SP 10 Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love working with natural fibres, especially wool / silk mixtures. Not too fond of mohair and acrylics. Buys mostly Rowan yarns.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Most of them are kept in several long rectangular moon-cake boxes and I have a canvas Knitting Needles bag from years ago just for straights.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Possibly between intermediate to advanced and definitely no expert yet. Was taught to knit in school at 12 yrs, continued with scarves and jumpers into college and university. Didn’t knit for many years when I came back to warmer climes and saw the prices at the LYS (very little online stuff in the good ole days). Started again in 2005 when son left for college and hasn’t stopped since!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Not really, only orders from them when I can’t find the book locally.

5. What's your favorite scent?
Lavender and Rose in any form. Has many favourites, mostly floral and will always have Dior Diorissmo on the dressing table.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Not much of a sweet tooth but loves dark chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Nope, no time for anything else except for knitting. Don’t’ spin either but does some yarn painting with food dyes occasionally.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Yes, my PC plays all formats. Prefers Oldies (50s – 80s) and anything else that’s not loud.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I tend to buy darker colours for work and brighter pastels for casuals. Am a little conservative with yarn purchases and tend to go for ‘safe’ colours. However am trying to be more adventurous with my purchases recently. Cannot stand ‘electric’ colours.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Hubby,two kids, a maid and dog. My eldest son is in university and daughter pursuing ‘A’ Levels in college. Large projects like Jumpers are usually for son and daughter needs trendy stuff like shrugs. Dottie, our Basset and Golden Retriever mix loves to sniff at wool but not other yarn. (something about dogs and sheep??)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Would love to be able to wear hats but I look terrible no matter which way I place them, so have given up unless travelling in Winter. No mittens in temperatures like ours – average 28 -30 C, year round . Likes to wear stoles / shawls in air-conditioned office and church.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks and shrugs for instant gratification! Prefers having at least 2 WIPs at one time. One for mindless knitting when watching TV and the other a little more challenging. I tend to knit things that I need and can use frequently.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Currently on the needles : a jumper, sleeveless top and the Kimono stole

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes, I do, very much. and appreciates gifts made just for me!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Depends – I prefer straights to cast on lace patterns and knitting scarves. All other work is knitted with my Addis or Denise circulars. I still use DPNs for sleeves but am beginning to prefer Magic Loop, especially for socks. Prefers aluminium, bamboo and plastic in that order.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I have a yarn winder but no swift

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Ogee sleeveless top since before Christmas 2006

18. What is your favorite holiday?
All holidays with every member of our family together is always special. In general any holiday when I’m off work where I also get to knit and knit!

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Figurines of ducks and pigs. Wall plates, wall plates and wall plates..

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I have bought most of the books I want. As for yarn – wanst to try Seasilk and Noro. I subscribe to IK, buys Rowan online. Would love to have old IK, Vogue and Rowan mags – pre 2006

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Steeking when I can find the courage and Fair Isle.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Oh yes! I’m a UK size 3.5

23. When is your birthday?
27th June

Happy Chinese New Year

It's Chinese New Year on Sunday the 18th, and in between travelling to the In-laws (an hour's drive to the south) and my brothers' (four hours to the north) during the week, I'm hoping to finish at least 2 WIPs.
The reunion dinner on Saturday is going to be almost complete for my parents-in-law as all their children, but one, and their families will be home. Last year we were minus my son in Melbourne but he's back just for the celebrations.

And so, to all of you 'Gong Xi Fa Cai', wishing you Prosperity and Good Health.

DH and I will be using these red packet envelopes, aren't the boy-girl piggies cute? (it's the year of the boar/pig )

Here's why I haven't been knitting much this past week!

I'm still short of my 12 fruit cake loaves and 'Murphy' had to come say 'hello!' The microwave function of my brand new micro-oven just went 'kaput', but luckily the oven still works and I was just negotiating with the repairman to come back after the New Year if he can't fix it today. But no, he's got to dismantle the panel and promises he'll be back bright and early tomorrow with the replacement. (He said he noticed my baking stuff on the work top, bless him!). I had planned to finish by this evening so the cakes will get an extra brushing of Rum /Brandy before gift wrapping them.

Another mad rush but it's only once a year and I do enjoy baking and giving the fruit cakes away to friends and relatives. It's a Christmas Celebration recipe which somehow became a Chinese New Year favourite where I triple the amount of alcohol in each cake. And that's not including the daily brushings on top!

I've signed up - SP10

To those of you who've commented that I haven't been updating my blog that often, you're right. I have been a little lethargic on that front since Christmas. I blame this state of affairs on the 2 jumpers I've planned to finish by February. They're huge and are taking up all my knitting time. While I'm busy knitting away, there's really nothing much to update at times.


Here's number two in Grey Knitpicks Swish , this time on smaller 4.5mm needles. Truffles was knitted as worsted on 5mm.

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This, I consider my mindless knitting project while the Kimono stole below, knitted with mohair merino laceweight, provides some challenge and requires a tad more concentration. It's an easier knit compared to my recent FOs.

SP10 is finally open and I've signed up. It's a first for me and I am kindda excited at the prospect of mysterious parcels arriving. Here's hoping I get paired off with a 'nice' spoiler and someone will find me likewise!!

Truffles

I'm in the midst of deciding my next projects and swatching for them so this is going to be short and rather devoid of exciting pictures.

Remember the tanggled mess of my last post? After more hours of sheer frustration it is now that neat little ball in the picture. As for the maroon cone next to it, I will not attempt to wash and bloom it no matter how tempting. Indeed the blue cashmere is much softer after the bath (or ordeal?).

Truffles (excuse the over exposed picture) is completed except for some underarm seaming and the collar. It's going to stay unsewn till I'm decided whether to comtinue knitting it to a Polo or leave it as is.

A tangled mess!

These two yummy skeins from the knittery came via Australian relatives way way before Christmas and I'm still nowhere near starting any projects with them. I intend to get all WIPs out of the way first.Passion Fruit, a Mohair Merino laceweight will probably grow up to be a Kimono shawl while there's no plans yet for Moonlight, the Merino 2 ply.

Clever me made some major adjustments to the ribbing and stitch count for Truffles which got knitted in double quick time. When I paused to admire how well the raglan yoke was turning out over the weekend...horrors!!!! oooh! the sick in the stomach feeling you get when you know something's gone terrible wrong? The ribbing count on both sides of the cable didn't match!
Since it's knitted in the round there was more to frog, a whole 2.5 balls of wool to be exact. Here it is, sleeves reunited with the body and a long way to the collar yet...sigh..

This is staring at me in the family room for sometime now. It was a 1050 yds cone of lace weight cashmere from Colourmart which I decided to wash and bloom before knitting. I'm not going to try explain how I got into this tangled mess.
Hope to have better news in my next update!

An FO and WIPs

Finally, a reliable connection window for pictures! I'm desperate for a blogging fix and am posting from work ...sans chit chat...some yarn and needle details will be updated later.

Pattern : Thorn and Thistle, IK Summer 2006
Chest Size: 38"
Yarn: Catania Cotton
Amount: 6.5 x 50 gm x 135 yds

Needles: 3.25 mm

Modifications : moss stitch on collar and sleeves instead of crochet

Meet Ogee, from Jaeger Handknits No 4, knitted in Japanese Novia cotton. I love the peacock green, there's a subtle sheen to it, but the yarn is a little hard on my fingers. Regg assures me I'm going to love it even more after washing.

This is Truffles (the colour of Knit Picks Swish actually), Drops design 85-23. It's for JS, my son in Melbourne.

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A good rest

It was sheer bliss! 12 days off work right through the New Year with nothing to do except knit in between errands and some truly mega shopping(empty wallet but satisfied grin).

If roots could sprout from armchairs mine would have!
I got through the entire Season 2 of 'House' and 'Grey's Anatomy' in addition to all 6 parts of Star Wars.
DH suggested another 'Lord of the Rings' marathon but I've had enough. It was getting kindda embrarrasing trying to convince concerned neighbours my swollen eyes did not come from crying all day!

The Internet down time didn't bother me at all since I had decided to have a complete breakaway from the PC at home.

Not till this week when a sudden touch of blogging withdrawal symptoms began to creep in and the desire to upload some WIP and FO pictures from home ended in frustration at the constant line interruptions. There's some Australian yarn I'd like to show too.
I shall try again tonight but just in case.....:)

A happy belated New Year and may our knitting mojos be ever present. I broke a 'no resolutions' rule and made a teeny weeny one to 'get 2 brisk walks round the neighbourhood in a week'. DH has been cooperative....so far...

Till my pictures are uploaded then.....

A Blessed Christmas

card from : crossdaily.com : lights from our Christmas tree

Would you?

Would you frog this store bought hand knitted Aran cardigan if you had several dry cleaning burnts on it? I don't send my woollies to the dry cleaners anymore but those were the days when I thought wool keeps better minus the water !


It was bought 10 years ago and has seen me through many winters. There's too many memories associated with it, like I was travelling with my late father when I gave some lame excuse for going into this shop near Hampton Court to buy it. I remembered explaining why it costed much more than 'Made in China' machine knitted ones......

I'm sure if I give the recycled wool a good bath and knit it up into an Aran vest I'd have many more years out of it still. Well, I got as far as taking the scissors out this morning but they went back into my sewing basket after the photography session! One of these days....

I've got 2 WIPs, one of which cannot be blogged about till after the New Year since I'm taking part in the celebrating Christmas and New Year the KC way mystery project.


This is Thorn and Thistle from IK Summer 06 and I'm knitting with Catania cotton.



I'm a little undecided about adapting the cardigan sleeves shown in the ensemble into short sleeves for the top. Anyway, that can come later.

On time..

Phew! so I made it, but I'm not planning to get into another 'deadline' situation like this again. (I hope!) Dilly dallying and wondering off to other projects, serves me right really.

I never got round to the pair of matching socks......

DH's jumper was finished late Thursday night, blocked and ready for packing by Friday. It's on the way to the airport now and I've finally got something to blog about!

Pattern : none, measurements from an old jumper

Chest Size: 48"

Yarn: Rowanspun 4 ply ( 100% pure new wool )

Amount: 16 x 25 gm x 162 yds (with some yards left over)
Needles: 2mm and 3mm

The body and sleeves were worked in the round, shoulders with short rows and 3 needle cast off. I find the shoulder seams (pic below) are definitely neater compared to the step-cast-off and seaming method.

And here's the last of the hats for 3 teenagers on a skiing trip tomorrow. That's our Christmas tree in the background and the cyrstal globe used for all my hat pictures.

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I used 2 strands of black DK wool and I'm not certain if this is 'broken rib' but I think it's a nice 'hat stitch' and more interesting than the usual k2p2 ribbing. The stitches are dense and give the hat better structure, that is, if you don't intend for it to go into a smallish handbag since it's bulkier than a Beanie.

So!, it is now ME time and I'm about to make myself a nice cup of tea while I decide on what to cast on this evening :)