Happy Chinese New Year

Isn't it strange that celebrations this time of the year are of a certain vibrant colors?

Christmas - red and green
Chinese New Year - red and gold
Valentines - red

Remember the dahlias I planted last October? They have bloomed in time for the all the celebrations.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone. May this year bring us all luck and happiness!

Australia Day and Caps/Hats

Time of late has been a frenzy of activities looking for a job, attending interviews and adjusting to waking up early in the morning again for work. Today marks Australia day as well as the 1st week of work. I thought I’d compile all the hat/cap knitting I've been up from last year to date to commemorate.

Le Slouch

Pattern :- Le Slouch, KnitandTonic
Yarn :- Lincraft, Big Wool
Needle :- 5.5mm Circular Needles

Loved it. Exactly how it said it’d be. It’ll be great for the next winter. Knitted from Lincraft – Big Wool, a thick thin chunky wool that was exactly what I was looking for with Le Slouch in mind.

That Cloche Thing

Pattern :- Cloche from Craftster
Yarn :- Jaeger Luxury Tweed and another nameless similar one from my stash.
Needle :- 6.5mm Circular Needles

I started on this lovely cloche in Craftster early 07. I was eyeing in for quite a long while. Ransacked my stash and come up with a bit of Jaeger Luxury Tweed in Cream and another similar mossy green yarn.

A satellite TV knit that took me 3 weeks after completion to find the time and energy to felt it. Felting wasn’t as difficult as my first experiment. I got worried when I first soaked it. It went from a shapeless bowl shape to a big flat pancake. I was apprehensive that it won’t shrink back, thankfully after 15 mins, it shrunk well. In fact, it shrunk too well. I would have liked it to be longer. Added a ribbon and flower for that lovely vintage look.


Rowan Rope Yarn Beret

Pattern :- Beret, Rowan It’s a Rope Thing
Yarn :- Rowan Cotton Tape in Taupe
Needle :- 6.5mm Circular Needles

Following the instructions, it turned out too small. I don’t think my head is big, I always had trouble finding caps that fit me because they are too big so it shouldn’t be me. I ripped it and added an extra panel to make it bigger. Other than that, it’s a nice easy knit. Love the effect!

Now if you will excuse me, it's time to celebrate Australia Day. Cheers!

Merry Christmas my dears.

This is my very first Christmas in Australia after moving here. It's been a long time since I felt Christmas. We haven't settled down truly, we have yet to find our own place. We don't have a Christmas tree to hang ornaments on nor could we offer much to our family and friends or indulge ourselves in all things Christmas. Yet the feeling is there. Perhaps it's because for the first time, I feel that I have a choice, things are falling into place and that I am truly with family. I just had a pre Christmas dinner with my family, and tomorrow we are going on a short fishing trip with family.

I wanted to take a nice Christmasy photo to show you gals when I saw this beautiful rose from my aunt's garden. So here's a gratuitous shot of the rose from the garden for you. Merry Christmas my dear family and friends, I wish you all peace, happiness and joy in your life.

This.. 24...Freaking... Hrs

It’s one of those days when everything hits a record low. One of those “Why the hell did I get out of bed for?” days. Nothing’s gone right, everything came altogether in a bad way and my mood is shot out from the second I lay in bed awake. I’ve heard bad news all the way. I’m tired, grumpy and totally unsatisfied and out of whack. Not to mention that I’ve been having a migraine on and off for the whole week. Even the weather in Melb went out of it’s way to be nasty. A freak storm and for the first time in 20 years, the suburb was actually flooded.

Adding to that, the stupid bag now has to be frogged entirely. It looks really odd doesn’t it? The whole proportion is wrong and I followed the pattern to the T, ignoring that little voice that was telling me all the time something was wrong. Now my throat is swollen with hayfever and I’m just fuming with every stitch I unravel.

I just need to vent. Someone give me a baseball bat and show me a target.

Making an anthill out of a molehill

So there I was happily whining about having no yarns to knit with (because we can’t unpack the boxes yet) and how I need to get some suitable ones for this pattern and that. Hubby pointed out that I have plenty of yarns which indignantly, I denied of course, at which point he gave me a look that said it all.

Huffing, fuming and thwarted from buying the exact yarns I desperately need for this and that pattern, I looked for some loop holes. The yarns are still in the carton boxes buried deep into our unpacked boxes and I can’t get it out, there is currently no place to store them until we rent a place permanently. I have to keep digging the box out and sealing it back on. Tedious, tedious. We head on to Bunnings where I sulkily picked a plastic storage box to store my yarns for ‘easy access’.

Well, once a yarn hoarder, almost always a yarn hoarder. We got me a 50 litre box and I almost couldn’t jam everything in. Alright already, stop giving that look. So there are some yarns still lying in other boxes and I do have yarns. Yea, yea I had to sit on the cover to make it close. Guilty as charged.

What? Ok, ok I haven't unpacked the box of craft books & mags and the 3rd carton box of fabrics.

Yes hubby, I said meekly, there won’t be any yarn purchases until I finish my stash.

Until next time that is. :)

Adrienne Vittadini Lace Ruffle Cardigan

On the personal end, a very good gal pal of mine is getting married back in Malaysia tomorrow. I wish I could be there celebrating with her. I'm wishing her and her hubby many good things to come on their new life together. Congrats sweetie! Missing you lots.

Now for some knitting news. For some of you still guessing, the finished FO is the Adrienne Vittadini Lace Ruffle Cardigan.

Pattern :- Lace Ruffle Cardigan from Adrienne Vittadini
Yarn :- Jaeger Albany (100% mercerised cotton)
Needle :- 4.5mm Circular Needles

I have been knitting a bit since I arrived. And somehow, the Ruffle Cardi got finished (finally). This has been one slow knit. The front, back and sleeves was completed a while back but still hanging off the needles. Rip Rip Rip. I can't remember how many times I had to rip the sleeves or the 2 front panels. Because of sizing and fitting issues. So much so that I dropped it for a while. When I got back to it recently, I have forgotten where I left off and had to relearn the whole blabberdash again. Again, fitting issues. It was too long at the top after binding off and the sleeves could not be seamed to it. Rip Rip Rip.



The finished jacket was was an anti-climax. The fit wasn't quite what I expected and I'm feeling overdosed by this particular lace pattern. I thought it may be because I haven't wash and blocked yet. Well, it's been washed and I haven't a place to block it. Bummer. Anyways, I'm still trying to kid myself that it'll look better after blocking. The front panel is a little too narrow and it pulls the neckline out. And the front somehow is still too long.



My fault really. I forgot to factor in that cotton is heavy and it stretches, throw in lace and ruffles into the equation... well end results above. On a positive note, it's still very pretty with the detailing and all. And it's not all that bad. I like how it looks when I overlap the front like a wrap jacket. I might just sew a button to it. :)

Souffles & a Mini Herb Garden

Moving to Melbourne has been wonderful. So many new things and places to explore. There were a lot of things that we had always wanted try but in KL, most of the time you feel too hot and bothered to do. I thought I might share about some of our experiences and doings while waiting for my next FO(coming soon).

Souffles

Hubby and I have ventured into the realm of desserts and occasionally, main dishes. We had some vintage ramekins in hand and souffles was one of the first desserts we tried.

We forgot to use a knife to slice around the ramekins so that it rises properly instead of rising in the middle like a cupcake. So far, we've tried lemon, choc chip and orange, choc chip and banana, choc chip and strawberries. Souffles anyone?

In the garden

Spring in Melbourne is unlike spring in Perth (where I lived before). I guess we came at the right time. The landscape is like a wonderland, constantly changing everyday as spring creeps in. In Malaysia where they are small and wilt quite quickly. Here, there are flowers everywhere and they are so huge! I should take a picture of the orchids here, it really grows well here. And everyone has roses in their gardens. The colors are amazing big and lovely roses of all kinds! I took a picture of the rose bed in the family garden. Gorgeous colors aren't they? I have to get my hands on some purple roses when we find a place of our own. I just can't get enough of them. And all this has inspired a mini garden of sorts for us.

That's our little mini herb garden we started. I have always dreamt of having my very own herb garden to play around with. Oh the possibilities!!!

Of course, I couldn't resist these either when I saw them in the local plants section. Dahlias! I got a little pot of mixed dahlias and a black dahlia bulb to plant. I hope they turn out well with the heat.

A Finished Knit

And just to peak your interest a little, gals, yes I finally do have a FO to show. Can you figure out which one is this? It's washed and being blocked now and should be ready for show in the next few days. :)