Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Knit, yes! Work no...

I was miraculously awake at 3.30am this morning.

Couldn't get to sleep so I decided that I should get up and knit. Now on my 10th repeat for the shawl. I think I should get into the edging. It's more exciting to cast off as an FO!

Other WIPs in sight
Obviously shoving them into the cupboards don't work.




Can you believe that this is originally meant for a 4 year old? And it fits me!
Man, I almost couldn't believe it until I held it up to myself and then tried it on suspiciously. Well, this would be a gift for myself then. All I need is to sew the shoulder seams and neaten the armholes and voila! That's it...or isn't? Well, just have to work on it this weekend.



This is another something...a crocheted baby dress with double love knots* for the bottom. Again, shown here with its halfway state.
Someone commented that it might be a little too small. Now, I haven't got babies of my own to measure against. So I'll just try ok? If it doesn't fit, then it could go onto a doll. I figured the lower portion is too lacy and open; I might add a lining underneath. I actually enjoyed working on this as the skirt is an all-round and is probably very flouncy when it's done.

What do you think of when your mind wonders?
When one has time on her hands, she not only knits but her mind wanders too. Think: shopping and knitting.

I am thinking of the cover jacket of Poetry in Stitches. There are just a couple of issues with it:

1. Sizing: The completed measurement is around 42" across which is waaaayyy too big on me. I am not quite sure how to adjust the sizing, especially since the front flap is off center so I can't really do the "remove a motif" approach.
2. Color: Great colors but I really do not want to go around in a 'standard uniform' like everybody else. Perhaps a customized kit is in order? Deep red...yummy.
3. Steeks: I have never done it before! I have no problems browsing online sites for help but I am not sure if I can do it unaided.

Earlier on, I was browsing elann's site. Saw some interesting stuff...some cotton & denim coned yarn. Maybe work out a little something for hubby? Sock it yarn for the Mexicali Baby Ole' in Knitters Summer 03 is in order too -- mindless but the end results would look fantastic!

I must be really zonked out. Yeah, dream on.

(Yawn...)

Back to work.


*That's a new technique I learnt -- for picking this pattern...

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Coming along nicely

My shawl...not me. I am in a lousy mood at work.

I am up to the 7th repeat. Going onto the 8th.
I have also taken some photos of my past FOs. I am trying to put the links up properly.

Did I mention that I crochet as well?

Monday, September 27, 2004

Back on track!

Just yesterday, my shawl is back on track again.

I have re-started in the silvery green and consciously put a ring marker just before the centre stitch to remind myself of where I often would go wrong. And I am now on my 7th repeat.

Never mind it's too small at this point. I will probably repeat another 5 times more to see how it goes. By any chance, I am aiming to have it ready by this weekend!

Sunday, September 26, 2004

Elfs at work!

When there are too many screwups along the way, it must be the little elfs telling you to go back to the start point.

I wasn't about to listen to them that straightforwardly, but since more mistakes started popping out last night, I figured I'd better heed to the calling -- read the pattern closely and re-check my progress.

They are so right!

I had a mistake right from the start!


The color doesn't come out right. It's 2 shades darker than it's here.

And I was up to the 6th repeat...see the width by comparing it against my working copy




And so into the frog pond, it went (2am in the morning, no less). I was just trying so hard to like the colour -- it was doubled with sliver green and white. But it's such a relief...now I can just reinstate it back to its singlehood and use the green on its own.

Never mind that it's going to end up being a finer shawl. It's probably going to feel better next to the skin except that I'll just have to make extra repeats...like double or more?!

Yikes!

Friday, September 24, 2004

If lace knitting ever taught me anything...

That would be:

1. Use ring markers whenever possible (when not available, anything goes, cut straws, o-rings, whatever.)
2. Do not attempt to strike up a conversation with someone while knitting it.
3. Knit when you have your pattern nearby for constant reference
4. Else, train up your memory and hone your eagle eyes!

Well...as you can tell, I was cruising along for the first 5 repeats and thinking to myself, "no problem, I can handle it anytime." So on Wednesday, on joining my colleague's farewell party at the pub, I figured no harm picking up and continuing where I stopped, albeit forgetting my pattern paper. Bad move!

Until last night, I figured I repeated 2 rows and the stitches off! No wonder...despite how hard I was winging it, the pattern just didn't work out. In the end, at 2am this morning, I was tinking back those rows...

Now, I am going onto the 7th repeat. Completion is in sight! To think that I was aiming to have it ready by Thursday night! :P (I started over the weekend on Sat) Gotta cross my fingers possibly as tightly as I can. Wish me luck!

Photo taking starts over the weekend...

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Finally...my own knitting blog

I am always so intrigued whenever I read others' blog on knitting... I so love thee (knitting and you people reading this!) . I have been knitting for 10 years or so (on and off naturally).

So just figured that with all that work that I have done, I would like to have a keepsake journal to remind me of the things I knit or ever did considered knitting -- ficklemindess for most part, and boredom or frustration being the rest.

So here's my Flower Basket Shawl... I started it over the weekend and just found a Knitalong for this! What a way to start my blog!