Sage Cardigan Details

This was my first original design for knitting. It’s a long knit because I was using small needle and using fingering weight yarn. Well, it’s actually DK weight, but I splitted the yarn into two to get fingering weight yarn. The yarn brand was Wendy Supreme Cotton DK that I bought from Cucumberpatch. I bought 4 balls (1 balls = 100 gram or 201 meter), but I ended up only using 3 balls (only about 3 or 4 meter left). The cost of the yarn itself was RM20.50 or USD5.85 per balls (including the shipping cost), thus this cardigan only cost me RM61.50 or USD17.55! It’s very cheap for hand made one of the kind knitted garment, don’t you think?


I really enjoy knitting using small needle, although it takes longer time, but the final result is really worth it.


At this moment I am trying to write down the pattern as my mother in law also wants to make it. She wants row by row pattern complete with the chart. So, I must finish writing up the pattern before I start another project (although I have another design in my mind and I keep thinking about it).

I am thinking to change the buttons as they are a bit too small for the holes. If I can find nicer button, I will change it. Otherwise probably I will leave it as it is.

Pattern: My Own

Source: NA

Materials: Wendy Supreme Cotton DK. Color: Sage. Qty: 3 x 100 gram

Needles: Addi Metal Circular Needle 3.25 mm

Total Cost: Yarn USD 17.55 + Button USD.40

Start Date: 1 Nov 2006

Finish Date: 31 Dec 2006
Other entry this project: Start, 25%, 75%, 95%.

On other news, remember the new product launching in Kuala Lumpur? My friend called me saying that she saw an article about the launching plus a photo of me in Saturday STAR newspaper. It’s also on the star online.

I am a bit disappointed because in the photo did not show of my Sage cardigan in the best position. I think after giving presentation I forgot to straighten my clothes and directly posed for photo shooting session.

Photos From My Trip to My Hometown (Part-1)

On my last trip to Indonesia on 5-12 January for my Brother’s Wedding, I took a lot of nice photos.

Lauri was looking at the Koi fish. First, she was only looking, then after sometimes she put her finger in

These photos were taken in House of Sampoerna located in Surabaya. Sampoerna is actually one of the largest cigarette manufacturing company in Indonesia. Founded in 1913 by Liem Seng Tee and taken over in May 2005 taken by Phillip Morris.

What are you thinking, darling?

Actually my grandmother knows this Liem Seng Tee personally as he was the god-brother of my grandmother’s brother in-law. He often visited my grandmother for small talk as their house quite nearby.

Lauri was looking at the wedding couple posed

Anyway, we went there because there were a lot of nice spot to take photo. We went there together with the wedding couple (my brother and the wife) plus the photographer and cameraman.

Mommy, I also want to pose!

Sneak Preview

I wore my sage cardigan to the new product launching last Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur. Here is the glimpse of the cardigan. Not very clear, but I will post again with the detail once I got a nicer photo. I guess I was the only one that wear handmade clothing :)

Putting Lipstick

I look so awful today. Better put some make-up


OK, lets put some lipstick

Mmmmmmm.......

Close it nicely, otherwise Mommy will scold me

How Do I look?

Don't you think, I look prettier now?

And The Sleeves

Long time no post. Its because I was very busy preparing my trip to my home town, Surabaya to attend my Brother's wedding. I am back now and still recovering from the lack of sleep.

Anyway, I finished my Sage Cardigan. No photo yet since I still had no opportunity to take photo with me wearing it. In the mean time, here the photo of the sleeve. Yes, I put crochet lace edging.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Progress on my Sage Cardigan

After finishing the front, I directly sew it together with the back. I wanted to know how it looks like. I grafted the shoulder together, then continue knitting the left and right colar until reached the back. Join the colar on the back, then grafted it into the body. It took me several days to do all this, as I never done it before. I unraveled several times before I got it right. Actually, I was not even sure whether I did it correctly or not.

Grafting the shoulder together

Join the colar on the back, then grafted it into the body.

This is how it looks like from the back

Attach the button



Tada....!

Now, I had to make the sleeves.

Mission Accomplished

Yup, Lauri sekarang sudah nggak pake diaper. Kecuali kalo dia lagi tidur siang dan tidur malam aku pakein diaper untuk jaga-jaga. Cuma seminggu aku nglatih dia. Dimulainya hari Senin kemarin (27 Nov) dan tepat Senin berikutnya (4 Dec) dia udah ngerti. Aku nggak nyangka sama sekali kalo secepat itu. Padahal persediaan Mami Poko (disposable diaper) nya masih bejibun.

Yup , Lauri didn’t wear diaper anymore, except when she was napping or sleeping at night, just in case. So far no wet diaper. Only took me a week to train her. Started on Monday 27 Nov, and exactly the next Monday 4 Dec, she had finally understood. I did not expect that it would be that fast. I still had a lot stock of Mami Poko (disposable diapers).

Sekarang, tiap dia mau pipis, dia bilang: “Mommy, sit down” sambil nunjuk ke pot. Ajaibnya lagi, nggak hanya dia ngerti kalo dia perlu duduk di pot untuk pipis, dia juga tau kalo dia perlu duduk di pot, untuk urusan satunya lagi (poo poo). Padahal aku belon ngajarin lho.

Now, every-time she wanted to pee, she would say:”Mommy, sit down” and pointed to the potty. The amazing thing was although I did not train her to do the other big business (poo poo), she automatically understood that she was supposed to sit on the potty to poo, too.

This is her expression the first time I sit her on the toilet

Kalo ada yang tertarik pengen tahu gimana proses aku nglatih, nih liat dibawah ini:

1. Sepanjang hari jangan dipake diaper. Pake celana dalam biasa. Ini supaya aku tahu kebiasaan dia pipis kapan aja.
2. Setiap jam tawarin dia untuk duduk di potty selama dia mau. Kalo dia udah nggak mau duduk ya sudah, jangan dipaksa duduk walaupun masih belon pipis.
3. Kalo pas aku mau buang air kecil, dia aku ajak. Supaya dia juga tau kalo aku juga perlu duduk di pot (toilet) untuk buang air kecil.
4. Kemungkinan besar dia akan pipis di celana. Lauri pipis di celana bolak balik sebelum dia akhirnya ngerti. Jangan dikasih disposable diaper yang versi celana selama proses pelatihan. Karena ini justru memperlambat proses pelatihan karena dia nggak merasa basah sama sekali.
5. Setelah 1 ato 2 hari aku tahu pola pipis dia. Lauri juga udah biasa duduk di pot. Akhirnya suatu hari, dia pipis di pot. Setelah sekali dia pipis di pot, selanjutnya dia aku dudukan dia di pot, pasti dia pipis.
   

Below are the process how I toilet-trained Lauri in case somebody interested:

1. Let her wore normal panty all day. So I knew her schedule of peeing.
2. Offerrd her to sit on the potty every hour as long as she wants. I did not force her if she did not want to sit.
3. When I wanted to pee, I would ask her to come along. Explained the process to her. This was to show her that I also needed to sit on the pot (toilet) to pee.
4. Big possibility that she would pee on the pants instead of potty. This was also part of the process to make her understood. Lauri peed on her pants many times before she understood. I did not use “pull up” disposable diaper (pants-like diaper). It only slowed the process, as she could not feel the wetness.
5. After 1 or 2 days, I knew her pee timing patterns, she also used to sit on the potty. So one day, when I put her on the potty, she just peed there. After that, every-time I sit her on the potty, she peed.

Wild Rose Crochet Top

Pattern: My Own

Source: NA

Materials: DMC Cebila size 10 Crochet Thread. Color: Wild Rose 6x 50 gram

Needles: 2.5 mm Tulip Crochet Hook

Total Cost: Thread USD 27.78 + Button USD.50

Start Date: 1 July 2006

Finish Date: 16 August 2006

Other entry this project: Here

Actually I finished this project last August, but I had no opportunity to take a photo. This was my first attempt to design a crochet top. I made the top part quite solid using shell pattern because I wanted to wear this without lining inside. I also did some decreasing after the bust area so it would have some shape. As you can see, the waist part is quite transparent. I was planning to weave in ribbon, but I could not find the matching color ribbon. So, in the end I left it as it is.

When I wore this out, it was noon time and the weather was very hot. However, because it had no lining, I did not feel hot. I could even feel the breeze, specially on my waist area.

Couldn't Recognize Mommy

Minggu kemarin, aku nyetelno Lauri VCD resepsi perkawinanku. Pertama dia ngeliat dengan penuh perhatian. Terus pas James muncul, dia bilang “Oooh, Papa”. Terus, dia liat ada Grandma and Grandpa, dia juga bilang “Ohhh, Bima, Bipa”.

Last week, I let Lauri watched my wedding video. At first, she watched with full attention, then when James appeared on the screen, she said “Ooooh, Papa”. Then, she also could recognize her Grandpa and her Grandma “Oohhh, Bee-pa..Bee-ma” (that is how she called her Grandpa and Grandma).

Walk with Bee-Ma in Gurney Drive in front of Gurney Plaza

Do I look like photo model if I pose like this?

How about like this?

Hi! Do you want my Autograph?

Mommy, where is my comb? My hair looks awfull

Tapi, pas aku muncul, dia diam aja. Berhubung dia diam aja, aku yang bilang “Ooohh, Mommy!”. Dia pancet diam aja. Mungkin karena aku pake make-up, dia bingung, kok nggak mirip Mommy, ya? Baru setelah aku ulang nyetel VCD itu 3 kali, baru dia ngeh kalo itu aku. Hehehehehe.

However, when I appeared on the screen, she kept quiet. Since she did not make a comment, I said “Ooooh, Mommy!” She still did not say anything. Perhaps because of the make-up and hair style I wore, she was confuse, why the lady on the screen did not look like mommy? Until I repeat the VCD three times, then she understood that it was me after all. Hehehehehe.

Senin kemarin aku mulai toilet train Lauri. Dia masih nggak ngerti sampe sekarang. Kalo dia aku dudukkan di toilet nggak mau pipis, tapi kalo diapernya udah terpasang, baru dia pipis. Tapi acara training nya agak terganggu berhubung kemarin sama hari ini, kita pergi ke Mall. Kemarin ke Gurney Mall untuk beli kosmetikku (ada sale), hari ini ke Queensbay Mall, Mall terbesar di Penang yang baru buka hari ini deket rumah.

Last Monday, I started to toilet train her. She still did not get it until now. When I put her on the toilet, she did not want to pee, but once I put on the diaper, she peed. There was some interruption on the toilet train because yesterday and today, we went to the Mall. Yesterday, we went to Gurney Mall to buy my cosmetics (one day sale), and today we went to Queensbay Mall, the biggest Mall in Penang that just opened today near my house.

Too tired to walk, so ask Bee-Pa to carry. Oh, I also got free Baloon...

Oh ya sekarang Lauri sudah isa ngancing baju sendiri lho. Pake bajunya masih nggak isa. Cuma isa masukkan tangan satu, tapi begitu mau masukkan tangan satunya dia masih nggak isa. Kadang isa masuk, tapi bajunya mluntir. Hehehehe.

Oh yeah, Lauri now already could button up her clothes by herself. She still could not wear her own blouse yet. Only could put on one sleeve, but the other sleeve, still could not. Sometimes, when she finally manage to put on, the blouse was twisted. Hehehehe.

My First Knitted Top Without Pattern

Actually this top was finished quite sometimes ago, but because at that time my camera was not back yet, I could not take a picture of it.

I made this top inspired by this pattern:


However, since I got the yarn very cheap (only RM 0.80 or USD 0.22/ball), it seemed such a waste to spend USD7.00 only for the pattern. I also thought, this would be a good knitting practice for me. If it is turn out not nice, I can simply throw it away and forget about it.

Pattern: My Own (inspired by Simple Knitted Bodice)
Source: NA
Materials: Croft Nylon DK, 100% nylon, 20 gram each, Made in England, Red Color (13 balls x 50 yards)
Needles: 3.5 mm Addi Turbo circular needle
Total Cost: RM 0.80 x 13 = RM10.40 or USD 2.80
Start Date: 20 Sep 2006
Finish Date: 27 Oct 2006

It turned out quite OK, although I wished that I knitted a bit longer before started the lace pattern on the waist, because as you can see on the photo, my bra was showing. Probably I should wear natural color bra if I wanted to wear this out. My original plan was to make the long sleeve version, but since this is not cotton, in the end I made short sleeve version so it would not too hot to wear out. The yarn itself was quite stretchy, so although I made this top with negative ease, it’s quite comfy.

Other entry about this project: starting

Today, 6 Years ago, We said "I do"

Lauri Fishing

Nggak beneran mancing, cuma pura-pura mancing. Pertama dia nggak tau caranya gimana. Tapi setelah diajari 2 kali sama James, dia langsung isa. Lucunya setelah dia dapet ikan, dia akan nunggu sampe James dan aku dapat ikan, baru dia naruh ikannya balik ke tempatnya. Dia juga isa nakalan (berhubung dia liat James nakalan). Kalo dia frustasi nggak isa masukkan umpan nya ke mulut ikan, ikan nya sama dia diambil, dibuka mulutnya dan umpannya dimasukkan ke mulut ikan.

Well, not really fishing, only pretending to fish. At first she did not know how to fish. After James showing her two times, she got the idea. The funny thing was, after she got the fish, she would wait for me and James to got the fish first, before she put the fish back to the place. She also learned to cheat (because she saw James cheat). If she got frustrated after several attempts could not put the bait into the fish’ mouth, she would pick up the fish, opened the mouth, and put the bait into the fish mouth.


Dia juga isa pura-pura digigit ikan. Sama dia jarinya dimasukkan ke mulut ikan, terus teriak: “Mommy, help me…help me….!”

She even could pretend to get bitten by the fish by putting her finger into the fish mouth and screamed: “Mommy, help me….help me….!”

Pas James masih di India 3 hari yang lalu, suatu pagi pas Lauri bangun tidur, dia liat di sisi ranjang biasanya James tidur ada guling ketutupan selimut. Mungkin dia pikir itu James. Jadi dia manggil manggil “Papa…Papa…What are you doing there?”. Terus berhubung nggak ada jawaban, sama dia selimutnya dibuka. Heheheheh… Bingung dia kok papanya nggak ada.

One morning, when James still in India 3 days ago, Lauri woke up and saw a pillow covered by blanket on the side where James normally sleep. She thought that it was her father, so she called “Papa…Papa…What are you doing there?” When she didn’t get any response, she opened the blanket. Heheheheh…. She just confused why the father was not there.

Oh ya, Lauri punya potongan rambut baru. Poninya dipotong sama emaknya. Nggak rata. Diliat, yang sebelah kiri lebih panjang, jadi sama emaknya dipotong lagi yang sebelah kiri,. Eh, motongnya kependekan, jadi sekarang yang sebelah kanan yang kepanjangan. Gitu mau dipotong lagi. Sama aku nggak boleh. Soale kalo dipotong terus kayak gitu bisa habis itu poni. Hehehehe.

Oh yeah, Lauri got new hair cut. Her fringe was cut by her Grandma. Seing that the left side was longer than the right, grandma cut it again. Eh, she cut too much. The result: the right side now was longer than the left side. When she attempted to cut again, I asked her not to. I just afraid that she would keep cutting until Lauri has no more fringe. Hehehehe.

Aiaiaiaia... My left fringe is shorter than the right one

Progress on The New Projects

After two weeks working on my light green/sage cardigan, I manage to finish the back. Yes, only the back. It’s very slow progress considering I only working on this project. I didn’t even touch my other projects. Well, what can I expect? The gauge is 8 sts x 10 rows in order to make 1x1 inch.

The top strand is the original, the bottom strand is after splitting it into two (because I don't want bulky cardigan)

As you can see on the photo, I put some texture on it. This is in order to keep me not to get bored with never ending stockinette. So far, I like with the result.

At first, I planned to work on the round in order to minimize the seaming job. But, after thinking about it, probably it’s not a good idea, since this is my first design, I want to know whether my measurement is correct. If I can finish the back first, at least I know whether the overall measurement is OK or not.

I also plan to try kitchener method to join the shoulder part, so I will get more polish and professional result. I hope I won’t screw it up. In order to do that, I keep all the stitches alive and just run a string through it for later.

Anyway, after I have finished the back, I directly washed and blocked it. To my satisfaction, the measurement was correct. My tension was consistent with the swatch. Furthermore, after washing, the stitches look even and nice. And it drapes nicely.

Now, it takes me 2 weeks to finish the back, so, it will takes me another 2 week to finish the front, and another 4 weeks to finish the two sleeves. Very long time.

Walking on The Sand

Hari Selasa kemarin aku ke dokter gigi. Habis dari dokter gigi, makan siang di restaurant dekat pantai. Waktu mau masuk ke mobil, kok cuacanya bagus. Nggak panas dan agak mendung. Jadi aku ajak Lauri jalan jalan di dekat pantai.

Waktu jalan-jalan di jalanan yang semenan, dia seneng sekali, tapi pas aku ajak dia jalan di pasir, dia takut. Nggak mau jalan dan minta gendong. Hehehehe. Mungkin karena dia nggak biasa, dan pikirnya kok jalannya nggak stabil. Jadi lebih amannya lebih baik minta gendong.

Dulu yang rebutan nonton TV ada 3 orang. Aku senengnya liat TV komedi barat. Mamanya James senengnya nonton serial kantonese, James senengnya nonton filem action. Sekarang tambah satu saingan. Lauri. Dia maunya filem kartun. Jadi kadang kalo James pulang kerja dan saluran TV nya dirubah, Lauri pasti protes: “Aaaah… Don’t want… Don’t want!”


Ini foto Lauri kalo di mobil. Tampang dia agak aneh berhubung mungkin udah kelamaan duduk di mobil. Hehehehe.

New Projects

I have finished my knitted red top. However, since I don’t have my camera, I can’t take a picture of it. It will have to wait until I got my camera back. I am planning to wear it on Chinese New Year.

Since I have no other WIP on knitting, I started planning to make another one. This time, I want to design it myself. Long time ago when I worked as an assistant lecturer and had to teach in non-AC room, I used to make my own cotton dress. I learned to make pattern and sew from my mother. Then later on when I worked in a big company, wearing a home made cotton dress did not look professional.



Anyway, I think knitting should be similar like sewing, I only need to translate it into stitches. Well, I have to try to find out.

For this project, I use 100% cotton yarn called Wendy Supreme that I got from Cucumber Path UK. Once again, I split the yarn in order to yet finer yarn. I use 3.25 mm needle. It will take forever to knit this, but I want to achieve thin and not so bulky result for me to be able to wear in this country.

Beside this, I also started another lace project. Its Candle Flame Scarf. This time I use JaggerSpun Zephyr (black color). Knit in black is not such a good idea. Very difficult to see the stitch. And I use black color to make lace? What was I thinking?