Getting there….

Knitting sleeves is tedicious because after finishing one, there’s a second one to finish.  And knitting sleeves in round with the dpn gave me headache!  I was cheap, I just used my mom’s ancient aluminium looonnnggg needles to knit in round.  Gosh was my fingers sored!  Then I figured a way to knit in round by using two circular needles!  I basically used two circular needles in the same size, have half the stitches on one needle and the rest on the other needle.  Then knitting like the dpn way but as for the circular needles, use the other side of the same needle to knit in round instead until you reach to the end of one side….  Daada!  Problem solved.  I should have realized it earlier so I didn’t have to spend 3 hours to knit 3 inches and one row has only 36 sts!    Well, here’s a picture of where I am right now:

Here’s a picture of showing the two circular needles:

My dear buddy lillian told me it’s actually common for knitters to use circular needles to do in rounds. Well, I thought I was such a creative inventor! Oh well, at least I am not the odd ones.
Thanks to Lynn from Mary’s yarn….I can’t believe I ran out of yarn to finish off this short-sleeved cardigan since I have modified it into a “long-sleeved” cardigan. She is so nice and she stayed late today so I can rush to her store after work to pick up the one ball of yarn to finish off the sleeves and also the buttonband. Thanks Lynn!

I am also trying to knit this shrug for my colleague’s daughter. I name it after her: Takara shrug. It’s her favourite colour: green, blue, yellow….I hope she will like it!

The last thing to share is my birthday gifts! My boyfriend went to a LYS at his area and bought me this set of lovely Cascade wool 220 in wine red colour. I am planning to make the Tilted Duster from the Interweave magazine fall; Lillian got me this yarn winder and the knitting organizer….perfect for my liking! My sister also got me some yarns and my parents gave me money so I can get my own yarn…….Thank you all!

 For the past week I was also busy with updating my profile at Ravlry!  I finally got the invite and my user name is angelknits.  Any friend’s welcome!

New Design - Vest on the needles

With only 4 balls in my stash of the Lana Grossa Numero Uno in blue, I came up the idea to make a vest.  I searched all the patterns in my library and couldn’t find anything I like.  I wanted something with cables at the bottom, but not at the top because it looks “old”.  Then I thought of the idea of putting leaves on the top to make it “elegant”.  Here’s my try so far:

Not bad so far! However, whether it fits well or not I am not too sure although the gauge seems alright by calculations. I will see…..

I just came back from a short trip…..I also bought some yarns and it’s my birthday gift from my honey. I will take a picture and share later!

Ribbed A-Line Jacket and now Short-Sleeved Cardigan

Sometimes I wonder if it’s my calculations or is it the pattern - I love the design of the A-Line jacket in Runway Knits by Berta Karapetyan. Based on the pattern I would have enough yarns from my stash to make it; but as I was on my 8th ball, I realized I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH YARN!!! I had already got a feeling while I was on my 5th ball so I dramatically shape the A-line, and cut the length…but still, I wasn’t even by the collar yet and not to mention the sleeves….how can I do the finish it with the rest of my 2 balls?

After searching the net and realized no alternative of ordering this yarn, I have decided to rib it off. Well, I took a picture as a memory.

Then I started this:

It’s a short-sleeved cardigan from Fitted Knits. It’s a lovely style and the yarn (Needful - Flash) I am using is quite suitable to the pattern.  I think it’s neat to use a black yarn but with purple stripes all over.

Well, so far so good. It’s a fast knit because of the worsted yarn, and it’s knitted as a one piece from top down so no sewing is required which I LOVED. I made it a little longer than the pattern and I switched to a bigger needles by my hips so it flared out. Next would be the sleeves and the pick up stitches at the front to create ribbing for the buttonholes.

Hopefully no more ribbing! I don’t want to feel like I have cats - I have cat hair around my desk and my lap, it’s because as I was ribbing the jacket, it shredded like crazy!

Mmmm…..Sea Silk….yummy……

Tatta!!!  I am presenting my beloved top…..Sea Silk Tank Top, original pattern….is finally finished!  It’s a joy to knit with this yarn, it’s soft, light, and mmmm…..yummy.  I originally had a camisole in mind, but then it didn’t turn out right because I was too lazy to calculate  the lace pattern in order to decrease and increase.  I ended up ribbed out the top part and made it into a tank top.  A lot of ribbing involved other than transforming a camisole into a tank top……I was also running out of yarn.  By the time I realized it, I have to rib out almost an inch of the back in order to make it work.  Hey, it’s only need one hank of the sea silk by Handmaiden, not bad huh!

This picture shows a better view of the detail:

The yarn is just lovely……

Other than this sea silk tank top I am showing you, I also have the cellphone cover and a pair of Sajeete’s Booties here:

The cellphone cover was originally a baby wrap sweater for my goddaughter Erika, but it was too tedious to handle such a fine thread like this, so I turned it into a cell phone cover for my buddy, my goddaughter’s mom, http://craftlover.wordpress.com/. The Saartje’s booties is also done. I thought it was going to be too small for Erika, so I started to rib one off. When I saw her the last time I brought the booties with me, it actually fits her perfectly! So I tried to redo the one I was ribbing….of course I forgot which row I was…I think I ribbed it at least 4 times to get it right. Everything’s done…..and my unfinished pile is getting smaller! So satisfying……

FO: Sea Silk Tank Top
Yarn: Sea Silk by Handmaiden - Colour: Rose Garden x 1 hank
Needles: 4.25mm
Pattern: Original

FO: Cell Phone Cover
Yarn: Cotton-Silk extra fine yarn
Needles: 2.5mm crochet hook
Pattern: Original

FO: Saarjte’s Booties
Yarn: RYC 4 ply Cashsoft - colour Mosaic & Monet
Needles 4mm dpn x 4
Pattern: Saarjte’s Booties, Pattern is here

SALE SALE SALE - Detash Yarns

After reading my buddy Lillian’s detash blog, I realized I should clean up my stash as well.  The funny thing is that, I am also interested in her stash!  We are not interested in our yarns, but then we’re interested in others. The whole point here is to let other knitters enjoy these yarns. Here is what I am trying to detash: sock yarns, fur yarns, and also a korallo shimmery yarns.  I got it on sale, so I am passing on the good deals to you….actually I even sell it at a cheaper price so it can go to a good home. Okay…here you go!!!

1) Lang Jawoll Cotton sock yarns 4 balls x 50g
190m each
Jawoll Cotton Superwash in 88.0174 x 2 (pinkish green one)
Jawoll Cotton Jacquard Superwash in 88.0179 x 2 (greenish blue one)
This is a special deal for sock knitters! I bought these on sale, thinking I can knit myself some socks but then I realized I am not a sock knitter yet.
US$18 + shipping

2) Korallo by King 7 balls x 50g
Colour 102
82 meters each
45% cotton, 43% acrylic, 12% polyamid
US 8-9
Unused
It’s a lovely apple green colour with shimmery threads - lovely to be a sweater or cardigan!
US$20 + shipping

3) Estelle Yarns - Fur Ex 4 balls x 50g
Colour: sky blue
100% Polyamide
80 meters
Unused
Very soft yarn. Nice to touch and it’s perfect for a scarf, or a bolero from Phildar, or here, or a blazer like this
US$6 + shipping

4) Estelle Yarns - Fur FX 3 balls x 50g
Colour: purple
100% Polyamide
80 meters
Unused
Very soft yarn. Nice to touch and it’s perfect for a scarf, or a bolero from Phildar, or here, or a blazer like this
US$4.5 + shipping

**if you are interested in both Fur FX in sky blue and purple, I would love to detash it at a cheaper price @ US$8 + shipping. Did I mention the yarn is soft?!

All of the above yarns are unused, from a clean, non-smoking home. I accept paypal only, and the shipping will be through Canada Post. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me:

a6wong at yahoo dot com

Thank you very much for your interest and happy knitting!

FO: Shopping Tunic - modified

I used a different yarn compare to the wool the original pattern called for.  I was thinking short sleeves combined with a turtlenet look should be wear in the summer!  The summer net from Crystal Palace Yarn was a sale I’ve got from Knitomatic.  What a sale! (while I was looking at Knitomatic’s blog, they have extended their summer sale and they have back issues of vogue and interweave for 50% off!!!) The yarn was was originally $11 and it was on sale for only $2.  I used a total of 6 balls so the knits only costed $12!!!  Talking about deals…..  


Now the modifications….since I have changed the gauge completely, I used 8mm needles instead of 15mm; I also did something differently at the neck so it didn’t turn out to be a turtleneck, by accident.  But hey, it’s not bad of a look!  It’s sort of plain at the top so I added some crochet flowers to make it a little interesting.  I thought I didn’t like it in the first place, but I think it’s a keeper like my previous karate sweater.  They’re all now in my closet ready to get out of the house!

Pattern: Shopping Tunic from Twinkle Big City Knits

Yarn: Summer Net by Crystal Palace Yarn - 6 balls

Needle: 8mm

FO: Fushia Karate Sweater

What a easy knit!  I didn’t have a lot of time to knit in the last little while because I was trying to spend 99% of my time with my beloved bf.  Well, I can’t believe I was still able to have a FO to show in only one week!  Karate sweater from the twinkle’s big city knits by Wenlan Chia:

I got this yarn from Mary’s Yarn and it was half priced.  (I love sale!)  It’s a Filati King Van dyck yarn.  It’s the first time I am using a big chunky yarn like this and it’s so much fun!  The funniest thing is that, when I bought those 15mm needles, my bf asked me why did I need to buy highlighters!  I had a good laugh.  But to be honest with you, it’s hard to knit with such thick yarn and big needles. 
Last night I showed my friend Lillian about this piece, and we both wondered about the “keep or rib” decision.  It makes me look 20lbs heavier.  Then we both agreed to “rib” and knit something else from the twinkle’s big city knits like the best friend cardigan.  But then my mom and my sister said it looks good on me, and I look big because of the yarn, and the style suits me, etc.  I also wore it to work today and my colleagues said “keep”.  I will keep it for now…..and I can always rib it if I want to.   I also tried to make it more elegant by putting the ribbon instead of the knitted belt.  Here’s the back view:

Well, that’s about it for now.  Started something…will show more details next time as I am only on my 5th row.

FO: Surplice Bodice Camisole from Knitting Lingerie Style

This Surplice Bodice Camisole is a pleasure to knit.  It didn’t take long to finish….I was just slow and I didn’t have time to upload it because I was away on vacation.  The yarn is very nice as well….the bamboo yarn from the SWTC.  The yardage was great in one ball (like 250yds) so I ended up using only 2 balls for a camisole!  I also got it on sale from the Knitting Basket so it’s totally worth it.

Gosh, when I look at these pictures, I realized I REALLY gained weight! I thought the scale is off…..I got to start watch my diet and exercise hard! Anyways, here’s the back of the view:

On my needles is a quick knitting project. It’s made with chunky yarn and the pattern’s from the Twinkle’s Knit. It’s really different from my knitted collection and I am enjoying so far because I can see myself finish the project in a couple of days! Will keep you guys posted.

FO: Surplice Bodice Camisole
Pattern: Knitting Lingerie Style
Yarn: Bamboo in purple, South West Trading Company - 2 balls

Slow progress

I had internet service problem so I was unable to log on to the internet for 5 days!  What a long and tedious period!  Those 5 days were like I was disconnected from the world.  I didn’t realize internet is part of my life!

I made slow progress to my bodice camisole made with SWTC’s Bamboo yarn and I also started a wrapped cardigan for my goddaughter’s party.  But then the yarn, I mean thread is so fine that it takes LONG to finish one row.  I don’t think I can make it in time for this Friday’s part, but I will finish it anyways for her to remember how small she is when she grown up.

I had finished the camisole’s back and two fronts. I sew them together and worked in rounds, instead of front and back separately as suggested in the book.

This is the back of the baby wrap sweater. I have no pattern at all, I just crochet as I go. This little piece right now has 20 rows! The yarn is so fine that the progress is long. But then I think this yarn is suitable for baby because it’s fine, it will look more “elegant” on baby. The yarn is cotton so it’s suitable in this hot and humid weather. My goddaughter Erika is having a party this coming Friday, like a baby shower but involve the baby. I look forward to see her. She must be bigger from the last time I saw her.

More Purple Knits - UPDATED with yarn and pattern info

Lately I am crazy with purple colour.  I go to yarn store, I check out all the yarns with purple colour.  They just catch my eyes!  I have bought the Knitting Lingerie Style by Joan McGowan-Michael for a while and I haven’t got a chance to knit the gorgeous patterns until now.  The first one I started is the Surplice Bodice Camisole.

This is a beautiful pattern, and it’s easy. It’s knitted from the middle up, front and back, then sew the piece together and knit from middle to bottom. The yarn I chose is a Bamboo Yarn from the South West Trading Company. It feels soft in the ball, but when it knits up, it’s quite a garment! I believe it will drape well when it’s done.

I am also planning to knit a shrug with this yarn…

I ordered this a while back and finally it will be on my needle. I want to knit a shrug for my ex-colleague’s daughter. She’s such a cutie and she loves the shrug that I was wearing, so I have decided to knit her the same style, with the colourway that she likes.

I was also trying to finish up this pair of baby booties for my god-daughter Erika. It’s a combo of pink and purple, which her mother loves. The booties are around 8cm in legnth but then my girlfriend said it’s better to be bigger because it will be for fall/winter. So I was in the middle of frogging.

Thank you for the compliments of the baby booties! I got the pattern from here. The first pair that I saw was from Little of the Orient. It’s the cutiest thing in the world and I just love it myself! The yarn I chose is the RYC Cashsoft 4ply. It’s one of the softest yarn in the world too. Well, for those of you who would like to knit this pair of Saartje’s booties, have fun!