Chinese Craftster?

Ever since I found some fellow bloggers in Taiwan, they always mentioned that they found their patterns in China's websites, especially the ones from the out of print books. So, the past few days I spent a lot of time surfing...and I found this website http://www.bianzhirensheng.com/. Whew, they do have a lot of good stuff in it, it's somewhat similar to the Craftster.org. I found this Lili's showcase (there are total of 198 pages, and I'm still reading thru them, I'm at page 120), seems like she started crocheting in 2005, and most of her FOs were "free handed" (is that a word?), she posted some really good FOs, everyone wanted her patterns, but according to her replies, she kind of sort of just made them up when she made them, she didn't really take notes or draw charts. My god, she's good! I wanted to make couple of her boleros, but all she has was just the "motif" of her design, no detail instructions; I'm spoiled, I need detail instructions to make something!!! And to be honest, even when I have detail instruction I still may not finish something that beautiful.

There's also another post from a different user, she posted a lesson of how to make a "Butterfly bolero". She posted step by step pictures to help others to follow her instructions, she did have a little bit of written instructions, but I'm still so confused by it. I think I'll try to sit in front of my laptop and follow her photo directions and see if I will come up with something similar to her butterfly bolero. Wish me luck!!

自從在一些台灣格友那發現可以在大陸網站找到很多圖樣後 一直很想試試看 可以找到些甚麼. 前幾天找到編織人生這個站, 裡面的內容還真不少呢! 看的我眼花撩亂的, 無意中看到狸狸作品集, 哇!這位小姐的作品真的不錯咧, 蠻多人跟她要織圖, 她這個"帖"總共有198頁,(我才看到120頁, 還有得看呢), 看了幾十頁才發現這位狸狸小姐很厲害, 她都是找好一個模樣然後就自行發展了, 所以跟她要織圖要不就沒有, 要不就只有一個模樣圖. 起針該起多少, 鉤到那裡加減針, 都得自己想像. 難咧! 不過看著她的成品還是很開心的啦! 也許那一天開竅了也可以邊看電視邊鉤衣服三個鐘頭完成一件鉤衣. (嘻! 做做白日夢可以吧!)

另外還有一"帖"也不錯, 她提供網上教學, 是藍蝶bolero改裝版(原版是怎樣我都還莫宰羊呢). 這位小姐有提供各步驟的照片, 所以看起來可能可以學起來呢! 她也提供了作法,只是看起來還是蠻模糊的,也許一邊鉤一邊看才能體會吧!

Comfy Summer Tank Top 舒適的夏天

Yarn/線材: Karabella Vintage Cotton (100% Mercerized Cotton, 140 yds) #340 - 4 balls

Pattern/圖樣: Joey's KAL 舒適的夏天

Size/尺寸: 34" bust (胸圍88cm)

Needles/針號: Knitpicks option #4 (24" circular)

Duration/製作日期: 6/12/07~6/21/07

This is another Joey's KAL project, this time, there were 4 tank tops to choose from, I picked this one (#4) because I like it's straps. It took me a few days to figure out how to do the bottom hem, Japanese patterns use charts alot, sometimes it's just so difficult to figure out what those symbols are. This pattern said to knit front and back pieces the same, I'm lazy so I decided to knit the two pieces together and knit in the round until the decreases for the arms then I seperated the front and back and knitted them flat. This knit-in-the-round part went pretty quickly, it was the crochet edges that took me a long time, I wasn't sure "where" to start and I was worry about if the front and back would not end up symmetrically (oh, well, I don't think anyone would come up close enough to tell the difference!). Overall, I liked knitting this tank top, my first try converting a flat pattern to knit in the round, I have to say it was a success try. Too bad, I couldn't try it on yet and will probably have to wait till next summer to wear this cute top.

舒適的夏天完成囉! 這次的群編有四件小可愛可以挑,我選了第四件,我喜歡它的肩帶,很特別呢!這個圖樣我花了一些時間去研究,有點搞不清楚怎麼織下擺的花樣,後來還是研究出來了,日本圖樣對我來說真的很有挑戰性!我打上針是很慢的,所以這件我決定用輪針打,反正前後片是一様的,應該不會太難.我一直都很想找一個平面織法的圖樣來試試能否改成用輪針來打,這件小可愛來的真是時候呢!我起針起198針,然後在兩邊加記號圈,所以我知道在計號圈前後要加減針,這樣織法真的快多了,又少了之後的縫合,我喜歡!! 織到腋下要減針時我才分成前後片來織,然後就是上下的緣編還有兩條肩帶,最花時間的就是緣編,花了我兩天吧.線用最多的也是這裡,這組線我買了六球,本來以為剩下的線或許可以再打件bolero來搭,現在看看大概不夠了吧! (阿妹,妳覺得如何,有希望嗎?) 我上禮拜因為要參加一個婚禮就買了一件針織bolero,搭配這件小可愛還不錯吧!

Knitting books

I bought more Japanese knitting books! These books are hard to find in USA, there was a Japanese bookstore in Mitsuwa market, but they closed the store back in December, fortunately they just open another one last week. I couldn't resist, just have to buy it...how many projects will I make in these books? Hey hey...we'll see! Love the books!!!

又去敗書了!在美國要買到這些書真是不容易呢! 本來在附近日本超市內有一家書店,可是十二月的時候關了,一直到現在才又開了家新書店. 忍不住又去瞄,瞄完了就是這樣子啦,荷包扁囉! 最近Joey的群編有些圖樣就是從這些書找出來的,現在有書啦,可以慢慢的織其他作品了呢!

Bolero

Yarn/線材: Rowan 4 ply cotton (100% cotton, 186 yds) # 139 - 4.5 balls

Pattern/圖樣: 瑪格

Hook/針號: 3.25mm crochet hook

Size/尺寸: fits bust 34" (胸圍34英吋)

Duration/製作日期: 5/2/07~5/11/07

My very first crocheted garment! This one was done before the Green Mango Bolero, but due to the KAL deadline, I had to post that one first. I finished this one a while ago, but didn't get a chance to block it untill now. This pattern was in Japanese, and was for little girls; a lot of fellow bloggers used heavier weight yarn, larger crochet hook to make it bigger, and it worked, mine fits me just right! I'm very happy with the end result.

這是我的第一件用鉤針完成的衣服,其實比綠色情人果還早鉤好,只是線頭實在太多了,光想怎麼藏都頭痛.又因為情人果有期限的,就先把功課交了,再來慢慢藏線吧.上禮拜才逼自己把線藏好,再把它整燙一下,終於大工告成啦!

因為這是第一次看日文圖鉤衣服,真是有夠霧沙沙的. 如果只是照圖鉤我還可以應付,但是一碰到加減針我就迷糊了.我習慣用棒針,所有棒針的圖樣碰到加減針時都是在下一排加減,所以我一開始也這樣作...後來越想越不對,又去問阿妹...結果就是拆..拆..拆! 然後是要注意兩邊要對稱,一邊如果是鎖針另一邊大概就是長針或長長針,要用腦咧,所以速度又慢下來了. 看看不少格友三四天就完成一件,還鉤了不止一件,真是要立正敬禮了! 連續做了幾件鉤針作品,接下來得回來摸摸棒針啦!