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.

Another Patchwork Pillow Case

Since I have the leftover fabric after I made this pillow and bolster cases, I decided to make another set for Lauri. Besides, she kept asking me to make for her. Since I only little fabric left, I combined with white cotton fabric that I bought locally in Penang. I used the same white fabric to make this pillow case before, and really love the result. Before washing it was very stiff, but after several washing, it become soft. I tried to buy more, but I could not find it anymore. Anway, this project was fun to make and the result was so satisfying. I love the end result, and now I am planning to make another one.

And look who was borrowing Lauri's new pillowcase?

New Pillowcases

When I was blog hopping (somewhere in mid July), somebody mentioned about “Pink Chalk Studio”, I went there and saw that she has a sale. After several days resisting not to buy anything, finally I “lost” the battle and bought Narrow Stripe in Forest - Chestnut Hill Collection by Joel Dewberry at USD 5.60/yard. I bought 7 yards to make pillow and bolster cases. I calculated that 7 yards is enough to make 5 pillow cases and 4 bolster cases, which is exactly the number of pillows and bolsters in my bed. I know .... I got too many. Sometimes there was not enough place for me to sleep.

As usual, I made a simple pillow cases but to make it special, I embroidered our names on the right bottom corner.

Close up

Matching with Fiori's green crocheted blanket

The button

Painting with Acrylic

A few weeks ago, when I did my shopping in the supermarket, I saw Kid Canvas Art Sets. Inside there was 2 pcs of canvases (with giraffe and lion drawing on each) complete with the acrylic paints (6 pcs) and brushes (2 pcs). I immediately bought it because I knew that Lauri would love it. My guess was right. She was really excited and immediately wanted to paint them. Since this was the first time for her to paint using acrylic on canvas, I had to guide and to supervise her.

Fully concentrated

Painting the giraffe

The result

Update on Lace Sleeves Top

Remember my lace sleeves top? Last week, after I wore it the third times, I decided to add the bottom with lace edging. At first I was lazy to open the bind off, and just want to crochet the additional lace edging. However, after think about it further, I decided not to do that since I was afraid it will be too much. Another reason is that not everybody can knit and crochet. So why limit my market to only people that can knit and crochet? So in the end I decided to just use the same lace motifs as the lace on the sleeves. Since I still got 1 skein leftover, I just frogged the last 8 rows of the garter stitch bottom and replace it with the lace, plus I used up the whole 1 skein of yarn (I only have about a yard or so leftover). I think I like the result more now.

Miniature Gallery

My brother has a small shop back in Indonesia. Actually it is belong to my parents but he rent it from them. He sold magazines, stickers, jigsaw puzzle and stuff. The last time I went there, I saw that he imported some interesting miniature DIY items. I brought back some but never got a chance to do it. I still don’t, however, somehow my husband got the urge to do it when he was on leave recently. Thus, this is the result:

Not very neat since the whole things only measures 8” x 7” and need very delicate finger to do it, and his finger just not suitable for these things. LOL! However, if you look from a far, it still looks pretty.

I still have several more with different theme. One of them is fabric shop. Too bad there is no yarn shop available.

Funny Video About Addi Turbo

Moved

In the beginning of September, I moved to new house. That is why the last couple of months I was so busy that I barely got time to knit or crochet. We got too many stuff to move that made my head spin. Most of my stuffs are baby things. Lauri got so many toys. I already donated and threw away some of her toys, but she still have plenty left. The last time I moved 7 years ago, I only had little things to move. I did not know that having additional 2 littles ones can multiply my things so much.

To make it worse, my in-law got a lot more things than me. So combine together, our stuffs make the movers fainted. We were starting to move from noon until almost midnight. Even then, we only managed to put the furniture in place, but didn’t manage to open one single box. I was too tired and just managed to put the bed ready to sleep on. Even until now (2 months later), the house still looks untidy and there are still a few boxes have not opened yet. There are so many things that I want to do, and yet I don’t have enough time to do it. I guess I have to do it one at a time.

Happy Birthday, Lauri!

Last Saturday was Lauri's birthday. Like last year this year we also celebrated it in her kindy. However, since Saturday they had no class, we did it on Friday. Hard to believe that she's already 5 years old. I still vividly remember the first time I caught a glimpse of her when my gynea pulled her out from my tummy (I got C-Section after 24 hours in labor) and the first time I saw her face when the nurse presented her to me.

Singing happy birthday

Blowing the candle

Cutting the cake

Giving out goodies

We also had family dinner party to celebrate her birthday.

The ice cream cake almost melting by the time we finish our dinner

Birthday card from cousin Kayley


Fiori could not wait to eat it

I Need Testers

My lace sleeve top is finished and I wore it twice already while I wrote the pattern. Now, since I have finished written it, I am looking for testers. This pattern is written in 2 different weight yarns (fingering and DK) and bust sizes 32" - 44". If you are interested please email me at lprajogo@hotmail.com or you can leave a comment here (don't forget to tell me which size and which yarn weight you want to test and leave your email so I can contact you). I specially need testers that expert in knitting lace. I just afraid that I made a lot of mistake in writting the lace part and if you are beginners in knitting lace, my mistake can make you frustrated.

Sorry for the blur photo, since I took this photo without adequate lighting.

Here the details about this pattern:

Sizes: 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44" Bust. This top suppose to have negative ease (tight fitting). 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 meter, 34": 1200 meter, 36": 1300 meter, 38": 1400 meter, 40": 1500 meter, 42": 1600 meter, 44": 1700 meter
DK Weight: 32": 900 meter, 34": 975 meter, 36": 1050 meter, 38": 1125 meter, 40": 1200 meter, 42": 1275 meter, 44": 1350 meter

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

Difficulty: Intermediate - Advance.

Progress with My Knitting Project

I just started my fifth skein, and knitting the bottom part. Progress was very slow because I really did not have the time to knit, plus somehow I lost my interest to knit. I really hope that I could finish this before August was over, otherwise I could not meet my goal to publish 3 patterns in a year. It was almost finish actually, only a few inches in the bottom, and I could pick up and knit the sleeves. I planned to make long sleeves this time.

Progress on my knitting

I like the pattern on the waist part

Calendar

Recently, I bought some fabrics online. I plan to make some pillow cases and curtains. That is why when I received package from US, I thought it was my order arrived. Turn out it was my Knitting calendar. I didn’t buy it. However, since I got my Lauri Dress pattern accepted into their 2010 calendar, I got one copy of the calendar for free. This is my first time to get this calendar ever. Honestly, I really haven’t got the time to really look into the patterns one by one, so I could not tell you which one is my favorite (beside Lauri Dress, off course).

Then a month later, I got the check worth of USD 350,- for my second winner prize (not USD 250,- as I mentioned earlier). I immediately bank in the check and totally forgot to take the picture. So, I guess you have to satisfy with the photo of the envelope.

To Genting

Two month ago (4 and 5 July) we went to Genting and stay one night in First World Hotel. This is the first outstation trip for Fiori. I was afraid that Fiori would be tired and cranky during the 5 hours drive from Penang to Genting, but it turned out she was quite enjoying the drive and able to sleep about 2 hours in the car.

Lauri posing in the room

We bought 1 day pass for the indoor riding for Lauri, and her favorite ride was “Merry-Go-Round”. She rode it many many times.

Riding Merry-Go-Round

Lauri with her backpack

The Hotel we were staying

My Dahlia as Featured Pattern in Ravelry

In the beginning of this month I got an email from Mary-Heather from Ravelry. Here is what she wrote:

Hi there Lily!
I hope you are well!
Jess and I wanted to write to you because we wanted to feature your beautiful Dahlia Top pattern as the September “Jess’ and MH's Pick,” featured pattern, if you are interested.

This is a free promotional spot that Ravelry uses to highlight indie designers who are distributing patterns on Ravelry, and it appears on the main patterns page when you click on the "crochet" filter or when "knitting + crochet" (the default setting) is selected. The pattern will appear for all of September, not a half-month like the paid Featured Ads.

If you are interested, we will create the image for you using your pretty photo, and put the ad in for you and everything. We think Ravelry users will love the pattern and hope that you would like to highlight it in this spot!

Please let us know what you think! :)

Best regards,

Mary-Heather

And you know what my response was right? Of course I said YES! I AM INTERESTED. As the result you can see the my Dahlia pattern feature in the crochet pattern section.

Picking Up an Old Quilting Project

Suddenly I am in the mood to finish my old quilting project. I forgot exactly when I started this project, probably 2 or 3 years ago, but suddenly I lost interest and just put it aside and have never touched it until now.

Dr. Lauri in Action!

Dr Lauri gave Puppy medicine