Stitch 2 Stitch

HERE I COME! ^.^

After a very long time avoiding this rather daunting and complex looking stitch, I finally succumbed and am now in the midst of my first ever cable stitch project : a vest for Brandon. I picked the easiest and free pattern I could find on Rav and well, am actually doing well till now.

What I thought to be difficult is actually the total opposite. While I am sure that they are more difficult cables out there to tackle, I am quite happy to stick to the easy ones. One should not underestimate simple patterns – they are somestimes the ones that looks nicer!

I decided that this being a brand new year and all, it’s time I took the plunge and try out other patterns aside from Ottobre. I seldom stray away from my trusted Otto patterns mainly because I am already used to their pattern and instructions. More often than not, I look at the pattern pieces and I can figure it out without reading the instructions. Otto is my (naturally) go-to pattern choices.

While I am somewhat faithfully to good ol’ Otto, I have tried out other patterns from Farbenmix, Knippie and Enid Gilchrist. Just a handful of patterns (you can see from my category dropdown list) and it’s really quite boring! lol So this time around, I have gone all out and traced out at least 6 garments for the kids and 1 for me, all of which are NOT Ottobre patterns!! (Egad!!! What have I gotten myself into??????)

Patterns that I’ve traced out and am now painfully and slowly cutting out are from Kwik Sew (knit PJs), stuff from MIP, Newlook and Burda. I dont know HOW much tracing paper I used but at the rate I’m cutting them out, I think I might burn out way before I can even start sewing! Then again, it’s all part of the build up…..picking the patterns (somewhat painful), tracing (painful), cutting out pattern pieces (more painful), picking out the fabric (the worst pain especially when you have SO much fabric and somehow none are ‘speaking’ to you!!) and then comes the sewing up, and the (anti)climax is when you are so excited to get your kid to model the FO and they decide that they dont like it and wont coperate! :/

So instead of wasting me time in here, I best run along and get me pattern pieces cut up. The daunting task of picking what fabric awaits me. Gah!

So what should one do? Just look and hope that my camera dies really soon so that I have a valid reason to go out and get me a sweet Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9V!

Actually, I was close to getting a new camera just a few weeks ago because it just wouldnt work when I switched it on. Despite changing the battery, it still didnt work. So I went on a search for a new camera – online but couldnt decide what I wanted that was within my budget and something that I liked. It never occurred to me that the problem was NOT the camera but actually the memory card! *rolls eyes*

Apparently my (super old) camera cannot handle any memory card that is bigger than 2GB. That says a lot about my camera, no? So I’m back to using my 2GB cards instead of the brand new 4GB that I got in Kulim. But on a positive note, I am glad (in a way) that I dont have to fork out any money for a new camera although a new one is always most welcomed. *hint hint*

Taa-daa!! My first official winter scarf….even though we’re right smack in the middle of summer, now is the best time to get all my winter gear up and ready for when it does hit. So far, this summer has been my absolute FAVOURITE summer in all the 5+ years I’ve been in Sydney. Why? Coz it’s a cool, cool, COOL summer!! So cool that I had on my top sheet AND blanket on last time – soooooooooooooooooo nice!!! *runs off and hides*

Anyway, this was suppose to be an easy and quick knit, and it would have been but me being a slow knitter, seem like forever before I finished it! It’s a free knitting kit from my subscription to Art of Knitting.

Yarn : Chunky yarn (I’m thinking 14 ply)
Pattern : Chunky Scarf (provided in kit)
Needles : 6.5mm

Since I am a horrible model, had Big Bear model for me instead. Another reason why everyone should have HUGE bear at home.

Very simple eyelet pattern on a stocking stitch background – and it’s a miracle that I still stuffed it up in the beginning!! >.<

But all in all, I am quite happy with how this turned out. I had previous another scarf that I was knitting but lost my steam for it. So I’ve decided to frog it. Might knit something else up with it but for now….am loving my new scarf. Can’t wait to wear it!!

Ps. I wonder if this should be blocked or not, coz it wasnt mentioned in the pattern……

Yup, I’ve sort of decided that I would like to make more personalised gifts for birthdays and Christmas this year. While I have always appreciated personalised handmade gifts, it is not often that I get them myself.

Since there are a lot of girls in the family, I got some really nice ideas and inspiration for personalized birthday gifts for girls. Actually, some of those things are what I would get for myself! And I might just do so and send the bill to Ted. Heh.

Growing up, one of my ambitions was to become a nurse. But as I grew older and hit my teenage years, that ambition changed and I took up a computer course at college thinking that I would be able to land me a good job. That too didnt quite work out too well although I did end up using the computer alot since I was the secretary.

Ever since I started working, I was always envious of friends who had the same degree as me but getting paid a whole lot more. My first job paid peanuts really. I was a clinic assistant and although it was a mindless job, I found it most interesting especially when you get to use the ecg machine – well, at least assist the doctor to put it on the patient.

And today, I see myself a SAHM to 3 lovely kids and a lot of friends are envying me! Why? Because I get to stay home and watching my kids grow, I am able to do what I want (sew, knit, Wii, etc) when I want….and although I do not get paid in dollars and cents and never get any holidays, I feel ‘wealthy’ and blessed. So while I sometimes still get jealous of the ‘freedom’ people I know have, perhaps they too are envious of me. Who knows? At least I know that I am happy where I am and that is all that matters.

FINALLY I can post these latest pictures of the last 2 dresses that I sewed in Kulim before we left for Sydney. Sadly, I didt have time to take pix of the dresses on their own. I wanted to take a fancy shot of them ie. on hangers that I was planning to hang on Mum’s red plam trees. Alas, that didnt happen and worst still, I left both dresses behind!! >.<

But rumour has it that she is planning a trip out to Sydney next month, so hopefully she will remember to bring it with her. Anyway, here are just about the only 2 pix that show off the pinafore - it could have been better, but trust the kids to behave in front of the camera is near impossible!

I did both dresses with pleats but I am looking forward to trying out the gathers and one-piece too. While this was a fairly simple pattern to sew, it didnt sit well on the girls. For Arianna, it was hanging – I blame it more on my sewing than the pattern so will need some modifications if I try this again. For KR – Mum helped me with the pattern mods and it definitely looks better and sits better too. Instead of snaps, I took the hard way and handsewed the button holes. Thank goodness the buttons sort of covers the handsewn bit – it’s HORRIBLE! lol

Yup, we arrived back home 2 days ago and the place is in a mess!! (Aida, come and help me clean up la. ) Suitcases all over the place on top of the mess that we came home to…..*sigh* I just didn’t know where to start!! It looked as if some tornado swept through our unit and left all the mess behind. Guess this is what some “bachelor” homes would look like eh? (Not that I’m some superwoman home cleaner anyway!)

Anyway, while I would love to set up my machine and get down to business. I cannot do so while there is clutter and mess in my sewing area aka the dining table. At the moment, there’s just too much mess there that my sewjo has literally jumped out the window….so I decided to do the next best thing – knit.

Yup, I recently started subcribing to this magazine called Art of Knitting and in every issue (weekly one where you have to collect and stick it in a binder), they give you a ball of yarn to knit up a square that will all come together after 90 issues. I dont think I’ll stick on that long but I’m loving it at the moment. There are also some free gifts as well and at the moment, I already have the needle case and a chunky scarf kit which includes pattern, (not that fantastic) yarn and needles.

And seeing that I couldn’t start sewing just yet, I decided to knit up the scarf instead. Since it’s chunky wool, I’m hoping that it will finish fast. But so far, it’s progressing rather slowly coz I am a slow knitter and I dont really have the time to sit and knit for hours on end (though I wish I could!).

I made a boo-boo for abt 1/4 of the scarf (was doing the YO wrongly!) but just didn’t have the heart to rip it so that ugly bit will be the back bit. I’m almost 1/2 way there….so it’s a slow journey. But I am quite confident that it will be ready by winter 2012.

Hello 2012!! Aaahhh…..the best way to usher in the new year is by coming home to LOADS of fabric and yarn waiting just for me! ^.^ Yes, despite being away from home, (no) thanks to online shopping, I have been somewhat busy shopping online and getting my orders sent to MILs. So now that I’m home, I literally have a box of mails to dive into! Why I didnt think of taking a pix of that is beyond me – silly!!!

Anyway, I am looking forward to more sewing, knitting and crocheting but how will I manage to do this and juggle my housewifely duties is beyond me, but like all the years gone by, I’m sure I will think of something. This year, there will be at least one new addition to the family – not ours of course. I’m done!! So I am excited for my cousin Kelz. She is having another girl so Dev will need to up his tempo. Lol Need boys, Dev!!

Since I’m over here, I am not sure what baby gift to get them. I thought of baby monitors but then again, how many parents actually want to hear to every single sound bubba makes? Me, I didnt want it coz I found it too stressful. I might just ask her directly instead of just assuming coz I’d hate to spend money on something that she doesnt want to use.

Well, I’m off to start my SWAP 2012…..too many patterns and fabric, far too little time!!!

baby monitors

I’ve been trying to finish 2 more summer dresses for the girls – Tropical Blend from Otto 3/11 (I think) but with Ted here, this is proving to be quite hard! lol Mainly because we are out the whole day, taking the kids out and all that. By the time we get back, I’m super tired and well, abt ready to hit the sack big time. But it has to be done n finished by Christmas so I really do have to buck up. Although the dresses are close to getting finished, I have been sewing up simple shorts for the girls as well. I used my old jeans and some scrap fabric to sew these up – nothing fancy just the shorts pattern from the Emily pattern I sewed just recently.

Anyway, today, I committed another one of those sewing sins – I bought ready made pants for Brandon!! Yea, I caved in and got him proper fitting pants coz the ones I got for him was apparently too big but because he’s already walking these days, the pants are truly falling off and making it really tough for him to walk. I had forgotten how expensive kids clothes are! >.< These pants cost me RM42 and this was already 50% off! :/ SCARY…..so while he slowly grows into these, I hope that I will be able to find more time to dedicate myself to sewing more things for him. But this will only likely be when we return home after NY. *sigh* Time…..why do you leave me so quickly????