So this is Bianca

Cotton Ease - Just over 6 balls


I will update with a few more pics and details later. I just discovered a huge hole where I dropped two stitches!! Major surgery will be performed tonight.

I miscounted the top a little and decreased more than I should for my size. Although the neckline still fits, it's not quiet as wide as I would have liked it to be.
I crocheted scallops around the edges which I think worked very well for this knit and eliminate the needs for buttons. I can still put them in if I want but I'm planning on just wearing it open with a brooch at the neck.

I'll just leave you with one knitting success - Chris' lovely blouse (her BF calls it the pink christmad tree, the silly man) which she wore to our mini meet on Sat.





Look at all that detail!!
And see! It suits her perfectly

Shedir Skull Cap

Quick update on a quick project I did in the weekend.

I have never done a cap before and I wanted to practice so that I can gear up to making some chemo caps in a charity project some of us Malaysian knitters are still discussing.


Shedir from the Knitty.com
Sirdar Rio Cotton Rich 50 gm ball x 1
3.75 mm size needles


I used needles a size too big and found that out quickly so had to reduce the number of repeats at the brim. The result is a Shedir skull cap for a very big head.




But I love the top motif and I enjoyed the cabling practice instead of all that lace.
That's all for now folks

Lace capers

I was going to try to finish Bianca's Jacket in one week because I was going up to Cameron Highlands again to stay in this lovely little bungalow. Look at that welcoming door..





Unfortunately I managed to finish one sleeve before I got distracted with my Lacevember project.






There's so many thing to say about this project. I used the laceweight handspun from Handpaintedyarn.com in the color Red Pagoda. Ok this is not merino laceweight so it isn't as soft or buttery but it has an excellent spongy texture in the garter stitch section that surprised me. Still this hank seemed to be more on the wiry side. The other hank of laceweight I am using for Madlis' Shawl is softer.

The pattern is really easy to follow. It's ingeniously shaped as a horeshoe by some simple short rows, then an edging is attached.




I am about half way through the edging and already I am thinking I'd definitely do this again with a different edging.

As for where I am with Bianca's Jacket?? Still on the second sleeve...

Lacevember Questions

The knitting questions, or the usual suspects

How long have you been knitting? Ohh maybe 16- 18 years but I took a long break and started again about 2 years ago

How did you learn to knit? At school

Favorite thing about knitting? I love how fast a project can grow with just 2 hours of knitting.

How long have you been knitting lace? About as long as I have been knitting

Favorite thing about knitting lace. The delicate lace always turns heads and well, it's never boring.


The yarn questions, or flash your stash

Favorite lace yarn? Hmm I would have to say Jaggerspun Zephyr or any merino lace type yarn

variegated or solids for shawls? Can do both-

Favorite lace color? I am trying to steer away from blues and greens and I am doing red at the moment.


Technique, or show us your skillz

Circs or straights? Circs

Favorite lace knitting trick? For the longest time I never brought the yarn to the front of the needle for a yarnover.

Lifelines? If so with what? Sometimes but not often – I use quilting thread – stash leftover from my quilting days.

Fancy blocking wires, or just sewing pins stuck in your carpet? Sewing pins stuck on a mattress we have lying around for extra guests


Pattern, or can you follow directions

shawls or lacey items? Shawls and tops but I want to branch out to doilies and tablecloths

triangle, rectangle, or circular shawls? All except the circular shawls – don't like the circular cast on. I can do it, but not very well and I tend to skip over patterns that have it.

Charts or printed instructions? Charts, Charts, Charts

Favorite lace you've knit? Just finished the Mountain Peaks Shawl and that's my favourite for now.

Favorite lace you want to knit? Hm Rose of England one day? Or Frostflowers and Leaves.


Just Fun, yup that right, just for fun

Favorite jelly belly flavor? Err what's that?? I'll eat if it's purple.

Tell me everything you know about Eric the Red..... You mean Eric the Viking right? Well he's the viking who doesn’t like to rape and pillage played by … Susan Sarandon's partner ( Tim something)

Coke, classic or with lime? Coke classic

Holiday carols, sing along, or wish they would be banned from all public airwaves? Love the holidays carols and can't get enough of them on Malaysian airwaves.

What is the definition of irony? "10000 spoons when all you need is a knife, meeting the man of your dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife"

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop? Ok sorry tootsie umm

Why is my cat always puking in front of my son's bedroom door? No cat

What is your superhero power? 8 arms and all of them doing different crafts.

If the laundry is 9 foot by 11 foot (just dreaming, that' a big laundry room), and the walls are 8 feet tall, and you are going to tile the entire room in tiles that are 3 inches by 5 inches, what color should those tiles be? Blue… it's aways blue

What's for dinner tonight? Going home to mom's cooking

What is clogging my children's bathtub drain? My hair

Mountain Peaks blocking

I notice different bloggers have different ways of showing off their FO. Some wait for it to be fully blocked and then take beautifully modelled shots. Some like me who can't just keep posting in spurts the finishing process. I take about 3 posts to do the just off the needles, blocking and then maybe a modeled shot if there's good daylight and someone to model it for me.

Anyways here's a shot of the Mountain Peaks shawl blocking



Click on the pic for a bigger sized photo.


I was in a hurry to block so I didn't use the threading method to get a straight edge at the top. I didn't stretch it too much and still it turned out to be a good size shawl, about 50" across. Not bad for 650 yds.

Here's a look at the botton pointed edge




I just noticed as I took this pic that I had blocked the purlside facing up. I don't think that makes a difference does it?
As you can see it's a little wonky on the right side of the center leaf BUT nothing I can't live with.

As for Bianca's Jacket - one sleeve done.

FO FO FO FO FO!

I have been so busy at work that I have had no time to update the blog but I have been knitting like crazy. Finally after the whole stitch knitted bodice fiasco - I slaved and slaved and got this done.





Mountain Peaks Shawl from Mimknits
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr in Elderberry
Amount used: Just over 2 oz - 650yds.
Needles size : 3.75 mm
Time taken: 1 month to the day

I was so annoyed when my 2 oz ball ran out just inches from the finish line. Talk about yarnus interuptus!

It's unblocked and I am not to happy with the short row edging at the sharp mid point. It's a little scrunched up so I hope it will block out fine.



Stay tuned for pics of the blocked shawl.

My current challenge is to finish Bianca's Jacket in 1 week.

Don't ask - I will explain more later in a couple of days.