Kniterela

Something light and fluffy !

2009-02-05T20:44:00.003+11:00

I came across new Miss Dior Cherie advertisement a few nights ago while watching TV and i absolutely love it. Here's the link on youtube

And i wasnt aware that it was directed by Sofia Coppola. She does wonderful eye pleasing cinematography in a style similar to Marie Antoinette- Light and happy with candy-floss sweetness. A girl in a cute peach dress running across Paris, encountering flowers, cakes and of course, perfume!

Just amazing!

Valentine's Day outfit

2009-02-01T22:51:00.004+11:00

Valentines - by prettypeonies on Polyvore.com

Even though, i am not certain what i will be doing on Vday. But i have created an ideal outfit on Polyvore.
A romantic outfit with the lots of complimenting accessories i would love to have.

A dress that can take you from work to shopping and dinner. Simple to wear and fuss free.

Take a look at the site, i feel like a little girl in a candy store. Rummaging through the various sets which the other users create takes my mind off the nitty-gritty of life.

Explore and invent your own themes and colour coordinated pieces and accessories.

On a different note,

i have uploaded new items in my etsy shop for Valentines !

Free shipping for all items worldwide.

Mention this blog post when you checkout or leave a comment here to get an additional 10% off.

Mint green bags...

2009-01-26T16:03:00.003+11:00

1 . 139 - Baby will you be my Coronoa and Lime? - on Polyvore.com

2. i am green today, i chirp with joy like a cricket song - by FASHIONABLY KATE on Polyvore.com

3. by amandarocks on Polyvore.com

4. Untitled - by A is for ALISON! on Polyvore.com
Love a mint green bag but not sure how to match it with your wardrobe? Try using Polyvore.
It allows you to pick out popular items or colour themes and generate few possible combinations of styles for you. Wonderful eye candy throughout the website.
Even though, affording a Miu Miu or any of the bags featured is way out of my budget, but having some inspirations for monday mornings are always a plus =)

Bags featured:

1 & 2. Miu Miu Shoulder bowling bag from net a porter
3. Miu Miu Soft leather tote from net a porter
4. Chloe Paraty bag from bluefly

My so called scarf Completed !!

2009-01-23T22:57:00.003+11:00

Not sure i even blogged about this before.

This scarf was started in April 2008, completed Jan 2009. A simple mindless knit which was cast aside due to constant distractions of other ' important' things.

Lately, the unexpected cold flash in weather had inspired me to start knitting again and i finally pick up the needles again to finish it. Nonetheless, it was a very quick knit, i wonder why it took me so long in the first place. A slightly slant knit style with lovely variegated autnum shades of Noro garden silk yarn, a little too warm for summer now ~ as the heat has finally kick in full swing, but i am proud that i actually knitted this beauty.

Yarn: 2 skeins of Noro silk garden ( forgotton the colourway )

Needles: 6.5 mm

Duration: an embarassing 9 months !

Its looks so warm and snuggly and i cant wait for winter to come as i am perpetually scorched under the Australia blazing sun ! phew

Simple Weekend Baking

2009-01-18T19:27:00.003+11:00

What is more calming and delightful than a house filled with the aroma of freshly baked goods ?

I bought 1 kg of cherries at Victoria market a few days ago at an amazingly cheap price of $5 ! After eating for 3 days, there was still a heapful of them. I couldn't go on stuffing myself and there were some puff pastry in the freezer and it dawned on me... 'why not bake those expensive cherry danishes you see in french cafes ?'

A fast and satisfying bake.

No tears and sweat, just pit the cherries, simmer them in a little water, cinnamon powder, a pinch of brown sugar and a small dash of vanilla essence.

Cook till slightly soft and gooey and start on cutting the puff pastry into squares... ( just thaw and cut them into reasonable sizes , depending on your preference)

Make an indentation in the middle of the square by drawing a square with a butter knife, be careful not to cut through . After that, using a fork, do some holes all over the whole puff pastry and scoop the cherry mixture into the centre and egg wash the expose part of the pastry.

Into the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes till it is all golden and lovely..

Serve on its own or with cream / icecream

Help yourself to the goodness of simple baking...

With Chinese New Year coming in a week's time, I am tempted to bake pineapple tarts and coconut cookies.. yum
Enjoy your weekend.

what i would love to wear this season...

2009-01-04T14:46:00.004+11:00

Shoespirations~

1. Bow Pumps from Fendi

2. Mary Jane pumps fromOld Navy

3. Peep toe flats from Stella McCartney

4. Twist pump from Witchery

I simply adore all these shoe finds on the internet. Simple earthy colours that look great in every season. I can simply slip them on during summer, or pair them with leggings or tights in winter.

They will look great especially with dresses and skirts which are the only staples in my wardrobe now after a huge clean out ! lol..

I grown out of pants now and the only decent pair of pants are my weekend skinny jeans !

Drool on !

happy new year

2009-01-01T15:38:00.002+11:00

Happy new year !!

What a year of blogging, crafting, work, travel, life and love !

Let's welcome 2009 =)

see you soon

Etsy picks

2008-12-26T19:30:00.007+11:00

Just have to show you some of these interesting finds that i encountered on Etsy recently

Each Friday, i will featured some lovely items / sellers as a good gesture to spread the love of handmade around...

Here are some that truly inspiring :

1. Makool shop

Wonderful handmade clothes that are absolutely dreamy and fairy-tale like. I believe the best way to don any of them , is to mix and match with every pieces like leggings, cardigans and scarves.

Gold Spalding dress

Bleu rosy finch dress

2. Jacqleen Bleu shop
Wonderfully detailed photographs that depicts dreams, sadness and everything else in between.
Found this picture strangely alluring...

There are ghosts around, so we don't make a sound original photograph

Go and have a look, you may be surprisedly amazed!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T14:32:00.004+11:00

I leave you with this: sweet sticky date pudding i made yesterday & 2 pictures of awesome Orchard Rd, Singapore

( taken when i was there 2 weeks ago)

Have a wonderful Christmas !

Wardrobe revamp

2008-12-26T01:54:00.005+11:00

Have you ever encountered a whole wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear ?
( we'll keep that topic for another day)

Ever thought of giving them away to friends, the salvation army, or if you are utterly lazy and fed up, straight to the recycling bin ( guilty, i had done that several times) ?

Try listing them on ebay as you may never know there is someone looking for your limited edition rock star t-shirt or one of kind special shade of grey mini skirt ... I have never really take that into consideration of listing clothes on ebay... but my girlfriend's shop has definitely inspired me to !

Here is a shop you can drop by if you live in Singapore: Girlosophies

Funky summer friendly halters, skirts and even a gorgeous sunny yellow dress that i absolutely heart.

LoveLy

Meret Beret

2008-12-17T17:04:00.005+11:00

Fiddling aorund for a cute beret to cover your head this Christmas ? ( even though it is summer over here in the southern hemisphere ) Or looking for a last minute quick knit gift?

Look no further than Meret , a savvy slouchy beret / beanie that ticks all boxes of style. With a mere 2 balls of worsted weight yarn, this is sure to be a delightful and satisfying knit.

Download available here

Now i have plans to rummage my yarn stash this weekend to start on this beret...

Perfect for Giving !

Pictures courtesy of Raverly

New items in store ... count down to Christmas

2008-12-17T14:48:00.004+11:00

More new items in store now, will be updating more this weekend.
Free shipping for all items storewide, regardless of where you live and how much you buy.
But bear in mind that there is no guarantee that items will be received before Christmas even though i wish this isnt the case.

Mention this blog post to get 10 % off as well.

Click on any thumbnail to get to the shop.

7 more sleeps to Christmas ! yay

back from all the mumbo jumbo

2008-12-16T23:08:00.006+11:00

August - December !!

Months flew and not a post in sight...
There were times where i had written, drafted and criticised blog entries in my head but did not get a chance to publish it. Work, life, sickness, internet, time-poor, laziness are part of my absence... But excuses aside, here i am.

Exciting things are happening so far:

My Etsy shop Prettypeonies has finally taken flight, self sufficient and running, a breather at last..

It is a creative outlet for all things whimisical and positive in an uncertain world

On the knitting front, currently knitting February Lady , a lovely simple download from Raverly. I have been telling my friend how much the pattern resembled' Juliet ' from Zephyr.

Moreover, being back from a much anticipated trip to Thailand and Singapore where i piled up on food, loot and love, had re-enegerised me for festive and new year period ahead.

Here are some of the new items in my shop, made from supplies stockpiled in S'pore and Thailand

Carousel necklace

Sea urchin Umbrella necklace
Handbag necklace
Birdcage necklace
Effiel tower necklace

All available in my shop

28 thirty.. almost done

2008-08-04T22:35:00.007+10:00

It is finally done even though i didn't blogged about the process.

Only buttons need to be attached and blocking and it is all ready for spring ..

Well, it is actually pretty far away from spring.. I think it will go very well with a nice black dress on the inside..

No real modification done on this project. Straightforward and simple. I stayed true to the design, making it cropped, but extended the sleeves.. love my sleeves to be long.. ( i have pretty lanky arms too )Highly recommended for beginner knitters who want to take the next step.. At times, it is a mindless knit; 1 good circular needle will see you through it :)

2 staurdays ago, jennifer and i went to the craft fair and bought yarn ' accidentally'

Habu yarns are soo hard to come by and they were just there.. spotted by jen's roving eye for all things good.. we ended up going home with a few balls each..

' come on, it is habu.. it is a must have !!'

I got some angora blend yarn in the process, was incessantly seduced by its' oh-so-fuzzy' that the idea of knitting another scarf was very tempting..

Simple knit up using fisherman's rib.

Done in 4 nights of knitting in front of the TV

More items in my shop...

Go, treat yourself

new projects in the pipeline

2008-05-20T21:58:00.003+10:00

Guess what ! I took the plunge and downloaded 28thirty!

After seeing so many knit bloggers raved about this cute snug little cardi, i have decided to knit this instead of tilted duster..
Now i will have trouble deciding what colour it will be... perhaps something tweedy like what melita did ..

Also tried out a few new design inspirations over these few days.the 'Garden Party necklaces'...

Handmade fabric buttons adorned with matching beads on the side, a fresh twist to how necklaces should be!

A walk in the woodsSnowflakes at my window

Dreamy calico in bloom

Going to start adding some bracelets to my shop too ! I have completely miss that category out.. Argh!

Kerchief scarf.. finally .. some knitting material to share !

2008-05-18T13:41:00.005+10:00

Similar to the kerchief scarf in Last Minute Gifts.. I casted on 1 stitch and increased on each end till i feel satisfied, which is slightly less than 1 ball of zara yarn in gray.. Small and light.. perfect for days that are chilly but not cold enough to don the entire long chunky scarf .

I have been creating many fabric buttons and have decided to use on of them to pin my scarf in place ! so chic !

Here are more buttons i have created.. Look at those orangey things.. They are spotted orange mushroom earring posts!

Have a good week ahead while i nurse my perpetual cold !

For those who lives in Melbourne, I am having a stall on the 24th MAY.Crafty bazaar where you can find many other sellers like myself..

Rosie Gallery78 Johnston Street

Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia

(note there are 2 78 Johnston St,

one in Fitzroy, and one in Collingwood. We are at Collingwood, so it's the 78 past Wellington St).Time: 10 am - 1 pm

In an ideal world..

2008-05-16T21:04:00.004+10:00

My home will look like this..

more drooling @ Wohn Idee

Lovely German decor website

New dress for my favourite girl!

2008-05-11T18:25:00.004+10:00

Parisian Chic dress from Etsy..

yes.. sometimes i do tend to buy more than i sell !

I simply adored this black and white dress with little Effiel towers and lace.. Tres chic on my Blythe doll, Ashlette.

Now i need to enjoy my lazy sunday, catch up with knitting and more blog reading ..

update

2008-05-10T18:26:00.004+10:00

My poor blog has been pretty neglected for the past few weeks..

Pretty busy here everyday ! First and foremost, i got my very own poppy bag finally..refer to my previous post, i even got it at a discounted price !thanks tina!

Jennifer and i had a very lovely craft bazaar 2 saturdays ago.. Even though, it was pretty quiet but we still managed to make a few sales ..

Our jewelry display..We shared the same table as we thought we didn't have much stuff to sell!!

Combined glory ...on delicate plates

3 crafty jewelers

The next bazaar will be on the 24/05 saturday

78 johnston street, Collingwood

10am to 1 pm.. see you there !!

Crafters are Bakers too

2008-04-12T18:00:00.002+10:00

I absolutely adore Saturday mornings.
No fussy alarms, no cursing and figeting with troublsome wet contacts lens and of course, i get to eat my breakfast in peace. Or should i say make my breakfast in peace without being hurt by kitchen dramas.

Have decided to bake some scones today after devouring some really scrumptious ones a few days ago.

Recipe is from here

What a relaxing bake in the morning that filled the house with lovely smells and H got to wake up to my delicious scones!

I love my scones with the ' full' package. I seriously love eating cream and jams, yes i know it is bad for you but i really can't help it...

Yay.. a featured item

2008-04-08T21:56:00.004+10:00

This sweet crochet earrings I made was featured in a design blog Lily and Tulip under " comfy chic" post.. do check it out.. sweet.
Thanks Lily once again for featuring my work :)

More knitting projects lining up.. I hope i can get started on tilted duster from interweave and 28thirty of zephyr soon!

Update

2008-03-31T19:48:00.002+11:00

Busy busy at work everyday.

Nothing much is going now in my life except for the daily grind, crafting and a perpetual pining for the weekend . But i have finally started on ' my so called scarf' using 2 balls of noro silk garden, the pattern is easy to remember yet challenging. Great for night knitting after a long hard day .

Something came in the mail today that made me very happy! I was absolutely surprised at this. Unexpected, thank you Shu , you made my day !2 chic-lits and a very soft handknitted blue scarf. Just in time for the cold change in weather here.. sweet... and more books for me to read while i commute ..Keep a lookout for yours, ok !Made more earrings for my webshop over the weekend.. I absolutely adored the green and peach drop earrings, going to make another pair for myself.That's all for now..have a good week ahead :)

Most wanted this season: the poppy bag

2008-03-30T21:27:00.003+11:00

simple, fuss free. check !

brownish tan. check !

1 sling handle. check !

slightly slouchy. check !

beautiful gold buckle at the front. check !

I absolutely adore this bag from witchery but it is sold out everywhere including its online store !Made with the soft leather and a design that is so timeless, i will probably use this all the time .

Now, i need to look for similar options..

luvvv the poppy bag !

check these out

2008-03-21T14:18:00.002+11:00

Here are some wonderful inspirational websites for crafty individuals.

Enjoy the long weekend:)

Who's my favourite girl ?!

2008-03-09T12:54:00.003+11:00

SOMETHING ARRIVED IN THE MAIL!

My long awaited Blythe Doll ! I have been contemplating to own it for years... Literally years...
It is finally here.. I can't wait to take it ( sorry , it's her ) out of the box and do some photography work !

Say Hello to Pretty.. Well, she doesn't have a name yet. What should i name her ? Any suggestions?
This olive dress is bought from lepetitboutiqe, an etsy store. Hooray for handmade !

Let's enjoy a bit of sun today, shall we ?

Ooops.. You can see her pull tag peeking from behind.
Have just added some new items in my store, check it out..

Enjoy the glorious weekend :)

Instant Gratification !

2008-03-01T21:03:00.002+11:00

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what do you do if your apples always get bruised in your bag when you bring it to work ??

Knit an apple jacket !

I modified the pattern a little by adding a button and knitted in smaller needles.

A quick knit that can be completed in 1 night. Useful and fun !

Name : Apple Jacket

Pattern: Inspired by Knitorama Book , here

Needles: 3 mm double points

Yarn: Jo sharp cotton in bright blue..

Use cotton so that there will not be any stray fibres on your apple.

Egg tarts Sunday

2008-02-24T22:16:00.004+11:00

A Stephen Chow movie that i watched last night inspired me to bake these egg tarts.

It was a slapstick comdey about a cafe in Hong Kong that specialises in making egg tarts; the screen shorts of the gooey lovely egg tarts made me craved for them and i decided that i should just bake it today.

This is my first time baking these goodies and the recipe is found here
I substituted the pastry with ready made puff pastry and it still tastes good, just not too sweet.

Just make the egg filling with :

2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups water
9 eggs, beaten
1 dash vanilla extract
1 cup canned evaporated milk

Combine the white sugar and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain the eggs through a sieve, and whisk into the sugar mixture. Stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Strain the filling through a sieve, and fill the tart shells ( which is of course already lined with cut pastry skins)
I know they don't look absolutely fantastic but they do taste wonderful, not too sweet like those in the shops.

Good for breakfast in the morning, especially for people like me who practically rush through every darn weekday morning.

Have a good week ahead & beat the monday blues..

i am learning something..

2008-02-16T20:08:00.007+11:00

hello,

the weather here has been terrible recently with cold & hot drafts in the span of 3 days. One day i was wear a scarf to work, the next day, i was drenched with my own sweat while haggling with a car salesman. What is wrong with melbourne weather ??

Speaking of which, i am shopping around for cars recently as i finally got my parking permit.( with also means that i no longer have to move just because my darn apartment block doesnt have any parking lots for me, heheh)

I realised that hunting for a small used car is very daunting. Firstly, sellers tried ripping me off by asking for exorbitant prices for cars that are already more than 5 years old. Doesn't the value of a car deprecates by more than 30 % of the original price as soon as it gets on the road ?? Secondly, there are not many small reliable used cars circulating in the market.

Eg: A driveaway price for a brand new 3 door toyota yaris is about $17500. A private sellers' selling price for a 3 year old similar model is $15000, same for most other car dealships.

As for the toyota echo, sellers are not willing to go any lower than $10000 for their stinky 5, 6, 7, 8... years old car, considering it has tremendous amount of mileage and dirty aging interiors.

Is this an ongoing issue or is it just me ?

Or is it true that some cars do indeed hold their value despite being a few years on the road ?

I have done enough homework to realise that if i were to buy a 3 or 4 year old car, i might as well get a brand new model with no questionable stains on the driver's seat and of course, without the hassle of dealing with dodgy people..

hahahah

On a lighter note,

I have been churning out more jewelry. Delicate & dreamy pieces that reflect on the simple everyday romance.

These beauties are going to be for sale on etsy soon. Wish me luck :)

happy chinese new year

2008-02-06T21:25:00.000+11:00

What happens when your first ever batch of pineapple tarts you bake for chinese new year taste like.. hmmm.. moth balls ?

Recently, due the increase of moths in my house, i have placed many moth balls in all my cupboards including my food pantry. Well, there was no warning notice on the package that i shouldn't placed it in my pantry, so i did. That's because the moths still seems to be manifesting the area even after countless cleaning and throwing out bags of dried goods.
The smell creeped into my flour and INFUSED it with its revolting stench. With an average whiff of the flour, there is no stench at all, but upon sinking your teeth into a ready baked tart, the mothy taste suddenly became really obvious.
i had a *munch.... munch.. hmm.. crap, it tastes like mothballs* moment

I have stopped eating it ever since and had stuffed them into the fridge with embarrassment.

But today something strange occurred. After 2 days untouched in the fridge, the mothy taste was gone. What a miracle ! I don't what happened inside there, could been caused by the temperature or something.

I made 2 different styles of pineapple tarts : heart shapes and wrap filled ones. I didn't want to buy flower shapes cookies cutters specially for this so i used the heart shape cutter which i already own.
Recipe is from here This is one of the easier recipe around. If you ever intend to bake this, you need to start making the pineapple filling 1 day in advance.

Enjoy!
Happy a wonderful new year ahead!

~I am on a roll ~

2008-02-02T19:09:00.000+11:00

Drumroll pleasee..

3 more sparkling necklaces churned out over the weekend.

When the waves of inspirations strike you from here & there

Up & down, handmade seems to be the way to go. I love the thought of such beautiful creations are painstaking made with two nimble hands, a passionate heart & an inspired mind:)

There babies are one of its kinds; spurred by a moment of creative energy to construct something different from mass-produced retail lookalikes.

take the handmade pledge yay !

blue sparkles

2008-01-31T21:29:00.000+11:00

Made this pair of earrings today as i stayed at home all day as prescribed by the doctor. I haven't exactly been feeling well for the past 2 days with heartburn, tension & anxiety attacks. Relaxing at home has definitely calm me down. These blue sparkles are a seachange from all the knitting i have been doing. I have dreamt of blue drop baubles for the past few days and finally got a chance to launch that idea into a real life piece. Yay

There is also a glowy blue necklace too, but it too dark to capture its glory with artificial light.
The weather in melbourne has changed recently too. It is starting to get chilly & rainy.
Time for scarf season again :)

some monday distractions..

2008-01-28T21:01:00.000+11:00

Look ! Chinese New year cookies. No, i didn't make them myself for once.. My cousin from singapore dropped by yesterday to give me some of these marvelous tasting goodies from bengawan solo. They are absolutely mood-lifters ( not that i was in a bad mood, it is the long weekend anyway) & yummy. The long yellow ones are pineapple tarts and the others are hazelnuts & blackcurrents cookies. Thanks Lynn !
A trick to eat those crumbly cookies: Just pop the whole thing into your mouth, don't just stop & take a nimble, it doesn't do any justice to the wonderful bursting flavours.
More crocheting as promised. Today i tried knitting a dishcloth but i was struck by the wonderful textured feel of crochet, so i switched~ from knitting to crochet with the help of this stitch & bitch book. After a few unfruitful attempts, i ended up with the circle. The stitches looked a little uneven and a bit ugly in fact but no worries at all, practice makes perfect, at least i am not shunning away from it like before... Without pausing, i casted on again with the blue yarn, hopefully, this will turn out better.
The orange yarn is debbie bliss cotton dk and the blue yarn is jo sharp cotton dk. I will put my money with debbie bliss in future as the cotton is strong, sturdy and not splitty like jo sharp's.
I have one domestic usage for it so far: Candle mat. Don't worry, i will not light the candle, just using it to flatten the stitches.. hhehhhee

Today, it is Mr H's birthday, so i am going to spend less time on the internet and more on him and cakes :)
Happy Birthday, Sweetheart !

a little daily inspiration

2008-01-28T01:33:00.000+11:00

My internet broke down for a couple of weeks, causing my usual broadband to plummet into slow crawling dial-up speed which left me constantly hyperventilating and cursing my breath ( pardon me) every time i logged on to the internet, it can't even download the main page of blogger much less of anything else. Nothing much happened during the 2 weeks besides work and more work which puts me into a constant foul mood.

This is what i saw during the weekend. Floral blooms at my doorsteps, not sure what flower this is but it just lights my day. There are clusters of them all over the bush. Well, isn't it wonderful when you can pause, breathe and look at the surrondings sometimes, without scampering into the daily mundane grind.

Of course, every morning i wake up to this goodness. Hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles of hundreds & thousands, i know that it is too rich & sinful but who cares, i need some comforting before i go step into that madding workplace again.Here's my new project, short & sweet cardigan pattern from wool baa. It has been heavily modifed so far. I never like to stick to a pattern completely, i need to make changes to keep me motivated from knitting or else it will be another ufo lurking around. More pictures to come as i have knitted the first 2 fronts already.

Well, tomorrow is monday and i am not working ! Thanks to having a public holiday~Australia day which fell on saturday.. no monday blues for me for once;)

I have been wanting to show you these...

2008-01-13T18:18:00.000+11:00

Some reading for the new year. Ever since Borders opened its store in the neighbourhood 3 months ago, the number of books in my house increases exponentially. H cannot leave the place without buying something. Thank god, we signed up for discounts, at least it doesn't burn a hole in the pocket. Nonetheless, it has rubbed on to me too .. ( thanks, H) My weakness are chick lits and craft books, which i buy once in a while.

Can you see the 2nd book from the top ? It's "the friday night knitting club", not a fantastic read but great inspiration for knitting. There is also a rumour that julia roberts is going to be in its movie version. This book makes me want to abandon what i am doing and work in a yarn shop full time.. haha

The first book on the top is P.S I love you. It makes me cry buckets and cherish the people around me. I have yet to see the movie. But i guess it will be great with Gerard Butler in it.
Well, did you spot the sewing reference at the bottom? I think it is high time that i revisit the domestic craft again. I am so inspired to sew ( machine sew actually) bags after checking the wonderful fabrics & sewing blogs around. At least sewing is faster than knitting.. am i right ?

Juliet has been done ages ago and worn several times now. It was completed 1 month ago and i just couldn't managed to find the time to take a decent photo. Well, this is good enough for the time being until i get someone who is kind enough to take picture of me wearing it. Overall, it is a quick and easy knit. The yarns i used ( Bamboo& cotton from patons ) do not seem to hold the garment well. After a few wears, it sags even more. Heavy drapes i would say. But since it is cotton i can wear it in summer on its own or a long sleeve top inside during winter.

This is tonight's dinner. Nothing fancy on a sunday night.. (oohhh sighh.. i am feeling the monday blues already..)I made nasi lemak and some left over grilled salmon and kfc winglets. Rice is cooked with coconut milk, salt & pandan essence. Together with some fried eggs and anchovy and peanuts, served with cubed spam with chilli onion sauce. We couldn't even finish half of these, i guess we will be eating these tomorrow as well :)

That's all for now.. Have a great week ahead.

cookies for the new year

2008-01-05T19:11:00.000+11:00

Here are some cookies i baked yesterday. I have not been baking anything for myself since those sticky date puddings for christmas that fed 15 people !( sorry, no pictures, i was in busy-daze throughout those eventful days) and i was absolutely craving to create something edible besides yarn crafts.

The recipe is adopted from here. They are soft cookies that do not need to be in the oven for a long time, not more than 10 minutes. Easy to bake even when you are tired and the ingredients are all readily available in any functional kitchen.

Most of them were gone once they were off the oven, I was too slow to capture the moment !

P.S: No eggs are harmed during the process, they were substituted by plain yoghurt.

I would like to share this picture of Blythe from the 2007 Shutter muse contest. Isn't she lovely ?

Here is an excerpt from the site:

This year's Miss Popularity prize goes to Akiko Yajima! Congratulation! Her photo of Blythe has captured the hearts of many Blythe fans.The ray of light coming from the sky, the clear air, her Blythe looks like a fairy in the forest. She looks so adorable with her hands full of pine cones. We received comments from the fans like "Suddenly, I was drawn into this soft mystical world." , " If I go this forest, I felt like I really will see her". Thank you for this beautiful photo!

Little Forest Helper, i am still saving money to own my first blythe !

my first ever successful crochet adventure

2007-12-31T19:49:00.001+11:00

After a trip to Spotlight on saturday prompted me to rethink the possibility of learning how to crochet again ( yes, again) over numerous failed attempts over the years. Jen & i were shopping for craft materials when we saw ready made crochet flowers for sale at $1.39. Well, if i could make them myself, i wouldn't be buying them.. Nonetheless, those crochet flowers went straight into the shoppping basket without much of a thought.

Now, look ! A cute little shopping basket that i have crocheted using some cotton yarn. Even though the yarn was very splitty, it was still quite fun.
I poured through an old stitch n bitch crochet book and some graphic japanese craft books into order to achieve this. I can't seem to hold the yarn taut and hook at the same time without having some hiccups. Maybe i am just a girl who prefers two sticks to one.
Don't you think the colour of the basket reminds you of Smurf ?? To market to market, it seems like Gizmo is having some fun . Mo has agree to model all future miniature crochet items..YayPlease Mo, let us see what is inside your bag?

ooh it is a coconut candy !
Stay till for more crochet adventures

Till then,
I hope you all have a Safe & Happy New year:)

christmas dinner

2007-12-26T23:27:00.000+11:00

menu :

roast beef served with mixed berries onion sauce
prawn salad with melons & mango
pesto pasta with bacon bits & sun-dried tomatoes
deep fried butterfly prawns served with mayo wasabi dip

All served in a home filled with warmth & laughters of friends :)

merry christmas

no more bunny

2007-12-21T14:51:00.000+11:00

This will be a photoless entry today ( bad gloomy daylight will do no justice to photos). The rabbit is gone for almost 1 week after a massive storm hit town. It has been raining constantly for the past 3 days that any hope of finding bunny is completely gone, hopefully it will appear again when the sun is back. ( geez.. i know, summer is here now we are expectng bush fires not rainy storms ~Blame it on global warming folks !)

Juliet is finished! i got so many compliments wearing it to work. I promise there will be pictures soon..

Also on the knitting front, Hike is done too and it fits H nicely. More weaving the ends in, washing & blocking are needed. With this rainy weather, there may be a slight chance that he can still wear it now without waiting till winter :)

till then..
have a merry christmas..

resident rabbit

2007-11-15T23:27:00.000+11:00

Remember the rabbit in my previous post?

Well, now it seems like it is more of a resident rabbit, lurking around the garden patches everyday.

Now i even spot it before i go to work in the morning. It nests itself under the shady trees, ocassionally leaping out to scare off the local birds. ( or perhaps they are now friends ?)

struggling to get the lettuce leaf off me !

Hulloo? sand in your face ?* scratch*

sniffing inquisitively.. takes a nibble and discards it

apparently, rabbits do not like strawberries

look who's here

2007-11-10T17:06:00.001+11:00

Lately, there has been a rabbit appearing at my door everyday ! It comes roughly on time when i reach home from work, giving me a pleasant surprise after a long hard day. It is often found rummaging through the front garden patch eating flowers and grass. I was so excited by its presence that i set aside some old lettuce leaves just to feed it.

hey, stop taking pictures... feed me

brrrr... snuggle up... i am cold...

Yay.. This is the 100th post

2007-11-06T15:14:00.000+11:00

Today is a public holiday ~ Melbourne Cup. I finally get to have some rest as the last public holiday we had here was 5 months ago..

Nothing much to show on my 100th post, only the beginnings of Juliet. It is such a quick and easy knit. The yarn is a new product called Serenity from patons. It is made up of a blend of cotton & bamboo fibres, how interesting isn't it? It feels light yet bears some warmth when placed next to the skin. Hopefully, it will be finished before christmas.

Enjoy the day...

turning organic

2007-10-28T18:39:00.000+11:00

As mentioned in my previous post, my quest of eating healthy has driven me to venture into unknown territory.. we are talking about organic produce not just vegetarian or vegan. I am not sure how long this ' whim' will last but hopefully will improved my overall wellbeing for good.

That picture is from Macro Wholefoods store in Richmond. I went today to pick up some basic foodstuff like milk, breakfast oats, jams and some fruits. So far so good, it did not break the bank as the total bill came up to about $18. Maybe i should do this every fortnight adding a variety of organic food in my groceries.

Anyway, that creamy milk organic chocolate was calling out for me the whole time i was there... Nope, i did not buy it ..

breakfast

2007-10-27T14:26:00.001+10:00

Nothing much to post about recently.. How about some breakfast i had this morning ?! I have been trying to cut down on meat consumption and eat more healthily by having more greens aand fruits in my diet.

Here is what i had :

brown rice oats cereal with dried fruits and gold kiwi fruit, with a side serve of seedless grapes and more gold kiwi. ( i m not sure what happened, i am soo addicted to gold kiwi)

the drink ? hot lady grey tea with a little sugar.

On the knitting front, i am once again redoing Hike ( yes, that cardigan !), unravelling sleeves and reknitting armholes all because i had miscalculated the tension of zara yarns, that's why i always end up with something too big even though i follow the pattern right to the every stitch..

i am fighting a losing battle...

But nonetheless i have something else to look forward to, i bought Juliet from zephyr style and tilted duster from interweave... i can't wait to start on those..

Have a good weekend to all & remember to adjust your clock to one hour ahead on 2 am, sunday morning for daylight savings..

last but not least... check this out

100% crochet cat : pattern

dinner

2007-10-04T22:08:00.001+10:00

I made dinner in 30 minutes after a long day of work and commute. Simple grilled chicken with garlic, accompanied tom yum soup with lots of mushrooms and seafood, served with rice cooked in chicken stock and coriander leaves. I was running lack of ideas of what to cook everyday and this was the product of staring at my fridge and cupboards for inspirations.

Now that i have started new working hours means that i will get home on time every night to prepare dinner and save some money from those dreadful takeaways..

On the knitting front, 'Hike' by Martin Storey ( that sweater that i ripped ) is almost done once again. Hopefully it will fit this time round. I shall not waste precious time to modify it again.. my fingers are itching for new projects from zephyr style.

Check this out...

perfect simple knits for summer..

a wild goose chase...

2007-09-13T23:05:00.000+10:00

Today, i put myself on a pointless hunt for the latest fall interweave knits all over town, looking high and low in all possible magazine stores, book shops and even good old Borders ( 2 outlets). It was sold out all over town.. Was i the last person to discover this gem ?

All because i am smitten with this cardigan, Tilted Duster, after i saw this version..
I wasted my morning as well as almost 45 mins worth of lunch time and i am devastated.

The only place that apparently still sells it is an online yarn store, woolshack , which is easily accessible in the comfort of my own home !!!

Well i am still going to get it after all, despite the outrageous shipping costs..

dessert for you ?

2007-09-10T23:12:00.000+10:00

Last night, i made this dessert after dinner. I was craving for honeydew & sago but the honeydew found in the local supermarket is too expensive and i got another substitute.. Rockmelon! Close enough, isn't it..

It is pretty easy to make and you can whipped this up in less than 10 mins for those who do not live near any S'porean or M'sian restaurants..

Recipe:

some chopped cubes of rockmelon/ honeydew
rock sugar, 2 big rocks
water
pandan leaves, knotted
sago
evaporated milk

directions:

to make the sugar syrup, boil 3 cups of water with rock sugar & pandan leaves till all the sugars dissolve, and set aside to cool, preferably in the fridge.
to cook the sago, boil in water and constantly stirring till sago swells and turn semi translucent and soft. ( some people prefer complete translucent sago) to prevent the sago from clumping up.
Strain sago after cooking and add it to the sugar syrup, add cubed honeydew and evaporated milk and mixed
Enjoy it chilled

p.s: add sugar or evaporated milk according to taste..

did i knit with my eyes close ?

2007-08-26T17:15:00.000+10:00

Remember this from the last post, i guess i have knitted 2 sizes bigger than the recipient's body !

What was i thinking?

Did i really used up 13 balls of yarns for my misjudgment, when the pattern calls for 9 balls? Was i too confident that i could whip up a knitted garment after i did jen's turquoise cardigan ?

Even after gentle coaxing that this mishap garment will still be worn, i couldn't let it grow anymore. Even after having sewn all the seams, i have to let it go.

i have to UNRAVEL....

goodbye, 2 months worth of hardwork....

On the lighter side of things happened this weekend, my mixed berries cupcakes turned out to be yummy. No more black bottoms and nasty surprises !

I can't win both ways, can i ?

what is it ?

2007-08-19T15:59:00.000+10:00

Look, something massive has been brewing day and night..

Wait, there is more... Layers of them..
Eeeks...

Well, i have been working on this for the past 2 months. I can't say what it is, but it is almost a finished object.

Watch this space

Happy 42nd Birthday Singapore !!

2007-08-10T18:59:00.000+10:00

I wish i was there

2007-07-31T20:07:00.001+10:00

Swinging winter cardi

2007-07-30T19:33:00.000+10:00

I have always love the cold weather here as i can step out in stylish knitted pieces to brave the cold slap every morning. Hence, i caught the 'knitting garments' BUG, those clothes in my dreadful wardrobe are either simply not warm enough or phase out.. What was i thinking with that odd ball polar fleece jacket??

But alas, i was left without phone & internet connection for almost 2 weeks due to the storms. Now that i am back, i really have to show you guys the completion of the swing cardi as mentioned in my previous posts.

Drum rolllll.........

Pattern : Courtesy of Leonie from Wool Baa (inspired by a country road cardigan)

Yarn: Fila Di Crossa Zara 13 balls of 50g

Needles: 4mm

Duration: 9 weeks

Recipient: Jennifer

I love it completely and proud of myself for chunning this out. I am glad Jen loves it :) Look out for more garment projects as there is another one in the pipeline...

buttery scarf

2007-07-14T18:10:00.000+10:00

Sometimes, i love to multitask my knitting projects. It is one of the best words in the English language because with all the yarn i bought recently, it is enticing me to do something with them, furthermore, it leads to another reason to buy more !! I have even receive a wool voucher from Jen to further propel me into the depths of woolly madness.
white on white ?
Another addition to the scarf family, after blocking ( which lasted for 2 days on the ironing board with metal pins stuck all over it to loosen all stitches) it stretches out to over 2 metres long, enough to go around my neck twice for added warmth & style.

Product: Buttery Scarf
Pattern source : creative knitting aus copied from here
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino dk~ 2.5 balls
Needles: Ivore size 6.00 mm
Time taken: 1 week

now i can move on to other projects

sunday night savers

2007-07-08T22:07:00.000+10:00

Homemade Chocolate mousse topped with raspberry icecream with a myriad of berries.

Hopefully this will help me ward of Mondayitis.

I have been suffering an intermitten headache for the past 24 hours. Going to throw a huge tantrum, stamp my feet on the ground & not go to work tomorrow.

japanese dinner on lazy tue

2007-07-03T20:58:00.000+10:00

look! I cooked Japanese tonight.
The chicken dish was inspired by what jen did. Deep fried chicken breast cubes with salt & pepper sprinkled with sesame seed. The rice was tossed hot with seaweed seasoning topped with good old sunny-sided eggs.

Of course, the meal was served with tofu miso soup ...
Any meal cooked in 30 mins is always great for a tired week night:)

Sunday brunch at home

2007-07-01T15:56:00.000+10:00

On a typical weekend, this is what i will eat. Dumplings with alot of chillies, plus, before i can fully wake up, a cup of hot milk tea. Don't ask why, the caffeine in tea works better for me than coffee.

and there you have it...

2007-06-30T22:15:00.000+10:00

A finish product finally, but not seamed up at all. ( going to soon..) I am surprised at myself to be able to sit through all the knitting techniques, mathematical complexities, defining stitches & most of all patience.

A pile of cardigan 'parts'

Amazing Feat Huh.. even though it doesn't look so good right now

I even started a scarf using debbie bliss yarn tonight, inspired by this.

Have a good weekend!

i am officially 24

2007-06-24T16:05:00.000+10:00

Yesterday, i went to wool baa to pick up some yarns for my next project & had coffee with Jen. It was suppose to be a quiet night with no hoo-ahhs birthday bash. I just wanted to go home & cooked a simple fried noodles dish & called it a night as i am still down with a cold & can't really taste anything except for those terribly minty sore throat drops. But then, it turned out otherwise, met up with H & friends for a chinese 5 course dinner.

While waiting for them to arrive, i was told to pick up my own pressie & H will pay for it. That's the problem with H, he is always afraid to buy something i disapprove.

I just love watches with big faces, Thank You Sweetheart!

So i chose a watch. Something Useful for Once! Haha, look at my fantastic collection of books, H & i used to read alot.

goo goo caramelly mess

After a long dinner, we went for birthday cakes at Crown & they were so expensive. It used to be $7 a slice & now it is $12. The worst thing about it is that they don't even dare to put the price on it. I felt cheated! We ended the night by watching Fantastic 4. It was pretty good, as i am such a fan of superhero movies.

Look at those yarns ! I just love it so much, but there is more, i just couldn't squeezed so much into the photos and i finally grabbed those Cashmerino yarns for more scarves. Yes, I am so slow to acquire these fantastic yarns with the whole knit-blogsphere chanting its name. The squishness just make my day. Now i have to put it to the test & see what is the fuss all about.

to buttons to buttons

2007-06-21T20:20:00.000+10:00

Well, did i say there are a zillion ways i can use those buttons for craft projects, the first thing i did was to whip out an old chunky off shoulder sweater & rescued it from oblivion. This sweater was one of my favourite ones because of its complicated stitch pattern & it really looks very nice on me. Problem is, I only wore it once due to the constant slipping off my shoulder ( i know it is suppose to be that way)... Well, now that annoying trend has past & i can't wear this out in the blizzard~ing cold.. which by the way, was how i got my cold recently..

So i pinned the two sides inwards and stitched them up so that the collarband does not scoop so much and sit perfectly on me. Sorry no pics, these photos are already awful enough. One fine day, when there is sunlight & someone free to help me with a photoshoot.

Tah dah, big baby blue buttons for aesthetic effects. I have been wanting to wear this to work today, but instead of having just a cold, i am down with a full-blown fever now with constant shivering. I am not sure if i can make it to work tomorrow as i have only got 2 days of MC.

So sick of rice porridges, i am going to order takeaways for dinner tonight. I don't care if i get even worse because of this

hello.. almost complete

2007-06-18T23:16:00.000+10:00

Still knitting with the bits of energy left from a sluggish caffeine charged overworked body.

The glaring flash indicates the severity of night time here ever since winter seeped in. I dislike harsh nights like these as it will be so hard for me to work on projects at night, even lesser of a chance to take photos to blog.

Feeling so tired and worn out even though i have got 2 days MC from work due to a bad cold virus.. at least i have more time to work my knitting projects.

see that bottle with a green cap, it's a humble little tub of garlic pills to ward of colds. But it's not helping.

my turn..

2007-06-16T21:57:00.000+10:00

These were the buttons i acquired at buttonmania with Jen last week.. Go & have a look here

There are a million things i can do with these buttons, like attaching them to embellish scarves & bags. What i can do right now is stare at them.. They look so much like lollies, pluck from Hansel & Gretel's candy house.. hmm

I did so many things today, i even trim my hair & made dessert after dinner :)

Weekend Knitting meme

2007-06-10T23:11:00.000+10:00

Hello, i suppose this has been done countless of times in many knitting blogs. But it's the first time in Kniterella. Something different to spice up a lazy long weekend.. well not so long after today, i would have to commence full time work soon and have even lesser chance to knit & blog

If this is a Addicts Anonymous meet, here is what i will say

Hi, my name is Shanwen & I am a yarnaholic!
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I started out knitting with acrylic and not even aware of it, after i discovered better yarns, i never looked back

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

Rarely, unless the pattern requires some form of basic crocheting

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

I am mildly allergic to play-doh !!

4. How long have you been knitting?

I did a brief stint when I was 8, playing with yarn, but officically knitting for the past 3 years.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Nope, but i love looking at what others recommend. Moreover shipping from amazon.com will cost me a bomb even if the price is low. I prefer booktopia.com.au, which ships locally . Ha!

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Anything fresh, clean & floral and not too heavy & musky like a night perfume. I am more of a day person

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

YES. I have to admit that i love jelly snakes, cola gums, Tim Tams, chocolate chip cookies, caramel ice cream, jam donuts and the list goes on. I am trying to curb my cravings & save those poor teeth from destruction

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

Some sewing like making bookmarks & coin pouches

9. What kind of music do you like?

jazz, rock, whatever that is already in my ipod

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

I love anything grey, pink, lemon, olive, forest green, turquoise.. Sometimes lavender too:)

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Not married, but have been dating my darling sweetheart for three years. No pets (yet).

12. What are your life dreams?

In spite how silly i will sound, I really do hope to have my own yarn store one day.
I also dream of marrying the love of my life and growing old and wrinkled with him.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

Big chunky yarns for quick scarves. Fila di 'Zara' ( you know what i am talking abt), mostly merino or some lovely colours.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Anything eyelash or novelty or acrylic. Sometimes mohair as well. As long as it is not too gawdy or itchy on my skin.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Eyeing all zara yarns, knitting tons & tons of scarves & cardigans

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks & scarves

17. What are you knitting right now?

Swing cardigan for my friend & scarf for cousin

18. What do you think about ponchos?

I love ponchos with big buttons, going to sit down one day and seriously design a quirky & versatile piece for my wardrobe.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

I only knit with straight needles, i never knew how to use circulars even though i buy countless of them. They are so badly twisted & absolutely hate to soften it out.. hmm

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Is Caesin considered ? love Ivore needles.. Plastic & bamboo are great too. In fact anything light is good for my wrists.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Absolutely.

22. How did you learn to knit?

One faithful autumn in 2004, i walked into Lincraft and saw all the yarns & posters for knitting class. I signed up immediately, because i have always wanted to learn how to knit ever since i was 8 !!! Just that knitting does not have its place in tropical Singapore .

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

It is at least 10 mths old. A pink tank top

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

Gizmo from Gremlins

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Aside from the obvious—yarn, knitting notions and pattern books.. movie tickets

this is cool

2007-06-08T23:31:00.000+10:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Today i bought a country road cardi & some fabulous buttons at buttonmania sale with Jen ! too tired to post now.. watch this space guys

I am so looking forward to this Queen's birthday long weekend & i caught a nasty flu bug suddenly.. Ah cHoooo

a swinging weekend

2007-05-27T15:08:00.000+10:00

Hello, i am back. Despite the lack of time to cook and catching up with everyday errands ever since i started my new job, i miraculously have time to knit. Go figure. I am still knitting the swing cardigan from the previous post and it is growing very well indeed.

I am now knitting the back panel and it is such a breeze, all because of the good yarn. That's right, it's Zara yarns again, buttery smooth with ease on my tired fingers after a day of work on the computers. Knitting is a great way to escape from reality. I always turn a deaf ear on Mr H and he is getting really annoyed:) haha

On tuesday, i went to watch Spiderman 3 with Mr H and i totally loved it. Now i can't wait to watch Pirates of the Caribbean 3.

This weekend will be alot of cleaning and tidying up my small apartment which is sadly neglected for weeks and catching up with friends. Hope you all have a good weekend too :)

A week in Turquoise

2007-04-29T16:35:00.000+10:00

Firstly i bought a pair of shoes from sportsgirl in that colour. After eyeing it for a week, it was reduced. Then i knew i had to have my hands on it. ( sorry abt the blurry pic and dull weather)

Followed by a brand new project : Swing Cardigan .The pattern and yarn were contributed by lovely Jen. She has no time to construct this beauty so i took the challenge. It is all looking well and i am very pleased with it. A relaxing and satisfying knit.

Note: All the pictures were taken during the same period yet the shades of turquoise are so different.

Yoke cardi from witchery ?

2007-04-24T19:21:00.000+10:00

Isn't this cardi gorgeous ? And the price tag is outrageous.. If only i can get a similar pattern and knit this in red...

swish scarf

2007-04-18T13:53:00.000+10:00

With all the scarves i have knitted recently, it's only natural that i will knit another one. I am still not ready for bigger projects. This scarf pattern is from here. A simple pattern but challenging enough for me. I hope that someone special will like it.

1 year anniversary

2007-04-11T18:51:00.000+10:00

Gosh guys, it has been 1 year since i started blogging about knitting and life in general. This has been my outlet for venting my knitting vengence and of course sharing my knitting accomplishments and pleasures. I enjoy reading knitting and craft blogs as they often fuel me with more inspirations for knitting and buying yarn.

I can't help being a fiber-holic and thank god, that there are many more like me who fell into the deadly grasp of this addiction. People who think and breathe yarn almost every minute of their lives. People like me who has tons of creative knitting vibes flowing in me, waiting to burst out free. Waiting to knit the ultimate scarf, bag, socks or even sweaters. Before i discovered knitting one fine autumn day in a craft shop back in 2004, it never crossed my mind that it will take over my life. I tried squeeze knitting into almost everything i did during the first 2 years of my addiction. I knitted on trains, knitted in front of the TV and even preferred it over going to sleep. I told myself: just one more row, and i will call it a day. But no, it was never enough. I ended up finishing the whole thing at 5 am. I found myself at yarn sales, making yarn pilgrimages and of course lugging bags of yarn goodies back home just because they were on sale and how they would make the perfect sweater.

I studied a stranger's hat or a display sweater in a shop just to see how it was made. I even quit buying knitwear, thinking that i could reverse engineered whatever that fancied me.

I hounded the craft section at Borders, browsing through all the knitting magazines, scanning rapidly at the various potential knit projects for the near future. Eventually, i ended up with 1 too many projects to handle and the yarn started to tangle-up. I got so busy with my hands that i almost became a hermit, shunned from the world. Everything else was secondary. Knitting had to come first. I couldn't shy away from those wonderfully luscious yarns, delighfully hued in every possible shade, begging me to do something creative with it. I admitted defeat. I even got into unnecessary quarrels because of it.

Call me a hobbyist, my knitting compulsion continues. However, things have changed now. After more than 2 years of constant knitting, i am beginning to slow down. I have come to realise that knitting has taught me more than creating stitches and spending money. I have learnt through my enthrallment with yarn that in my former days, i had went from hobby to hobby because i never found anything that i was truly good at or kept me challenge. Knitting did. I gave me peace and and makes my mind focused. I am still amazed at how i can create things with just a ball of string and 2 sticks. Knitting has gave me comfort and creativity and it's where i belong.

Nowadays, i knit a few rows each week. This is a far cry from my previous madness. I have got my life back, I learnt to embrace everything else i have lost before knitting came into my life. I love this knittingg blog and the people i met through it and hope there will be more achievable knitting ahead of me.

Here's a potential new project which i found from here isn't it wonderful? The different ways you can wear it?!

Happy Easter !

2007-04-08T18:10:00.000+10:00

Here's a peak into my kitchen ...It is not Easter without chocolate easter eggs . Hope you all have a relaxing weekend.

almost there, almost winter

2007-04-05T21:53:00.000+10:00

Look mum! What is it ? A drum ? A head pillow? A nearly finished scarf ? I love the way it turns out. I can't wait to wear it out in the cold.
Yarn Lasagna?

I can't wait for winter to come. I know i sound silly saying that. But after observing this fall's trends, i realise that gray is the new black. And I love gray so much!

Check out this new Chanel bag, donned by Diane Kruger.

Big and roomy ? Check.

Carry by the shoulder? Check

In a dark colour ?Check

It completes this winter's mood !

Yay!

Breakkie

2007-04-03T23:04:00.000+10:00

Yesterday i got this lovely fabric and decided to convert it into a tablecloth. My dining table has been bare ever since i bought it 2 years ago, recently more and more scratches appeared and it's time i get something over it:)
The edges are sewn by hand since my 'toy' sewing machine broke down every 5 minutes.

I woke up early today. It has been a long time since both me and Mr H are at home in the morning and i decided to make pancakes from flour and eggs as there were no pancake mix at home !!
Caramelised Bananas with golden syrup pancakes

Yummy. They turned out to be good. The plates were cleaned within 5 minutes.

where is my pot of gold ?

2007-03-27T13:10:00.000+10:00

I have been waiting for prayers to be answered.
I cannot wait any longer.
I am going to burst.
I am so sick of going through the same thing everyday.
I have been set high up to sail and let down suddenly by a gush of wind.
I am neither here or there.
I have lost my way and cannot see if there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Only time will tell. But i can't wait any longer.
I am holding on to a string of hope, wondering if it has been worthwhile all along.
Maybe i do not belong to this place.
I cannot go on like this.
I wish life would be kinder to me.
" all dressed up" but nowhere to go

I thank the people around me, keeping me sane all this time.

Sunday

2007-03-25T13:31:00.000+10:00

Today, i finally get to wake up early on a sunday morning to have brunch with Bec. Impressive ! Considering that i am such a lazy bum.
Flea market ! And we went home empty-handed. Bec took a picture of my jo sharp scarf. Look how tweedy it is, there is a little embellishment at the bottom though you can't see it.

That's a Clover felting kit which i used to make my embellishment. It's very useful and can be used on practically anything. What a toy!

I hope you all have a good weekend too.

Is knitting a Cult ?

2007-03-21T16:20:00.000+11:00

I have finished the Jo Sharp scarf, waiting for a perfect time to take picture.

But now, i have something to show you : Zara scarf. This yarn is heavenly to knit with. I seriously have not knit with butter before. The moss stitches are so defined with this yarn. There is a little mistake with the slip stitch edging.. but who cares, i am the one wearing it .

I feel so at ease when i look at it .. ... Doesn't it brings you inner peace too?

Vrooommmm..

2007-03-19T13:49:00.000+11:00

Guess what !? i just got my driving license today ! so happy

woolla mooo loooo

2007-03-17T15:25:00.000+11:00

Back into the knit of things.. i decided that all i need is simple mindless scarves to inspire me to knit again. I was too pressured into knitting garments and ended up in a mess with hair pulling, ripping and tears.

The brown mass above is a garter stitch scarf in progress, knitted in Jo Sharp's aran tweed. It is so tweedy and sophisticated which makes me look forward to winter badly. I have enough of this horrendous warm weather anyway. Australian summer is really putting me in a bad mood.

Here are 2 balls of recently acquired 'Zara'.. yes.. my first 2 balls of precious Zara. After hearing continuous raves by Jennifer, i simply have to try it. I will knit a moss stitch scarf to show off its squishy woollen properties. ( it's machine washable too, great for lazy girls like me) If all goes well, i will get the green Zara and knit my cousin's long waiting scarf.

I will knit n purl away all my blues and life's uncertainties......

knitting slump

2007-03-02T04:34:00.000+11:00

My knitting has hit a slump for the past few months. I just can't pick up the needles and knit non-stop like before. I am not sure if i am inspired anymore or just plain lazy. For the past 2 weeks, i have been ripping out my scarf over and over again; constantly searching for new patterns online but in vain.

Please send the knitting fairies back to me.

For all blythe fanatics

2007-02-25T04:54:00.000+11:00

This exhibition is about accessories for blythe and barbie doors. Truly inspirational :)

Happy Chinese New Year

2007-02-23T01:44:00.000+11:00

Happy Chinese New Year everyone! I love CNY especially because of this wonderful bak kwa ( honey pork jerky) Yum! May all our wishes come true this year

Battling with lashes

2007-02-17T20:13:00.000+11:00

Have you ever encounter a fantastic mascara that does its job of volumising lashes but unable to clean them off completely?

In comes Garnier's eye makeup remover that promises everything and fails to deliver at the end of the day.

Here is an excerpt:

Garnier Fresh Eye Makeup Remover has been enriched with blueberry extracts to efficiently remove makeup, and enhanced with an allantoin conditioner that leaves an agreeable soothing sensation on the skin. Its ultra-soft formula has the same pH balance as tears, so it’s perfect for cleansing around the fragile contours of the eyes.

Verdi ct: My eye contours were still spotted with bits of dried mascara. After cleaning a few more times, my lids were heavy and dry. Don't buy this product unless you absolutely do not have a choice.

trashy week

2007-01-19T10:11:00.000+11:00

Too many bad things happened to me this week. I hope this wave of unhappiness will pass quickly. Perhaps it's my stars and planetary alignment or just my lousy luck. But i definitely hope for some positive change of karma asap.

Meanwhile, i have been thinking of posting this for a long time. Last year, i bought this cute Japanese craft book for these reasons.

Look at the toys and those totally huggable beans! I would love to knit them soon:) That's all for now... Wish me luck :O

Melbourne's Worst Blackout

2007-01-16T23:38:00.000+11:00

A massive power blackout across Victoria today left 200,0000 homes without electricity and threw Melbourne's public transport system and road network into chaos.
As the state sweltered, power supplies were cut across Melbourne, Geelong and northern and eastern Victoria when bushfires near Benalla burnt a main power line between Victoria and NSW.
"It was a day of extreme electricity demand and the bushfires led to the tripping of the major transmission line between Victoria and NSW so that we weren't able to draw on that power as we normally do," Paul Price of the national electricity grid supervisor NEMMCO said.
"It wasn't that there wasn't enough capacity, there was an inability to transport it."
Mr Price said there was a all-time record set today for electricity demand and about 200,000 homes were affected by the blackout.
He said an assessment would be made for tomorrow depending on bushfire activity overnight.

Almost there

2007-01-12T18:46:00.000+11:00

I am now knitting the back portion of this halter top. There are still 3 inches to go before it is finished. So tired of knitting this pattern. It sort of bores me whenever i knit it even though the pattern is so complicated. I hope it gets done quickly so that i can move on to other projects like these... The Twitterpated Purse

A simple garter sitich purse with no fuss. Considering my history of ' good fortune' ( no knitting hiccups) with knitting purses and bags. I should stick to accessories not garments.

I want a Blythe doll now.

2007-01-11T13:02:00.000+11:00

After looking at candlemomo's Blythe dolls for months, i am seduced by its wide-eyed and impossibly chic demeanor. What more can a girl ask more. It has stopped manufacturing ever since in the 70s, to get one on my hands is almost impossible, unless i hunt through ebay. This dollies are dangerously expensive as well.. brrrr.

Squidy

2007-01-07T17:29:00.000+11:00

This deep-sea behemoth has always been a subject of fascination for me. Now, it's CONFIRMED that there are giant squids around. Yay !!

Giant Squid, Where Are You?If they're so big, why can't we find them?

By Daniel EngberPosted Friday, Dec. 22, 2006, at 3:30 PM ET

On Friday, a group of Japanese scientists unveiled a video of a live giant squid—what they claim are "the first ever moving pictures of a giant squid." (You can watch the video here.) In a 2005 Explainer column, reproduced below, Daniel Engber wrote that giant squid are elusive because they live in a dark, deep-sea environment. "Cameras can see only what's within range of an artificial light, and light can scare off some dark-adapted critters," he wrote. (Also see Grady Hendrix's explanation for why we should .)
This week, a British journal published the first-ever pictures of a giant squid alive in its natural habitat. A pair of Japanese researchers set up an apparatus that photographed the creature as it wrapped its tentacles around some bait attached to a deep-sea camera. How did the giant squid remain elusive for so long?
The difficulty of underwater exploration. The giant squid may be no harder to find than any other animal that lives at the bottom of the ocean. Submersibles that travel thousands of feet underwater have provided scientists with only a limited view of deep-sea life. Cameras can see only what's within range of an artificial light, and light can scare off some dark-adapted critters. Plenty of deep-sea animals other than giant squid have shown up in fishing nets without having been captured on film in their natural environment.

The giant squid seems especially mysterious for a couple of reasons. First of all, its incredible size—giant squids can be 40 feet long or more—makes it hard to believe that it can't be seen alive. Second, dead giant squids surface with surprising regularity. In the last few years, there's been a dramatic increase in the number of giant squid carcasses that have been discovered. So, why is it so hard to find a living giant squid when the dead ones are a dime a dozen?
For one, we don't really know where and how giant squid live. Specimens have been found all over the world, but it's not clear if they have regular migration patterns. We know sperm whales eat giant squid—remains have been found in the whales' stomachs—so some researchers have tracked the predators to find the prey. The Japanese researchers looked for the giant squid where sperm whales were known to congregate. Their camera-on-a-rope technique wasn't particularly innovative. (More adventuresome researchers have attached cameras to the sperm whales, for example.) Giant squid experts think they just got lucky.

Brand New Start

2007-01-04T23:52:00.000+11:00

While i was washing the dishes the other day, i saw a buzzing bee flying from flower to flower outside my window, wiggling itself against the soft petals, taking pleasure, time and attention to every flower. Slowly yet merticulously did whatever it needs to do : Collecting Nectar. For a moment, i actually enjoyed washing dishes. If the bee could enjoy its routine as mundane as that, I as a human being should start taking pride in whatever i do. In this new year, i have a long list of things to be done and list is growing. They are not resolutions to me but more of a " Reminder List". Hehe. Anyway, I did keep my 2004 n 2005 resolutions; which was : To be happy. "Simple and Easy", as what my Physics teacher in Secondary School would said. If i could be happy for the past 2 years, i can probably do this list...

To have more " me" time, time to reflect and time to think( But not be too preoccupied with my thoughts)
DetoX my life : Time to throw out stuff including yarn and books which i can't bear to part with , knowing that i come from a family of "keepers". There are truckloads of stuff and useless things lying around in Singapore.
Detox my diet- minimise my snack intake
Detox my purse- Throw out those unwanted receipts and movie stubs.
It's also high time to think about what i want in my life and seek for some stability: which means i need to get my driving license and a proper full time job this year.

That's All i am asking !!

Meanwhile: On the Knitting Front

This is the year to knit

-Grecian Jumper from Interweave Knits for myself

-Cable Scarf for cousin

-Gray Cardigan and " Willow" from Rowan before Winter

-More fancy socks

Perhaps get a part-time stint at the local yarn shop.

It has been 4 days into the new year and the holiday mood is not over yet in me... This Is a year of improvements and i can already feeling positive

Happy New Year

2007-01-02T17:31:00.000+11:00

Happy New Year everyone. Thank you for reading my blog and supporting my knitting obssession.

Merry Christmas n Happy New Year!!

2006-12-27T14:57:00.000+11:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! i know this comes a little late. But who cares! Nothing much has been going on, no knitting, no reading, no housework because i have been working my ass off. Yes, that's right ! for 12 days straight without a single day off. Anyway, christmas season is over, i can finally relax. I didn't even make it to the Boxing day big sales. Spent the whole time sleeping and watching " Smiling Proud Wanderer" also known as "State of Divinity" by Louis Cha aka Jin Yong.

I love this version especially. It's much better than Singapore's version as it stays true to the original storyline. Moreover, Jackie Liu as Linghu Chong is extremely adorable!! Well, i have a few more episodes left before it finishes . Before this, i was watching " Demi Gods, Semi Demons"(1997 version). Felix Wong as Kiu Fung becomes my all time favourite character. A leader of beggar(Gai Bang ) sect who turned into a nobody 'khitan' descendant to becoming the general of Da liao.

The main story centers around Kiu Fung. At a Gai Bang meeting, he finds out that he is of the Khitans, a race Han people fear and despise. He resigns his position as Gai Bang Leader after he realizes that his ethnicity would lead to the Gai Bang splitting up. Instead, he goes to find the person who arranged his parents' deaths. On his journey, he saves the life of a maid named Ah Chu, and the two fall in love. However, he accidentally kills her later when she disguised herself as her father, whom Kiu Fung thought was the "evil leader". Kiu Fung then looked after Ah Chu's sister and became a general for the Khitan Emperor. Soon after, he finds out that the "evil leader" was a respected Shaolin monk and that his biological father was still alive. (I know it sounds confusing, but it will make sense if you watch the show). Kiu Fung later commits suicide to show that he wasn't a traitor to the Hans or the Khitans. This show has so many twisted plots that keeps you guessing all the time.

Ah Chu and Kiu Fung

So much drama but so little time. Louis Cha's drama series are seriously addictive. I have learnt a quite a number of Chinese phrases and some historial facts about China after watching it. It's indeed educational as well. No wonder the Singapore govt wants to implement it as prescribed Chinese literature reading. Yum.

Knitting and Julia Roberts

2006-12-06T19:57:00.000+11:00

Look Goodness Gracious ! The front part of 'Gem' is finally done over the past nights. I have also started the back immediately but after some careful interpretation of the pattern, I realised that 'Gem' is a halter neck top with the back exposed ! Crap! I didn't know anything from the model's pose . Anyway, it should be great for summer then, provided that i can finish it in time.

There are so many projects down the pipeline. Lucky for me that i didn't promised any knitting Christmas gifts.
( close-up details)

As for Julia Roberts: Girl who made knitting chic

Roberts hooks yarn
Thesp joins U's 'Club' Roberts sews up 'Knitting'
By DAVE MCNARY

Julia Roberts will topline family drama "The Friday Night Knitting Club" for Universal, with Roberts and Christine Peters producing.
Roberts will produce through her Red Om production company and Peters through her CFP Prods. shingle. Barbara Zitwer and CFP's Bradford Smith exec produce.
"Friday," based on Kate Jacobs' upcoming novel, centers on a single mom who juggles the demands of running a Manhattan knitting store with raising her spunky teen daughter. Her regular customers gather once a week to work on their latest projects and chat, but when a tragedy occurs, the customers realize they've created more than just a knitting club.

Studio closed the deals with Roberts and Paramount-based Peters ("How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days") last week. No writer or director is attached as yet.

Just for Laughs

2006-12-03T16:23:00.000+11:00

Quick! someone slap me! how could i look as gorgeous as Sofia Coppola? I am no italian:P

Rebecca's Birthday !

2006-12-02T19:07:00.000+11:00

me, rebecca( H), rebecca and kelly
It was quite a wonderful night, despite 'time gaps' caused by a numbskull!

Anyway, i finally overcome inertia today and when for a jog just now. Even though it was a mere 15 - 20 mins, i have finally brought myself to inhale mellyland's air deeply into my lungs. Hopefully, this faithful routine will have more to come.. hehe Perhaps it was the changing weather that brought about a change in heart .

Now, looking forward to watch Iron Chef America... Yummy, thank goodness, there are no more japanese tv actresses with "puffy sleeves" trying to pass off as culinary critics. It gives me the jitters whenever i watch that. " Hmmm, this scallop tastes so good, nice work" BlaH.. Trying to comment with minimum use of vocabulary, and nodding of heads profusely while savaging the delicate dishes.

Happy birthday Shu if you are reading this !

Photos ( thanks to slow uploading by blogger )

2006-11-30T14:25:00.000+11:00

In the morning

Lynn's family
My sister and i, both spotting turquoise ( Colour for all of us surprisingly)

My dear Uncle, the only thorn among the 'pasty white' roses!
Shuying and i

All in a day's work!

May Wesley and Lynn have a long and blissful marriage !

Back from Home

2006-11-24T17:02:00.000+11:00

Usually, this is a place i would talk about my knitting projects and mishaps. But this entry is different as i am back from an impromptu trip to S'pore for my dear cousin Lynn's wedding. It is amazing how weddings can bring people together - Physically from faraway places and as well as emotionally. Not to say that i am an extremely whimpy or emotional person, but i must admit that i did acted fast and jumped onto the plane home. What a last minute decision with so many strings attached.

I am glad to see my grandma, aunts, uncles and my dear family. This is definitely no ordinary trip as i usually bumped around with friends to shop and eat. As far as this trip is concerned, it's mainly centred around family and more family. I even had some amazing local food with a few of my dear cousins which i hardly see them. Once again, before i turned into a premature nag, I am so ecstatic ! I even had to the opportunity to work in my dad's office and had some wonderful and courteous people working and assisting me!

Went out numerous of times with my mom and caught up with the latest goss and news around S'pore. She's the best when it comes to that. Just glad that i could spend some quality time with my family. As for my friends, it 's comforting to now that they have 'progressed' since i last saw them:) A kind of warm and fuzzy feeling that wells in me as we sat and chatted. Nothing fancy, yet soothing and reassuring that the friendship has not changed even though the world around us has drastically morphed into an uninviting habitat.

Singapore has nonetheless become a different place, i don't even recognised some of the places i have been to and there are so many different 'aladdin caves' bursting with goods that would delight a shopper like myself. Astonishing deals like a $16 pair of floral flats and beautifully pleated skirts pricing at $20 that would shocked half the population in Oz. ( not to mentioned, i have not forgotten about Bangkok) But to find a vast range of fashion, accessories, shoes, games, and food of such unsurpassed quality is utterly unbelievable. Trust me.. i am beginning to miss the place i call HOME.

Then of course, i loaded, packed and squeezed a million and one things into my suitcases, waiting to use and show them around in mellyland( affectionally called by ms. koh) Strangely enough, i missed mellyland while i am in spore and also dreaded about what's install for me at home. Of course, there was a warm welcome and went home to dutifully clean up my nest. Days passed, while the computer at home was fixed and broadband installed kindly by a wonderful person, i have decided to add this entry on .

Back to my sea of problems in melly, i am terribly afraid that i will be stuck forever in jobs i see no prospects, careers that masked my abilities and ambitions and occupations that unfortunatedly pay rent and exchange for my survival. As for the knitting front, I have yet to finish any projects and i have decided to do a "Scarf exchange" with my dear cousin. As the temperatures begin to drop in Pittsburgh, my needles better start clicking :0

Back !!

2006-10-06T20:56:00.000+10:00

( bec n i )
I guess i can't stay away from blogging for long.. After this afternoon's meeting with Bec at Gloria jeans, i am determined to make a comeback! She's a blogger too. On the knitting front, i have decided that i am done with that awful Martha cardi. As a super novice at knitting sweaters, i have stepped out of my comfort realm to modifiy the pattern.. The shoulders was far to short.. In short...( pardon the pun) I should have follow the pattern!

Now 'Martha' is 'Gem' by martin storey.

I Love Martin Storey's design.. i always fall in love with them.. I even made an earlier version of his blue ribbon bag.. This man is a genius.. Now, i am recycling Martha's yarn for a halter top.

I am also tempted to knit Storey's 'Hike' Mens cardigan for my Bf!! ( maybe not..)

OOhh.. i couldnt stop gushing about it.

(That's the front)

'Gem' is from Rowan 37. Check it out! Great for a classy summer night. If there's any of you knit bloggers out there thinking of fetching handwarmers again, check out jen's. It is a super cool colour.

As for my life.. everything is still so transitional. I dislike my casual job, i dislike its atrocious working hours, I dislike its 'high n mighty customers.. moreover, its incompetent management!

But i am hanging on.. i don't know how long can i hold.. But life is fair too, at least there is KrispyKreme! I am stuffing myself :)

As an inspiration from jen's book blog, I have included a list of books i am reading.

1. The clockwork testament by Anthony Burgess ( recommended by Mr Bf)

2. The wedding night of an English Rogue by Jilian Hunter

3. Dark Seductions - edited short stories by Alice Alfonsi

There are so many things to do.. by the way, i am a good knitter ( or bad) I have donated a big bag of odd ball yarns to charity !!!!

another reason to buy Rowan !!!!

Spring break

2006-08-25T18:01:00.000+10:00

Hello fellow bloggers and readers, I am taking a blog break. There has been too much trouble with blogger, posting pictures and my computers at home. With my knitting lagging behind recently due to work, i have to start pulling my socks up !! Literally !

I have received Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage socks in my mail after 1 whole month of waiting from Booktopia.com.au. Hopefully i can cast on a proper pair of socks for Mr Bf by tonight. I hope he chooses an interesting pattern, simple enough for public knitting, yet with the right challenge to keep me going:)

Until the day i get a brand new computer, or acquire some interesting yarns or clean up the mess in my house, I shall not appear in blogland.. Hopefully it will not be long before i get organised.

A surprise again

2006-08-19T22:11:00.000+10:00

Look What I Got In My Mail. An interweave fall 2005 issue. I completely adore it . Thank you so much Miss KnitChick.

She also sent me another surprise yesterday. I got these. There is also a very cool socklet pattern. This totally rocks, which leads me to an idea of doing some swapping with her. So generous of her. Knitters are the best people around.

Look at that pink yarn. It is Opal Sock yarn. My very first Opal yarn. Yummy:)

Now, i have more knitting to do.

I have also finished the embellishment on Ava. More pictures when the sun is up. Thanks to the help of Jennifer again.

2 Finished Objects and 1 malfunctional lappie

2006-08-18T14:15:00.000+10:00

My Martha cardigan has been now a hold for the past 2 weeks because of these 2 FOs.
1. Ava Poncho. It is finally done after 2 gruelling weeks of ripping off and casting on. Now, i am waiting for the felting kit to add some embellishment before i wear it out.

pattern: AVa Poncho
source: Rowan Ribbon twist book
time taken: 2 weeks
yarn: 5 balls of Cleckheaton 8ply 50 grams
needle size: 12 mm

modifications: it is knitted slightly shorter than the actual pattern and has a side slit that allows my hands to move more freely.

My fetching wristwarmers are done too. Simple and easy to knit.An instant gratification.

Pattern: Fetching
Source: Knitty.com
Yarn: 1 ball of Jo sharp silkroad Dk Tweed in Iceberg
Time taken : 3 nights
Needles size: 3 mm clover
Modifications: I added an extra cable at the top end of the gloves

I love Jo Sharp Tweed yarns so much that i have decided to use it again next time. I haven't been posting lately due to a slight malfunction in my laptop's monitor. I hopes it gets well soon. Right now, it is working fine again after a week of hiccups.

Dear Lappie, I love you so much, I wish you will never put me down again. I never knew i needed you so much. So does my knitting. Now, i only wish that you will always shine brightly and stay awake.

Love,

Your dear knit blogger mistress

Just cut the Crap

2006-08-05T21:46:00.000+10:00

And buy the book ! Another Rowan Book to my collection, I have decided that i really need this book in order to knit Ava poncho properly. Moreover, there are at least 3 more featured projects i would love to knit. Like these..

I also bought some yarns again !!! Some Patonyle sock yarn to knit socks and jo sharpe tweed for Fetching wristwarmers. I hope to post some pictures soon when the sun is up ! Meanwhile, i got some advice from jennifer and I am going to redo my Ava tonight again for the 3rd time!

Ava ! What Ava ?

2006-08-03T16:19:00.000+10:00

A piece of crap
Ava is done, all seamed up. But there was a problem. It made me looked like a gorilla.
Exagerrating you would say, but it is true. I am so sad now. All my 'ava' hopes are dashed.
I have to rip it and start all over again. Perhaps my long torso isn't exactly made for wearing ponchos. Perhaps, i cheated. The truth is... I do not own Rowan Ribbon twist book. I used my 'wonderful' photographic memory to scan and memorise the pattern at the LYS and went home with some yarn ( not even ribbon twist, a substitute). I was ecstatic and looked what happened.
Perhaps my memory wasn't that fantastic after all.

I guess i am going to email Jennifer and ask her for her modifications. I will give it 1 more try again.

But there is some good news too. I won an Interweave Mag at a Knitchick contest! I also purchase Knitting Vintage Socks from Booktopia. I hope time flies so i could get my hands on it soon.

Weak legs

2006-08-02T20:14:00.001+10:00

I have not been blogging much, but i have been KNITTING. With martha's back done, i am casting on for the fronts of the cardigan. There had been alot of modifications with this pattern. I tried to make it longer and narrower to fit my body. But then again, i think i have destroy the pattern by doing all these. I believe after finishing the cardigan, the end product would not look like martha anymore. But who cares if it fits !!

I have also casted on for Ava poncho ! In fact, i am done with the front piece and moving on to the back. ( anyway, the both pieces look alike.) I am trying to give it a cutting edge, a poncho but not humongous and out of shape. Hence, more modifications; i started on sunday and finished yesterday. In fact it should be finished very much sooner such as on monday night ! i kept ripping it off and starting again. And towards the shaping of the end, i ripped it a zillion times due to my constant obssession of making the pointy tip perfect. It is a simple and fast knit, using gigantic 12 mm needles and done in stockinette st. I am keeping my fingers cross, hoping it will be done by friday so i can wear it for a lazy cool weekend !

Ever since i started working 2 weeks ago, my legs hurt like crazy. Right now, i also teach almost everyday as a casual relief teacher. The kids were cute but towards the end of the day, my voice was hoarse and i can't even walk properly. ( probably due to the lack of exercises in the past ) I had to walk gingerly and limped when necessary. Luckily, there was no job assignments today. So i am putting my feet up for more knitting.

I dreamt of Ava

2006-07-23T14:56:00.000+10:00

2 days ago, after viewing my new knitting friend's blog (a knitted story), i had Ava poncho dreams. Call me ridiculous or something ! After seeing Jennifer wearing that poncho she knitted by herself weeks ago, i have been thinking of getting Rowan Ribbon Twist collection book which features Ava. But that poncho isn't exactly the poncho i want. It is Jennifer's own version of Ava poncho i craved for. It is knitted with Filatura di crossa Zara yarn and it looks fabulous !

A knitter's desire to create beautiful handknits is powerful enough to cause disturbing dreams.
I also had nightmares of not being able to finish Martha because of my wandering mind that's constantly filled with wanting and obssessing with other projects.

Martha ( back piece, up to armhole shaping, but mysteriously slowing down.)

I love Martha and would even love to wear it as soon as possible. Imagine knitting with 3.0 mm needles, it is stressing me out and it seems that by the time i finish it, it would be summer. No more Martha fashion parades for me! But i also had a mini fantasy of wearing Ava too, especially for those mild spring mornings. Moreover, with my latest acquisition of Ivore Dpns, i want to knit Fetching badly from Knitty, another pair of Japanese handwarmers ( pattern contributed by Jennifer again) and another pair of gentleman's socks for Mr H.

Lately, i have landed on a casual job and it is sucking away my knitting time even though i have more money to buy yarns. Now, i just have to wake up 1 hour earlier just to sneak in a few rows of knitting and go to work a happy lady !