Pink + yellow = a happy fellow!

During Ms P's birthday last December, that is. All wrapped up beautifully with ribbon.

Knowing that pink is her fave color (isn't it a default trend color for all little gals under the age of 5?!), the pink capelet I was working on was also added to her birthday present repertoire. I attached a cute pink button to match too!


What's a birthday without a birthday cake? Not only did she get a real mini cake, a miniature crocheted birthday cake was also plated for her candle blow out.

Squeals of delight could be heard. I was extremely delighted.

Keeping in mind that Ms P's little bro, M kid is around and too young to understand why everybody is fussing and giving so much attention to his older sister, I also handed him a mini crocheted ice-cream cone. He gave an incredibly wide grin.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to snap a photo of it. [During moments like this, I am really grateful for my crochet skills as mini amigurumi items can be whipped up quickly to appease my young audience.]

Given the heavy rain at evening, Ms P also very gamely wore the yellow crocheted frock for my obligatory photoshoot.

So in fact, when the capelet was unwrapped, M kid also insisted on donning it. At his age, he's pretty much mimicking what his older sister does and exercising his equality rights ~ Jiejie (chinese word for "elder sister") have, so should Didi ("little brother").

Being the big sister, she is quite obliging. You can see that she's very close to her little bro, M kid.

That was indeed a very happy night for all of us.

Read rest of entry

Pink capelet completed

Remember the little girl who wanted a pink frock and the mini capelet I was crocheting for her?

I did get around to completing it.

Not only that, I did manage to get the label sewn on.

See that in the back neck? As much as I detest sewing, I managed to get the label attached.

At the time of ordering these years back, I didn't know that apart from sewn labels, there are also iron-on options. And I had a huge batch of these that I needed to use up so I am diligently trying to sew them onto my FOs whenever I can.

The inspiration behind this capelet is detailed in this post here.

Lovely isn't it? It could fit me but it's just too girly!

Read rest of entry

Swirling around in a crochet dress

The silence is deafening. If you are still keeping up with my blog, thank you so much!

Blogger's been giving a little problem (or so I thought) but I am picking up from where I left from -- the project for my niece.

Purchase date unknown; this yarn lot may have been basking in the SABLE for at least 8 years or more -- I bought it from Spotlight then, not knowing that yarn quality plays a part in the finished garment's look as well as its longevity factor (for those who want to create keepsake heirlooms.)

It's an acrylic fingering weight blend which works well for the crochet project but in terms of quality, I won't hold it in the highest regard. But in a bid to reduce SABLE, this yarn meets my needs.

Since my mom (my niece's grandma) would most likely hand wash this hand crocheted summer tunic dress, I think it might last reasonably well . [I just tend to drop all my hand knits and crochet projects in the washing machine - I am lazy when it comes to laundry, I'll admit.]

On the other hand, I know my mom appreciates and understands all the time and effort I devote to my knitting and crochet so she really does take good care. [But Mom, please wear the ones I knit for you more often! I am more than happy to knit you more!]

 A WIP photo -- I love working with thin yarns but they do kill me at times with all that slow growth!

To counter any possible itch factor, I decided that a lining may soon be in order but that'll have to hold until after the dress is presented to Ms P.


I decided to switch to this fan and feather panel as I think the whole dress would look very heavy with the same body stitching. The lower panel also adds some lightness to the overall look.

Here's a photo taken during daytime. I know the sunlight does show off the stitches more clearly when I snap pictures but then my knitting and crochet habits tend to be nocturnal.

The dress does look awfully long and skinny huh? 

Another, in the night.

To get her comfortably dressed, I have also put in button closures on the back.

And then it was all ready to go!

I swear it fits my niece well.

Until my next blog post...

Read rest of entry

2011 - no resolution and spring cleaning

It's always somehow a given that most people spell out their New Year Resolutions. For crafters such as knitters and crocheters, a few most typical ones are:

• Knitting or crocheting only from stash or SABLE (really, what's the fun if you can't do yarn shopping?)
• Finishing up the WIPs (I have too many to count.)
• Starting a new project for each WIP completed (if I do that, I just might not have any new projects started for 2011!)

As you can tell, I have decided not to set for myself any craft-related resolutions in 2011.

I would say:

• Just knit and crochet the projects that matter to you. 
• It's ok to have more than 3 projects at the same time and start a new one if the whim hits you.
• Be honest with yourself -- if you really feel that the WIP is not turning out to be something you'll like, then take the plunge and purge it. Or fix it if you can.
• If the WIPs turn into UFOs and you are still not feeling the mood to get working on them, then get rid of them. 
• Likewise, for the FOs -- if you just don't use them, why hold on to them?

The last 2 points might make me sound like a wasteful person but I figured life's too short to have all these unfinished or unloved projects weighing down on my shoulders.

So here's the deal. I have just cleared out some of my old crocheted bags and satchels. Some are finished but never used. Others are WIPs that I never got around to finishing. And one was very well used to the extent of having stains on them and then get tossed aside.

And the feeling? 

Honestly, I have never felt better of letting go. I felt a wave of lightness as I cleared these out. No need to feel anymore guilt or remorse of not *doing something* about them, if you know what I mean?

There are still quite a few toy WIPs; either requiring stuffing, seaming, then piecework.

And also some garment projects. I have not done anything to those yet as they are everywhere in the yarn room. Perhaps when I put these WIPs together, I'll make a decision of what stays and what goes.

Did I also mention that I have tossed quite a huge amount of yarn shadecards? Many of them are discontinued   or duplicated. And there are some yarn ranges that just don't strike my fancy. So out they go too!

I'll consider that I am doing my Chinese New Year spring cleaning in advance -- this year, CNY falls on Feb 04 so it's less than a month to the festive season. And since it's a big deal to us Chinese (not to mention we get two official Public Holidays), I am hoping to get some headstart in the "getting rid of the old, to welcome the new."

How has 2011 been for you?

Read rest of entry

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. :)

Read rest of entry

Bag or basket

Apart from knitting, the crochet projects are creeping back to be in line for completion.

The hexagon project is coming along much further.

I have tucked in all the tails, and even added a trim edging to the opening.

The thing I haven't yet figured out is how I would like the handles to be attached.

- Should I add it right at the top?
- Or maybe an inch or 2 from inside?
- How should the handles look? (I definitely intend to crochet them.)

Any suggestions?

I think adding a lining would also further help stabilize as well as prevent tiny things from falling through the crevices.

Until I come to a conclusion, this project is now sitting at one corner of my living room as a very lovely WIP basket.


I can't believe we're just a month away from Christmas! Now I seriously need to increase my pace.

Read rest of entry

Destashing with a baby gift project

Once every so often, a baby's impending arrival would jolt me from my rather erratic knitting and crochet schedule. This time, it was my husband's colleague's announcement.

Funnily, men just don't remember to inform you early. They just prefer a month's notice and when asked, the reason simply is, "I forgot."

Hmmpf...

GT suggested that I could go with the usual suspects - small pair of booties or socks. There was a pair that I knitted and gifted previously to another colleague of his back in 2007. (Gosh, that sounds so long ago!)

Obviously meant for a baby girl, with the cute pink flowers on the cuff.

But I am just not in the mood for socks.

So to bring up the challenge factor, I decided that a cardigan would be "IT". And while at that, I figured that using yarns from my stash would be good.

After all, detashing is good. This helps alleviate the hoarding madness.

As you can tell, it's meant for a little boy.

I have opted for a whole piece rather than the standard 3 piece (one back and 2 front pieces) approach as I wanted it to be portable. Besides, who wants to do more sewing?

Rather than to go variegated all the way, I have used a solid white yarn for garter rows to break up the colors.  Besides, it's always a relief to the mind since the scheduled section breaks make me feel that my project is growing.

It's progressing at a good rate!

Read rest of entry

Pink please!

Fueled by the enthusiasm shown by Ms P, my niece towards the crocheted capelet, I felt encouraged and crochet her a blouse top.

As you can tell, it's a top down pattern. [Actually when I put it on the mannequin, I saw the potential of this design being a fashionably chic neck bangle when crocheted using the right yarn!]

Then disaster struck. I showed it to my niece excitedly and got her to try it on for size. And we had a conversation that went like this:

The soon-to-be-5yo gal said, "Auntie Mommy, the armholes are a tad tight."

I replied, "Ok, I'll redo and fix the armholes."

And I proceeded to ask, "Do you like this?"

She went silent for a while and went, "I prefer pink better."

ARRGHHHH!

Then mustering all the calm I could, I told her, "P, if you really do not like yellow, then I'll abandon the project. I will not continue on so you wouldn't have this finished project to wear. Is that ok with you?"

She looked at me and then replied in the sweetest voice, "Auntie Mommy, do finish the project. I will promise to wear it. I just simply like pink better but it's ok if it's yellow."

Aww.... aren't kids just simply so adorably charming when they know they are treading on the edge of a volcano?

Got to hand it to her.

And so, the story continues.

Read rest of entry

Inspiration behind Ms P's mini capelet

In my previous post, I spoke about how I originally chose a pattern.

The pattern is Chanson en crochet by Mari lynn Patrick (one of my favorite designers).

In fact, one of the gals has crocheted this piece before.

While it looks great on adults, I personally thought that the pattern was a little overwhelming on a little gal -- especially that extended lace section towards the hem edge.

Also, I figured a bigger curvature resulting in greater coverage would work for Ms P as little ones tend to be more hyperactive and fling their arms about.

So, rather than to frog and then re-wind the yarn, I got lazy and decided to work from it. Hence you see the side by side comparison.

Here are some of the pattern modifications I did:

• I removed the lowest section. 
• Introduced repeats of the collar sections (that involves re-calculating as usual.)
• Added a row of flower motifs.

All that the capelet is missing is its closure. I am toying with the idea of either a button or a tie-front option.

Suggestions?

Read rest of entry

Something for my niece

My delightful niece (likewise, her little kid brother) addresses me as "Auntie Mommy" - a term coined by my younger sister who decided that her wonderful kids could well be mine; since I have none of my own. [Not that I am in desperate need nor have the urge to have some offspring yet.]

Anyway...

So I constantly have her in mind whenever I feel the urge to get some toddler knitting/crochet projects started.

This recent project was sparked off by a conversation my mom and I had when we were mall shopping. My mom saw a poncho and commented that it is a very child-friendly keep-warm clothing item. Besides not having buttons to fuss with, there is also no need for the struggle to get the kid's arms into the item; unlike a sweater. And the coverage is sufficient.

Hence the idea of a capelet.

As usual, I have gone through the route of selecting a pattern, working it almost halfway through, then ripping it back entirely. I just wanted a pattern that had a bit more coverage (less lacey) and also more girlish.

Reason: Just simply because I wasn't satisfied with the way it looked.  [Does that ever happen to any of you?]


So this was the resulting piece.

I had decided to finish off with a round of crochet flowers and those had the stamp of approval from my niece who comments that she "loves pink!"

Well, if you know what that means...

Read rest of entry

An FO from my sister

Remember the crochet project that my sister has started?

It's completed! For a debut project, I think her crochet tension is quite even.

I have just added some finishing -- the edging at the opening. Plus, sewing the cushion to fit -- all by hand.

Isn't it cute?

Finally, an FO for the year 2010...(I am sure that knitted lapghan didn't quite count since it was never given a proper edging; I am tempted to just leave it as it is.)

Read rest of entry

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!

Read rest of entry

Undecided

This is the second crochet project I started. Sometime after I started crocheting the hexagons.

As much as I love the cheery bursts of colors, I wanted a wearable garment. I am a Plain Jane where clothes are concerned -- plain colors for me please!

So I chose a pineapple motif (as this is commonly referred to) and got working on it. I started at 1am in the wee hours of the morning. Yes, I figured I was a little insomniac and figured that a little crochet work will get me tired enough to crawl back to bed.

Honestly, it was a wrong move.

Instead of feeling tired, crocheting got me so energized that I stayed up all the way until 5am. Then I woke up  around noon time and kept going. That's a serious crochet addiction, I tell you.

Then by 10pm at night, I am all done. All in less than 24 hours!

This pattern is originally a fully crocheted skirt.

I am now contemplating that instead of 100% crochet skirt, I might want:

• To pick up the stitches and knit upwards to the waist?
• Or maybe a toga top with this being the accent piece at the neckline?
• Or leave it as is and use it as a shawlette?
• Or do as what the gals are suggesting: turn it into a dress!

But seriously, I am tempted with the dress idea...

******** 

By the way, thanks for all the well-wishes. I am so happy that my other blog is being featured on 3 Sep 2010 in The Straits Times, Urban titled "Craft your own fashion" (page 20).

Read rest of entry

Picking up crochet again

My crochet hexagon project has been lying around longer than I intended it to be.




Most of the delay was a result of my getting distracted by other projects I have on hand (which I will blog about another day to keep focused on this entry). The distraction issue must be a common dilemma faced by other crafters -- I heard it's called "startitis".

Besides, the recent influx of new customers signing up for our knitting and crochet classes has been keeping me really busy, in a good way. These just leaves me with less time for my own projects. Oh, and my biggest gripe for those crocheted hexagons?



Motif crochet just creates lots of tail ends! I have tucked in those ends as I switched colors with the different rounds. However, those can get a little unwieldy at times. In fact, I have also joined the seams as I worked the last round of each motif so that I can eliminate join sewing.

As the project grew bigger, it became bulkier and was no longer fitting my tote. And so it ended up being the stay-at-home resident project.





I have to say I really love the colors though; it's so bright and cheerful. This project is taking shape and I am really excited.

In fact, the recent flurry of crochet projects by our customers is enough to get my younger sister, the cross stitch expert to pick up her crochet hook again. We both picked up crochet in our early teens from our mom but my sister decided to divert her interest to cross-stitch while I took to knitting and crochet.





Well, she showed me her WIP and asked me to critique her work. Well....the tension was a tad too tight -- wrong hook size. And acrylic yarn she bought from elsewhere -- not that I have any issues with that.

She could have simply come over and raid my yarn stash! With that invitation, she certainly did!




She selected this variegated yarn and I taught her a simple mesh pattern that will help lend some visual interest.



I certainly don't have to worry as she took to the new instructions readily. With a change of crochet hook and the new yarn, her tension was way better and the project is growing quickly as she committed the pattern to memory.

I am hoping she'll be interested enough to keep on crocheting!

Read rest of entry

Going back in time - UFOs

Sometimes it's just amazing how we get distracted and lose focus on the project we have on hand.

I have many of those instances and this is just one of them.

I have pulled these squares out of my stash / UFO / WIP sack and have no idea what I was intending these squares for.

Perhaps they are meant to be dishcloths?

Or facecloths?

But as I looked closer, there are several patterns that I used.
Maybe I had intended to piece them together for a patchwork project of sorts? Say, like a baby blanket?

Honestly, I really couldn't be sure.

I think these UFOs are lurking around in my sack for at least 5 years.

I really need to be more disciplined with my WIPs as well as the projects I have on hand. Rather than aborting them mid-way, I should really persist right to the end.

So now I really need some suggestions and thoughts as to how I may utilize these squares.

Ideas / suggestions anyone?

Read rest of entry