When Other People Made Your Pattern .....

I want to show you something that made my heart leaped with joy.

Ta..daaa.....

I saw this FO (Ravelry link) yesterday in Ravelry. It looks soo nice and soooo familiar. Guess what? It’s my Dahlia! YUP! Isn’t it so gorgeous? When I read her note, I got a goose bump all over my body. She called me genius! Hahahahaha! Me… Genius…. I could not pass through the door after that due the size of my head.

But seriously, when I read how she did the color change, I was amazed. Because of wanted to avoid cutting and re-attaching yarn (to avoid ends), she used 11 balls of yarn simultaneously, and she even managed to create her own “devise” to be able to do that.

See what I mean? She really put a lot of work into this project.

Lets see some details, shall we.....

Sighhhhhh!!! (I am very happy, can you tell?)

Edited to Add:

Although I managed to sell quite many of my Dahlia Top pattern, I only saw a handful of FOs. Some people even complain about the complexity of this pattern. I guess not everybody like to do math before they even begin, which is a must since you can make this pattern using any yarn or hook, so you have to know your own gauge and based on that gauge and your body measurement, you calculate the number of beginning chain you have to crochet.

Someday, I want to make Dahlia again using DK or even worsted yarn, just to show how it looks like, because I know not everybody like to work with thread or fingering yarn.

Girls in Pink

This year Chinese New Year falls on the same date as Valentine’s, so it’s only appropriate if we were wearing pink color outfits to go visiting.

By the way, did you notice my pink crocheted bolero? It’s a sneak peak of my new design. I still haven’t got the time to do a proper photo shoot. I love this bolero, it’s easy to make and very fast. Only need about 10 hours to make. Actually I have made 3 boleros so far: green, purple and pink. I will post them as soon as I manage to take the photos.

Fiori drinking tea while visiting


Lauri was happily playing fireworks

Fiori was crying because she was not allowed to play fireworks

What are they pointing at?

Quick update: Last week my girls down with flu. Now it's my turn to have it. I am so lazy to download my new project, so here old photos of my darlings.

Happy Chinese New Year to you all who celebrate!!

FO: Garden Path Crocheted Shawl

This is actually 2009 project (read my previous post about this project) but I just finished writing the pattern today. I am really exciting about this project. It had a very difficult start but in the end it is really worth all the trouble. I made 2 versions, one is larger than the other. This is the smaller or scarf version.

Pattern: Garden Path Crocheted Shawl

Source: It will be ready next month (I hope)

Materials: Miami Four Season 100% Cotto. Color 18 (blue) dyelot 203

Qty: 2 x 50 gram (110 m/120 yards per ball) I split the yarn into 3, so total I have 720 yards

Needles: Clover Hook size 3.5 (E)

Start Date: 2 December 2009

Finish Date: 17 December 2009

As usual I need testers for this. I need tester for the scarf version and also for the shawl version. I need tester that able to follow the written instruction only. Although the final pattern will have the nice diagram as always, I want to make sure that people can understand my written instruction. To tell you the truth, I actually can not understand my own written instruction, so I really need testers that ready to have headache.

Anybody????

Update:

I forgot to tell you the finished size.

Scarf: 47" across top edge, 23" long from centre top to point

Shawl: 84" across top edge, 40" long from centre top to point

And please let me know your email address so I can contact you.

Update:

I have enough testers.

FO: Sage Cardigan New Version

Probably you are wondering what had happened with my Sage Cardigan new version. Well.... It’s finished and I really like the result. However, it is a bit bigger than what I wanted it to be. It’s totally my fault that I didn’t do a swatch first. This yarn is very stiff and it hurt my hand when I knit with it, but once washed, it relaxed a lot and became very soft.

Below is the photo before washing. What do you think?

Pattern: Sage cardigan new version

Source: Will be released soon

Materials: Ella Rae Shibu 90% silk 10% viscose Color 20 dyelot 46

Qty: 10 x 50 gram (95 m / 205 yards per ball)

Needles: Addi Metal Circular Needle 4.00 mm

Cost: Yarn USD 39.99 + button (recycle button)

Start Date: 14 Oct 2009

Finish Date: 22 Nov 2009

Sisters Time

Fiory is on copy cat stage. Everything Lauri does, she also wants to do it. Lauri slept on the floor, she also wanted to sleep on the floor. Lauri hugged me, she also wanted to hug me. Lauri climbed the chair, she also wanted that. The lists are still go on.

Lauri Drew This for Papa

Sneak Peak of My New Crocheted Shawl

Somewhere in mid November, while I was working on my Sage Cardigan New Version, I got the urge to make a shawl. Probably because I saw lots of gorgeous shawls in Ravelry (mostly knit). So I decided to design my own shawl, but crocheted version. I thought it would be easy, just open my crochet stitch dictionary book and choose the stitch that I like. Turn out that it didn’t as easy as I thought. I started many times and frogged too many times. My mind spinned with lots of ideas, but somehow when I crocheted the idea, it didn’t look good. I got many sleepless nights before finally I got the design that I like and satisfied with the result.

Now, I am making 2 versions of this shawl. One is scarf (smaller) and one is a shawl (bigger). I started the bigger version shawl using my Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18 - Cone Black color held double. Halfway, I decided to put bead on it, so I ordered glass beads from ebay. While waiting for the beads to come, I started the scarf version. For the scarf version, I was using my leftover yarn of my crocheted blue top. It’s a DK cotton yarn, but I splitted into 3. I started 2 December and finished 17 December. I could finish it in a week, but putting the beads (I used local plastic beads) really took time.

I haven’t writen the pattern for this, so for temporary I just give you a sneak peak.

My Butterfly Fairy

..... wishes you

A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

Lauri's Second Stage Performance

Time flies very fast. It's end of the year already. Like last year, Lauri was performing in the school annual concert. If you click on the link, you can see how different they were compare with now.

Fiori was busy reading the program

No-Seaming Crocheted Flower Pattern for Sale

Like the name, this crocheted flower required no seaming at all. You work in continues motion. Perfect for stash busting or last minute gift. It only takes less than 1 hour to make. This lovely flower is perfect for a brooch, bracelet, hair pin, hair crunchy, etc. Your imagination is the limit.
This pattern comes with row-by-row written direction in US crochet term and photo tutorials but no chart.

Material: DK weight yarn
Hook: 3.5 mm (E)
Finished Size Diameter: 10 cm or 4 inch
Level: Easy
Yarn requirement: 1 ball or skein can make about 3 pcs.
Notion: button (optional).
Other Posts and photos about this project: Here

How To Buy:Pattern is a full colour, 4 pages in PDF. Complete with step by step photo tutorials.
Payment by Paypal and delivery by Ravelry, no accounts required. Credit cards accepted.

USD 1.75,-
add to cart

Handmade Gift Ideas

When people know that you are good in knitting and crocheting, they expect you give something handmade to them. They don't know how much times and efforts that goes into handmade stuffs. Sometimes they even think that handmade stuffs is given because it is cheaper than buying in the store. This is one of the reasons why I don’t give people my handmade stuffs. I only make things for people than really appreciate my creation.

Anyway, yesterday I created this gorgeous crocheted flower that can be made in less than an hour, so it's perfect for gift as well. This flower required no seaming at all. I used my leftover yarn from my Orchid top and the button is a button from my old dress. The result is about 4" or 10 cm in diameter. I plan to make this for necklace, belt, and pin as well. Yesterday, when I wore this as a bracelet, a lot of people complimented it.

Pattern: No-Seaming Crocheted Flower
Source: Here
Materials: Elann Sonata. Color: Victorian Grape
Qty: 1 ball to make 2 or 3 pcs
Needles: Clover Hook size 3.5 (E)
Start Date: 14 December 2009
Finish Date: 14 December 2009

I Want to Play too.....

Said Fiori to her sister. She could not wait to play the drum and tried hard to get down from her stroller. Nowadays, Fiori always copy whatever Lauri did.

My Knitting Needles

I love Addi knitting needle. I can only enjoy knitting if my needle is Addi. Of course I haven’t tried other needles, but why waste my money to buy other needles since I love the one that I have (unless it’s free, of course). Here were the sizes of Addi needles that I had: Lace addi 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 mm and for Addi Turbo 3.25 (2 pcs), 3.5, 3.75 mm.

If you notice, the biggest size that I had is 4.00 mm and it’s Addi Lace. Thus, all these time when I knit to use size 4.00 mm, I had to use my lace needle, although I was not knitting lace project, but I was not complaining, until recently.



Recently I started new knitting project (Sage New Version). This time I am knitting with worsted weight yarn that split a lot and knitting with sharp point needles (Addi lace is sharper) was not a good idea. So, I decided to buy bigger sizes of Addi Turbo from ebay. After hunting around for a week, finally I found a seller that selling 6 pairs of Addi turbo (you can choose the size of your needle and the length of the cord) for total USD30.98 and this is including shipping cost! I bought sizes 4.00, 4.50, 5.00, 5.50, 6.00 and 6.50 mm with 32” cable. I got my needles already and very satisfied. I know that buying from ebay means I don’t have the lifetime warranty. But, what is the chance you break your Addi?


To tell you the truth, I was tempted to buy Addi Click Interchangeable needles. But, beside the expensive price, I was also afraid that I got the set that doesn’t have the perfect connection (I read that some people experienced sponteneous click off while knitting using Addi click). Where should I return it? Not to mention the shipping cost and the hazzle that I have to go through. Sooooo, to be in the safe side, just “normal” Addi for me. I normally work 1 project at a time anyway.

I Need Tester!

As you are aware that I always writing my pattern using 2 weight yarns, fingering/4 ply/sport and DK weight. The reason is because I always enjoy to knit using thinner yarn, but understand that most of people don’t. One exception is my Sage Cardigan Pattern. This is my first pattern and the only pattern that is not written in 2 different weight yarn and not a top down pattern. Thus, I decided to redesign something similar like Sage Cardigan, but knitting using the top down method, and this time I use worsted weight yarn, Ella Rae Shibu. It’s 90% silk and 10% viscose. It feels soft and has a tweedy look.


This yarn frustrated me at first, because it splits and feels hard in my hand. Knitting it with Addi lace needle make it worst. I am a tight knitter and the stitches could not glide easily in Addi Lace needle. At one time, I made a mistake that required me to frog about 2 balls worth of knitting, and decided it was not worth the effort and ready to move on to another new project. However, before flushing this project to the drain, I went to Ravelry and see what other peoples said about this yarn, and what they made. Surprisingly they all like this yarn and I saw a lot of stunning sweaters made of this yarn, so I decided to continue and bought 4.00 mm Addi Turbo.

I am not disappointed with my decision. I just love the result so far. Just another sleeve and the collar to finish. Anyway, I need testers again. This time I wrote my pattern for 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60” bust. I started to knit on 14 Oct and it’s almost finish now, so this is a relatively a quick project.

Anybody interested to test this pattern email me or leave a comment here. Don’t forget to tell me what size you want to test. As usual I can not afford to pay you with money or yarn but I will give you the final version of this pattern and another of my pattern of your choice. Thanks!

Lace Sleeves Sweater For Sale

The Lace sleeves Sweater is a sweater with laces on the sleeves and is echoed in the bottom part of the sweater which gives it a romantic and feminine look. The smocking look-a-like stitch in the waist not only causes the sweater to cinch the waist but also adds an interesting detail in this sweater. This sweater can be worked in a light weight fiber (green sample is knit in 100% cotton Baby Georgia) or in DK weight yarn. Alternatively, a wooly yarn can make the perfect fall garment. No shaping in lace is required. All the shaping is done in the stockinette portions of the design. This sweater is knit in around, from top down, and in one piece, so there’s no seaming.











Sizes:
32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44" Bust. For DK weight pattern it is better if you go down in size. Thus if your size is M, you can go down 1 size to S.

Needle:
Fingering: 3.00 mm (size 2) 80 cm long circular needle for the neck band, 3.50 mm (size 4) 80 cm long circular needle for the rest.

DK Weight: 3.50 mm (size 4) 80 cm long circular needle for the neck band, 4.00 mm (size 6) 80 cm long circular needle for the rest.

Yarn: Fingering or DK Weight

Yarn requirement:
Fingering Weight: 32": 1100 m/1222 yards, 34": 1200 m/1333 yards, 36": 1300 m/1444 yards, 38": 1400 m/1555 yards, 40": 1500 m/1666 yards, 42": 1600 m/1777 yards, 44": 1700 m/1888 yards.

DK Weight: 32": 900 m/1000 yards, 34": 975 m/1083 yards, 36": 1050 m/1167 yards, 38": 1125 m/1250 yards, 40": 1200 m/1333 yards, 42": 1275 m/1417 yards, 44": 1350 m/1500 yards.

Notion: Tapestry needle, Beads (2 pcs), markers, scrap yarn

Difficulty: Intermediate

Gauge:
Fingering Weight: 25 sts and 30 rows = 4” (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch (St st) using 3.50 mm needle or adjust the needle size to get gauge.

Double Knit Weight: 20 sts and 28 rows = 4” (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch (St st) using 4.00 mm needle or adjust the needle size to get gauge.

Other Posts and photos about this project: Here

How To Buy:
Pattern is a full colour, 26 pages in PDF. Complete with lace charts and photo tutorials.
Payment by Paypal and delivery by Ravelry, no accounts required. Credit cards accepted.

USD 5.00,-

add to cart

FO: Lace Sleeves Sweater

It took me forever to finish this sweater because I was very busy taking care my 2 girls. Fiori was becoming a toddler and she was a handful. Plus I had to teach Lauri her lessons. Anyway, it’s finished now and I am happy with the result. I love the additional lace on the bottom. I wore it many times already. I know you all are waiting for the "in action" photo, so here they are! I specially love the first photo, because you can see on the background that Lauri was also doing the pose. On the third photo, you can see the Penang bridge in the background.

Pattern: Lace Sleeves Top
Source: Here
Materials: Baby Georgia Chrystal Palace Yarns 100% cotton Color 8079 dyelot 26913
Qty: 10 x 40 gram (140 yards per ball)
Needles: Addi Metal Circular Needle 3.50 mm
Cost: Yarn USD 29.00 + button USD 10
Start Date: 15 February 2009
Finish Date: 20 October 2009
Other posts about this project: Click here.

Magazine Folder

We always buy Fiori’s milk powder by a dozen complete with the master carton box. I always recycled the box and make it into something useful (I found this kind of box is sturdy and the color is neutral). This time, I made magazine folder since I really need to organize my desk. Using two of below master carton, I can make 5 magazine folders. Now my desk looked tidy plus I could save some money. Store bought magazine folder costs about RM 7 or USD 2, since I made 5 magazine folders, I saved about RM 35,- or USD 10,-

Milk master carton box

Ta..da!!


Magazine folder

Look!

One of my Lace Sleeves Sweater testers has finished hers already. She is using Indigo Moon Hand Painted Sport Weight yarn. I made major mistake on the pattern and she ended up with too many stitches on the bust. That is why she made more decreases through the waist shaping and more stitches before starting the smocking. She also made modification with the sleeves to become 3/4 sleeves with a tight smocked cuff. She also eliminated 2 sets of increase rows on the bottom part, that is why her version not as flair as much like mine. You can see her details note in here (ravelry link). Thanks again Myrna!

I managed to take nice pictures of my Lace Sleeves Sweater last Sunday. So, now I am only waiting for the rest of my testers to finish before I can publish the pattern.