Green Mango Bolero 綠色情人果

Yarn/線材: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy (34% Hemp, 41% Cotton, 25% Modal) # 17 - 4.5 balls

Pattern/圖樣: Joey's KAL

Hook/針號: Boye 3.25mm

Size/尺寸: 34" / 胸圍86cm

Duration/製作日期: 5/17/07~5/25/07

This is my second project with Joey's KAL, there were 4 projects to choose from, they were all very cute, but I only have time to make one, I love how Joey named all 4 boleros, especially the "Green Mango" bolero (that's why I chose it). Before I start this little cutie, I had couple more projects need to be finished first, so I didn't start this one until 5/17. I also tried several different yarns, finally decided on this Hempathy, it feels light, great for summer, and I just think it's a perfect color for this bolero!

這是我第二次參加Joey的群編.這次的活動是四選一,Joey大大真的很厲害,四件都取了很吸引人的名字,光看名字就很想每件都做!在開始鉤這件之前我還有一條圍巾(趕著給兒子的老師)跟瑪格那件鉤針外套正在進行當中所以一直到5/17才有時間開始.為了選線也想了蠻久的最後挑了這組,線摸起來很輕很涼爽的感覺,最重要的是這顏色很符合情人果的名字呢!

This bolero's pattern is from a Japanese book, so it's in "charts", and sometimes these Japanese crochet symbols are kind of hard to figure out. I did scarves before using the charts, it wasn't so bad; but when I start my first crochet bolero, it was a little confusing, I had to call my sister a few times to finish my project. Usually the Japanese charts only show one side of the pattern, so you need to "think" what to do with the opposite side before you start one row so both sides will match, that is very different than American patterns. Most American patterns have written instructions, so you follow the instructions word for word, just hope you don't accidentally miss anything, then it's also a pain in the XXXX to try to fix it. For this project, I have to thank Kelly, she actually re-drew the pattern for the KAL, so whoever making the same bolero doesn't have to think too much how to do the decreases or to match the flower motif so they will be the same on both sides of the front pieces.


這件情人果還是日文書來的圖樣,我之前織的都是圍巾的圖樣還好自己研究一下都還可以完成.這次群編要織這小外套,說實在的,剛開始時有點頭皮發麻咧!我的第一件鉤針作品就是瑪格那件小外套,常常鉤到一半還得打電話給阿妹請她指點迷津,那件已經完成了(過兩天會PO). 一開始真不習慣日本圖樣,因為日本圖樣通常只畫半邊另半邊得自己"畫"出來,這是鉤瑪格小外套時"拆"來的結論.這件情人果真的要感謝嘉莉畫的圖,省了我不少時間呢!都沒拆唷!(嘿嘿,當中有些小錯誤發現時也懶得拆了啦)! 另外我這件的下擺沒有減針,我不太喜歡原作的下擺,再加上看到一些格友也選擇不減針就決定不減囉!對這件情人果還蠻滿意的,我穿起來也還算合身,只是這真的不是依現在的身材作的,過幾個月後再穿我會更黑皮的啦(等寶貝出來以後)!!

Column of Leaves scarf

Yarn/線材: Ella Rae Silkience (41% Cotton/39% Modal/12% Silk/8% Rayon) #6 Purple Gray - 3 skeins/捆

Pattern/圖樣: Brooke's Column of Leaves Scarf

Needles/針號: Knit Picks Options #5

Size/尺寸: 8" wide (寬), 64" long (長), 50 repeats

Druation/製作日期: 5/7/07~5/17/07

Finally finished it and made it for my son's teacher, yeah!! The first picture shows a closer color of the scarf. This is a fun scarf to knit, the pattern is not hard, but I kept the pattern in front of me the whole time cause I don't have time for mistakes. At beginning, I was going to use wool yarn for this project, but it's closer to summer, a wool scarf gift seems a little odd, and it's too warm to work with. I found this Silkience at LYS, I like the blend, and it feels nice to the touch, I decided to give it a try. I'm really happy with this yarn, love the color too, normally I'm a purple person, but I'm not sure if the teacher would love the color I chose, so this one turns out to be okay, I think (at least Mom loves it!). I usually don't like to knit a "present" for someone unless I know the person will appreciate it, but I think mostly is because I don't feel confident that my FOs are good enough :-P.

終於完成囉!趕呀趕的就怕來不及在20號以前給兒子的中文老師.第一張照片比較接近原色,第二張特寫的顏色跑掉了.這條圍巾有不少人織過真的很漂亮,所以選這個圖樣送老師.圖樣說實在的不難,但我還是乖乖的把圖樣放在面前,就怕不小心織錯得拆就慘了!還好都很順利!在選線上本想用美麗諾或絲線,但是夏天快到了,送毛的圍巾感覺有點怪(也不可能織件小外套),在毛線店看到這組線摸起來又軟又舒服,又只要手洗,應該不難照顧,就決定用它啦!這顏色也蠻特別的,灰中帶紫,紫中帶灰,應該很容易接受吧!我通常不太把我完成的織品送人,除非我知道收的人會懂的珍惜;也是因為我還不太有自信心自己的成品夠好!哎呀!不管了,反正是一個心意嘛!如果人家不欣賞下次就不送囉!!

Stamping

I miss my stamps!! I made this maybe 3~4 years ago, today is one of my best friend's birthday, I didn't have time to go out and buy a card for her, how about this one?! Hand made by me!! I dug out this card from my piles of sample cards, it brought back lots of memories. I think I used water color paper, stamped the flower image, embossed it with black embossing powder, water colored the flowers with ink pads...

I really really had lots fun making cards back then, I missed taking classes to learn about new products, new techniques. I wish I had a craft room all to myself then I can spread out all my stamping tools and gadgets and go crazy... I'm day dreaming again, now the second baby is coming, I'm about to donate my "sort of craft" room to the baby. Being a mom is all about sacrifices, right?

Crocheted Bolero 鉤針小外套進度

This is another "little" thing I was working on, I saw it at Cafe Knitter's blog, very cute. I'm using Rowan's 4-ply cotton too, the color is #139 Provence (very light purple). The pattern is in Japanese, I never crochet a whole sweater using Japanese chart, it's scary! Will I be able to finish this, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

除了圍巾之外,我也在鉤這件小外套,這件在網路上很流行,相了很久才決定來試試看. 到目前為止都還好,接下來就是模樣編了. 嘿嘿...我可以完成它嗎?? 讓我們拭目以待吧!

Column of Leaves scarf

It's closer the end of school year, even though my son is only 3, he does have preschool teachers and a Chinese school teacher....that means I probably should prepare somethings for the teachers. I'm thinking about making the Brooke's Column of Leaves scarf for his Chinese school teacher. I want to use yarns that's easy to take care of, and it's almost summer now, I really don't want to work with wool or merino. I thought about silk, but not sure about the "easy care", so I went with this Ella Rae Silkience, it's got cotton, modal, silk and rayon, feels pretty good. I think the first two pictures show a closer color of the yarn, it's kind of like a purple-gray-ish color, the 3rd one is too blue-ish. I got till 5/19 to finish this project, with my slow speed, I better hurry....hopt it'll turn out pretty.

看到不少格友織這條圍巾,真的蠻漂亮的,決定來織一條給兒子的中文學校老師.因為夏天到了織條圍巾其實有些不太合適,但是我也只會這個,圍巾也不用管大小,任何人都可以用嘛! 我選了很久才決定用這組線,先織看看,若是不滿意再來換花瓣圍巾吧! 反正用鉤針也會比較快,應該可以趕在5/19前完成吧!! 加油喔!

My Cherry Blossom yarn

Love this Cherry Blossom Yarn!!! I ordered at the end of March from Sundara Yarn, it arrived sometime around April 20th. Just love it! It is soooo beautiful (it's pricy too). I will have difficulty trying to decide which project to use this yarn.

好美喔!!這線是在Sundara Yarn訂的,三月底就訂了,一直到四月中左右才收到,盼的我脖子都快斷了呢(太誇張了點)! 這組絲線是很漂亮但不便宜,所以我整個四月都很乖不敢再去敗太多線,接下來就是找適合的蕾絲圖樣來織囉!!

The Not-So-Shrunken Cardigan

Yarn/線材: Elsebeth Lovold Silky Tweed #2 - 7 hanks

Pattern/圖樣: Marilyn's Not-So-Shrunken Cardigan by Wendy Bernard

Size/尺寸: 34" (胸圍 34 英吋)

Needles/針號: Denise #5 circular (Denise 5號 輪針), Balene #5 16" circular (5號 16英吋 輪針)

Duration/製作日期: 3/31/07-4/20 /07

Another great knit from Wendy, and it's also knit from the top down! Her instructions (4 pages) were so clear and detailed as always, I didn't need do any alteration at all, I followed the pattern step by stop. I did get bored after I finished the body, it's all stockinette stitches, I don't mind doing knit stitches, but not purl stitches; so I did put it down for almost about a week without touching it. I finally started the sleeves using the 16" circular needles, it's all knit stitches again!! I like knit in the round, but I think Lara knit it flat and sew it together later, I don't like DPNs neither, so I rather invest more money on those 11~16" circular needles. I used the same yarn as the pattern calls for, this yarn is very soft and nice to knit with, I normally not a fan of the tweed yarn, but this one, it's just have a very very comfortable touch to it...I will definitely use it again. I used the Denise interchangeable needles for this project, it was grey-ish color, but it turned light mauve after I finished the sweater....I guess the yarn bleeds a little, so I use cold water to soak the sweater couple of times, now it's on my blocking board, it will probably take few days to dry, I'll post another picture when it off the board.

又一件由上往下織的毛衣,決定織的時候還蠻涼的,所以很努力的織,希望還有機會穿的到.結果懶病又發作,拖到現在才有空定型.這個作者的圖樣超仔細的,落落長的四大頁,她把所有想得到的問題都放在圖樣解說裡了. 這件織起來其實很簡單,織到後來變的好無聊喔!所以把身體部分織完後,放了大概快一個禮拜才又開始織袖子.袖子我是用5號16英吋輪針去織的,我不太喜歡用雙頭針去織袖子,我寧願去投資11~16英吋的輪針織起來舒服多了. 這件短外套用的毛線我也很喜歡,本來我不是tweed毛線的愛用者,但是這組線織起來真的很軟很舒服,不像大部分這類線的感覺比較粗糙. 這件毛衣還在定型板上,大概還要幾天才會乾,晚一點再放照片上來吧!

Here is the picture of me with the cardigan!

補上胖胖麻豆照!