Finished projects and computer woes

So I've managed to finish my unshaped shrug in my red bulky yarn. I would love to share it with all of you, but this is the week that my computer has decided not to work, period. I think that I might have to journey off to Sham Shui Po in search of a new hard-drive. :( No pictures for now, but I'm hoping to have this problem solved soon, because I am going crazy without my computer!

Anyway, the shrug turned out quite nicely, though a bit longer across the back then I hand intended. This was also my first time picking up stitches to create a border. The 2x2 ribbing turns in a little bit, but I think with some blocking that it will work out nicely. Its very warm, and I think that it will suite my mother when she comes to visit during Chinese New Year. I've also been very busy working on my Very-Cropped Hoodie, from MagKnits. This one I'm making for a friend is in tones of brown, from Vintage ColorMulti. After about 3 weeks of knitting, I'm working on the second sleeve, and the hood is all that remains after that. I've made some adjustments to the pattern for yarn and needle size, mostly repetition of some rows and knitting the sleeves in the round, versus flat like the pattern calls for. Its worked out nicely, especially with the yarn picked. It should be perfect for the recently chilly Hong Kong weather. Hopefully pictures will come soon!

Another interesting and happy development in my life recently is that I have been included into some wonderful knitting groups with some very talented ladies! They are all incredibly talented and interesting women. I've included some of their blogs in my links now. You should check them out! I enjoy their company and I think that I can also learn a lot from them. That's all the knitting news from my corner!

Sweater Frustrations!

So the baby sweater was going good...until I reached the part where you do the neckline shaping, and then it all just went wrong! The body of the sweater didn't seem like it was going to be wide enough for any baby that I've seen and the sleeves seemed to be a mile long. I stuck with it for a little while, and then just got so frustrated with the damn thing, I frogged it all! Now the yarn and needles are sitting in a corner, thinking about what they did. I think that I also might need to find a different pattern, or go out there and get a pattern book.

For right now, I've moved on to the unshaped shrug project for a little. I found this great bulky yarn in these beautiful variations of red. Its a little bulky, and I'm using the measurements for the largest one, but I think that its going to be lovely and less frustrating. When I saw and felt this yarn, I knew that it had to be made into something soft that you feel luxurious wearing. Here's to times of less frustrating knitting!

Madil-Sophy Yarn Project

I've recently gotten inspired to step outside of the scarf and hat box and attempt my first sweater.....baby sweater that is. Within the past 4 years, two of my older siblings have gotten married, and I know that babies cannot be far off. I've decided to get a little ahead of the game for when it actually starts happening...

The yarn I picked for this project is Sophy by Madil. Made in Italy, this 66% fine Merino, 34% acrylic yarn is a dream. It looks like a basic white crinkled, but the suprise is the little swaths of bright colors that appear at random. Now I am a sucker for anything veregrated, but this is a treasure. I think that it could be made into anything, its just that lovely and versitile. The colors might look a little dull in these pictures, but that is due to the dimness of the lights in my apartment. They really do pop!

The first part of this project/set is a little newborn baby blanket, that I finished last night. I used the standard "Feathers and Fan" pattern that can be found almost anywhere. I found mine on KnitPicks, in the free pattern section. (http://www.knitpicks.com/ ) I've used this pattern for several projects already, and it works out so nicely. Its one of those patterns that everyone thinks is harder than it looks, but just one row is worked in pattern. The finished blanket measures about 14 inches wide and about 3 feet long. I think that it can qualify as something unisex in todays world. This is a photo of what it looks like on my off-white couch. I think that next time I use this pattern to make a blanket, I'll do it a little wider, maybe 20 inches.

The next part of this project is one of the 5-hour patterns that are floating out around there. I found mine by browsing through Bev's Country Cottage and her list of free patterns. Its a very simple, hooded sweater in seed stitch. Not only will it be my first sweater, but also my first time attempting a hood. I started it this afternoon, and I have about 4 inches of seed stitch done. You can see the pattern here- http://www.knitlist.com/2002/FransHood.htm The next part of the project is going to be some booties, but I haven't found a pattern that I love yet. I'd be grateful for any suggestions!

Yarn-shopping Karma

So my knitting shop lady is wonderful to me, and I mean really incredibly wonderful. She remembers every ball of yarn that I've bought, what projects I'm working on, and has even offered to teach me to crochet. With all that going for me, why did I think that it was a good idea to shop at other places? Now I have been driving myself nuts trying to find a decent pair of double-pointed needles here, and that's the one item she doesn't have. So I go off 'round Hong Kong trying to find some shops I've seen on the Internet, pretty much unsuccessfully. One of these places was downtown in a shopping plaza. I dropped my friend off at the doctors, and then went off to find this place. I find the shopping center, but no knitting shop. I look on all three floors, but no such luck. Meanwhile, I've getting death glares from all around me. Its then I've realized that, in my casual shopping, I have stepped into a front for a brothel! It took me about 2 seconds to realize where I was, and about 1.5 seconds to book it out of there. I think that the yarn gods were punishing me for neglecting my knitting shop lady. So, lesson learned, try to shop someplace else, be surrounded by hookers.