Looking back

No, no mischief or anything like that. Not even zipping off to any tiny remote island for a holiday.

I was just away from blogging a bit for a breather. For those of you who read my blog, you know that I conduct knitting & crochet lessons. I started offering my services about a year ago after my departure from the corporate ladder. That decision have made many people around me question my sanity.

"What hobby is worth you risking your well-paying corporate job?"

For me, it's sharing the joys & passion in knitting & crochet and also dispeling myths & perceptions that many Singaporeans have:

- knitting is for cold weather countries and is of no use in Singapore,
- sweaters are useless in Singapore,
- wool ones are especially itchy,
- knitted garments are so bulky,
- knitting is for grannies and aunties only,
- why knit when you can buy one swater for less than $50,
etc, etc.... you get the picture.

To me, knitting & crochet is food for the soul. In many ways, knitting to me is akin to what cooking does for others.

The joy of creating a garment; a labour of love with every stitch and loop... and having it completed and presented to your intended recipient. Seeing their expression of joy & happiness in knowing that the gift is from your every own hands.

I can't tell you how many times just having the needles and yarn in my hands and working away rhythmically helps relax and free my mind.

And if knitting is an art, then having fitted garments is a science.

I find myself liberated by the yarn & pattern choices available out there. To be able to work on the patterns and getting it to fit the recipient -- that matters a lot too. Especially since we Asians tend to be more petite, standard European or US sizes just drown us occasionally.

Besides, it's easier to alter a garment pattern to fit our bodies, than for us to lose/put on weight to fit the garment.

So when I decided to start offering my services, I made fitting a focal point of the classes.

To my students: Thanks for having such faith in me... and working hard to create those beautiful fitted hand knit garments that I believe every knitter should own.

For all you readers out there: Thanks for all the support and generosity you have shown me; just simply being there to listen to my inner thoughts; giving me invaluable advice and just being my greatest supporters.

It's actually been about a year since I started this knitting foray. And so to mark the anniversary, I am glad to announce that we'll be organizing a Trunk Show & Breakfast Meetup event this coming 23 Sep 2006 -- a showcase of garments that focuses on wearability in hot summer (These are original yarn company garments we're talking about! And did I mention student's works will be on display too?) With support from our faithful supplier too!

That's my way of saying thanks to everyone out there. If you happen to be in Singapore during that time, do join us too!