Friday, March 30, 2007

Orchid Crocheted Top Pattern For Sale

I love this top, specially to wear with jeans. Just wear your jeans and wear this top, and you will be ready in a second. Very light to wear and looks flatering for any body type. You can wear with or without camisole inside. And because you made this based on your measurement, it fits you perfectly. You can make a bolero or cardigan. You can make it with cap sleeve, short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, or even long sleeve. All using the same pattern. You can even make your daughter the same dress for mother and daughter special occasion. The option is endless.
Since this pattern working from top down, you can try it as you go.
This pattern comes with row-by-row written direction in US crochet term and charts.


Sizes: Custom fit (from XXS to XXXXL because it based on your measurement)
The one in the pic is: Bust: 86 cm/34.5 inch, waist: 71 cm/28.4 inch, total length: 66cm/26.4 inch
Needle: Your favourite needle. I use size 3.5 mm or US size E - 4
Yarn: Fingering weight or lace weight or any yarn available
Yarn requirement: enough for your project
I used up around 1400 m yarn or 7 x 50 gram for the one in the picture
Notion: Tapestry needle, buttons, marker
Gauge: Variable
Difficulty: Experienced
Note: Since I always like the clarity of Japanese pattern in symbol, I would like also to use those symbol into my pattern beside the normal english written instruction. You can choose which one you prefer, but I suggest to use both.
All about this project in my blog

Here is the sample of how the pattern looks like:
Click on the button below to buy a copy. It will be sent to you in a zipped PDF file via email once payment is complete. Thanks!

US$ 5.00,-

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FO: Orchid Crocheted Top

Finished this top last Sunday, but only managed to post it today because I wanted to finish the pattern as well. I love the result better than Wild Rose, although Wild Rose is lighter. I guess it is because I used size 10 thread for Wild rose. I am thinking to make dress for Lauri using this pattern. Well, we’ll see.


I had these button from my old clothes, 1 pc big and 8 pcs smaller, I used them all (put the bigger one on top). I am also thinking to add purple satin/silk sash on the waist to give more glamorous look to it, but I don’t have purple silk in my stash. If I have to wait for my husband to drive me to the store to buy it, probably I have to wait until next year (well, probably not next year, but you get the idea).

Anyway, here Orchid with all her glory


Pattern: My Own
Source: Here
Materials: Elann Sonata. Color: Victorian Grape. Qty: 7 x 50 gram
Needles: 3.5 mm Tulip Crochet Hook
Total Cost: Yarn USD 20.61 (including shipping cost) + Button: Free
Start Date: 6 February 2007
Finish Date: 25 March 2007



See all post regarding this project

Sunday, March 25, 2007

And The Button.....

These are re-cycled buttons from my old clothes. I am not sure whether the color is dark purple to dark chocolate, but I am planning to use them on my Orchid top.


Saturday, March 24, 2007

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Photos From My Trip to My Hometown (Part-3)

When I brought Lauri to my hometown in Indonesia the first time, she was only 5 months old. The second time was in May last year. She was only 1 year 7 months and still could not talk properly. I had to re-introduce her to my parent (her Akong and Ama). She was a bit shy, but after sometimes she was OK and willing to play with them. However, once she got back home in Malaysia, she had no memory of them.



Tasting The Wedding Cake

Sitting in The Cafe

Last January, when I brought Lauri to Indonesia again, I had to re-introduce her again with her Akong and Ama. However, this time she could talk more properly. She likes her Akong more than her Ama (I think because my father likes little kid). When she got home, even until now, she still can remember them. If she saw them in the photo, immediately she said: “This is Amaaaaa, Akoooong”. Then before she went to sleep, sometimes she include her Akong and Ama on her saying good night list.

On The Plane

Putting Powder Before Landed


Actually between this visit (January 07) and the last visit (May 06), only 8 months different, but you really can see the different.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Orchid and Another Project (?)

I haven’t finished my Orchid yet. I believe there are 2 more balls to go. So far so good. I think I will get another winner again. It’s been more than 2 months since I started this project. I only can crochet 1 or 2 rows everyday. Not to mention the frogging part if I did not like the result. Sometimes I had to frog almost entire ball.

This week, I also started writing up the pattern. I thought I better do it before I forget. I did some research on how other people writing pattern. In the mean time, I also started to think what project I want to do next. I think I am going to start knitting project. I already have some idea in my mind.

Then something terrible happened, when I wanted to do some swatching, I couldn’t find my 3.25 mm knitting needle. I spent 2 hours looking for it. I still could not find it until now. Instead I found my ring that Lauri lost it about one month ago. I think I should forget about it. Someday, I will find it. In the mean time, I am going to use my 3.5 mm needle instead.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Lauri's Bags

Remember this Koala backpack? Well, we lost it last December in Border Bookshop, Queensbay Mall. When we went in, Lauri still had the backpack, when we went out, Lauri without the back pack. We did not realize it until almost reaching parking lot. We quickly went back, but no back pack to be seen. We asked the cashier just in case somebody found it and put it in the cashier, but no such luck. The back pack was too cute, I guess.

The Koala Backpack

Anyway, when we went to Surabaya last January, we found the replacement in one of the factory outlets. They have four different models of puppy handbag and one teddy bear back pack, we bought all of them. It’s very cheap. For all 5 bags, we only pay less than USD20,-

Hugging the Teddy Bear Backpack in KLIA

Lauri Holding Puppy Handbag Ready to Go

Another Model of Puppy Handbag

Enough about bag. Today Lauri has new gig. She stood up on top of stool in front of TV, facing the audience (me) holding a pen like it was a mike, then she pretend to sing. When I clapped my hand, she bowed and said: “Thank you, thank you very much.” I think she copy it from American Idol.


Thursday, March 08, 2007

My Orchid (New Crocheted Project)

I bought yarns about 4 months ago from Elann. It is called Elann Sonata. Originally, I wanted to make Ivy from Knitty. When the yarn arrived, I was a bit disappointed with the quality of the yarn. It’s not as soft and shiny as I thought it would be.

In the end I don’t use the yarn to make Ivy, instead I am using it to make another version of Wild Rose. I love my Wild Rose and wear it many times already, so I must make another one. This time I will call it Orchid. Although similar looking, but the construction entirely different. This version, crocheted from top down, raglan sleeve, you can try it as you crochet, all in one piece. Because of the empire waist styles, this top will be flattering for any body types. I love empire waist styles because it gives you the slim effect.


No, this is not my hand. This is Lauri, trying to crochet

At this moment, I am almost reaching the waist. Just tried it on before writing this post, and I love with the result. I am definitely will write down the pattern.

In case you are wondering, yes, I am splitting the yarn again. Elann Sonata yarn is in DK weight, so I split it into two to become fingering weight yarn.

Tip to split the yarn:
1. Unravel about 2 or 3 meter yarn, then tied the ball using rubber band
2. Split the yarn apart, make sure you pull the yarn tightly (ask for help or use your toes to hold), then wind the splited yarn at the same time. In short, you pull, split, wind at the same time, and slowly release the yarn bit by bit using your toes to control (or ask your helper to release bit by bit. But, make sure don’t loose the tight tension, otherwise the yarn will be in a tangled mess.
3. Hang the ball and let it spin before you unravel for more.
4. If your yarn got 9 ply, you split 2 first (3 ply and 6 ply), later you split the 6 plyinto 2 again.

Once I got somebody to take photo, I will post the photo tutorial how to split the yarn.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Oh My God!

Lately, Lauri likes to say “Oh my God!” If she sees something cute, she will say “Oh my God, it’s so cute” .Last week, she saw her DVD on the floor (her father dropped it), she stopped walking, looked at the floor and said “Oh my God, it’s my CD.”


She can count 1 to 1o, she can recognize some alphabets, and she can wear her own blouse and button it up. She also now likes to choose her own clothes after taking a bath. She is 15 kg and 93 cm tall. Everybody thinks she is 3 or 4 years old, but she is only 2. Even I, sometimes forget that she is still 2 years old.

Her father keep asking me to teach her how to write alphabets, because he said last time he knew how to write A to Z and 1 to 10 by 2 years old. I tried many times, but she simply refused to write the letter, she just wants to write her own way. I know she can do it if she really put her mind into it.


In this Chinese New Year, we tried to teach her to say: Gong Xi Fat Choi, but she only remembered the last two words: Fat Choi. When she got angpao (red envelope contain money), she directly opened the envelope, took the money out and put it inside her bag and threw away the envelope. Nobody teaches her that! Last Chinese new year, she just ignored the angpao. What is she going to do next year?

Monday, March 05, 2007

Japanese Crocheted Book

I got so many question regarding the pattern for the blue crocheted top that I just finished recently. Below is the cover looks like:


And the back:


The ISBN number is 4-529-03528-x. It has so many nice designs that I would like to make. All crocheted. So far, I only made 2 patterns from this book. The first is the white crocheted cardigan and the second is the blue crocheted top.

I bought this book about 6 years ago before I got married and still lived in Indonesia. It cost me about USD 21,-

Actually the pattern on the cover that made me bought this book. However in the end I decided not to make this pattern as it is consist of 113 parts. I am afraid that if I don't like the result, I won't be able to reuse the yarn as it is already cut into that much of pcs.