Lots of ends

Consolidated this pile of "FOs". I think they were finished within these 2 years but waiting to be blocked or weaveing their ends. Click on the photo to find out about them.

Pondering on the Grindstone

The quietness on this blog is due to the fact that I'm on the look for job. It had been rather physical and mentally exhausting with each interview. However, I'm hopeful that the next one be better than the previous. So here's a brief rundown.
I shall not name the companies but just their initials.

Company A
- US MNC, wrong job scope, its the furthest part of the country that I'd been to. Rejected on the spot, even though they are willing to train. Seems like they are rather desperate for someone to fill up the role.

Company C
- US MNC, job scope was something I'm looking for. The deal was that I would be employed under Company F as C had a frozen headcount. I wasn't very comfortable with this arrangement I guess. Even with a direct bus from my place, I need to do with a slight paycut. I thought I could have this straighten out myself, somehow I still felt insecure and depress. Depression shouldn't be how I feel, it a totally different feel from my previous appointments. I did not want to celebrate or put a smile on my face. So C was outta question as of today's turnout.

Company G
- US company, 6 months contract work. Cuz they weren't able to tell me whether this is going to renewable, I weren't in the least interested. It might be glam to work in town, but that means I would spend more on daily expenses like food and transportation.

Company K
- local SME (small medium enterprise). I butted at one of the questions asked, it would be total different environment from a MNC (most if not all of my previous experience were with MNCs). I think even the interviewer was doubtful if I would be adaptable to such arrangement. Anyway, it did open me up to the structure of SMEs.

Company V
- didn't even have a chance for interview, cuz the role was taken up by their contract staff!!! ARGH!!!! I really wouldn't mind V.

Above all, I'm still optimistic with the hunt. I just received another call, hopefully I will have another interview coming up next week. and a brand new workplace in 2009.

WISH ME LUCK.

Before i sign off, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

XOXO

100

Hopefully there's more to come.

Pardon for the empty squares. I wonder when I will get to fill them up with photos.

Fern Garden

I hope to finish taking photos of all my FOs and keep this blog really up-to-date. So this is not the last of my stoles and shawls.



Pattern: Fern Garden Stole by Sharon Winsauer
Yarn: Alpaca with a Twist Fino, Silver Belle, less than 2 skeins.
Needle: 3.75 mm Addi Lace
Size: n/a
Time to finish: < 2 weeks
Notes: I had about 70grams left from the second skein. Being in a high humidity climate, knitting with alpaca is a little painful. As it keep sticking onto my pinkie and refuse to slide smoothly. The silk content does its job beautifully, giving a slight sheen.
The Fern Garden motif is exactly as the one on FPS. However, due to the movement of the motif, it did took me a little while to get use to reading the chart. This made it a more interesting knit.

Hanami

This stole is going away to somebody. So this post is really meaningful to me.



Pattern: Hanami
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr, Ice Blue
Needle: 3.5 mm Addi Lace
Size: n/a
Time to finish: < 2 weeks
Notes: I did like 2 extra repeats on the basketweave section, and skip a couple of the blossom charts. This made me wanted to knit one stole only with the basketweave pattern, which I did last month.

Dream of Lace

I hope before the year ends, I will be able to catch up on my FO reports. So here's another from 2007, which makes 2 more shawl reports to go.


Pattern: Lace Dream by Eugen Beugler, Shawls and Scarves: The Best of Knitter's Magazine
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr, Sage
Needle: 3.5 mm Addi Lace
Size: n/a
Time to finish: < 2 weeks
Notes: I think I'm left with nothing to say about the yarn since I had used it countless times and will still my top choice for lace knitting. Patternwise, it sank into my brain just after a few repeats. A slight different from the usual feather and fan.

After blocking

I was out shooting the FOs, alone, so no modeled pictures.

Before my wedding, I had the luxury of time and space to block out quite a number of pieces. Queen Anne Blue Lace was one of which got pack along for the outdoor shoot.


More photos HERE.

Pattern: Queen Anne's Lace by MMario
Yarn: ColourMart Cashmere /28NM Lace Weight
Needle: 3.75 mm Addi Lace
Size: n/a
Time to finish: < 2 weeks
Notes: Very easy to follow instructions. Interesting construction, even my brother asked about it; the very first time on my knitting.

Keeping happy thoughts

My nose is all stuffed up since the start of the week. My waste paper basket is filled with scrunched up used tissue. Anyway I thought I do post up some pictures of my old FOs.

My FPS was blocked way before I own a set of blocking wires. So bear with the slight scallop edges.



Pattern: Forest Path Stole by Faina M. Letoutchaia
Yarn: ColourMart Cashmere/Silk 2/36NM Lace Weight
Needle: US 2½ / 3.0 mm Addi Turbo
Size: n/a
Time to finish: 5 weeks and more than a year to take FO photos.
Notes: Finished up to 21st tier. I'm not a fan of nupps but still I did not omit any of them.

Destashment IV

All prices includes shipping within Asia, add US$3 for outside Asia.


Colinett Jitterbug
Colorway - Alizarine
yardage: 267 metres
content: 4 ply Merino
Selling at US$20


Great Adirondack Yarn Co Soxie
Colorway - Bahama Mama
yardage: 360.0 yards (329.2 m)
Selling at US$20


Schaefer Yarn Company Anne
Colorway - Barton
yardage: 560.0 yards (512.1 m)
Selling at US$22


Sundara Yarn Sock Yarn
Colorway - Cordoba
yardage: total 700.0 yards (640.1 m) from 2 skeins
1 skein has been wind but not use at all.
Selling at US$25

Alpaca with a Twist Fino - Silver Belle
yardage: aprox. 640meters
content: 70% alpaca, 30% silk
Selling at US$18
Leftover from my Fern Garden Stole.

Reappearance

Before I know it, October had slip passed. No, I have not taken a month off for honeymoon or anything close to it. It was plain laziness for the blog silence.

The needles have been busy. I'm done with 3 shawls and 2 pairs of socks and 2 tops if I'm able to do up the finishings. Meanwhile, I'm trying to find my way to a new grindstone since the stash master needs to be fed periodically.

I'm setting up the 4th installment of destashing. Sock yarn lovers please stay tune.

And Happy 1st Anniversary to my Dearest!

Be right back

A sneak peek and I hope to be back with full cover of the Big Day after my getaway.
Before that, I would like to give thanks, to everyone for their blessings and efforts in making these all a wonderful memory for us.

oh dear

almost time for hubby to come fetch me.

hehe.

its my big day. hope my battery dun go flat.

back when there's more time to blog.

3 more days

Counting down. A different sort of feeling from counting to the day I leave the throat-cutting environment back at the "little red crane" (My ex-company which we so fondly called it).

Anyway, it's back to a little bit of knitting. Picking up needles and making stitches really does calm my nerves. Met up with the girls last weekend for a Knit Out and finished a pair of Monkeys. Started Spring Forward yesterday, so I could be taking pictures with my project during the wedding. I know this would be very fun as I invited the girls to my wedding banquet. This is very much like a Knit Out.

So what else have I been doing when I want to break away from the preparations? All thanks to tudou.com, I was able to catch up with the past seasons of Project Runway. I'm still 1 season away from finishing the whole series. Season 5 is looking good too. I had always enjoy watching the very first challenge of each season. Its always about using materials that are out of the box.

Off for more runways. Ciao~

few more days to go

And it will be over soon. I spent almost a year going through everything just to make things happen on this friday. I have come to terms with myself that no matter how much effort I had put in, there's bound to be hiccups and glitches.

Yes, I'm getting the jitters before my big day. Hormones are raging and I break into arguments easily like dry twigs do under the sun. Thus causing horrible breakouts. It felt more like doomsday is approaching more than anything else.

I'm grateful to those who have lent a hand, pat my back, showed their concerns and for not adding more burden to me.

Off to an early night's rest.

Wish me wake up with a much better complexion.

Lack of mojo

Its a little more than 2 weeks before my wedding. And I kinda lost the mojo to knit, with so much happening around me. Hope to get back to the needles very soon.

I do have a couple pictures on my block activities.

And for the first time, my brother actually commented on my knitting. Its a compliment actually after being asked how that the shawl was constructed (inwards or outwards).

Due to the hairy-ness, this took a little longer than usual to dry. Afterwhich, the weather started to get wonky and there wasn't much sun, so blocking came to a hiatus.

Hope to be back with FO pictures. Take care!

Destashment III

All prices includes shipping within Asia, add US$3 for outside Asia.

Katia Bamboo
yardage: 1000 meters
content: 100% bamboo
Selling at US$70
1 ball has been rewound for swatching, other than that, everything is unused.

Jaggerspun Zephyr - Indigo
yardage: aprox. 350m
content: 50% wool, 50% silk
Selling at US$8
Good for a lacey scarf for beginner lace.

Colourmart.com lace weight
yardage: aprox. 1060 meters
content: 55% Cashmere 45% Silk
Selling at US$12
Leftover from my Forest Path stole. The amount is good for a lace stole.

Alpaca with a Twist Fino - Silver Belle
yardage: aprox. 640meters
content: 70% alpaca, 30% silk
Selling at US$18
Leftover from my Fern Garden Stole.

Another destashment

Keep a lookout these 2 days for another destashment. I had been looking at these yarns for the last few hours and still clueless to what I will make out of them. Taught myself a lesson of Buying Without Plans. Moreover, I need to liquidify the yarns for my recent membership fee.

Since my last update, I have 2 FOs, a shawl and a pair of socks. The blocking wires had been busy so did the darning needles. I blocked 3 shawls and seamed Minimalist Cardigan. I thought I do lost a bit of my mojo. Hope to be back with a WIP report soon. Meanwhile, I need to destash.

They are starring back

Yes, they are. And at me. I have knitted them and left them aside to start others. I've just laid out the Minimalist Cardigan on my bed. It just need to be seamed. (Charmaine, where are you!!??) Next are the stole/shawl to be blocked.

Queen Anne's Lace
Reversible Ribbed Stole
One more to the list is the Cobweb Lace Shawl, which I had grafted both ends together this morning. I need more room in the house to block them out one by one.

Show Mi Again

Unfortunately I won't be attending her concert this year. Look at the date, it falls right on my wedding. I'm telling myself not to miss her next concert in Hongkong.

Yarn Sprees

Join me and other Singapore knitters for yarn sprees on Ravelry.com.

Some pictures to show recent sprees. CAUTION: Please do not salivate on to your keyboard.
Selection of Blue Moon Fiber Art yarn

Stainless Steel yarn from Avril

Superfine Merino from Avril

Stuffs below belong to me. :p
- Shosenshi Paper A-60
- Malabrigo Silky Merino in Burgundy
- Blue Moon fiberart - Silk Thread in Spinel



These were not the last. A giant package arrived, filled with Kauni goodness, right after I packed my camera away. More pictures when I wip out the cammie again.

Seeing Red

I had been nursing a bad flu for more than 2 weeks, so knitting is on low gear. Started Orchid but seems like there's something that I can't understand. Hopefully someone is working on it on Ravelry. Hence I cast on another lace shawl, nothing wrong with the pattern but the yarn stained my finger nails just hour knitting continously with it. Above all, I'm finally taking a long deserved break after inservice for the company. With next to zero income, I shall be able to watch my yarn diet very well.


1. My First Baby Surprise Jacket, 2. Crayon Red Lace Edged Scarf, 3. close up of mother's day knit., 4. RedWine 01, 5. side alouette, 6. Cherry Kool-Aid Alpaca and Wool yarn, 7. detail, 8. Victoriana Scarflette (Wool & Bamboo) in Red, 9. yarn from Peru, 10. I am very spoilt by my knitting friends, 11. Red knitted top , 12. Cable Vest, 13. Wisp!, 14. Myrtle leaf shawl with willow border, 15. Uncle Argyle scarf - grey side, 16. starting over, 17. Myrtle leaf shawl with willow border, 18. bloom as cape, 19. Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February), 20. Not available, 21. Red Raglan, Red Raglan, 22. Not available, 23. Not available, 24. crafting 365, day 265, 25. redriver11, 26. crafting 365, day 267, 27. on the veranda, 28. juliet cardigan, 29. wip, 30. FO: Central Park Hoodie, 31. My First Lati Dress Set, 32. Picture 088, 33. Bloody Bellatrix Socks, 34. P7070016, 35. reverse seam pullover side, 36. Child's skirt

Random picture

http://wordle.net/

Beating the Monday Blues

Snooping around on flickr. Might do another color theme another day.
1. gray gable, finished, 2. crafting 365 - day 168, 3. Malabrigo Delight, 4. misty back, 5. Goldie the dolphin top, 6. Three Skeins, 7. Embossed Leaves, 8. "cape cod" merino wool hand knit scarf, 9. Saartje's bootees, 10. hairclip on hairband, 11. Project 93/365 - Hemlock, 12. crafting 365 - day 145, 13. booga swatch, 14. fiddlehead, 15. picovoli, 16. Clapokauni = fini!, 17. Lu in Blue, 18. Berlin Muster - SKP #2 - In Progress, 19. RVO, 20. A Blue Swirl: on me (C365:126), 21. Top Down Biker Jacket, 22. The Rococo Shawl - Hand Knit Wool & Llama Shawl (in Teal), 23. blue and green wristies, 24. Stackable Cats, 25. Sparkle Beetle butt, 26. Handspun Lisa Souza BFL in Deep Sea, 27. ribbed hat, 28. lady eleanor shawl, 29. Potato Chip Scarf, 30. Log Cabin Afghan, 31. Christmas Cookie Monster for Kristina, 32. Spina di Pesce, 33. 80 done, 80 to go... (C365:100), 34. bunny2, 35. Urban Aran, 36. Drops Tailored Cardigan

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

To Meet List

Ravelry has been going on for a while. I started the Singapore Knitters group not too long after I joined. As of today, there's 91 members from either on this island or outside of it. Least too say, I have met more knitters than I ever could. Then again, there's some knitters that's worth mentioning.

Here's my list in no particular order:
- turniptopia - blog
her 1 year old toddler is so like her mom.

- munyee - blog
hope to see her very soon when she returns. I love her pottery items.

- sqpixels - blog
She knits, crochets, bakes and sews.

recent S.E.X

I had been conducting yarn sprees, the day I knew that Knitpicks doesn't ship international and still doesn't till this day. To buy in bulk with other like minded knitters was great to share cost and shipping. Also, to see people beaming when they receive their yarns, made me continued as the Enabler.

So here's the recent purchase from Nordic.com, which specialises in Garnstudio yarns. I am truely surprised by the quality, as most of the time we could only depend on the reviews in Ravelry. This very first spree justified itself and for future purchases.


A soon to be used up yarn, Kidsilk Night in Moonlight. I got 6 balls for Lily Chin's Reversible Ribbed stole. I must be knitting too much and too fast with this yarn, that I ended up with a wounded index finger. Compared to KSH, there's glitter spun within, so I guess it the glitter that caused the abrasion. Anyways, I order another 6 balls in Port, cuz the price was too hard to resist.


Next up is some cashmere cobweb/lace goodies all the way from UK. I guess those who have bought from the same seller will know who I'm talking about. Each color would be enough for a stole/shawl. All for less than US$60.

Shawls Overload

Overloaded with the number of shawls. I think I miss out a few others which are hiding somewhere in the room. Click on the picture to find out about them.

This month

It's been a hectic month for me. I didn't realize till its coming to an end. The WWKIP was amazing. I was stunned by the turnout! We had a lot of fun as you tell from the pictures and the small clip.






Last but not least, a peek at my pre-wedding shoot.
More to come when the finalised photos are out.

Donyale

I have a lot of other FOs for reporting, but no time to take photos of them. I find socks are small and easy in that sense.


I cast on Donyale so that I can knit them during the WWKIP. And managed to finish them on the next day. This round, in order to curb the Second Sock Syndrome, I cast on the second sock right after I finished with the leg of the first. This was a very good way to get even tension between the socks. I tend to relax my tension once I can swim in it.

Pattern: Donyale by Black Dog Designs
Yarn: Lorna's Lace Shepherd Socks, Somerset
Needle: 2 mm from both Addi Turbo and Knitpicks Harmony DPNs
Size: 1 size
Time to finish: 1 week


This pair of socks, I used magic loop for the leg and foot, DPNs for the heel part.


Remember this yarn which I got from JBW?

I can't help but to say this yarn suits the stitch pattern so much!