My Daughter's Crochet Vest

This is a crochet vest I made for my daughter. Except my knitting homework,I didn't have much time to do extra knitting or crocheting. Why I decided to crochet this vest? The reason is that the pattern looks easy and it really is. The original pattern is for an adult so I have to modify it for my 10-year-old daughter.



I spent about one week to finish it. First, crocheting four squares , connecting them together ( it would become a circle) and then keep on working same pattern till the length you prefer. No need to shape the armhole and neckline. When you put it on , the neckline and armhole will just turn up. It is easy.



It looks neat and gorgeous when just finished. However, after wore one month, it made pills. The fuzz balls can be easily seen in the vest. Though never expecting fuzz balls won't show up, I just don't expect them so quickly.

Kumquat

One day I happened to see a blog that introduced how to make sweet kumquats.We, Taiwanese, think sweet kumquats pouring with hot water can cure coughing. In addition, drinking hot sweet kumquat tea can make your body warm in cold winter days.I knew that but never did it before. Last week, I happened to see that blog.The sweet yellow kumquat color caught not only my eyes but also my heart. So I made up my mind to give it a try.

Kumquats are abounded from Jan. to Mar. . So they are almost not seen in market now.Just right before giving up looking for them in the market, I spotted a fruit stand selling the cut little yellow things. It was as if founding pirates' treasure in the secret mountain.So thrilled!

I didn't buy many( about 600g) since it was the first try. Wash them, dry them with kitchen paper and cut four lines on each one that makes juice come out. Then Put them in the pot with sugar, maltose and some water( you can use wine ,too). Cook and stir them for 20 mins. It was done! You can preserve them in a clean and dry glass bottle for 2-3 months in the refrigerator.

See the cooked sweet kumquats pouring with hot water looks so yummy. I can't wait to sip its sweet yet a bit sour flavors!

Pink Pullover

This FO is my NAC knitting project, also my homework. Its key learning point is the crochet edge in V neckline, sleeves and bottom. I had to crochet the V-neckline first and measure its gauge for sleeves and bottom edge, then after finishing body knitting part ,just picking up stitches from the pieces and crochet the edge pattern.
As for the body knitting part, the pattern was changed by me. I just didn't like the original pattern and my knitting teacher said I could find other one that I liked. So I find the pattern and modified the eyelets a bit far from each other as you can see now.If not, it would be too many eyelets and people could see "through" me.

This is the first FO since I changed a new knitting teacher. This new teacher emphasizes on small details that are easily neglected by students. And that really matches my thought. knitting or crocheting are not hard for most knitters but the small parts,such as how to sew sleeves neatly, how to shape armhole, neckline beautifully and how to measure gauge precisely are the real skill. That is what I want to learn from a teacher. Luckily, I've found a teacher, who is really the one I've longed for. I truly believe she has much that I could learn from.