Rambling on

I've been putting off casting on the next jumper for JS since I wasn't too keen on the wool when the order arrived. Camel turned out to be rather muddy and disappointing. But, when I showed swatches to YL and cousins, they liked the shade, maybe it's just me?

To jazz up the 'boring' colour, I decided on this textured broken garter stitch pattern from Family Circle (easy knitting fall 2005). To knit in the round I've reduced 2 stitches and will figure collar adjustments when I get to it! Broken garter is easy but is making me neurotic about checking every few rows.

Wool for ED's scarf. Alas, YF cell group meetings in the house will be a little quieter when he leaves for Canada in May.

Knitting Around (Elizabeth Zimmermann) arrived and although I enjoyed it, Knitting Without Tears is still my favourite. All chapters include a running biographical narration and it's distracting moving from knitting to family history and then onto knitting again. Otherwise, it's another gem of knitting advice, tips and techniques. She's made text easier to comprehend than some pictorial guides!

Some FOs and a WIP

Here is my version of badpenny. Ribbed sleeves have been replaced with 6 rows of garter stitch and the collar reduced by 20% of stitches recommended. YL definitely has to fill-up at the collarbone area!


Yarn: Sirdar Acrylic - recyled from a top knitted years ago and washed several times.

The yarn is probably bought some 15 yrs ago. Still looks brand new though.







The Harry Porter scarf is for YS and hopefully he'll use it for the coming winter and next movie in Melbourne. It's about 5 ft in length and me being such a yarn snob would have preferred a higher wool content but then he'd have to remember not to throw it into the Dryer....so practicality triumphs in the end.


Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease Worsted, 80% acrylic & 20% wool.





This is another scarf finished over the Chinese New Year gifted to YL's Youth Fellowship friend.


Yarn: 100% bouncle wool of Japanese Origin




There's going to be a new baby in the clan, MIL's first great-grand child is expected in August. I decided on a baby blanket I saw here . It's about 40% done and I'm liking the pattern so much that I might make this a 'family baby blanket'. New babies get this from auntie by default??



Yarn: 100% wool of Japanese origin.


I used 6.5 mm needles instead of the 5 mm recommended to get a lighter and 'airy' blanket.

Knitting Without Tears arrived!

It's amazing the amount of information Elizabeth Zimmermann managed to get into the book and although mostly text, I've read it over and over and over.....each time discovering something new. I would recommend it to all serious knitters.

Amazom.com promised 'Knitting Around', also by EZ, is on the way and I might put in an order for 'Knitting from the top' (Barbara Walker) later.Since finishing JS's jumper- knitted on the round, I've completed a teeny weeny T-shirt this for YL and this time knitted from the top.

I've fallen in love with both techniques, thus the books!
I'm definitely going to attempt to convert 'flats' to 'rounds' as much as possible from now on.

No more, really, no more variegated scarves! The Griffinddor scarf for JS took hours of tail weaving. They are better knitted in double layers with joins left inside!.

At last! I've found a Knitting Forum of mostly Malaysians and Singaporeans - Forum
It was getting too lonely on my own. My lunch group at work thinks I'm strange - choosing to knit, "like an old lady on a rocking chair" (quote).

My kids are beginning to appreciate mum's FOs - I hope! JS says my woollie jumpers keep him warmer than his other stuff and YL thinks that the latest T-shirt is 'hip' since it shows some waist line. Anything longer will make her look 'auntie' it seems. There's a standing order from a little cousin who likes YL's roll brim woollie hat when she wore it to HK Disney. There'll be another on the needles soon.

The one person who truly understands my craze is hubby. Well, I was already knitting when we met in college many many moons ago.

(edited)