Little Thing

This little thing has finally arrived today !!

They said it's a smart phone who is very user friendly. This little thing is so smart it can do anything, and supposed to make our life easier.

But OMG ! After using nokia for so long, may take a while until I mastering the use of this little thing!

Totally excited. I'm sure this little thing will slowly change my daily routine. To be better I hope.

Can't wait !

Blankie

Updating my ambitious project. About 2 weeks ago I finally made more than 25 squares and decided to give a try to attach them. It turned out to be a little of hard work.

Because there are 5 different colour on each squares, there are plenty of yarn tails at the back of each squares, which I had to finish them off, ie: had to use a needle for each tails, brought the yarn's tail in between stitched and cut them off carefully and neatly.

Then to put them in a layout pattern, made sure colour combination are well-matched.

Then attached them one by one using crochet method.

The result actually not too bad. Although it might be too colourful and the colour are not structured. But I think I will continue to make it bigger because I enjoyed making the squares. I become very use to it so don't have to count or worry if the pattern is wrong. I can make it anytime anywhere while watching TV or watching Evan playing. I don't have a dead line, no pressure, and don't have to think much, so it's sort of has a calming effect for me. And it feels good to work with beautiful yarn colours and textures.

Am now had made another 10 squares and many more on the way. :)

Pile of squares

squares ready to be attached

20 squares finally attached

ambitious project

Hard to believe, lately I actually could do few things that I like, which I abandoned for such a long time. First, I started to read a book again. I currently read Mao's Last Dancer. It's slow reading, but I get there and determined to finish the book this time.

Other thing is I'm back to yarn and wools. After almost 3 years I left behind my knitting passion, I am now in to crochet. I never crochet before, but inspired by my friend's crochet blanket pictures. Later she sent me first kit to learn crochet - a book and a crochet hook from Sydney (thanks An :)). So in late May, I started to teach myself how to crochet with help of a book and lots of sites on the internet. Many long nights after that, because that was the only time I can sit down and concentrate. I am talking about until 1 - 2 am in the morning!

Then early this month the Guru came (my mum in law :) ). She visited us here and stayed for a week. I learnt few things from her. My biggest mistake was I didn't know that crochet terms in UK and US are different. I used US stitches in UK crochet pattern before, so it's all mixed up and the result looked odd. She showed me that the trick of buying wools and how to hold the hook. She should be able to teach me more, but she had to go back home. Of course she made lots of positive and encouragement comments about my crochet, then said practise makes perfect. Then later she always ask me on the phone if I still crocheting (*doh*). During her visit I successfully made an amigurumi doll, and made few squares.

I didn't know what to do next. I thought I should have project to do, but I wasn't sure what it was. I thought about making scarf or beanie, but I thought I don't wear those much even in winter. I thought of making a bag, but I have too much bag already. Thought of making more amigurumi, but I actually don't have patient in crocheting little things. So my choice ended up in making a blanket. I know it's a very ambitious project. It will takes lots of time, energy, and wools! I think it's gonna be a long project. But I, again, determined to finish it.

colourful blanket project

The project will be making a small squares like the above picture then attached it all together to make a blanket. So I will need to make lots of squares, hundreds of them, depends on how big I want the blanket to be. At this stage I want to make at least King Single bed size (around 105 cm x 203 cm). I like to make four colours combination on each squares cause i thought it will not make me easily get bored (i know along the track I might be sick of making the same thing over and over again), as it would fun to choose and match the colour before making each squares. So yes, it would be a colourful blanket. The colour probably will depend on my mood/feeling when I made the squares :)

As for the back up plan, in case I'm sick of making blanket, I might try to make more amigurumi or make scarf for next winter (by that time hopefully Evan will let me wear anything that hang on my neck)

And here is the little amigurumi turtle I made during the Guru's visit :)

Killing The Time

I was thinking to make something to wear for the bub, but it was hard to find good pattern. I found this mittens and bootees's pattern finally, thought this was the best from the others. Not easy to do, considering my numb and sore hand due to pregnancy. Also found some new knit term in this pattern, but I managed to know what and how, and think I did it well! Not sure if the bub will really wear this, though. But it would be nice for decoration too, I guess. Besides, it was a soothe enjoyable thing to do for killing the time and counting down!

Do you agree that my knitting skills has improved? ;p

Hello Teddy

Just a little update from the crafty sides of mine. I finished the Jewellery Making class last November, but finished the last project in December, after my big holiday.

Making new jewellery for practise would be fun, but I haven't really look for new beads, and the chance to get nice beads here is very small. I've then decided to switch to knitting, which I abandoned for more than a year. I thought I better start again before too long and forgot all about it. Not only that, I also worked on some cross stitch work.

The first work, a pencil case, didn't turn out like I'm expected. But I'm pretty happy with the next trial, a teddy bear. Didn't expect it would be symmetrical or if it would look like a bear. I struggled with the make-up instruction. I was really surprise with the result! and more from that, it can be the first soft toy for my coming bub! :)

Teddy Bear, Pencil Case, and Book Mark

Key Chain

Play The Beads

For those who knows me too long must know that I have passion in doing handy crafty work. I like doing crazy (according to some people) things, like: Paper Tole, Scrapbook, Making Cards, Knitting, Cross Stitch, Jigsaw Puzzle, etc. Some people think I was nut when I show them my paper tole work, where I have to cut many an small pieces of paper and built it into 3 dimension picture with glue. Others could not understand how could I finish a picture of 10.000 pieces jigsaw puzzle. Sometimes I even dream about it. Example, when I worked on puzzle, I would dreamt about pieces of puzzles everywhere and connected it. When I worked on cross stitch, I dreamt about the pattern, tangle yarn, match colour. When I worked on paper tole, I dreamt about the mountains of glue melted... and many other strange dreams.

As much as I like doing it, there are times when I busy with work and other things, too tired and has no time to do anything else. That's when hobbies started faded away. It has been left out for quite a long time.

Not long ago I learned how to knit. I like it but I didn't have so much time after that. I know I have to do it again before I completely forget how to.

But in the past few weeks I've been having fun playing with my new toys, ie: beads, wire, pliers, crimps, clasps, headpins, etc. Yes, I am now at the stage of learning to make jewellery. Apparently not so easy! Especially the ones with wire. Same as other hand craft work, you have to be creative and super patient, as you are working with tiny bitty beads or soft/hard wire sometimes. But I lovee it! I have so much FUN ! :)

Beads for my lariat necklace project with varies of tools

One of the charm for the necklace. Making the loop and wrap on the wire is really a challenge.


Some of the charms I've been making so far.


Simple necklace I made for our first project.

Pinky Little Something

Hiyaaa...... This is the FIRST creature I knitted! Yay!!! :)

Thanks to the 'Guru' !

I just started learn how to knit in October and it was only for a few week, which then I busy with other things. Guru said my knit stitches looks like knit of a person who has knitted for years. :) what a compliment, hey ?

Anyhoo, I called this thing a creature,...as it's supposed to be a white snowball. I didn't have enough white yarn, so I made it in pink. But whatever it is, I would always treasure this little pinky ball as my first creation of knitting. Hoping to have more time to knit this year.

These little farm family created by the 'guru' while she was here.

Notes: These are only some of them. She made lots more!

Little Christmas Corner

May I present .... my first nativity set and... my first 'branchy' christmas tree.

Sick & Knit

Uuughhh.... not feeling well.... its the time when i'll be in bed all day.... stuffy head, heavy eyes, blocked and runny nose, sore throat, nausea.... oooh so much in pain....! *grin* Well, actually not that bad. But still,... not fun to be sick, especially on weekend. :(

Anyway, I'm in to knitting now. A beginner, genuinely autodidact. Learned from books and internet. Seriously, very difficult to learn without anyone teach and show you how. It gets me maaad!! But after several times of trial and error, I (think) I am now can do Cast On, Knit Stitch, and Purl Stitch. :D. I think I held the needles in a wrong way, though because sometimes it slips or fell off. But I'm pretty happy with the result. I will be more happy if I can make something with it. I can't wait! I have some ideas of what I want to make... but I just dont know how!! So annoying... We'll see in a couple of months...... either I'll make progress, or I'll sick of it and give up. :D