Crocheted Flowers

These are flowers that I crochet for my daughter. Only the big light pink one is for myself. My daughter and I have long hair so hair accessories are necessary for us. I'd like to use leftover yarn to make them become beautiful hair accessories. Though these are small objects, they are like my other big knitting or crochet objects that make me feel so happy to wear them. But my daughter seemed not to like them much. She only used them one or two times, then perserving them in the drawer.

Catch up

It didn't take me much time to reknit the rib rim that I ripped out. Finally front and back pieces were done. Then it is time to sew them and finish the V neck and arm edges. It would be off the needles soon!

Rip Out

.
I've finished the front and back pieces of this blue vest. But finally my teacher told me that I made a big mistake. I shouldn't start the rib rim with waste yarn.The real way is to cast on with waste yarn, knitting stockinette st. and then rip out waste yarn to knit rib rim. Even though my teacher tried to sew the wrong rib part, it still looked one stitch different and weird. So finally she said I'd better to cut the rib rim and knit it again. It seemed that I had no choice. She helped cut the rib part and I reknit it. Since it would be given to my best friend before Oct.5, there's not much time left. So I have to try my best to catch up where it was ripped out.

My Best Friend's Birthday Gift

This is just a samll part of my currently knitting work, a vest. It's for my best friend's birthday gift.Since wanting to give him a surprise, I won't show much of it now. After it is finished , I promise to let you see more and tell more about this vest.

Berets

Hats are always not my favorite objects. Since Taiwan is not so cold, especially I live in the southern Taiwan; most time here is considered warm. So hats are not so useful for me. But I knitted several hats for myself and my children before, which just because the beautiful pattern caught my eyes, not because we did need them.

So does these two berets. I never wore berets before and honestly, I didn't even know how to wear it when the first time seeing the sample beret in my knitting teacher's house. Again not needing them , I just wanted to have a beret so I gave it a try.

According to the sample beret, It was made of knitting wool. It was my first time to see knitting wool , which was thicker than average yarn. So I had to use crochet hook #8 to make it.

The pattern was easy. It only took me an afternoon to finish the first one, which was the knitting wool. The next day, I thought to try my two leftover Nero yarn. They beautiful color might show well in this beret. And it did.

Last winter, I put on the Nero beret more often than the knitting wool one. They both are cozy , warm and gorgeous. But I like variegated one more.

Marry Him!!

This is my daughter carrying a heart-shaped sign which says "Marry Him" in Chinese. The idea came from one of my male colleagues who wanted to propose to his girl friend. They have been dating for almost 6 years so he thinks it is time to propose to her now. In order to give her unforgettable and romantic memory, he plans to collect 99 snapshots of people who she knows carrying this "Marry Him" sign ,and then posts all these snapshots on a big heart- shaped board to propose. How romantic,isn't it?

My two children also know my colleague and his girl friend well since we've gone out with them to catch fishes, small shrimp and pick seaweed for several times. So my colleague also hope my two babies can help doing this. Definately, no problems.

This afternoon after school, I took them to a park nearby and was ready to snapshot them. In the beginning, they felt shy to carry the sign because many people exercised around. They asked" Mom, could we hide our faces?" I answered " absolutely, no" . They still felt uneasy so I had to say good words to them such as,if uncle marrys aunt successfully, you guys really do him a big favor. My son was still reluctant but my daughter got coorperated more. Finally I could snap some photos of them carrying the sign and post this three funny pictures to share with you.

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.

Vest

Before I never though a vest could be my type , including knitting and crochet style, not long ago I saw this crochet vest sample in my knitting teacher's house and tried on it. Well, it looked not bad on me and the pattern looked easy to work with so then I decide to give it a try.

The vest sample that my knitting teacher owned is deep purple colour but she suggested me to try this multicolored yarn.I like this yarn more than the sample one's.






This patten looked easy and it is also easy to work with.I totally spent 5 days to finish it. If not I still have other projects on hands, it would be done less than 5 days.



I used the same yarn, just different color and have the same gauge that the pattern called for. However, mine came out smaller than the sample one. d,could be I changed my gauge when crocheting.After I wore it several times, it became a bit loose ,though still smaller than the sample one, but it fit me better.

Small Cardigan

Yarn: 100%cotton
Tool: addi#5+ addi#3 circular
Pattern: Modified pattern




This small cardigan is original a pullover. I like the pattern, easy and good looking but I usually wear sleeveless dress with a small cardign so pullover for me is not practical.Hence,I decided to modify it a small cardigan.


The pattern was drawn again according to my size.Because the pattern is easy, I don't spend much time to get it off the needle. And finally, it turns out quite good.

Purple Red Crochet Lace Cardigan

This is my new finished small lace crochet cardigan, which was made from purple red color cotton. I modified much of the pattern, shortened the body length and change the hem design. This pattern is only two pineapple patterns in the shoulder part. For body part, only chains are crocheted. It looks easy and it is. That's why I chosed it. It only tooks me four nights to finish. For a crocheter,like me, doesn't have much time in knittng and crocheting. This pattern is undoubtedly a good choice!




It is really my style. Lately I bought a stripe dress and needed a small cardigan to cover my thick shoulder and strong arm. This model is my colleauge, who is thiner than me so this samll cardigan looks a bit bigger on her but it fits me well.

Today I put on it to my office. One of my colleagues likes it very much and asked me if I could crochet one for her.She would pay me.That really bothers me because I don't knit or crochet for money; it is just my habit. Finally, I said "sorry" to her.

Crochet Lace Garment Finished

This crochet lace garment is finished. I didn't spend much time on it. Crochet is never a problem for me. Since I was little, my mom taught me crochet. And I like it .

This work just needs two same crochet pieces connecting together and then it is done. I thought it was easy in the beginning.However, the pattern was drew a bit complicated. Sometimes I had to stop to check out the pattern , and I did ripe out several times


I like how it came out. It is really my type. In hot summer here, this crochet garment would be very useful for me.

Fun photos of my modle when snapshot.

Unfinished Lace Crochet

This is the crochet lace I am working right now. These photos were taken while the first piece were finished.This crochet lace work needs to finish two same pieces and connect them together. Then it is done. Easy and fun!!

I got this pattern from my knitting teacher and also bought this linen and cotton blending yarn from her. Acutally grey is not my favorite color and this is my first time to try grey. Though I still not quite like it, hope that trying new color might give me surprise.

It is not hard to crochet this piece but when about to finish the second piece, I found that one raw was skiped by me. I want to neglect it because am lazy to go back. But finally I still decide to go back to the skiped raw and start again. Soon it is going to be off the hook. I will post the finished lace topover very soon!