Quick shots

I am down south on work and have limited internet access so I thought I should do a very very quick update.

Progress of my bodice




It's not a bodice now it's a sloppy sweatshirt. I overestimated the size this time and it's huge. Anyways I will definitely make a slimmer version in the future.

When I am too upset too work on the bodice I did do this





It's round 1 of a doily from Be-stitchd.com (don't have the url handy but will post it later).

And last night in my very lonely and very big hotel bed, I casted on this




This is my second attempt at the Mountain Peaks Shawl from Mimknits, I had to frog my 1st attempt when I put it down for a while and forgot which row I was at and when I was trying to figure it out, I dropped a YO stitch that unravelled a few rows.This time I have a notepad and pen ready for counting rows and lifelines.

Ok hoping to go over the Causeway in to Singapore for a flying LYS visit on Monday. Not that I need more stash but who can resist RYC???

Purple Goodness

I finally received my lace swap parcel after it languished around in snail mail territory for a while.

Open the box and what do I see?


Purple tissue and a lovely little note book- just a hint of what's to come.


The next layer is the Field of Flowers pattern from Fibertrends and a huge skein of hand dyed cotton rayon blend. I love this pattern and have been eyeing it for a while and the cotton rayon blend is an excellent laceweight for the Malaysian tropical weather.
But it doesn't stop there!


Under that layer is Size 5 Addi Turbos ( my favourite needles) and a center pull ball of Skacel Merino Lacewight which was hand dyed by Laura herself!!!

And then ...*drum roll*



A lovely hand made project bag made out of gorgeous purple batik - I love it!!!!
and a little box for with stitch markers and needle caps.


There was some maple candy and boston baked beans but my boy has already swiped that by the time I could take the pictures (which are too dark, I know,but there hasn't been any decent sunlight these days)

My swap partner was Laura and she has been more than generous. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Meanwhile I have been busy with this



Just taking a very short knitting break which will continue again tonight.

At Last An FO

Ok Plaza is soooo doone. Out of here. Hitting the Road. All the way to NZ and out of my sight.




You can see the body is really short, shorter than I expected.


Here's a look at the curly wurly details at the collar. That darn thing is soo heavy I think the collar might stretch out loads from the weight



The collar is still a little small I think.


Anyway on to my next project - I still haven't gotten round to getting the extra yarn for my Stitchi Diva bodice So I might just start a new project - hmmm, we'll see.

Meanwhile I met up with some Knitters last weekend - I did manage to engineer it so my in-laws would go shopping at Bangsar Village where the meet up was.

heheh




Here's Sally and I. We're sitting by the wndow and it was really storming so the photo got kind of dark.



From left- Doreen, Rain, Mira, Chooi Wah (she of the gorgeous blog), and Sally.

Doreen is wearing her latest FO, she always looks good in her knits.

I have to be back at work tomorrow, sadly, but I have bought myself a spa package to last 6 months, so I have to remind myself to take some "me" time every month before work gets on top of me.

Burnt Out

I'm having a bit of a crafty burn out at the moment.Add the immense workload at the office at the moment - I can't seem to concentrate on any one project.

It's not that I haven't done much knitting but too much on too many different projects.

I worked on the Plaza edging until I ran out of yarn and I haven't been back at my other stash cupboard at my mum's for the extra two balls I have left. BTW, Vanessa, I remember you said you weren't sure how this edging was going to go? I have to say it's pretty basic crochet, so you wouldn't have a problem.

I worked on Stitchdiva's Knitted Bodice until I ran out of the accent yarn I have been using for the lacy parts. So I have trot along to that local LYS that I hate because of the outrageous pricing and get me another of that outrageously priced metallic chain mail yarn.

I finished one heels and toe sock and am having second sock syndrome for the next one because I am not so sure I have enough of the Koigu I used for the main colour.

I started Pomatomus with this sock yarn I dyed but a bit of the dye is rubbing off my fingers so I am not sure if I want to keep on knitting or rip it out and soak it in vinegar.

I picked up my Madli's shawl and feel like puking cos I am just not feeling the love anymore -at 13 repeats I'm not sure if I should rip it out or not.

Talk about a comedy of errors.

Next week I am going on leave and I gonna get every inch of my body pummelled and kneaded by a masseuse, every inch of my face scrubbed and polished. And then knit till the cows come home. And since there are no cows in this part of the world - that's like --- heh -- forever.

Well at least until I go bak to work.

Hope for better crafty inspiration next week.

Light at the end of the Plaza

so after one year of slogging intermittently on this project I can finally say that the knit part of it is done. And all I have to do is crochet the bobbly bits of the collar.





This is a sneak preview only - more pics will arrive once I have done the crocheted bobbly bits which is probably the only interesting feature of this knit.

This is the only pattern in this book that doesn't have a full length picture. And I had to choose this one to do for my sister. Be warned the body is very short - almost bolero short and the collars do not seem to be as big as in the picture.

This will be the 1st and last time I'll be working with Cleakheaton Country 8 ply. It's very "country"- it's already pilling.

BUT I'm soooooo glad this one's done.

Albany Bodice

As you might know the Stitch Diva Knitted Bodice calls for a mucho expensive 100% silk yarn from Tilli Tomas. As usual, there are plenty of discussion over the Net, particularly in the Knitty and in Craftster on various yarn substitutes.

Now to me the beauty of this pattern has to be in the yarn - the subtle colours and slight nubby texture helps to bring out what is essentially a simple but stylish cut. I did do my share of surfing around to find a reasonably priced sub until I looked into my wallet. Then I had a look at my yarn cabinet and found .....
Jaeger Albany.

It's a discontinued cotton tape yarn from Jaeger and it was the just right gauge.

And here what it looks knitted up -




Or if you want to look closer





It's NOT the most perfect of subs BUT it works for me.

More Weaving

Just a quick post to show you the second weaving project off the loom.





It's supposed to be enough for two cushion covers but I underestimated the width. it's a funny piece, enough for one funny shape oblong pillow (and I have to make up the pillow myself) or two tiny tiny cushions (I have to make that up myself too). I haven't decided - I might just line it and just leave it as a table runner.

As you can see the selvedges are still pretty messy but improving.

Tonight I'll be using my mum's dining table to warp my next project - yes another table runner. This time in novelty threads. And then after that, I intend to pick up some some pick-up techniques and do something different.

Have a look at what sweetgeorgia is doing! Giving me all kinds of ideas tsk tsk tsk.

There has been some knitting going on - truly! Just don't have any FO pics to show. I'm almost at the finish line with RYC Plaza - having one half of a collar to do. Notice my sis has come and gone - but she took Samus as compensation - so she can't complain.

Also almost to the cuff with Heels and Toes and still some lace on the side.

And... and started this new project too.

I really need to sleep less.

Beads and Pieces

The great thing about having my sister around is that we can go bead stashing !





The great thing about bead stashing with my sister is that I don't get to spend any money and I get free beaded jewellery to wear





The great thing about having a sister around is that she can model your finished knitwear.



That's Samus from the Knitty.



And since it fits her so perfectly - she's taking it back. It seems that I should resign myself to the fact that I have been making knitwear that fits my sister better than me.

So the great thing about having a sister who looks better in my knitwear than me and lives in a temperate climate is that I can buy wool again!!!!

Yay!

Guess who's been stashing on wool....

Weaving around the bend

Yeap that’s what I’ve been doing these past two nights. I got myself a very simple rigid heddle loom – the Ashford Knitters Loom which my sister brought back from NZ for me.

It’s a gorgeous lightweight little number that’s a perfect start up at a reasonable price. Now I’m sure you’re thinking “new hobby, new stash” but that’s the beauty of weaving is that I can basically use almost the same stash as I do in knitting.


My first effort - a 60 inch scarf woven with golf rayon thread as the warp and variagated Rayon flakes as weft.

Here's a closer look - My DH says it looks like mud, but I think the gold thread gives it a cool accent.

My first experience in weaving was when I was a unemployed bum (right after graduation) and I was flatting with some textile design students for the local polytech. This was during my knitting for sale days so it was quite a perfect arrangement for me. One of the girls bought back a table loom all warped and ready to go. She was supposed to weave this piece of cloth to make a vest but she had other more social things to do so she paid me to do it.



If warping is a huge tangled mess with 80 warp ends - how bad do you think it will be at 200-300?


She had done all the dyeing of the thread (a gorgeous pink and blue) and warping, showed me which lever to pull, when and away I went. I slaved over that thing for 2 weeks.



Hope this second project will take me less than 2 weeks. Cushion cover in a check pattern with Butterfly Super 8 Cotton (DK weight)


I did want to sign up for a weaving class after that but the complexity of planning and warping of the loom put me off. Even now, the words “multiharness’ and “treadles” and the cryptic image of a weave pattern draft is sending signals to brain to “Keep Out!”.


Weaving, however, is a local art cottage industry in Malaysia. Weavers (mostly women co-ops) weave a much sought after cloth with gold threads and patterns called songket. Songket is used in many wedding attires and ceremonial functions and many of the patterns are handed down from generation to generation. Click Here and Here for more information and some gorgeous samples.

What the local weavers here do not have are the fancy technologically advanced looms of the west and still, they can produce such lovely complex fabric with the same two harness loom they used for hundreds of years.



No harnesses just one reed that goes up or down. And already I'm searching the net for more patterns.


My journey into weaving is going to start small. With little baby steps. With the objective to reduce the huge oddball collection in my yarn stash. So tell me why am I starting to dream of having my own weaving studio??



With DK weight, you can see the fabric is quite open - MUST get more worsted weight or reeds with more teeth.

Autumn offerings

Can't resist drooling over the new autumn releases from RYC - quite a few new books and the release of the Silk and Wool yarn in soft muted colours and the brochure RYC Classic Style



Charm

Cherish

Harmony


Oddly enough the main RYC site doesn't have the latest information, so click over to English Yarn for detailed descriptions.

Then there's Fall Interweave which also has some drool-worthy designs


Gatsby Girl

Bianca's Jacket


Enjoy!!

Fun Time

I've joined two new fun knitting games - Sock Wars and Lace Swap.

Sock Wars is a sock swap with a difference. It reminds me of some similar game we played in school camps. The process of elimination continues until one is left standing as the winner. Plus it really fits my mood for socks lately.

Lace Swap is just a great way to send away some of my extensive lace yarn stash and get some more in exchange. Wonder if that still counts as stashbusting??

I'm gonna be quite quiet in the next two weeks cos my sister is here and she's pushing me to finish the various WIPS I promised her, namely the Plaza cardigan and the Heels and Toes socks I'm working on. And I managed to get the DVDs of SHARPE!!



Yes that is Sean Bean!!

I'm out of here.

PS The secret something that I have been clearing out my room for is here and is waiting for a good day for me to take a photo. I will be back to post some photoes once I get some decent light. Bloody rain this morning caused a jam and made me 1 hour late for work.

Dishcloth Dillema

I've always wondered why anyone wanted to knit dishcloths.

I mean all that work and then they use it to do the dirty dishes.

Don't you feel the knitting crying out to be saved?

But what if you're not washing the dishes with them. What if your faithful net scrunchie gave up the ghost and refused to go back into it's natural scrunchy state? what if it's been so hot the past few days you've been having two showers a day and your face need a nice scrub??

Imagine an absorbent cushy textured soft cotton cloth is washing your face. It has bright and happy colours. The pattern has just the right amount of texture for the most gentle abrasions. It costs half the cost of a good net bath scrunchie from Body Shop ( not the type that gets untied within a month).





Oh Help! I can't stop knitting them now!!

Sugar n creme yarn came from a swap with Carrie (no blog) and the pattern is from here. I was inspired by the loads of Mason Dixon dishcloths to be found here.

Now that the personal hygiene crisis is over, I got to go back to my heels and toes socks.

Heels and Toes

Well the heels and toes won!!





I just started of with the deep hunter green and then gradually increased the number of rows of the contrasting Koigu after the toe was done. I plan to do this before the heel and before the cuffs, finishing off the cuffs with the deep green.





Tried out the jogless round and I think that I have been pretty succesful although not neat enough.

Erin - with toe up socks, you can adjust the curve (think that is the right term) of the toe by varying the amount of stitches you wrap. I wrap around 9 stitches on each end but you can wrap more if you want it to be pointier or less if you want it to be flatter.

This pair is going to my sister as she's complaining about the cold winter in Auckland this year.

BTW I got the cute sock bag in a swap with Trek casts on. Have you seen the Gumball Footies sock she made from my Papaya Rose colourway??

Regia India

Quick post to show off my newly finished Regia India socks








They're fraternal twins, basic toe up pattern using 2.0 mm circulars and 64 stitches.

They could be a bit tighter and I could have been 1 cm more patient before going to the heel.

Will probably cast on either Baudelaire or Pomatamus tonight. Although I have a hankering to do a bi-coloured sock with solid toes and heels similar to Toni's . Well we'll see which desire wins over tonight.

Yeap the sock bug is still biting although I have been doing a little lace on the side. And I'm still hankering over a log cabin. I just saw a gorgeous one in progress done with Rowan Felted Tweed. How luxurious is that!!

Log cabin

There's been a spate of log cabin knits all over blogworld, due to the Mason Dixon's book and I must say they look absolutely fabulous.

Here's a whole list of worthy Log cabins

A Chance to Knit - in Felted Tweed no less.. that must feel real cushy.

january One - the pallette is gorgeous and it’s all STR!!

Monkey knits- it’s gorgeous as a baby blanket

Erica Lee - uses Plymouth Encore DK for a multicoloured version

Joan Knits -uses a different arrangement more akin to the traditional quilted log cabin – you can play around with the lights and darks.

My close encounter with the log cabin is a traditional one - here's my scrappy one that I was doing some years back (pre-baby).



Gregory is graduating to a big boy's bed this weekend and I was thinking that he needed a big boy's blanket instead of that swaddling flannel he's been carrying around.

I think I need about 6 more squares ( 2 rows of 3) to make it a decent size blankie for him. I have 3 hanging around and need to do 3 more. I used the traditional red square for the center - to signify the hearth as the heart of the home and the lights and darks. The fabrics are all scraps as you would have probably guessed y now - I am very much a scrappy type of gal.

The benefits of clearing out boxes is that you get to find your old treasures -



Paper pieced coasters




Hawaiian Applique - Breadfruit

The quilting is done but I have no idea what to finish it as. This thing is at least 20 inches square.



Details of hand quilting


Take a look at the detail. I quilted it hawaiian style shadow quilting ie following the motif inside and outside the patch.

More treasures of the past will be making its way soon to this blog. The stash busting must continue!!

Stripping bare

I'm feeling a little exposed here.

The process of cleaning up the store room and putting the stash into the new cabinets has just made me realise what a terrible stasher I am.
Remember this?





The cabinets finally came on Saturday afternoon.





Doesn't it look so neat and clean?? You haven't seen the rest of the kitchen and living room. That's where all of the stuff that was previously in the room is.

I had to do a little shifting around of PC table since the cabinets were bigger than I thought they were.

Lyn gave me a good tip of putting all the yarn in plastic baggies and in the cabinets, instead of the WIPs. So now all my WIPS except the current sock obsession is in the plastic bins.





This is far as I got before I had to leave for my parents-in-law's place in Melaka. Bearing in mind that I have yet to put in all my odd balls and my old quilting stash (trying to sell them all).

I prattled about the cabinets for at least one hour before I finally thought to ask DH, "Do you have anything to put in the cabinets?" I think his tongue was almost bleeding from biting, I know his eyes nearly rolled off his head. But he's a good sort so I'll make some space for him. That's what marriage is all about I guess!

BUT ... the whole lesson learnt is that I must do some serious stashbusting. I mean I think I have every kind of yarn I have ever wanted to try for all the patterns I want to try. What more could a girl want??

Oh I forgot .. the whole point of making some space here was because the ... other thing that's arriving at the end of the month.... Sigh! I can just see another stashing cycle looming in the horizon.

Plugging in.

Sally was pointing me to some knitty patterns when I stoppped for moment wondering why I haven't seen these patterns before. Then I realised that the new knitty was out and it's full of socks, gloves, hats and other accessories.


My favourites are RPM and Widdershins. Looks like my sock craze is going to last longer than I thought. Aren't I lucky I have this stash to see me through??

I need to plug my little bags



Want it? BID Here



I'm setting up the wi-fi internet access at home tonight so I hope to have more blogging during the weekend now. Sometimes I have so much to say but forget it by the time I get to sit down in from of the PC. Age is really catching up with me.

Fragments of my past

I haven't been doing much knitting lately - so caught up with the exciting developments of the World Cup - both Argentina and Brazil out of the running leaving four European nations (Portugal, Italy, France and Germany) fighting for the most prestigious cup in football.

The husband and I stayed late last Saturday to watch both the England - Portugal match. I was so upset after that match that I couldn't sleep so I stayed to watch the next match ( France-Brazil) with him. The second match was by far more exciting and less frustrating. We both have a fondness for the underdogs so we were glad to see the favourites Brazil leave and in such sporting manner too. I caught sight of Thierry Henri (France) hugging Ronaldo (Brazil) and that is a far cry from the ugly Germany-Argentina post-match free-for-all the night before.

Needless to say we spent all of Sunday recovering. Never thought I would take such a long time to recover from an allnighter. Age is catching up with me.

Instead of knitting my World Cup project ( shame on me, I know), I picked up the threads of an old hobby after attending a refresher class on Saturday afternoon with the Malaysian stitchers group.



Yes as you can see I am far out of practice - the picots are of varying lengths ad the joins are a bit twisted. I will have to practice a lot more before I can progress to the next step I think.

Meanwhile I forgot to update what I received from the Dye-o-rama swap.

Look at that gorgeous hank of yarn !!



I also received from Lynn some lovely tea , baseball cards for Gregory and tatoos for Megan and castille soap for me :). Thanks Lynn.



I had a week's reprieve on the cabinets. They are arriving this weekend instead - and I have half the room sorted out but need to take some trips to the rubbish tip today to get rid of the bigger stuff.

I have to make room cos I have a new toy coming at the end of the month. Heheh! see of you can guess what it is. All I can say is that I think I have gone completely bonkers but as Lyn says "Hey if it makes you happy, why not??"

There and back again

I've had a rocky couple of weeks since my last post.

My dad was hositalised after having a epilepsy attack ( he's a parkinson's patient) and most of my days were tied up with ferrying various relatives to the hospital and back. He's on the mend and on the way back home now so at least one worry is off my shoulders.

So while that was going on there was not much knitting except for small protable projects like socks.

Speaking of portable, here's another new thing that's been occupying my time.




That is my new Dell Inspiron which is almost 3 days old. This is my first blog post from this new baby. I've been busy installing stuff and transfering file from the old pc but it also means that YAY! I will have internet access at home gain . Now to get the broadband up and running at home.

The one sock is knitted out of Regia India ( colourway Kerala) and I am working on the second. Soon I'll be surfing and knitting at the same time like a pro.

I've also decided to get cracking on putting my craftroom in order and two weeks ago ordered two cabinets for books yarn and other various stash. Due the recent events and one proscrastinating excuse to another, I now have TWO days to get the room in order before the cabinets are delivered. Want to see what I'm up against??




Ok so, that not ALL stash !!! There's boxes of old cassettes and VHS, computer peripherals, fabric and some yarn, even and old PC monitor hidden there some where.

Wish me luck I ruthlessly prune and discard useless items that my hoarder husband and I have collected through the years.