Handknit that looks smashing when worn by my sister

Remember that dropped stitch tank top that I knitted about a year ago?

While it's been worn quite frequently, I noticed I haven't got around to posting the final FO photos.

Here it is, as worn on the mannequin.

If you notice, while this dropped ladder stitch really opens up nicely, I just detest how it can look really unweldy when it comes to areas like the armholes and the neckline. 

So I paid a lot more attention when it comes to picking up and knitting those areas to make sure they are neat. More importantly, I also wanted to avoid the neck edge "dog ears" -- you know how the tips tend to flip outward after prolonged wearing?

The end result turns out quite well. In fact, this dropped stitch ripple tunic is knitted with my sister in mind, so the torso and bust area was also shaped to fit her curvy body. [I simply look like a stick man in this.]

She was sitting down when I took this photo so the torso may not look as fitted.

However, this garment fits her like a glove and just simply looks stunning, don't you agree?


Actually, most of slightly fitted pieces look great on her. The garments end up being more visually pleasing. Want proof? Check this other lace tunic out worn by my sister (scroll to bottom of the blog post) as opposed to me wearing it!

Then I had a deja vu moment. It happened when I was browsing the web the other day and saw other bloggers referring to the Fitted Knits of Stephanie Japel.

Doesn't my pattern look quite similar?

So it's a case of "it's the same but it's different?"

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Baby handknit cardigan gifted!

Luckily, I had an extended deadline as GT said that we'll be presenting the gift at the baby shower which took place last weekend.

"Progressing at a good rate?"

Spoke too soon during my last blog entry.

I thought of minimizing seams on this project that I actually decided to knit the raglan sleeves downwards. Not that it's a problem, except that I wasn't concentrating on the maths.

Had a OOPS, SHUCKS! moment with the sleeve. Not just once, but both times. So frogpond visiting it was.

Once it was complete, I also gave it a good wash so that the project would unfurl. I just simply hung it on a clothes hangar and left it to drip dry in my bathroom. [This would NOT be recommended if you are having an adult garment!]

A good steam iron also helps!




Initially, I was also faced with the dilemma of how the patterns would go on the sleeves themselves.

As you can see, there are actually 2 different shades of variegated yarns. Thanks to careless packing by the shop assistant (one of my many yarn shopping trips eons ago!) I had 2 different dyelots.

As a result, not only are the colors distinctly different, I was rather short on yarn. Had 3 balls of one lot and 2 of the other.

So I took on a white yarn to break up the colors and also had a slightly broader stripe on the upper chest area. The same white yarn then also took on the role of as ribbed borders all over.

And I had just the simple translucent buttons to match.

Oh, and I had the handiworks tag sewn on it as well! (Too bad, it wasn't obvious in the photo.) And the baby's initials JT embroidered on the bottom right corner.

Here are the specs:
Pattern: Self design
Fits: One year old (I try to avoid baby items unless they are certain to be used - babies outgrow their clothes really quick!)
Yarn quantity used: 4 x 50g 4ply variegated yarn + 1x 50g white yarn
Time taken: 1.5mths intermittently

I am glad the baby's parents liked it!

PS. I know there are probably still some readers out there. Do let me know if my blog entries are boring you to tears. Apart from my customers, that is. :)

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Dropping stitches for the fun of it

I seriously declare myself a process knitter. I just start so many projects on a whim and that I lost track of the many resulting UFOs in residence.

Having been often nagged by my sister that she only had the honour of ever receiving the one and only handknit sweater from me (while it looks absolutely frumpy on me, the sweater comes to life when my sister puts it on!), I decided it was time to knit another project for her.

Taking a cue from a knitting book, I have decided that a simple dropped ladder stitch pattern with simple ribbing works best for this nubby yarn.

This yarn was something from the closet -- gifted by my good friend who first picked up knitting with me about 14 years ago, then abandoned ship. She figured rather than to have the yarn be lying around, it should go to a good knitter's home.

Which wasn't an issue, until I realized due to its uneven texture, the dropped stitches aren't exactly as defined as I liked them to be, forcing me to work on twisted stitches next to them when I could have gone with standard knitting. Arrgh!

But did I love the result? Absolutely! I just had to put this on the mannequin to check out the final measurements. I left the armholes unworked as I wanted my sister to actually try it on so I can gauge how much to bind off the armholes for -- she has a much longer upper bodice than me.

This has got to be one of the fastest knit that'll be FOed recently!

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Finally a knitted lapghan

The *garter* thing is nearing conclusion.

I said, nearly.

Although most of the ends are tucked, I have yet to start on the finishing border. I haven't decided if knitting or crochet would be more appropriate.

I am just surprised that my persistence has lasted so long! Looking back at my past blog entries, this project started way back in late Jan this year!

That's about a whole FOUR months' worth of knitting. And if you consider the amount of yarn that went into it, that's about 12 balls of 50g yarn. The gals decided that it's insane and that I would have been better off creating new wearable garments for the same amount of knitting time. The lapghan covers me comfortably from my feet to just over my shoulders. (I'll see if I can convince GT to take a photo of me with it.)

And the fact that I had used the knitted-on technique, I literally had to lug this monstrous project wherever I went. I was hell-bent on getting to the finish line.

I ended up buying this tote bag from Agnes B to meet my needs of project transportation. And for those of you who have seen the actual bag, you have to admit that it really can allow you to stuff quite a few projects in it.

Inwardly, I would have wished that this now-named lapghan could have transformed into a queen-size blanket.

However, as a stash busting project, I really can't see myself running out to the store to get more yarn balls of the above colors. Besides, this is a slightly scratchy yarn. What's the point then?

And that just reminds me -- I need to get some cloth to get a backing done so that this lapghan can really be used comfortably. Once I finish the border, that is.

Woo hoo! I've never been so excited in such a long time!

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