My First International KAL.

I can't exactly recall how I found this pattern from Hollaknits , but I know it was love at first sight and I told myself that I must make one of this for myself, cos it is just too lovely. This pattern called Nachtfalter by Stefanie Pollmeier and I am just so thrilled when I found out that there are lotsa knitter on Ravelry who actually want to held a knit-a-long for this. 

  

This pullover is worked in round for its ribbing with a very neat cable pattern and continue by working flat for its lace part with a very beautiful Honeybee stitch that creates a sophisticated overall look. 

It is a 6weeks KAL, which started on 3rd June and to be finished latest by 15th July 2013. And the best part of all lots of great prizes offer for those who can finish the project on time.

So I start my swatching yesterday night, using a local made yarn called Soft Cotton Acrylic, made of 60% cotton, 40% acrylic which I found will be suitable enough to be worn in a hot weather country like mine here.

Call me lazy or anything else for doing the swatch both the ribbing and the lace part on one piece, but I love to see how my swatch turn out and makes me can't wait to see how my whole project will look like on me once I finish.

Managed to get the gauge for the ribbing area after swatching it for two time, cos this part seems to be kind of important in determining how nicely fit it will be once finished.
As for the honeybee lace, I am just loving it. It actually was easier that I thought earlier, thanks to a very detailed explanation on Stephanie's Blog.

Gauge achieved with needle size 3mm for ribbing & 3.75mm for the lace

However I decided, I will go a size higher for the ribbing part, cos I like it to fit me comfortably with a positive ease. And really can't wait to finish mine soon.

My 2nd finish knitted adult tops!

Though I have been knitting for sometime, to have finished wearable project for my size is still countable within my five fingers. Hahaha. All this while I am only manage to knit tthe wearable for children size.

But then I definitely have step up the challenge this year, making a big progress with my skills.
Yup, I have finally made another wearable for myself and surprisingly it is not being frogged inside my WIPs bag like my few other so called adult wearable which I have started few years back since I have learned how to knit.

The pattern was taken from Ravelry Free Pattern Tester Group, called Haubergeon Pullover, design by Julliana Lund. It really catched my attention with its elegant cable-lace designs.

I started to cast on as soon as I received the pattern from Julliana. But again after managed to finish the early part if knitting the waist band, I stop continuing the work due to the hecticness in finisihing some crochet order which I have taken.

Thankfully that since I am volunteering as a tester, there is a dateline to meet in finishing the project, which triggered me to have no option but to finish this pullover as soon as possible.
And guess what, I did it! I manage to finish knitting the whole pullover within 10days with approximately 3-5hours spend with knitting it in a day. Quite an achievement for me, I might say.

Guess you really never know what you are capable of doing when you are under pressured. Though the pullover is actually bit too loose for me, since the size I have taken is actually bigger than I thought, I just could not be more proud to myself. And i do have the thought of knitting another piece of this pullover with smaller size to fit me better.

And having this knitted pullover finished in such a short time, I am definitely looking forward to have more wearable knitted in future. With this thought of having to knit your own wearable and being able to show it off to the public is really giving a big Proud feeling.

For the love of Doily.

For me personally, making Doily whether crochet or knit is always fun to do.
Because doily in its lace design is just lovely to see and always looks pretty no matter how simple the design is.


This month I have knitted another doily again, and it has been my 2nd big doily.
Pattern received through a knit along held in Dinamic Croknit group and that makes it even more challenging. The finished doily turns out to be approximately 60cm in diameter and since I used a rayon yarn to knit, it ends up to be very lacy.

What I love the most is the combination of colour I have created, which makes it so Chinese-feel and plan to make another one soon.

Dreaming to be part of big brand, Rowan!

The well known brand of a yarn company, Rowan, is looking the suitable candidate to become part of their team, which called as Rowanette.
I have submitted my entry right vefore the dateline which is 28th September 2012.
Just hoping and finger crossing, I will be shortlisted.

I have chosen a crochet pattern from Japanese Ondori book #3362, cos I found this tops has a very beautiful lace motif that looks elegant and complicated. Othe than that I also want to stress a point where Rowan Yarns is not only suitable for Knitting but also it is comfortable to be crocheted, especially when you are in a tropical country like Indonesia, where crochet is way more popular to knitting due to the whether issue.


The chosen candidate result will only be out somewhere around October 2012 though, so just wish me the best of luck then ;))

Believe in yourself!!!

Why did I said so? It is a common thing happens with all of us, I guess.
Things in life are usually looks tougher before we actually been going through with it.
The beginning stage always difficult, but when we adapt ourselves to it, slowly we are getting used to whatever situation we have been facing with and we start to actually believe what we are capable of doing with the life.
That is just the simple philosophy of life which I believe everyone will sure been having too.

The same thing like what I written above did happen to me, but only not happening with daiy life, more to my skills in the hobby I am loving alot now, that is Knitting.
It was all started by the encouragement given by a fellow knitter, to join along the free pattern tester group on Ravelry to test on a shrug pattern called 'Piano Princess Lace Shrug IV'. I, at last, out of my curiousity, sign up as a tester then.

During the testing process, before I actually started to cast on mine and reading along the comment given by other tester in the pattern discussion board, I started to loose confidence to actually be able to finish the project within the given dateline. Cos it seems even the advance knitters who share the same pattern with me found lotsa difficulties in working the project.

I was actually about to quit as a knitter until the fellow knitter whom was the first reason I join along this test, continuously giving the encouragement to not stopping before I actually give a try. And I am just so thankful that I did listen to her.

The project was actually not as difficult as it might seen, when you start to get familiar with the whole pattern and it is more to a work repetition. I could not be more proud of myself, as I like to say, I finally managed to get the project completed on time. Again it was a really big accomplishment I have managed to achieve within 2012. And this definitely has become a stepping stone for me to sharpen my skills even more.