Hello Mojo

The weather is finally cooling down, and knitting's back on the needles! There are endless queue of things on my ravelry but I have had my fair share of knitting accidents in the past months, and just got to get these UFOs sorted out first before I can knit happy again.

Here's the embossed leaves sock started in February with the Regia Silk that have been previously frogged and overdyed. It was almost forgotten until I saw Joy’s recent pair and finally digged it out of the bottom piles. The half-done sock is not only tight-ish, there’s a silly mistake whereby I did the first few rows twice on the third lace repeat before starting the heel…

The Japanese Diagonal Cables is another heartbreaker… (sorry no pics yet but you can see Siow Chin's version here). The construction is certainly interesting and the chart is clear but you really must concentrate! And that is hard when most of my knitting is done while on the move these days, which means my counting is out more often than not… The project has been restarted at least 6 times before I thought I’m finally making some steady progress… and then I realized that it was worked on the wrong needles, I've used 4.0mm instead of 4.5mm… Shame, shame!

So how about some mindless garter stitches? Boo! I’ve inadvertently missed out the first sleeve increase on my Baby Surprise Jacket and knitted on blindly until…


And what else? This Piggle hat intended for Jasmine is turning out baby-sized, so maybe I'll keep it for another baby and start up a new one for her. There’s also a mini-pink Sahara that I’ve casted on in Rowan Handknit Cotton but having second thoughts on the yarn choice... well, it doesn’t seem right for the weather now anyway.


My very long-time UFOs, the Baby Trellis started on the beach last year, and the Jawbreaker Cardigan in Araucania Nature Cotton both need to be taken apart. And by the way, my Lady Eleanor stole has gone “missing” for almost half a year now and still nowhere to be found…

Anyway, sorry to have bored you with all these ughish projects... I will be finishing up my Noro Kureyon socks tonight, and do have a few other unblogged FOs to show you next time.

Well, see you all soon and happy winter knitting!

Happy 2008!

I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday and that your New Year is filled with peace and joy and lots of knitting fun!

Obviously, my blogging slump was, not from a lack of knitting content to write about, but rather the opposite. I’ve just been sooooo busy and hardly had time to sit down, and when I did, I have got so much to recap so I procrastinated and then I have even more stuff the next time... Anyway, please bear with me, I shall try my best to make this long entry a less painful read for you (actually, are you still here?)

Summing up: My 2007 just flew by… and I don’t think I have been productive enough vs my stash, but knitting is supposed to be fun, and it surely was for me.

Total # of knitted item: 23. Not so bad… although most are really small knits.

And of all, this one is my absolute favorite of the year:

Sheepy Capri Pants

Yarn: Knitpicks WOTA - Dark Brown 0.6 skein (66 yards)
100purewool Merino 3-ply - Giotto 1 skein (218 yards)

Pattern: Mandie's Sheepy Pants

Needles: 4.0mm & 4.5mm

The yarn is soft as butter and super comfy!

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And this is my last FO for 2007 and my New Year present to Ely, our grown-up niece:

Chunky Ribbed Scarf

Yarn: Bertagna Filati Flamm 100% Wool
3 balls or 165 yards in Mulberry

Needles: 12.0mm

Finished size: 4.5" x 70" (17sts wide)

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Oh and these are yarns from the dyeing party with Ingrid. It was so much fun! I’m using some recycled DK cashmere/silk/merino from last year, and one of the pink skeins went into the dye bath first and is darker than the other two. Hmmm, I’m really not quite sure… maybe I’ll make some scarves or maybe I’ll over-dye them altogether.

Totally inspired by Ingrid’s success on over-dyeing her red sock yarn, this lot of vermilions was done after I got home…

And Ingrid gave me a cone of her bare socks yarn for Christmas and I've dyed up the first 2 skeins. Just can't wait to do more :)

Next time, I’ll be showing you my New Year projects and some new yarns too.

Till then, happy knitting everyone!

Where Blue meets Gray

We've finally got some FO shots for Claude and the Ribbed Tank Top... I know the shots could have been better but since I'm heading out to Beijing today.... I'd better post first before I'm gone again.

First up, here's my Ribbed Tank Top. I was totally inspired after seeing Krista's Fitted Tank here and went digging into my stash for the 400 yards of worsted cotton/silks...

Yarn: Classic Elite Attitude 4 hanks (404 yards total, with less than 2 yards left)

Needles: 4.0mm and 5.0mm

Pattern and notes: Ordering and then wait a week for the Blue Sky pattern to arrive from the US didn't make much sense... furthermore, I'm using a different yarn and working on a lesser yardage... So again, I wing it with my own pattern and am quite pleased with the results. Negative ease is the real key here. I did so in fear of running short of yarn and ended up with a pretty nice fit.

I really love this top, it goes so well with just about anything... it's as perfect under my usually black business suit as it it over a pair of jeans... it's slightly thick for the summer months but perfect to wear in aircon places... The color also turned out surprisely flattering and I have received a few compliments already ;o)

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And then we have my Claude, this is probably the first time I'm using the exact yarn and the exact color called for in a pattern. I have wanted to make this long ago and this is my third FO for Project Spectrum 2.0.

Pattern: Claude by Anna Bell at My Fashionable Life

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora SH 09, 9 balls x 98 yards

Needles: 5mm for the body and 4.5mm for the button/collar bands

Notes: Instead of knitting the button bands separately and seaming them up later, I did the them with my shorty dpns in a smaller size. They turned out fine but juggling with all those needles isn't much fun either.

Edited to add: I made the 34" size and lengthen the body by casting on an extra 2sts for the back and 1sts for each of the fronts, and make 1 extra decreases until I get the same number of sts as when the shaping should end in the pattern. That adds about 2" to the length, and I'm so glad it did.

By the way, this lot of DB Cotton Angoras are significantly different from the lot I used for the EZ baby sweater. Despite the same fiber content, the yarn are spun in Italy and Peru, and yardage is 98 yards/50g and 86 yards/50g respectively. The Italian lot is more muted and you can certainly see and feel more angora here, whereas the Peruvian one has more sheen to it but more splity, and it's mostly cottony.

Love at first sight!

Time flies (again)... it's been 10 days since my last post and I haven't any blog-worthy knitting to show you... Both Claude and Baby Apricot are half-seamed... each has only one sleeve and some part of the body done... I could have finished either one if I manage to focus... haha...

At some point, I thought I could fall back to my CTH socks for sanity, but my second sock is turning out much bigger than the first... that's because I switched to Clover Aluminium #1s (2.4mm) needles from the 2.5mm bamboos that I started with... but still I'm surprised with the outcome of how smaller needles would produce a much bigger sock.... But well, since the intended recipient has a wider and longer feet, I will probably decide which one to keep after she comes over for a fitting session.

Oh, and this is really what I'm here to share... I'm in love at first sight with this sleepy snake from Mochimochi Land...

How fun, and there's also an extremely cute Rainycloud with hanging raindrops available from Anna's shop. Now I just need to go get my hands on some felting yarn.

A bit of everything

First of all, Don and I thank you all for your lovely words on our anniversary. May has been one of the most frantic but prolific month of my year. Aside from my busy-as-usual work schedule, I took a short break and brought Jasmine to sunny Singapore to see grandma and grandpa and many of her uncles and aunties.


In additions to family gatherings during those few days, we squeezed in a playgroup session at Kindermusik, had some good fun at the pool, did some shoppings and I also got to meet up with Erin and Lois for very enjoyable laughter-filled afternoon, well into the evening. Thank you, gals!

I even managed some knitting on her baby AJ while Jasmine catches up on her magazines at Starbucks. It's such a fun trip and I really hope to do that again soon.

Well. and in between all these, I also went through a series of interviews, reference/background checks and negotiations and ended up with a new job offer from an UK firm. And June started with me being in a dilemma over whether or not to switch jobs... my final decision is to stay put but that's another story for another day. Let's get back to the knitty bits now....

On finishing up - I'm all done with knitting for both the baby Apricot Jacket and my Claude... good thing I've already got all the buttons picked out so these will be wearables as soon as seamed. I also bought some silky fabric as linings for Claude but we'll see how drapey it gets before doing that.

Turning over a new leaf- As you may have noticed, a few previous WIP has made their way to the frog pond. Trellis is a must "rip", the yarn choice is just not right, it's not only too thick but rather stiffly too... and I even did the left twists wrongly on both the back and left front. My Jaywalker in Regia Silk has lost its charm but half a sock is an easy decision compared to my half-done adult-sized Apricot Jacket, my gauge is actually tighter than desired but I just failed to face it any earlier... Last of all, the only one project that I might be able to salvage is the Diagonal Ribs and Cables sweater, which turned out too short for me. I'm thinking my helper Loida, who's really petite and this might fit her just right.

The old and new - I'm back on my CTH Oak Ribbed Socks and started Jawbreaker from Interweave Winter '06 with some Araucania Patagonia nature cotton, both in Red for the June/July Project Spectrum. And I'm also slowly getting things updated onto my Ravelry, it's super cool and fun and absolutely addictive... I'm sure you've already heard about it all.

Up and coming - My first hank of Handmaiden Seasilk has arrived and now waiting in queue for the perfect scarf/shawl pattern... And I'm still deciding on my sockapalooza socks but that will certainly be my next pair.

Finally, happy WWKIP day and have a good weekend, everyone!

Just checking in....

As luck would have it, I'm all done with the fix-up and finished the baby sweater this morning... So all I need now is just some modelled photos before giving you a full FO report... hopefully very soon.

But on this last blue/gray day, I'm actually here to show you what I got from the post office today.


20 balls!!! of Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Chunky in Damp, a gray shade flecked with blue, green and white. I'm absolutely in love and excited and they are going to become Kooch from Rowan 38. Thanks to Domesticat for the great idea about substituting yarn... You won't believe the rock bottom prices that I paid for them... I don't either... ;o)

Oh well, and I actually have got yet another project-spectrum inspired project to report... I started my Claude this afternoon... but instead of boring you with the 3 inches of seed/stockinette... I'll save the progress shot for next time. Bye for now and happy knitting to all of you.

Claude by Anna at My Fashionable Life

Mostly Gray

First off, thanks to everyone for your incredibly kind comments on Don's sweater. I'm in a little knitting slump after finishing it, and have had a hard time deciding on my next project. Finally started off with Lady Eleanor from Scarf Style yesterday. The yarn is the same handdyed Australian wool that I've used recently for the Basketweave Throw, but in a blue-grayish shade that fits in perfectly with Project Spectrum 2.0's February/March theme.


It's my first time doing entrelac, and whilst the first couple of tiers have been fun, I'm just not sure if I'll remain interested for another 15 more tiers. We'll see.

Fortunately I still can knit...

Dear friends, thanks for your warm messages and kind regards over the past weeks. I've not been feeling completely well and recently been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. Besides frequent clinical visits, check ups and treatments for my symptoms, which is a severe double vision in my case, I had to spend lesser time on my computer... Well, fortunately I still can knit... Actually, my knitting has never been more important to me... especially while waiting endlessly at the clinic :o)

Hot of my needles, we have the Cable-Eight Top from Interweave Knits 2005 Spring.

Using: About 350g of Worsted Cotton from China on 5mm needles
Verdict: Overall, an easy project and very wearable. I got a smaller gauge on my yarn, which is 4 sts per inch instead of 3, so I went on for the largest size. The body seems narrow while knitting up (mine measured 14" and I'm a 36") but the cables will stretch out very nicely once you put it on. Wonder if anyone has done this in the original yarn... and how the bulkier gauge will work out. By the way, I've tried but decided to do away with the crochet rows on the side seams... have also added a few short rows to lower the front necks... And now contemplating to seam up the side slits as well... ;o)

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Alright, now let's take a look of my WIP baskets...

Baby Jacket for Jasmine - From The Yarn Girl's Guide to Kid Knits
Using: Hand-dyed Wool Slub from China
Status: I just got done with the button bands last night... Need to weave in ends and add buttons. Will show the FOs pics next time.

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Apricot Jacket - Rebecca 27
Using: Creamy/Beige Cottons from the Yarn Stall in Causeway Bay
Status: Finished the back and supposed to be working on the fronts now...

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Diagonal Ribs and Cable Sweater - Rebecca 28

Using: Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky in #505 Green

Status: Little progress on this one since my last post in June...

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By the way, my darling baby Jasmine has turned "1" on Tuesday. Just can't believe a whole year has gone by... it seems like last week when I brought my 4lbs 14oz preemie home...

Switched to Firefox and Blogger's image upload is not *finally* working again... hope this will last long

A Quick Update

First of all, our WWKIP Day on June 10 went very well. Eva is working on her Cabled Spiral Pullover from Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan, I'm on my Clapotis for Mom (see the pile next to Eva), Siow Chin and Marjorie were in fact winding yarn in public.

Mom's Clapotis Scarf was finished the next day. I was actually about a yard short of yarn but managed to get away by decreasing more rapidly towards the final rows and it worked well. Mom got very excited when I photographed her for my blog. See how proud she stood...

June will continue to be a very busy month for me...After my parents' visit, I'll be changing jobs... So I guess a no-brainer project would probably be best to help keep my sanity.

Pattern: Blue Sky Alpacas Eyelet Baby Blanket.
Yarn: One pound of Interlacement Alabama Cottons in Carbon Dioxide Pastels (102P)

Mommy wants my new Clappy!

Mom is visiting us from Singapore and she fell in love with my new Clappy-in-progress. The cottony yarn will be so perfect for her in tropical Lion City and I'm so glad she likes this. I'll be in full gear to finish it for her... so all my others projects will have to wait.

The Diagonal Ribs Sweater is coming along nicely and quickly... I have reached the armhole but my row gauge was off... Can easily do one more repeat but not sure if I could afford the extra yardage... maybe working the sleeves in the round and making them slightly slimmer could make up for the yarn... Well, guess I'll worry about that later...

Time sure flies....

I was rambling through the Tang Lung Chau Street market in the middle of bustling Causeway Bay yesterday and stumbled upon a yarn stall… Oh what a great surprise! I know this stall when I was a kid but just never thought it is still here after 2 decades… !!! Just can’t believe how fast time flies. It seems like only yesterday that I was here buying yarn for my first sweater… it was an angora wool blend in Ivory. I was so excited to finish the project and planned to wear it on my 16th birthday. And I did, but the angora was way too warm for March… but that's another story...

Now, the stall is still owned by the same warm-hearted lady and the buying experience remains “raw” but very fun… Yarns are sold by weight (just like the veggies/foodstuff next door), at rock bottom prices with no precise yardage, gauge or fiber content descriptions. But don’t worry; the owner is so very helpful. She’ll quote you the needle size and will leave it to you to touch and feel anything you spot. She’ll then ask about your project plan and weighs up the yarn for you with her Chinese Steelyard.

Let’s see what I have got here:

1) About 180g of Silky Cotton in a grayish blue shade. I swatched on 4.5mm for a summery clapotis… it turned out so soft and drapey and with good stitch definitions and a lustrous sheen. I REALLY love this wonderful lot, and only wished she had more… but these are the last balls…

2) 500g of Plied Cotton in a creamy color with beige spots - this beautiful lot is reserved for an Apricot Jacket (Rebecca 27), will swatch up and confirm ;o)

Updating from work... ;o)

Scoop Du Jour did soften up very much after the bubble bath and I've got a better pic taken. But the bad news is -- it's really scratchy. Nice fit though but I will definitely have to wear it over a long sleeve tee.

My Clapotis scarf with just 3 balls of Noro Sik Garden #47, is finally completed so I'm in need of a new project for the bus. Verdict: A great and easy pattern. Just love it, will definitely be doing another one in full size.

So what's next? It's the Diagonal Ribs and Cables Sweater from Rebecca 28. I was in love with it the moment I see the book - my favorite Rebecca Book so far. The yarn-overs and diagonal ribs on the sides just seem like they will make the waistline narrower. Particularly helpful considering the yarn gauge. I'm going to substitute the GGH Aspen with Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky and swatching started over the weekend.

It took more than a few trials and errors before I'm set. First, I wasn't happy with the way the decreases appear. Can you imagine how lumpy it would be to do a K2Tog, PSSO on 6.0mms? I had to change them all and finally they are looking better now. And then, on second thought I decided to knit the body in the round... so that means some more ripping... it's a fast knit so the re-work doesn't bother me but the yarn don't seem to be surviving the violence very well... It's not pilling yet but started to loose some sheen and bounce after the 2nd frogging. Another thing about the DB Merino Chunky that bothers me is the yardage, coming in 55 yards per ball is a real pain... The care instructions says gently wash in 40'C and I never knew these were machine-washables -- so they just won't felt!!! I hate weaving in ends and was extremely disappointed that I couldn't join the balls by felting now. Other than that, it's coming along nicely.

Finished: Scoup Du Jour

I have spent the entire day seaming and finishing the button/neck bands - my 2 least favorable things in knitting.... and I'm really really exhausted!!! Whew! Time for a hot bath...

Pattern: Scoop Du Jour - by Chicknits
Yarn: Red Merino 4-ply from Cold Spring Mill, UK (Double-strand)
Start to finish: May 1 - 21, 2006
Verdict: A versatile cardi, pattern was very easy to follow and quick to knit. As for the yarn, I love the color but the yarn is a little scratchy... but my swatch did soften up after washing though, and I'm hoping the wash would do wonder...
Final Verdict: This color is so so difficult to photograph.... please bear with this lousy pic for now. I'll try get a better shot after washing and blocking the sweater, hopefully with some natural light :o)

How's your weekend?

How's your weekend? Mine kicked off with a lovely bunch of flowers ... and it's my favorite peonies. Then I got some new buttons for my Scoop Du Jour on way back from lunch. Just plain ones but I like them. And my perfect afternoon begins with an hour of knitting time while sipping my fave tea! Simply sweet, simply styled, simply relaxing and simply enjoyable... :o)

One step back, two steps forward...

My mini-clapotis scarf was once so close to completion but now it's back to 70%... I must be day dreaming when I did this section repeat (see pic)... So being a perfectionist at heart, I was ripping away at the April Meetup last Saturday when everyone else was knitting...

Thanks to the long weekend, I did have some progress to report... ya still remember the red merinos that was recuperating since my hourglass failure? I'm going to make a Scoop Du Jour this time and it's going pretty well... I started the back Sunday afternoon and finished it this morning... casting on the left front now ;o)

Oh, it's a little shawl!

Here's my little Flower Basket Shawl... completed over the Easter weekend. I finally did 10 lower basket repeats... and she measures 24" x 50" (blocked). A bit smaller but I'm liking it for sure. Quite an enjoyable pattern to do and a relatively quick knit. Despite the distractions, it took me only about 4-5 evenings and one good afternoon to finish this.

Yarn: 2 x 50g of Knitpicks Shadow in Oregon Coast (doubled) on 4.5mm. I usually like to knit my lace a little denser but still I think I could have gone up to 5.0mm, especially after the yarn bath.

Sent with my warmest regards!

Mission accomplished... these were mailed out today. Cheers!

• Mail Package #1 - 4 balls of my Jaeger Trinity to Krista (hope you'll like them)
• Mail Package #2 - 1 pack of Noro Silk Garden #88 to Lois (good luck to your Lady Eleanor)
• Mail Package #3 - 2 sets of Newborn Hats & Socks to Babies in Bamiyan, Afghan (made with yarn from my previous kool-aid project, pics here)

Everytime I go shopping for someone else, I ended up buying more stuffs myself... This time is no exception... when I was at Nathan Woollen shopping the Noro SG for Lois, I picked up a pack of it for myself, plus another 3 balls of #47 which will become a scarf.

And finally, thanks to all for your suggestions on my Flower Basket shawl. Based on the formula referred by Erin, I should be able to do 3 more repeats. But I'll plan to go for 2 to be on the safe side. Will update when I'm done.

FBS - How many more repeats?

My simple YO garter stitch shawl has failed to keep me interested for too long... So being the flicker-minded knitter I have always been, she has now became a Flower Basket shawl... It's been a really long time since my last lace project... at least over 10 years... Oops, I forgot I did the chunky fan & feather scarf but it's not lace yarn so that doesn't count, right? Anyway, this is definitely much more fun and progressing well...

I am done with 8 repeats of the lower FB chart now(1 extra) and she measures 16" long from center of top edge to bottom point. I started out with 2 skeins of Knitpicks Shadow (doubled) and now left with 50g. How many more repeats do you think I should do?

An Instant Gratification!

The Roll Neck Sleeveless Shell designed by Barbara Breiter is an instant gratification. Exactly something I needed to counteract my grief on the hourglass failure. Completed over the weekend with 5 balls of Jaegar Trinity in Hibiscus (worked double-stranded on 5.0mm). I've made some minor modifications to the original pattern for a waist line and added a couple of short rows near the bust. Voila! Just in time for Spring!

A few mini updates

March 11 Meetup - went well! I'm really happy to have met Eva, Majorie, Joy, Vivian & Joyce. Looking forward to meeting Siow Chin next time.

Hourglass Sweater (No More) - oh, don't get me wrong, I love the pattern but my gauge was off... after 2 long weeks of hesitation, I finally found enough courage to admit failure and start anew... now the 3 winded balls of yarn is there recuperating and waiting to made into a Top-down Cardi or maybe the Sunrise Circle Jacket. And I still want to do another Hourglass but perhaps I shall stick with Noro Cash Iroha next time.

New project #1 - is a simple garter st shawl with some Knitpicks Shadow in Oregon Coast which I started last Friday. Not going very far yet but this will be a perfect "no-brainer" project on my bus trip to work. Now, my only challenge is to wake up early enough to catch my bus.

New project #2 - is a Roll Neck Sleeveless Shell with Jaeger Trinity in Hibiscus. I almost forgot about having these in my stash until I saw Jannette's recent $100 for 3 pack promo. I'm doubling the DK yarn (yes again) and now about 8-9 inches on the body. This cotton-silk yarn took a while to get use to... and the larger needles is also a little more tiring to work with. But I'm happy that the color is turning out better knitted up than it was in the balls.