just being cozy

working with lace pattern would make you tired sometimes.
1st, got to counting for every row where the stitch have inc, dec, yo, and k1.
2nd, when you think you are doing ok, and felt confident that there isn't stitch left out or too many dec, less yo... then.. ta da...... the sts were less or too much ...
3rd, cant avoid frogging the row

that's why i keep counting every row where all the dec, yo sts are do. even sometimes i can missed some stitch on the purl side coz i dropped the yo loop.


on the other hand, it's worth it. when it's reached certain length when you can admiring the motif, even it's simple motif.

so... here are my cozy progress... the real pattern was using Reynolds Mandalay (100% silk, 98ysd/88 m per 50 gr skein), color oatfield and required 8 skeins to finish it.

as for my cozy (during the knitting, since this would be my gift to my sis), it knitted with Gedifra Wellness (60% cotton, 40% acrylic, and it's still produce a bit of fuzy balls, 110 m per 50 g ball), so i am thinking it wold be using less balls but may reach almost same length with the original knitting.

since 88 m * 8 => 704 m, and using 5 mm, the length is 67.5 inch and width : 18.75 inch

and for my project:
110 m * 4 3/4 (3/4 was from the vest project) -> 525.5 m, and using 4.5 mm, the width is 15 inch.
perfect.. since it wouldnt be too bulky and too long for her..;)

a peek from my cozy.... (will be update asap *sigh* since the internet connection acting lazy tonight)

note: finally...pict can be upload now..by oct 15..2005

browsing around....

other than WIP, searching patterns, tips and tricks, checking online yarn stores, also to read the knitters blogs.
reading the progress of their WIP, the experience using certain yarn to create beautiful projects. i haven't find people to work on weird-bizzare-scarry project though. is it because the effort that we already spent on the project, the lovely yarn, and the proud to be admire (including me..:p) are factors for us, knitters, to create something beautiful and lovely.

so, i added some more blog link on my blog site some ... check on the men who knit , it's an eye opener, make knitting become balance, not more to feminin-girly type activity anymore.

a lot of men who knit, sometimes they are shy to show it in public. i knew this coz my brother also knit/crochet. he said that people still have a stereotype that crochet/knit are more to women thing, not manly enaugh to do by men. on the other side, who never heard about great mens on fashion industry, great chef... they are men who working in "woman" area...

well.. it could become long discussion on this topic, and i love knitting too much and dont want this be spoil by men-women things argues.

so, just enjoy reading and have a good time browsing around..;)

knitty cozy shawl.....another wip.. *hik...*

as if the WIP are not enaugh (the pink sweater, the tri color crochet cardi, and i just remembered now that actualy i have a very long chain-about 300 something- crocheted already for a shawl, from solutia -> shut down by sept 1 .. too bad..), on weekend, i already started to cast on another project, this time "cozy" shawl from knitty . this project actually already on my list since the first time i seen this, but not like love in the first sight..i keep it in my list, like making a good wine... make it mature enaugh..then:

1. i remembered my sis birthday will come on next month, with about 2 weeks ahead (about only 4 days actually since i can only really work on this project full time on weekend),

2. then i saw my stash, Gedifra yarn, i still have 5 balls, and the color pretyy much close to the original pattern.

3. then i thinking it will suitable with my sis.

and i picked up the needles, and casted on.

for this project, i am using 4.5 mm needles, 2 type of needles, bamboo and nickel-plated-inox type needle (since i am forget the brand, i bought this during my trip to perth last year).

on yarn label said it suitable for 3-4 mm needles, but it's going ok with 4.5 mm.

cozy pattern asking for 5 mm, mine would be shorter, but still acceptable...;)

so, i am knit for 20-something rows.. it's fun project.

love the lace and the seems this gedifra yarn really working well with this pattern... *soul-mate*

pict of progress will be posted a little bit late...;)

green cardi buttoned up

today was so hot, even at this moment, at the evening after bit raining..so humid!!!
i did the stock st my pink sweater (i wil called it sweater now, since it has kinda turtle-neck shaped, it couldn't be call turtle neck t-shirt ;p) but not sure what keep my finger feeling clumsy or what, coz it keeping not turned good.


i am better with lace and cabled..that can hide ugly stockinette st, so i took a break again, and did a bit sew, put some wooden button on the green cabled cardigan.





















as if i am not hot enaugh, i put the cardi on, and here the front and the back look . the cables on the sleeve are straight, but i was too hot when wear this.. and it is very good thing to have a self timer camera :) tell what do you think...:)


i give my self some excuse for a little errors or impefectness this is my first cabled cardi and since i found it after i sewn all parts...so my dear reader..if you notice the imperfect *hole* (hint..hint)....sorry....

going 1..going 2..going 3.....

taaadaaaa!!!



here are the 16 rows from my triple crochet cardi... i named it my project by myself, coz i dont know what it's name since i cant read japanese.
i feel that the contrast between black to bluish grey- white are ok..a bit too strong.. but it will match with the light blue, or white or grey or black tank top if i wear this later.
another concern is since the row are horizontal, it may give illusion of wider body shape, so i am thinking to make the sleeve and the collar with all black to balance it. gosh... working with black yarn such a misery, but we all love a little black here and there..:-)

back to my pink t-shirt (or should i called it sweater?), after reached about 20 cms height, i took a look and i quite shame with my stockinette stitch...the tension was not consistent, i am wondering, is it coz by the needle?
i am using inox circular 3.5mm for this miami yarn, and the based on the label it said that the yarn can be work with 3-4 mm of yarn.
for the ribbing 2x2, i was using the 4 mm and it turned ok.
so i feel uncomfortable, thought that wheter i should frog it (AGAIN!!!!) or not?
frog?
no? (i already did that before and my yarn now suffer with the splitting symptom...*sigh*)
frog! (the stock st so terrible.. i couldn't show this off if the quality is like this!!)
no!!!! (just thinking the re-knit it again already make me feel so tired!!, how bout the time you already spent?????)
frog!
no!
frog!?
no!?

i left it for a while, and when i got back, i made up my mind.
i frog it.
no choice. i want to love my work and it's good yarn, and i can imagine it will turn out great once it finish. and i kinda a perfectionist on this thing.
so i left it on the bin for a day, not touching .. then tonight i back to knit it again.....
(i am tempting to switch to 3.25 mm needle.. but no..no... got to focus... the 3.5mm is great just i have to more pay attention on tension!!)

triple color crocheted cardi

Dont know what's wrong with me or my finger, when i did the re-knit, the 2x2 ribbing were no problem, but when i do the stitch for sweet pink tshirt, keep finding the error, the stitch too loose, no consistency between rows (some are too tight, too loose), the i found in few rows under, the yarn wasnt went into the right direction. it suppose the purl stitch, but somehow i was did the knit st... oh ... *sigh*....

so i stop for a while and cheered myself up with the spring & summer 2005 Let's Knit Series,and guess it's now the time to start a cast on with this project.

i love the pattern, i love cardi, and it's crochet, so perhaps would finish faster than the knit project. for this, i am using Katia Creppi, since i cant found the blue color in range like the one in pattern, so for me the color are black, light bluish gray and super shine white. using the 3 mm steel crochet hook (tulip -> it's the best crochet hook in indonesia and some south east asia and china i think). yarn gauge is : 22stsx32 rows/10 cm using 3.6 mm knitting needles.
as for the pattern, it asked : 25 stsx10 rows/10 cm using the 3.25 mm
so, when i made the gauge, it's took about almost same length, but for the rows, i should make abut 6 rows extra to meet the pattern measturement.

as for my color, i started with black 2 rows, then 1 rowbluish grey or i think it greyish blue, then 1 row white.

it's quite funny working 3 yarn color at the same time and luckily i wasn't jump to the project and skipped the motif details.

each time the color changing, the yarn was carry on from the previous of each color below. .. sorry if i lost you people here..

i already have about 16 rows and too tired and too hot taking other pictures..

inspirations...frogging...

i almost finished with the back part of my pink tshirt..only about 5-6 rows to go on the to shaping the neckline and shoulder. since i did some adjustments with the gauge..it turned out that i made it smaller...sigh...
the armhole were fine, but all the rows before shapping.. too little stitches left... ummm..uggghh...ugghh...



the original pattern's gauge is 25 sts-32 row using needle no. 3.75 mm and 32 sts-32row using 3.25 or 3.5 mm needle.
miami yarn that i use, the gauge is 20 sts-28 row.. so it's bigger then, after sketched and calculated, i knitted.
and during the almost finished back part, i put it on my back, took some metering.. and then.. sigh..it's too small...:-(
original pattern, the width is 46 cm.. and turned out my project only about 39 cm... perhaps my math not work too well during the calculating....

so, i got no choice...here come the frogs... ripped..ripped.... my mom helped me frogging....and i was back to square one, the 2x2 ribbing using 4 mm, and the body part using 3.5mm.



since i knew how to knit, i more noticing for the adv, when they have knitted items. perhaps it sound funny.. but i like it ..;)

so when took a break from re-knitting, i grabbed australian woman mag, april 2005... and seen some adverstisement from target and other store.. they have nice knitted wear... all machine for sure... i love the lace cardigan. it's beautiful..
but doing it with black yarn..can be lots of effort and energy...

but just as inspirations, maybe you like to make all of these nice clothes too?