On the hook

Irish Crochet - My last posted progress was in January 2019...doesn't sound that very long does it?  but its time to finish some of these crochet and knitting projects. Firstly, its taking up space and I need to declutter. Secondly, well, it's time to get it done before I go on buying more...lol

I began working on this  since the start of our MCO in March this year, but it was only in  May when I began to assemble the pieces and by August I was quite happy with how all the motifs came together (after some pondering)and was comfortable with how it looked. Thereafter it was just sitting there on my frame.  I was so near yet so far. I began working on it diligently about mid November to put everything together and finishing it before November ended

Pardon the wonky-ness

The Red Motifs - another one pulled out from the dark cold box in the corner. Working with motifs  is super easy and a very versatile project. I can simply tugged into my purse and  carry  it anywhere and everywhere I went. Easier said then done. Haha...it took me like ages but when I got it going, there was no stopping. The set backs I encountered  with this was assembling the sleeves Since I did not follow any given pattern, it took me two days on a weekend to figured it out and finally put it together. 

The most challenging yarn I have ever encountered. The yarn are hairline thin with tiny tracks of fibers in between. Working with three strands . This was at first a stole to be but somehow along the knitting journey, I decided a blouse/tunic would be of more use to me than a stole living in my hot and humid weather. 

And so there you go, striking out three  from my Crochet/knitting UFOs list...next some Christmas finishing.

I shall leave with this yummilicious Signature Watermelon Cake by  Naj & Belle Dessert House, so glad they opened a branch at this new mall  not far from my home. The mall finally had their official opening mid November after postponing it since March this year due to the pandemic.

Well I hope everyone stay safe .

A bit of everything in May

I thought the month of May would be quieter to allow me to ponder on a few things. First, the Birthday exchange with the girls at WSG is still pending, the exchange due date is in December and believed me December is not very long these days. Just look at how the days goes by week after week and June is up next.  Lucky that this round we only had one partner and I assured you with one partner it's not an easy task either.

May Wedding - we were flooded with a total of  six wedding invitations and what a coincidence that non of these weddings had dates that clashes as if 'they' had planned out. Just saying other wise it will be hard to decide which to forego . The Chinese believed that May is an auspicious month for marriage but six in a month is well a lot where the pocket is concerned since we are giving 'Angpow' as the wedding gift.

A lil' fun read that I stumble upon about the monthly bride
A January bride will be a prudent housekeeper, and very good tempered.
A February bride will be an affectionate wife, And a tender mother.
A March bride will be a frivolous chatterbox, Somewhat given to quarreling.
An April bride will be inconsistent, or forceful, But well-meaning.
A May bride will be handsome, agreeable, And practical.
A June bride will be impetuous, And generous.
A July bride will be handsome, But a trifle quick-tempered.
An August bride will be agreeable, And practical as well.
A September bride will be discreet, affable, And much liked.
An October bride will be pretty, coquettish, Loving but jealous.
A November bride will be liberal and kind, But sometimes cold.
A December bride will be fond of novelty, Entertaining but extravagant."

and the monthly Wedding
Married in January’s hoar and rime,
Widowed you’ll be before your prime.
Married in February’s sleepy weather,
Life you’ll tread in time together.
Married when March winds shrill and roar,
Your home will lie on a distant shore.
Married ‘neath April’s changeful skies,
A chequered path before you lies.
Married when bees o’er May-blossoms flit,
Strangers around your board will sit.
Married in month of roses- June-
Life will be one long honeymoon.
Married in July with flowers ablaze,
Bitter-sweet memories in after days.
Married in August’s heat and drowse,
Lover and friend in your chosen spouse.
Married in September’s golden glow,
Smooth and serene your life will go.
Married when leaves in October thin,
Toil and hardships for you begin.
Married in veils of November mist,
Fortune your wedding-ring has kissed.
Married in days of December’s cheer,
Love’s star shines brighter from year to year.”

The UFO Basket - I have a number of  knitting and crochet projects in the UFO basket which haven't seen light in a very, very long while plus a couple of stitching projects that I seriously need to look into. But I am currently low on motivation and the "calling"

A little peek - Slow like tortoise is a couple of crochet doilies in the making , this is new, I'll need to make a few or until I run out of threads.

I have been crocheting this Granny squares for ages, can't even recalled for how long it hasn't seen light and I am currently working slowly on this. Will see what it will become when I am done since I am so fickle minded and can't really decide.

Festival - Chung Chow Zie, Dumpling & Dragon Boat Festival, a  day when we celebrated the day with wrapped bamboo leaves dumpling of glutinous rice. I like mine the Nonya Dumpling. Not making any for now, since my quinea pigs are all away from home. I received a few dumplings when I attended an event for the dumpling festivity last weekend, so that will do for any cravings.

Weather - Currently we are experiencing inter-Monsoon weather which will bring afternoon showers and thunderstorm rain especially  in the early evenings and when it's hot, it humid and sunny and skin piercing, average 32C/23F.

 Thank you for coming by and leaving me your comments in my last post. Wishing all a wonderful month of June.

Catching up with July

Two weeks has since went by in July, yet it didn't felt like it's been half a year has already gone by and likewise, I am sure the year end is rolling in as quickly as the months that has passed. In a week or so, Diane will be embarking on a new journey in her life as an undergraduate majoring in a science related field. It's been months of hectic and stressful times while she worries and fuss about almost everything there is.

My hopes are naturally that she will enjoy where she is with her chosen field, cause I believed that will attribute to her doing well. 

June progress of my RED Hexagone. Everyone seems to have abandon the SAL, LOL,seems like I am the only one posting lately. Well six more months to go. The flowers are now counting 25/52, and you can see July pieces in progress

Crocheted Landyard and in BLACK that Diane intended as gifts to her bff. All will be starting as undergraduates in various Universities of their chosen field soon.

I am thinking of adding a little crochet flower for each landyard, just one tiny flower, but that will need approval, kids these days you'll never know what's on their mind.

The Knitting bug has caught up with me lately.  I was so inspired  when  Lynn posted her fabulous shawl that I could not resist knitting one. While the design is simple enough even for a beginner, my choice of yarn was a bit difficult to manage.  Knitting with three hairline yarns need a bit a more concentration and lots of patience. What was I thinking when I decided on that yarn !

Testing out a pattern, need to get myself accustomed to the pattern before I start, as you can see I already failed 

Throwback two weekends. Meeting two girls for a little chatter over an English Afternoon Tea at Mandarin Oriental Hotel near our most photographed landmark, the KLCC Twin Towers. Unfortunately someone is having that photo of the twin towers. LOL

Till my next post, I hope I have something stitched to show.

Chilly June

When it's Summer in Northern Hemisphere and Winter in Southern Hemisphere, we are experiencing  rain, at times heavy downfall and so the days can be chilly, at times chilled me to the bone in the office when the air-conditioning is in full blast and in away it awaken the lazy bones in me.

  

No stitching of lately, procrastinating a lot actually and it's June already.

 Towards the end of May I  manage to drag myself to put this on my drawing board.

The Pincushion Teapot, freebie design by Red Brolly . It's been so long on my to do list.

I envision it to be difficult just by looking for some weeks but it turned out that the tutorial was  a joy to follow. I omitted sewing the side seams not on purpose, I simply forgot . Added a little embellishment on the teapot cover and a tea tag. It wasn't perfect, I had hidden flaws and I tweaked a bit differently for both the Spout and the Handle.

We are having mango season, and it's always a joy to have fresh cut mangos with Sticky Glutinous rice and savoury Coconut milk or Mango Sago Pearls in Coconut Milk.

Can never have enough of mangos, yumz !

Both are good tea time desserts

I also bake a couple of cupcakes, these are Ferror Rochas Cuppies, just add the Ferror Rochas to your favourite cake batter and you are done. Mine is Passion Fruit, because a neighbour gave me some really large fruits and it's been in the fridge for over a week already.  I had some plain ones for mom actually whom was going away on a trip so she could munch in case she got hungry in her journey and some extras for her friends who was travelling with her.

My knitted tunic for Diane's is finally done. If you remembered about me posting  this knitted tunic some many months back, like a year or so. Another UFO done with.

The Red Hexa SAL, four more flowers done for the month of May. I am contemplating to start piercing the flowers together now or should I wait till I am all done with 52 flowers. Still thinking !

I hear the falling rain on the roof and it's heavy, there's  loud thundering too that doesn't sound too distance away, which means the rain will stay for some hours. Like always never like rain especially when it's near time to knock off from work.

That's all for now, have a good week ahead everyone and thank you for coming by with your inspiring comments.

A knitting story with Beloye

I started this last year, a tunic for Diane. It was supposed to be a fast one, after all it's a simple design, more so with the thoughts that I could carry with me everywhere but you never know the in betweens ...Something always came up midway and I got side tracked.

First time knitting with this Beloye Organza or was it Chiffon Ribbon Yarn.  Anyway, it's been a long while since I knitted, so naturally I had my hiccups. My tension was irregular too and it felt strange working with the flat ribbon, it's like no grip even slippery. .

It was brain draining too, as I got so engrossed with how the ribbon got twisted with every knit, then realized that it doesn't matter coz' that's the interesting part of it's end result. Then I made the boo-boo when I am almost finishing. Missed calculated. I had to make good, it's so obvious !

 That was sometime in July. I've since finished knitting, all washed too. All I need now is a body to do a fitting but with Diane's final exams in November, she has her nose to the grindstone and couldn't  spare me the time for a body fit, now that her exams are over, she took up a part-time job  and so I had to put it away again. It hasn't seen light since.but hopefully soon.

In the meanwhile, I've been putting in some Christmas theme stitches since last week, so no showing since most of it are going away until it's all open up. Till then, enjoy stitching and hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

April Birthday Block Exchange 2014

Revealing my first set of blocks for the Birthday Blocks Exchange 

at WSG for the year 2014.

Surprisingly, although working the Hexies Applique was a bit tedious but assembling it went rather smoothly. Instead despite this is my second attempt at sewing the 9-patch blocks, I still have my frustrating moments and  feeling insecure. 

For the April Birthday girl, Jess

9 patch blocks or stitcher's choice

Quantity 9 blocks of Size 6.5 blocks

My choice Hexies Appliqué block

Fabric colors  - Light - unlisted

- Dark - Winter Song by Paintbrush Studio

9 patch blocks 

Light by Exclusively Quilter

Dark Brown  unlisted.

My packaged mailed a little late but arrived safely on 29 April 2014

Knitting in progress a tunic for Diane. Been knitting this since February 2014. It's taking ages because I am still in my no inspiration cum uninspired for craft mood. The second set of blocks are  due for mailing this week and  no, I am not ready for mailing yet at least for another day or two....feeling meh !

My heartfelt appreciation to all who came and left your wonderful comments in my last post. I haven't been visiting yours much in return, but slowly I will try to make it up to you.  My apologies for not thanking you personally, hope you understands, but I want you to know that you are always in my thoughts.