new mini doily . . BLOOM

j ust finished this mini doily from 99 little doilies by Patricia Kristoffersen published by Leisure Arts. There are so many mini doilies that I would like to do in that book, so keep coming back to see more of these beauties...






The doily is so easy to do, stitches used are FP, know where to find the front loop, and back loop. It is done in three parts, first part is the center which consists only of sc, the second part, this is where it will create into two-dimensional thing. The third part is the I think is what attracts me most...doing the Front Post Double Treble stitches..

I love how this has been cleverly design, like how it looks more like a two dimension - to achieve the look, do the stitches at the back loop, finish off.

The third part of the doily is just a combination of single crochet, similar to picot stitch,popcorn stitch, shells and FPdtr stitches.

Materials: Cannon Thread size 8
Colorway: Variegated Pink
Hook: 1.75mm
Skill: Intermediate
Date Started: April 28, 2008 ~ Date Finished : April 29, 2008

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i am the world ????

according to the latest quiz I took, the kind of tarot card am is...

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

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a lazy afternoon

I just have to take a photo shot of this one lazy afternoon here in Riyadh, I like how the afternoon sun hit my living/dinning room windows, and even like the warm weather this last friday.

Here is my youngest, practicing her handwriting skills... even at her age (4 years old), she has a nice grip on her pencil, and writes neatly (if is she's in the mood).

During this time of the day (like this particular afternoon) I enjoy my knitting, while listening to Motown music or some light jazz or ballad songs...

Forgot to post these swatches I made last week, just before I made the generation purse. I like this Geometry dress from Interweave Crochet Spring 2008.

But my swatches are way off, but I like this yarn to make the dress, have to make some research on how to calculate gauge. I just don't want to take what the magazine or some designer has said that I should just change the hook size or get the recommended yarn just to meet the gauge. I just have to be diligent on my research , so that I can still be able to wear the dress based on my yarn.

If you have some ideas how to go about it, please (down on my knees begging) to help me. I really appreciate any help that you can extend.

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mystery lace kal - no more....

I joined a KAL group on yahoo called Mystery Lace, and was excited when it started, cause I think I am the only one in the group who will be using a size-10 thread, while most are using laceweight merino yarns... (i envy them! )

However, some of the members where I guess not satisfied on how the KAL is going so they bombarded Susan of negative emails and criticisms...which prompted the owner to first make the yahoo group set in "no-mail" for awhile.

Today, as I was scanning my inbox full of digest mails from my various groups, I was delighted to get a bulk message from Mystery Lace, and immediately read it first. I was relieved when on the first message, a member or should I say moderator, had written that the clue 2 will be up soon and we should just be patient, as Susan - the owner is trying to think of ways on how to present in a better way the kal should go.

Then I scanned again, and saw Susan's post...this where I got really sad, because the owner has decided to put the pattern on sale and another extra for tutorial. The reason is because she didn't forsee that by creating a KAL group will take-up much of her time from her child and from her financial work. To understand more..this is what she had written...

......
I wanted to share this for free, and though I thought I was prepared
for it by allowing a few hours a day to the list and more to the
knitting, there has been an intense onslaught of emails and some
negativity which is unwarranted and taken all my waking hours. If I
am to put more into explaining the fundaments of lace knitting, then
I can't give up everything to share and then not be able to afford to
live, or provide the basics for my child, etc. This is just the
reality of life. Most who design are married and have a buffer but
that is not my situation. I feel I have wonderful designs to offer,
but I have to create balance, as many will understand

Most of you who have participated in other KAL's know that I am
giving much more information than is standardly done, (and I also
help if I can on other lists, as my "giving back" but limit it to one
hour a day). In all honesty I do feel that free KAL's can attract a
mentality of wanting more and more, and I need to open this up to a
give and take or things going full circle. As noted, many feel they
learned more the first week than they did in a long time. That
thrills me as that is a part of what I am about, helping others, and
making the world more beautiful (through lace knitting). I also must
say that the number of personal emails I have received insisting that
I charge for this service has been astounding, so I know that I am on
the right track.

Unfortunately news of my potential decision about this was leaked,
and so I am again inundated with emails, and I have also been
answering them from 10-12 hours a day since I went to no mail on the
list, so this message is rushed (in spite of it's length). LOL
(Incidentlly when I changed the group to "no mail" it evidently
limited access to the Clues, which will be OK, as you will have more
with Clue 2, and there are more options with the pattern in the new
group also). I have to say that the love and compassion in the
personal emails is astounding and so heart touching!
So, my decision (and the suggestions), was/were that I would have to
charge $10 for the Mystery Clues and Class and the Full Pattern with
extras at the end. It is about the price of a movie or lunch out,
and so $5 for the Class and $5 for the pattern, so to speak; if you
planned to "tip" the designer at the end of the KAL and purchase the
full pattern with it's esthetics, tips and pics, etc. I hope that
those in extenuating circumstances will talk to me too. Because of
the extra work and tone the list took I just can't give it 100% of
me, and there are those who love my designs, want to be supportive,
and feel it is more than worth it. This change will also give me
time and focus to not be rushed with Clues, which was what caused the
transfer from handwritten charts to Excel to have error, and I hope
to be able to have some pictures with visuals to demonstrate some new
stitches or innovations.

I am so disappointed, as I am really looking forward to this KAL, and now, there is no way I will be able to continue the KAL since I can't purchase her pattern online (no credit-card).

I would like to just air-out my 2 cents on this I am not ranting mind you, but more of letting my sentiments known.

She should have at the beginning to let everyone know how the KAL will go, like if it's intermediate, beginner or for advance lace knitter. So far I think the KAL is fine with even if I'm a beginner. And if a beginner still wishes to join the KAL, they have to do their own research if they should encounter some complex stitches, and not expect the owner to conduct a tutorial while the KAL is going on. It's that simple...

Also she can ask the group to help out if there are some queries on how to read charts, or they don't like how their swatch came out any suggestions, or tips and techniques...that sort of things.

*Sigh* I guess I just have to let this one go and look for other KALs, which I guess there will be alot more. I just wish I will not encounter another one like this.
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trying to knit... here's the result

As posted earlier, I was having a hard time getting my knitting mojo back, still don't know the reason why. Most of my online friends told me that it will come back soon. Well it did, but not the way it was used to be ...hmm...

I haven't started again my SOTSii, I might redo the whole thing. I'm suppose to make a swatch of the Mystery Lace as well, but am getting disheartened by the result of the first few rows, my thread size 10 is hard to work with. I hope I can get some nice lace-weight yarn when I get to HK.

Wednesday, just finished my first knitted lace purse after my so-called "lost knitting mojo". I'll be knitting another purse using DMC-Petra no.5, I have already cast-on and hopefully be able to finish it before end of the month. I'll post another photo once finished. Ravel it. let me know what you think, O.K.

Materials: 1 skein Scheepjes Superwash
Needles: 4.5mm circular by Inox
Skills: Intermediate (I guess)
Finished Measurements: 6" x 8"
Started: April 20, 2008 ~ Finished: April 23, 2008

And some more shots of the purse in the making....















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yup more quizzes....

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Mohair.You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with others, doing your share without being too weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely refuse to change your position once it is set, but that's okay since you are good at covering up your mistakes.
Take this quiz!

Quizilla | Join | Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

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...because it is that time of the month?!? maybe...

I've been holding my yarn and needles with the every intention of knitting just about anything every day, but I just can't. Maybe this is what they call "knitters block". Don't know what started it. My mood swings are going haywire lately.

I even "buried" myself to my yarn stash just to get some inspiration or something to kick-in but nothing. I even started collecting patterns from the net thinking it would help me get my groove back, but still no help.

If I'll be asked to paint a picture of me right now, I'll be painting myself sitting on a porch or veranda, holding my yarn and needles, but not really knitting, and on top of my head with an open empty skull, cause there is nothing in my mind right now. None. Zero. Nada...it's like my brain fell asleep and whatever I do it wouldn't wake up.

But I have to do something, going crazy doing nothing, aside the fact that I've already one month in advance in half way packed our bags for the much awaited family vacation.

My situation is bad, so bad that I frogged the half knitted sock I made - twice!. First sock I frogged was from Straw.com, it's a lacy sock, I emailed the pattern owner who happens to be a flight stewardes and haven't had much time figuring out how to solve my dilemma, I used magic loop, which unfortunately the pattern was written using dpns. I wanted to knit socks badly, I don't know why but I just wanted to do it.

So I decided to use the Magic Loop's pattern found on the booklet. Upon reaching the gusset and instep section of the sock pattern, it calls to pick-up and knit 11 stitches, but when I did what the pattern has told me, I didn't come up with 11 stitches, I had 13, but still went ahead, didn't bother to change it, thinking that my sock might end up with a hole on both corners of the ankle part.

Also the booklet has mentioned that I shouldn't pull the yarn tightly when doing the first stitch on both sides, cause the yarn will not slipped easily on the needle. I did that then when I tried my sock, it has ladder look on where the sides of socks. Bad advise! so you guess right, I frogged up to the heel part, and then when I started to put back the needles I got frustrated and ripped the whole thing.

Now I don't know what to do next. oh but don't judge me yet for not doing my best to get myself back to normal, oh I did, I even crocheted three hats made of size 8 Cannon threads and Monaco. You know just to start my motor running again...*sigh*

I'm also thinking of my friend Jaime whose going to be my swap buddy, I've been thinking of what and how to send some stuff to her, she's been so nice to me, wanted to return the favor. I hope I can find a solution. Also I'm thinking of the package another friend - Ellen from Canada has sent me. It hasn't arrived yet and I don't want to think that the package will arrive after we left for Manila or worst might not reach here at all.

But before I end this ramblings of mine, I'd like to share some photos of the 3 hats I made and my two kids who willingly pose wearing their new hat for the summer in Manila.

Materials used: Monaco Bedspread Weight
hook: 2.25mm
Skills: Intermediate
Pattern Source: Ondori Crochet Lace
Made for: MIL

Materials: Monaco Bedspread Weight

hook: 2.25mm
Skills: Intermediate
Pattern Source: Ondori Crochet Lace
Made for: Angel

Materials: Cannon Size 8 thread
hook: 2.00mm
Skills Intermediate
Pattern Source: Ondori Crochet Lace
Made for: Abbie

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me...an angel...now isn't that nice

Are you an Angel or a Demoness? (anime pics) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Archangel You are the most powerful in the realm of good. You are the highest rank of angel, understanding and loving no matter what! You are responsible, reliable, and have good judgement. Archangel 56% Guardian Angel 54% Archetype 50% The Anti-Heroine 38% The Angel of Death 21% Demoness 13% Fallen Angel 10% Archdemoness 0%

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tagged... me??? again...

As part of the Bobmas day, well I got tagged, this time by Amy of I knit my dreams. So okay here goes, 6 things I like to do [i'll just assume as a knitter]
1. lace knitting - latest wip - SOTSii, but in several lace knit kals.
2. sock knitting - rip the first sock, was already on the heel part.. will post a separate tale for this.
3. smell my yarn & thread stash
4. fumble with my needle and hook collection for inspiration i.e.
5. search of a good patterns and books
6. share what I can.
It is so nice knowing that there is a Pinay who is now on a mission to teach Pinoys how to knit. I'm willing to help in anyway I can, just holler...

I tagged the following fellow knitters & or/bloggers.

Ria of My Crochet World

Brandon of Raven Maiden

Beth of Yarn-Diva

Sarah of Quest for cuteness

Jaime of The absolutely true non-adventures of an insane housewife

Jennee of Jennee's Introversions


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