said to be dyed solely for this kit. I like the Trekking yarn ... it is the type of yarn that you know you can rely on all the time.
It's interesting how knitting expands the range of colours in my wardrobe. I won't buy pink ready-to-wear items, but I tend to buy pink yarns on occasions.

Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns US1

Cast On: 10-15-2008
Cast Off: 11-27-2008

Peaceful Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

We are going to have roasted chicken (neither of us really love turkey) and apple pie tonight. I was pretty tempted to make Martha Stewart's Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, but I forgot to bring the shopping list to the store ...

We may go shopping for a real Christmas tree later this weekend. That would be my first real Christmas tree ... exciting ...

But for today, most probably I'll stick to CNN for the updates of the Mumbai attack. At a time when world peace still seems so out of reach, I just hope all of you can manage to have a peaceful Thanksgiving at home with your families.

You've got to love Ravelry ... seriously

2008-11-24T14:48:00.000-08:00

This is the present state of my Cardigan Cozy:
I seamed one sleeve to make sure the fit is alright. The yarn left from the second ball would allow me to go another 4 or 5 rows ... so I need one more ball. I thought of using a different colour but this midnight blue is pretty unique and seems not to go well with the black I have in stash.

The real problem is: the 2 balls I used are gift from Joy a while back and I suspect that the colourway (Lord) has been discontinued as I couldn't find it anywhere, not even on eBay. I went to 2 LYSs and checked the current blue colourways ... not close. So, my only hope is an odd ball in someone else's stash. Before the age of Ravelry, this would almost be impossible. But through the yarn search, I was taken to Emma in Devon, UK ... and now I am waiting for the 3rd ball to come. YAY!

Now, I'd like you to meet 2 new friends:

Mr. Tipps ... he is very very sweet.

Edgar is relaxing on his favourite spot ... the top of the sofa.

Husband and I have been having piano lessons for almost 2 months. These are our piano teacher's cats ... aren't they gorgeous? The lessons themselves are enjoyable ... but the cats add to my eagerness to be there and harrass them with my hugs and scratches and chasing after them!

2008-11-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

Half Blood Prince is one of the Harry Potter series that I like most, so naturally I've been waiting eagerly for the movie to come. Can anyone tell me why the movie was delayed to July 2009? The trailers were out ... I just watched the latest one. It is painful to have to wait that long.

And then there is the new James Bond movie. We watched the last one in the movie theatre ... and decided that as long as Denial Craig continues to be James Bond, we are not watching the movies in the theatre anymore. I have nothing against Denial Craig personally, just that he really is not the James Bond type ... at least to me. I like Pierce Brosnan the best (Husband's favourite is Roger Moore) ... and I think he was his best playing James Bond. Denial Craig is more like Jason Statham (the Transporter) ... kind of beefy and mixed martial arts type (I can totally see him fighting in the UFC cage) but lacking the subtle elegance and nobility of James Bond.

But there is more. I read somewhere that Tom Hanks will continue to play Robert Langdon in Angel & Demons. Am I the only one (besides Husband) who finds this casting wrong? There is completely nothing in Tom Hanks that speaks Robert Langdon ... I thought this was pretty obvious in The Da Vinci Code, no? I always thought Johnny Depp would be the perfect Langdon. ::sigh::

Well, sorry for bothering you with these movie whinings ... just have to get them out of my chest. ;) You come here for the knitting, right? Here you are:
I bet you have very little idea what this mess is ... LOL ... Cardigan Cozy from the latest Mason-Dixon book. The two extensions on the 2 sides are the sleeves knitted back and forth and will have to be sewn. I am about one inch down the armpit. I am still wondering how long a cardigan I can have with that remaining yarn.

Then, the sock:
There is a different name for each of the pattern band (you can click on the photo to see the larger version). This pattern is quite fun to work with, but with the pink yarn plus the beads, the socks are very girly ... :)

Keep going ... keep going ...

2008-11-17T19:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged for a week, but I've surely been knitting ... on one single project.

This is my 3rd or 4th attempt at the Unst Lace Stole ... never got past the 8th row. Really frustrating ... the most difficult lace project I've encountered so far. So, I put it away for how many months I've forgotten.

Last week, I felt that maybe I was prepared to start again. I got past the 8th row ... only to have to rip back 3 rows at the 15th row! LOL! Anyway, I am determined to get this done this time ... so I kept going.

Now, I have 2 pattern repeats done:
I think it's worth the effort. 8 more repeats to go before I am to do something different.

08:25 February Lady Sweater

2008-11-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

At this moment, there are 2782 February Lady Sweaters either already finished or in progress on Ravelry; but the more impressive number is 6670 ... that's how many knitters have put this sweater onto their to-knit list! Holy moley!

But once started, it is easy to understand. Needless to say, the finished sweater is beautiful and obviously a very practical piece of garment. And the knitting is just fast ... despite the evil sleeves, it is still fast. So much so that I may even make a wool version later. :D

With February Lady off the list, I started the Cardigan Cozy. However, there is a catch. 2 balls of Rowan KSH is obviously not enough. So, I may have to think of some way to incorporate my other lace mohair leftovers into the cardigan without making it look ridiculous. ;)

Details:
Project: February Lady Sweater by flintknits (based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Baby Sweater)
I have been undecided which size to make for quite a while. At the end, I decided to make the M size because I was using cotton yarn ... just to be on the safe side in case the sweater shrinks. I think I could have made the S and still have a comfortable fit. Obviously the sleeves are waaaayyyyy too bit ... but they are not really "in your way" sort of big, so I can live with that.

Yarn: Naturelle 8/8 cotton yarn in cone (74% Recycled Cotton; 24% Acrylic; 2% Unknown Fibres) Col: Charcoal
I got this from a knitter's destash. The charcoal colour has some white flacks here and there, so it feels coarser than the pure milk colour. But I really really love this colour!

Needles: Denise US 8

Cast On: 10-26-08
Cast Off: 11-09-08

Here is a closer-up of the wooden buttons I got from Daiso:

Once again stranded on Sleeve Island

2008-11-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

Why are sleeves always taking so much more time? Always. Even knitting in the round. I am still struggling with the second sleeve:
Some of you mentioned the colour of my February Lady ... yeah, I heart this charcoal grey a lot too. It is a little bit darker than what you see in the picture. It is a cotton yarn from Elann a long long time ago. The way it works here is ... until the big rain storm hits, a thick cotton cardigan plus a turtle sweater underneath can last until after Christmas. A few days ago, I tried putting on my Diva (hehehe...) in the morning, but have to take it off once the fog was cleared and the sun out.

Yesterday the postman brought a big smile on my face:
I'm sure you would have read quite a bit about Classic Elite Knits and Nancy Bush's Knitted Lace of Estonia. But so far I haven't come across anyone reviewing Country Weekend Knits. I have to tell you, if you like classic designs, it is very possible that this is "the One" for you. There are altogether 25 patterns, and these are my favourites:

1. Wheat Cable Cotton Sweater, 2. Tree of Life Aran Jacket, 3. Short-Sleeve Cotton Shirt, 4. Lace Cardigan in Eyelet Pattern, 5. Jacob's Ladder Sweater, 6. Fountain Lace Short-Sleeve Sweater, 7. Eriskay Gansey, 8. Classic Cotton Crewneck, 9. Chevron Aran Crewneck, 10. Cable and Moss Aran Tunic
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

You can go to my Flickr set to see the larger images.

President Obama

2008-11-04T20:08:00.001-08:00

There are enormous challenges ahead ... but I think I can sleep well tonight.

Pack your Election Day Backpack

2008-11-03T15:47:00.000-08:00

I am not a US citizen, so I would just glue myself to the TV tomorrow. But I'm sure you are. Are you ready for tomorrow? Yes, it is unfortunate that people who want to exercise their constitutional right have to sacrifice their time and probably salaries to wait in the long line to cast their vote. In view of what is ahead, I think you can at least get yourselves a little bit more prepared by packing your Election Day backpack. These are items I would bring if I were to vote tomorrow:

- a small knitting project, of course ... most desirable is a simple sock;
- a bottle of water;
- energy bars, trail mix, chocolate ... anything that would fill your stomach and give you energy;
- an iPod (or similar device) with loads of your favourite music and podcasts, etc;
- if your cellphone doesn't have a camera recorder, bring a camera ... video your vote;
- lightweight rain poncho and an umbrella;
- documents you need for voting;
- clothes for layering ...

Have I missed something?

This is probably what would be going on here through the Election Day ... February Lady and Obama:
Yeah, my new project. I was truly surprised at how fast it was knitted up:

08:24 Oak Ribbed Socks

2008-10-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

::whew:: Who would have thought at this moment, other than Obama and McCain, there would be somebody else in this world sprinting to the finish line? LOL!

Happy Halloween, everybody! The kids in the neighbourhood haven't come out yet ... but the candies are ready. And my October socks are also ready just in time for my SAM:

I have started this pair quite some time ago. The yarns had been sitting in the stash for a long time. They are some very basic Elann sock yarns ... which I have determined to use up gradually. They are not yummy buttery yarn, but would be very hard wearing.

Details:
Pattern: Oak Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Elann SITM Collection Puzzle (75% Superwash Wool; 25% Polyamide) a little bit more than 1 skein
Needles: Hiya Hiya Staninless Steel dpns US1
Cast On: 08-31-08
Cast Off: 10-31-08

Problem with HaloScan

2008-10-28T10:54:00.001-07:00

I use HaloScan for you to leave comments. Francesca kindly informed me that the link to the HaloScan comment didn't show up on the blog (big big thanks, Francesca!). Obviously, I don't know how to fix it. But if you want to leave a comment (which is always welcome!), you can click "Link to this post" ... which will take you to the post with the HaloScan comment section.

I'm sorry for this hiccup ... I'll try to figure out what the problem is. :) But thanks for visiting and your patience.

Happy Knitting.

08:23 Eastlake Sweater

2008-10-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

Yeah! It's finished! and everything works out fine! ::high five::

The greatest worry - the neckline - also turns out great.

Looking at the freshly finished Eastlake, I suddenly had the realization: I do love sweaters with a flared shape - DROPS jacket, Ink Flared and the latest Eastlake ... and I have a couple on my mental to-do list. Actually, I have started a new project which happens to be in a similar shape! But that's for the next post ... LOL!

Details:
Project: Eastlake Sweater designed by Norah Gaughan from Berroco: Norah Gaughan Vol. 3
I bought this pattern book mainly for Eastlake Sweater and Calvert. The pattern of Eastlake is actually very simple with just one unconventional feature ... which turns out great because the neck extention wraps around the back of the neck.

The whole sweater is mainly in stocking stitches, with the main eye-catching wheat-pattern and the eyelet rows adding to the interest. I love it! Love it! Love it!

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease Col: 156 Mint 4 balls
Same yarn same colour as another Norah Gaughan project ... love this yarn, love this colour!

Needles: Audi Turbo Circular 4.5mm

Cast On: 10-16-2008
Cast Off: 10-25-2008

The Man Who Made History

2008-10-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

No matter what the result would be on November 4, Barack Obama has left his mark in history.

I got this link from Kerstin ... do go there and have a look as there are some fantastic shots of Obama's campaign trail.

Husband's favourites: Obama cleaning after himself in an ice-cream shop and the famous shot of the holes under his shoes. I love these too, but the one that most captured me is the one with the 2 little boys' eyes fixated on an Obama not in the picture. Remember to read the caption ... it brought tears to my eyes.

Unconventional

2008-10-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Every time when there is something unconventional in a knitting pattern, I am always eager to try it out ... to see if it works. But at the same time, I am very worried that the doubt would turn out to be true.

For the Eastlake Sweater, it is the neck extentions:
It is not that obvious in the photo from the last post. This is how it works:
- the two neck extentions are joined at the back (as you can see in the photo).
- the shoulder seams are sewn together.
- the joined neck extention would be sewn to the back of the sweater.

I'm sure it would work. What I'm not sure is if the sweater works on me. I guess we'll know very soon ... both sleeves are done now (3/4 sleeves ... so even faster). Stay tuned.

Update on the Weekend knitting

2008-10-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

This is why people like thick yarns big needles ... the projects basically just fly off the needles. Cotton Ease is far from being a "thick yarn", but if your last sweater project used 2 strands of lace yarns, Cotton Ease would feel pretty rope-like.

The back of Eastlake sweater was finished in one day. The front took a bit longer but was done over the weekend:
I didn't read the pattern in detailed and just did the decrease along the chest evenly across. This is why you would see the wheat pattern kind of pushed the purled rows up a bit. I may have to see how that fits when I wear it. Hopefully, I won't have to change anything. ::fingers crossed::

19 more days to go

2008-10-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

I watched the debate last night, did you? One of the post-debate comments on Obama was that he was very calm and composed, almost too much as to appear aloof, not as passionate as McCain. This is a great strength in a leader, no? You keep your cool, you listen, analyze and work out a way to solve the problem or handle the situation. I've seen Obama giving speeches on tv. When it came to issues he cares about, he is definitely passionate.

Some said he was not engaged in the debate. I think, to be more specific, he was not engaged in areas his opponents wished him to. This is exactly the way to deal with them, I think. You decide what you think most deserves to be engaged in, not falling into the traps laid by you opponent ... just like you don't get into a stupid fight in a bar when provoked by a drunk.

I almost threw a pattern book at the tv when McCain did the air-quote.

I hope after his 15-minute today, everybody would leave Joe-the-plumber alone.

I was able to finish the back of a new sweater (Eastlake) last night watching the debate:
As you can see, the front was also started. I would put turbo charge on this project ... hopefully I won't need wool sweaters until the end of November.

Surely, I also started the Booby Socks:
So far so good. However, there is one thing I am not too happy about:
I don't have too serious problem with laddering like this when the stitches are knit ones. Purl stitches, however, are bad ... really bad. :(

08:22 Austrian Alpine Treasure

2008-10-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

Too bad the mythical Bigfoot is still in hiding, otherwise I would invite him/her to model my new project. It is indeed a pretty big sock to fill in, but I did my best:

It has been quite a fun project to work with as I love the travelling stitches and the intricacies of the patterns. But towards the end, the stocking has become quite heavy ... and I was just relieved that we usually just made one Christmas stocking instead of a pair!

Since this is a Christmas stocking, we need presents! Husband jokingly said that I could put an SUV inside "that thing"! LOL! But what's better than yarns as presents for knitters?
Answer: Yarns overflowing from the Christmas stocking! YAY!

Details:
Pattern: Austrian Alpine Treasure (Ravelry) designed by Candace Eisner Strick from Christmas Stockings: 18 Holiday Treasures to Knit
The problem with knitting Christmas stocking for me is that in non-Christmas time, I am not really a fan of those Christmas colours. This means I usually don't have those colours in my stash ... and I would be very reluctant to buy those colours. The Austrian Alpine Treasure is perfect for me in this aspect.
Have I told you I love the travelling stitch?

Yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in Natural (100% wool)
I forgot to weigh the stocking so I can't tell you how much yarn I have used. The yarn was recycled from an unsuccessful attempt at making the Must-Have Cardigan. I like this yarn though it doesn't belong to the "buttery soft" category. I am still going to use this yarn for a cardigan ... just waiting for the right pattern. The more exciting news is there is a chocolate brown colour available now.

Needles: Addi Turbo Circular and Addi Lace Circular in 3.5mm
I have to use 2 circulars as I don't have a shorter one.

Cast On: 10-02-2008
Cast Off: 10-13-2008

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2008-10-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

It is October. When I received the newsletter from the LYS that they were carrying the Skacel's Booby Sock kit, I jumped on my car (it was too far to walk and I still don't have a bike yet) and hauled this back home:
Not only is Skacel donating the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Center, but the LYS is also donating 25% of the kit's sales to the same institution. If your LYS don't carry this kit, you can follow the link above to get one.

I am very eager to start this project. So, I have been working hard on my Christmas stocking:
The second pattern in the centre panel is a Christmas tree! Cute, huh? Now I have one more pattern to go before heel turning.

Prepare for Christmas

2008-10-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

If you ask me now, I would tell you what I wish most now is for the Election Day to be held tomorrow. Though I know these are mainly acts of desperation, nasty low blows like these still make my blood boil. I hope the Obama camp can continue to stick to the important issues instead of falling into the traps.

Oops, slipped into politics again. Sorry.

2 months before Christmas. If you've been here this time of year before, you should know that I am not an avid Christmas-gift knitter. No exception this year. But this year, I do want to do something more Christmasy (?) and I have wanted to knit Christmas stocking for some time. The SKA Sockdown gives me a push.

I have chosen a gorgeous pattern (Austrian Alpine Treasure) from Interweave Press's Christmas Stockings:
There are 3 main patterns in the centre panel and I have finished one of them:
The written instructions and explanation of travelling stitch from the book were a bit confusing to me. So, I dropped reading that completely and just followed the charts (hooray for knitting charts!). I especially love the intricate side panels:
For the yarn, the designer's notes didn't recommend substituting the original yarn (Rauma 3 ply Strikkegarn) ... which I fail to understand why. Luckily I had experience of using this yarn ... and I felt that Lion Brand's Fisherman Wool would be a possible candidate for substitution. So far I am happy. :)

08:21 Maude

2008-10-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

I finally made the decision ... no long sleeves. This is not just because I was lazy. I did give some thought to the sleeve-lengthening, and it is actually do-able. But the weather lately made me realize having Maude in its original short-sleeve version is better for layering. Besides, I felt like having spent enough time on this.

Details:
Pattern: Maude designed by Diane Mulholland from The Inside Loop
I am glad that I decided to start with the size S first. The size of the neck opening is just right for me. Actually, everything is just right. The sweater looked pretty damn cute on the Inside Loop model ... and when I decided to make it, I did wish it would do the same on me ... hahaha ... and it doesn't disappoint! I love it! Okay, other than some hiccups with the lace pattern and the fatigue from knitting in the round, I love this pattern!
I found some vintage golden-coloured buttons in my stash. I think the bling goes well with the black ... LOL!

Yarn: JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18 lace weight(50% Chinese Tussah silk, 50% fine grade Merino wool) in Ebony used doubled
Honestly, I don't mind knitting with this yarn all the time. It is just good stuff. ;)

Needles: Addi Lace Circulars 3mm; Clover bamboo dpns 4.5mm (for binding off)

Cast On: 09-03-2008
Cast Off: 10-01-2008

08:20 SKA Orange Mystery Socks

2008-09-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

Back in March when I wrote this, I really naively thought that we almost reached the bottom. Now, 6 months later, I am afraid the worst is still to come! For my whole time here in the States, I lived under the terror of Bush, who managed to have the country experience the worst terrorist attack in history under his watch, started 2 wars, drain the nation's federal reserves, leave a whole city's residents waving SOS signs on their roofs, bring down the housing market and lead the country to the brink of another Great Depression. Truth be told, I feel sick and tired of this man and his party.

Okay, enough on the rare political ranting. If I have to find one thing each day to make me happy, it would have to be this today:
Since I have put on some pounds in the mid-section, I was a bit worried that the ribbing would be a bad idea. It seems okay, though. I just did the garter ribs instead of having a 2k2p ribbing in between 2 sections of garter ribs. I like the length I am having now, so this means I can bind off and move on to the sleeves ... YAY!

And I consider myself a super lucky woman because I have another thing to make me happy:

The cuff was a stocking stitch rolled one. I love trying out new cuffs ... and I think this one is simple but pretty cute. However, I forgot how tight the bind-off could be. I ended up using a 4.5mm needle to get it loose enough for me.

Details:
Pattern: SKA Orange Mystery designed by Jeannie Cartmel (Ravelry link)
This has been a fun project, though the twist stitches made me hope that the Hiya Hiya needles were a bit more pointy. Maybe I should try KnitPicks ones.

Yarn: Louet Gems Fingering Weight (100% Merino Wool) Col: Citrus Orange 2 skeins
I am not jumping up and down for this yarn. It is reasonably soft but at time splity, which made the knitting a bit difficult at times. However, the range of colours is amazing.

Needles: Hiya Hiya Stainless Stell dpns US0, Clover Bamboo dpns 4.5mm

Cast On: 09-01-2008
Cast Off: 09-27-2008

New books

2008-09-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

I just finished the SKA Mystery Socks ... still have a couple of loose ends before I can take photos.

Last week has been a week filled with the influx of new books here. And they all don't disappoint.

I bought this and I love almost all the garments in it. Then from Fleegle's blog I saw this and bought it.

Last but not the least, you may have read reviews of Ann and Kay's new book. I simply love it! As with their first book, it is bursting with their personality, but the ladies also deliver with the lovely patterns:
And I may just start this after finishing Maude:
What? You still don't know I am a mohair (especially Rowan KSH) freak? LOL!

Unknown territory

2008-09-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

Time really drifts by so quickly ... especially when there was a guest in the house! Last week was all-week family time here. Now my mother-in-law is back home, it's also time for me to come back here. :)

During her stay, I mainly worked on the mystery socks. The toe-up pattern with a heel flap is an unknown territory for me. Therefore, I waited until I was sure I started the heel increase at the right place to begin the second sock:
As you can see, it fits! I was pretty happy as I got the right place at the first try. However, unlike cuff-down patterns, I am still in the fog about how the heel works with toe-up ... this means if I don't have the pattern with me, I can't continue on my own. Anyway, I figure given more practice, the day would come. Right now, I am happy with my progress:

I also made quite some progress with the other project on the needle before my mother-in-law arrived:
Not sure if you can see clearly, but I am now in the body's ribbing section ... 3 more inches longer than in the photo. I tried it on this morning but not bother to take a photo, but the whole thing fits well so far. I know I first planned to make this into a long-sleeved sweater, but now I am back on the fence because I want to have it finished badly.

Oh, one more note about my mother-in-law. I think it would be time to plan for another project for her next year. She is not really a shawl person, so Birch is not used that much. But it's obvious that she loves Victorian Ruby. So I'll be looking for gorgeous red yarn and rectangular lace patterns. :)

Maude: Couple of Random Thoughts

2008-09-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

Never wear dark-coloured pants or jeans or skirt when knitting lace ... if not, place a light-coloured towel on your lap or you'll never be able to see the lace pattern. Thank you for the kind fellow knitter who gave me this tip when I was making the Forest Path Stole.

The only time I like knitting in the round (except for sock knitting) is when the knitting is done. The numerous stitches makes one round seem never-ending ... and I have strangely developed a liking for seaming. Strange, huh?

Glad to tell you that I finally got to master the lace pattern, so hopefully, progress would be smoother.

Life line

2008-09-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Everybody who has done lace knitting knows about life line, but has everybody used it? I haven't ... until now, that is.

I was unsure what size of Maude I should make. Since both sizes S and M have the same number of cast on stitches, I could delay making the decision. When it was time to divide for the body and arms, I decided to go for the small size first. So, I threaded a sock yarn through the front and back, in addition to the arm sections.

Never had I thought I would have so many troubles with the number of stitches afterwards. It took me several ripping to get things right:
The sock yarn added suddenly became my life line! Am I lucky or what?

Truly honoured!

2008-09-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

I got this from Colettes of Lace Maven:
Thank you so much, Colettes. The award made my weekend a special one.

The rules are:
1- Post the award on your blog.
Done!
2- Add a link to the person who gave you the award. Done ... twice actually, hehehe ...
3- Nominate at least 4 other bloggers and add their links. I have quite a number of blogs I love, so this took me some time to choose. Here they are:
domesticrafts (love her cats, love her photos, and of course, love her knitting projects!)
theraineysisters.com (the sisters always have some incredibly gorgeous projects to show ... the kind that makes me drool!)
Twig's (mis)Adventures in Knitting (really, twig should remove the (mis) with confidence ...)
My Longest Year (I love her perceptive insights into life as an army wife, mother ... and life in general)

4- Leave a comment at the recipients' blogs so they can pass it on.
Done!

Clue 2 of the SKA Mystery Orange Socks is out ... I'm going to be busy for a while. :)

It must be the heat

2008-09-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Maybe it was because of the intense heat lately, I have been seriously slacking in posting. Even with the air-conditioning on, I am sweating just sitting in the living room. I am starting to wonder if I am entering menopause. My mother suffered quite serious hot flashes ... if menopausal symptoms are genetic (are they?), there is good chance I would too! Well, I am just hoping that there would still be a couple of years before I have to go through that.

Maude is a challenge. Again maybe it was the heat, or I just haven't done any real lace for quite some time. At first glance, the pattern seemed to be pretty straight forward ... Note to self: Never underestimate any lace pattern. Progress has been slow:
But I'm definitely making this into a long-sleeved sweater ... most probably bell-sleeves. That should make the sweater of better use.

There should be one more thing I blame on the heat. I definitely don't need more sock yarn. But look at this:
I was very excited to know Lion Brand has a fingering weight sock yarn line. But when I checked the colourways on the web, I was not too impressed ... until I saw the real thing in the store. They are all so beautiful! I had a hard time choosing which one to buy ...

You may think I am complaining about the heat. No, I'm not. Actually I am enjoying it ... the days are already getting shorter and it is always during September, right before the cold weather comes, that the heat gets intense. The high pressure brings intense blue sky ... gorgeous weather. Enjoy it while it's here ... have a nice weekend. :)

Clue 1 done!

2008-09-02T18:51:00.001-07:00

This pattern is fun to knit. Now I have time to start Maude before the next clue is out. :)

08:19 Ribbed Lace Socks

2008-08-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

Oops! Not posting for a week! In case you're wondering, I'm still breathing ... and knitting ... hehehe ... Dental appointment, nightmarish-sleep-induced migraine and mild heat stroke from washing the car in an almost 100F afternoon were among the distractions.

Oh well, I do have some good knitty things to share, though. After last year's disappointment, Rowan International seems to have improved and my free gift has arrived already:
I am not too interested in the pattern, which is a bag. So, I am wondering what to do with the 6 skeins of Rowan Denim yarns. With so many things on my mental to-do list, most probably these would sit in the stash for a while.

I have also swatched for a new project:
I think I would start this soon, just wondering if I should change it into a long-sleeved sweater. Would doubling the Zephyr Wool-Silk (lace weight) be too warm for a short-sleeved sweater? This is my concern.

For the last few months, whenever I rummaged through my sock yarn stash, I found this staring at me:
Sockotta in a not particularly enticing colourway. I have been avoiding it for quite some time. After finishing the Spring Forward Socks, I wanted to squeeze in one more pair if I could before SKA starts next month. It is funny that sometimes things would turn out great when you don't have any expectation. I managed to find a pattern that works well with this yarn and actually enjoyed the knitting very much.

Details:
Pattern: Ribbed Lace Socks designed by Charlene Schurch from Sensational Knitted Socks
I tried several patterns before finding this one that seemed not being drowned by the colourway ... actually I think the yarn is more lovely knitted up than in a ball.
There is something new to me in the heel ... the garter stitch edging. I don't think I would use it again as it is a bit rugged and my foot can definitely feel the edging a lot more than the usual slipped stitch.

Yarn: Plymouth Sockotta (45% Cotton, 40% Superwash Wool, 15% Nylon) Col: 617
I don't remember why I bought this colourway ... most probably thought it would be good for man's socks. But it turns out Husband likes light colours, so this ball had sat in the stash for years. Just feel really good to have used it finally and the socks turns out to be likable.

Needles: Hiya Hiya dpns US1

Cast On: 08-22-2008
Cast Off: 08-28-2008

08:18 Spring Forward Socks

2008-08-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Sock knitting has slowed down just a bit in August. I am looking forward to SKA Sockdown in September, so I don't want to burn myself down ... saving up energy. ;)

But the socks for August are done. I've read about knitters saying a certain yarn is "buttery" soft ... honestly, never used a yarn that really gave me that "buttery" feeling. Until now. Claudia Hand Painted Fingering sock yarn is gorgeous in colours and buttery in feel. The Jungle colourway is deep and vibrant, though may not be the best to showcase the Spring Forward stitch pattern:
Digital camera is the coolest modern gadget ever ... after countless attempts, I finally got this decent shot of the pattern. Can't imagine what I could have done if I only had a film camera.

I don't really want to wear the socks today ... they are way too warm! This coming winter, my feet are going to be toasty toasty warm ... :D

Details:
Pattern: Spring Forward designed by Linda Welch from Knitty Summer 2008
Easy and fun pattern to work. Love the finished socks.

Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Fingering Yarn (100% merino wool) Col: Jungle
Love. This. Yarn. Period.

Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns US1

Cast On: 07-21-2008
Cast Off: 08-19-2008

Mystery of Mary

2008-08-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

This is Mary:

A project I have wanted to make way back, but am still hesitating. Mary is a one-size project. But she has schematics though:
Ravelry certainly helps ... but the mystery of Mary remains. If a US size 4 person feels the jacket snug, would it fit me??? This is why I keep stalling the project.

This is Shaped Denim Jacket (don't you just love projects with a real name?) from Celtic Knits:
No schematic from the book. No Ravelry help as no finished project has been documented yet. This photo is the best shot of the jacket I can find. But it does seem to be of similar style as Mary and there are 2 specific sizes (W0w!) ... small (40.5" for 34" bust) and medium (42" for 36" bust).

So, I thought ... maybe the Shaped Denim Jacket can help solve the mystery of Mary. Let's compare the various number of stitches between the 2 projects:

	Mary	SDJ (34")	SDJ (36")
Cast On	103	109	117
	117	113	121
Waist Decrease	95 - 71	105 - 89	113 - 97
Upper Body	77 - 117	97 - 113	105 - 121

The basic pattern for Mary is a leaf pattern and cable and seed stitch for SDJ, so I would say Mary would be like the larger size of SDJ ... which would be good for me.

I do feel a bit more confident now. But the new dilemma is ... which one should I make? Both are cute ... leaf? or cable?

08:17 Taj Mahal

2008-08-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have to say, this is a great timing for the finish as it has been the perfect weather for tank top these few days. It is really a surprise that I could finish this project so soon considering the long stretch of stocking stitch, the fingering weight yarn and the tiny 2.5mm needles. Really have to thanks the Olympics Games.

Talking about the Games, despite all the controversies before and during the Beijing games, I couldn't help rooting for all the Chinese athletes. But I also appreciate whenever the athletes, whatever nationality, put on a good game ... like the beautiful performance of Natia Luikin and Alexander Artemev's amazing pummel horse routine just wowed me! Liu Zige winning the 200m Butterfly was a complete surprise. I am looking forward to Michael Phelps' chance of getting the 8th gold medal tonight.

However, our moods were dampened a bit lately because of what has been happening in Georgia. I found the Russian Foreign Minister's recent remark especially outrageous and the fact that so little the Western world could do completely helpless. We paid more attention to the events there than ordinary people because we know a friend living in T'bilisi. He is Husband's music buddy and the two had done remixes of each other's music together. Husband tried to get in touch with the friend right after the Russians went in but in vain. 2 days ago, we finally heard from him and he was okay, for now. We were of course relieved ... but given how far inside the country the Russians had pushed, we are still very worried. I just hope the peace talk would bring substantial results and the Georgians can start repairing the damages done to their country and have their lives back.

Well, time to return to knitting. Here is me in Taj Mahal.

Details:
Pattern: Taj Mahal designed by Gudrun Johnston from knitonthenet Issue 6
Love at first sight with this pattern when the magazine came out. I just felt that I would be able to wear this one well. Now I can tell you that yes, I love this tank. :D

I followed the pattern completely except skipping one round of decrease in the body. The lace hem edging is beautiful, though a bit tedious to knit. For the cap sleeves, the designer used knit into front and back of one stitch over the center of the cap to create a flaring effect. If you don't like this, you can do it your own way. I have checked Isabella from Knitty and found that armhole finishing quite beautiful too.

The front lace panel near the neck is the eye-catching detail of this project. Basically, the neck finishing is just knit one round and then bind off. So, I was a bit worried there would be serious rolling action. But the little trick of decreasing stitches at the back of the neck solved the problem. However, this meant that I need to use one larger-sized needle to bind off to make sure the neck opening was big enough for my big head. ;)

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fine 1/2 lb cone (80% prima cotton and 20% wool) Col: Cotton Ball
I used 1 1/2 lb cone plus a little bit more for one cap sleeve. Love this yarn! It's light weight and comfortable. The cotton/wool blend means it's easier to manipulate than pure cotton. I think this would become my no. 1 choice of yarn for summer tanks.

Needles: KnitPicks Options Fixed Circular 2.5mm

Cast On: 07-31-2008
Cast Off: 08-15-2008

50 more rows to go

2008-08-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

Even though there are only 11 stitches in each row knitting the hem edging for Taj Mahal feels taking forever! There are still about 50 more to go ... so, let's read some magazines.

The latest issue of Interweave Knits arrived last Friday. If the fall issue were a boxing match between VK and IK, VK would win by knock out in my book. I am not much a fan of "mixed media", and some of the fits of the projects look weird to me. The Afterthought Dart Cardigan, which was quite appealing when I previewed the issue on the web, just fell short of the expectation when I read the magazine. I would say the only project that attracts me is the Baachus Socks ... but I would have to go easy with the bobbles on the foot ... or buy new shoes to wear these socks! LOL!

However, I do feel the need to compliment IK for using models of various sizes. I think it makes great difference to see a project being worn by someone close to my size from time to time ... since trying to become really skinny is always a futile effort to me!

Then the summer issue of Knitter's Magazine is a nice surprise. Okay, so there are still those projects with a thousand colours in them (I am sure they are some others' cup of tea, so, who am I to judge?), but take a look at Piano Keys, Sea Oats, Vanda, and Spring Thaw! Besides, there are the articles with Jane Sowerby and Cat Bordhi. Definitely an issue worth owning.

SKA Sockdown 08-09

2008-08-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

After completing one session of SAM, I feel that I would be able to add a little more challenge to my sock knitting ... to make it more fun. So, I think I am finally ready for the Sockdown of the Sock Knitter's Anonymous.

The moderators were great and super organized. They already had the whole year's schedule well laid out:

09/08: Orange Socks or Cookie A or Mystery Sock, designed by SKA member Jeannie Fanihi (mystery socks must be knit in Orange yarn to qualify for Sockdown).
10/08: Holiday Stocking or Steffi Linden
11/08: Slip Stitch/Mosaic Knitting or Wendy Johnson or Mystery Sock, designed by FluffyKnitterDeb
12/08: Socks made with leftovers or Almost Socks or Yarnissima
01/09: Beaded Socks or Socks from a pattern from an online magazine or Mystery Sock, designed by SKA mod Emmie
02/09: Socks for a Cause or Gigi Silva or Entrelac
03/09: Lace Socks or Cat Bordhi or Mystery Sock designed by Kristi Schueler
04/09: Knee Socks or Under-appreciated patterns
05/09: Cables/Twisted Stitches or Anne Hanson or Mystery Sock designed by Yarnissima
06/09: Design Your Own Socks or Nancy Bush
07/09: Fairisle/Colorwork/Intarsia or Homegrown Designers (including DYO from 08) or Mystery sock designed by Sara Morris
08/09: SKA VACATION!

Isn't that exciting to start it off with an orange pair of socks? LOL! I already have the yarns ready:
There was quite a long discussion on the Ravelry forum about the colour orange ... personally, I don't think it would be a problem for me ... you see what I mean? hahaha ...

Though I didn't join Ravelympics, I did watch many of the competitions and matches. What are your favourite events? I mainly like swimming, diving and gymnastics ... I am especially when I could have so much done on my Taj Mahal:

I am super fond of this front panel ...
so pretty!

Almost halfway in the hem lace edging ...
296 rows total!

The pattern is great and the fit and size work out perfectly. I am already loving this tank so much!

08:16 Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardigan

2008-08-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

It always cracked me up when I visited the Ravelry Project Gallery for this project ... this is almost the mandatory/obligatory pose. But it can be easily understood. At the end the medallion pattern at the back is the highlight of the cardigan ... without it, this is just a plan cardigan.

Like most everybody else who made this, I love everything about this project ... okay, maybe except the running-out-of-yarn part ... LOL! But looking back, it was not that bad because I really like the 2/3 sleeve length. When searching for the extra ball of yarn, I was hoping to find a matching variegated colour as dyelot was no longer a concern. Unluckily, I didn't really like Cowpoke (3788) nor the gold metallic of Suede Deluxe. But the medallion pattern itself is interesting enough without playing with yarn colours.

Details:
Pattern: Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardigan designed by Teva Durham from Loop-d-Loop
I made the medium size and the finished cardigan fits me well. The only thing I am not happy with is the collar. I should have made fewer decreases in the front because my should is not wide enough. My medallion turned out to be smaller, so I skipped the 2 knit-even rounds. I also added one more button hole.
All in all, I think my cardigan turns out beautiful! :D

Yarn: Berroco Suede (100% Nylon) Colour: Miss Kitty (3751) 7.5 balls
Actually, I used just a little bit over 7 balls. Suede is an interesting yarn ... the knitted fabric does feel like suede, which is a texture I always love. The complete man-made content makes Suede not the ideal yarn for garment, but I love how the cardigan turns out anyway ... good decision to make this instead of the bag, if I may say so ... hehehe ...

Needles: Denise US7

Buttons: I got the pack of buttons from Daiso ... a store I love frequenting because you can find almost everything here for $1.5 (mostly). If you love Japanese zakka, you'll love this store too as a large percentage of the products sold here were made in Japan.

Cast On: 07-08-2008
Cast Off: 08-02-2008

Every time I browse through Loop-d-Loop, I would find something I want to make. I think my next target would be Cabled Riding Jacket ... but I would have to use a thinner yarn ... more research on Ravelry! :D

Talking about Loop-d-Loop, Teva Durham has a new pattern book out and there are some pretty things inside ... should I buy it? ::struggle::

I love X Games!

2008-08-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

For NASCAR, I think I would never understand ... at least I just get bored seeing the cars running their second laps. But the X Games Rally is just intense and exciting ... and yeah, I got wowed! This year, I was lucky enough to catch the X Games live shows. The essence of X Games is adrenaline rush ... the games are intense and the actions are exciting. All the competitions are packed into 3 days ... before you know it, everything is done, leaving you wanting more.

One more reason to love the X Games this year, it helped me push the Taj Mahal forward for 9":
A few more inches and it's ready for armhole-divide ... woohoo!

The new VK arrived today ... and I really really love it! In the past, the VK patterns always gave me the impression that they were not wearable items ... more like designers' projects for fashion show runways instead of for real people. I think the models they use and their photography play a great role in creating this impression. But I am able to look past this gradually. Vogue is not Vogue if they are not glamourous and high-fashion, right?

These are my favourites from this issue:
and #9, #11 and #12, which you can see here.

This should be blank as I too suffered from "title block"

2008-08-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

Ooops! I am so sorry that I carelessly disclosed some spoiler details of a movie that you may want to watch! I swear, I didn't do it knowingly! Next time I write about movies or books, I would be more careful!

The yarn finally arrived today. This is great because I can work on the Dreamcatcher cardigan during the weekend. It's always good to have WIPs finished ... especially when all of a sudden, I put 2 more to the list! While I was waiting for the yarn, I again was bitten by the startistis bug ... besides Gabi, I also started Taj Mahal:
This doesn't seem much, but considering the fingering weight yarn (Cotton Fine) and tiny needles (US1), it's a lot. The majority of the project is in stocking stitch, so I am not sure if I would have the patience to focus on it. But I really hope to be able to wear it before the cool season comes.

August is going to be a very exciting month with all the new patterns and magazines coming. I saw the latest VK in the LYS yesterday ... and this issue's cover is simply gorgeous! It's not just the mitten design but the model, the way she was dressed, the colour combination of the whole cover ... everything just come together in a magical way. I am so looking forward to receiving this issue. And of course the latest buzz today is the brand spanking new Twist Collective. And the first issue of Knotions coming Monday ... ::sigh:: the coming fall we are all going to be very busy! LOL!

Random Wednesday

2008-07-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

Still waiting for the Berroco Suede to arrive.

Hands can get really sweaty when knitting with Kidsilk Haze in summer. Once I got used to the lace pattern, the knitting of Gabi would be quite uneventful ... just a large piece of rectangle with neck opening in the middle.

Rowan 44 arrived this afternoon. I like Fontaine and Dietrich. I might even have something in my stash to make them. Great! This doesn't happen to me very often. ::grin:: But I hope the knitting kit would come soon too.

Recently I discovered that Piecework is a very enjoyable magazine, so I decided to subscribe. In the latest issue, there is a beautiful shawl from Nancy Bush's new book.

I was completely caught by surprise when Neil Patrick Harris was shot to death in the second Harold & Kumar movie, which was not as good as the first one to me. The level of grossness is unnecessarily high for me. Good thing there is something to look forward to ... have you watched the trailer?

Exciting ... exciting!

2008-07-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

Even with making 2/3 sleeves, I am still 1 ball's yarn short ... so the big hole has to wait for a few days to be completed:
So, what am I to do before the yarn arrives? To start new projects, of course!

I always wonder how some knitters manage to knit the latest, newest patterns while they are still hot off the press. For me, it seems that I am always making something from the past several seasons. But I think Spring Forward is still hot, right? I am using another gorgeous gift from Debi:
This Jungle colourway from Claudia's Handpaint is simply gorgeous (which I hope I could have captured it right for you!), so even though it may be a bit too busy for the pattern, I am enjoying knitting it.

The preview for Rowan's 30th anniversary magazine has been out, how do you like it? Just by looking at the pictures on the computer screen, I didn't jump with joy. It's not that the patterns are not beautiful ... on the contrary, I think they are classy and elegant ... too much for my everyday's need. I will have to wait for the magazine to arrive to have my final say. But I have started Gabi from Rowan 43:
Isn't the lace pattern beautiful? The 10-row pattern certainly seems complicated in written instructions; that was why I charted it myself and it does great help.

While my feelings for the latest Rowan magazine are just so-so, I was extremely delighted with Taj Mahal from knitonthenet. It certainly looks like another would-be-much-loved summer tank for me. Finally found good use to the Cotton Fleece in the stash. :)

3/4 sleeves it would be!

2008-07-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the advice on making the sleeves first ... which is completely sensible. I was still holding some hope that there would be just enough yarn. So, I started making the sleeve following the pattern. Before the sleeve cap, I weighed the half-sleeve and the remaining yarn ... no luck!

Therefore, for the time being, let's just play around with the half-finished cardigan with the big hole:
I so wanted to make the medallion pattern first ...

Full Circle

2008-07-23T14:10:00.001-07:00

The shape of the cardigan is getting clearer. The medallion is quite round in shape, right?

It seems quite possible that I would run into the same old problem of not enough yarn! Damn! Lesson to be learned: never stash your yarns for too long.

I still have about 1" to go before binding off. Should I work on the sleeves first? or the medallion?

08:15 Floral Lace Anklets

2008-07-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Back when I first started knitting socks, I was pretty anal about the 2 socks being identical. Not a fan of using circular needles for socks, I had 2 sets of needles and started both socks at the same time, alternating between them in sections. When I found that this didn't really work too well, I started taking notes ... how many rows for the cuff and the heel, how many stitches to pick up for the gusset and the decrease pattern for the toe. The habit of note-taking has been very beneficial to my knitting, not just socks, in general. However, sometimes I slipped and forgot to mark down what was important. If I discovered this while knitting the second sock, I would get really Monk-style agitated ... which is silly actually.

It is silly because very often the "difference" is not visible at all. I am just glad that I am completely over that stage. See this:
The two cuffs are obviously different. I discovered I missed one row of the cuff pattern in the first sock after finishing the cuff of the second. My old self would be tempted to rip the first sock and do it over again! Or at least I would rip the second one and knit it the way the first one was done. Now? No way I am going to rip that much because of one row's mismatch.

So, I have another pair done ... a pretty pretty pair!

Details:
Pattern: Floral Lace Anklets designed by Evelyn A. Clark from Lace Style
I love this pattern ... easy to memorize and the pattern is pretty pretty pretty. I am starting to see why Evelyn Clark is the favourite sock designer of so many knitters. Maybe next year would be my Year of Evelyn Clark ... LOL!

Yarn: Crystal Palace Maizy (82% Corn Fiber - 18% elastic nylon) Col: 1211 Orange Crush
Isn't the colour most suitable for summer? The Maizy yarn is a bit thicker than TOFUtsies but still very good for summer socks. I love the cushiness of the socks. Besides, I believe it would not get stiff with wash like the Esprit socks do.

Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns US1

Cast On: 07-16-2008
Cast Off: 07-21-2008

I don't know what happened to me. Maybe I was stimulated and inspired by Polly's sock knitting recently. I have already started my 4th pair in July! :D