Malaysian Scenery

I travelled to Malaysia earlier this year (actually late last year) and took some photographs that I am really proud of.  We trekked along in the jungle, visited beaches and caves.... well writing a whole journal of my travels would bore everyone to death! So I thought I would share some pictures here with those who follow my occasional posts.... here you go!

Great Golden Statue - Batu Caves

Beautiful Beach - Desaru

The Waves Coming In - Desaru

Rocks Hit the Waves - Desaru

Beautiful Langkawi

Beautiful Beach - Langkawi

More Langkawi

Deserted Beach along the Islands

Happy New Year!

2009 was a year of many developments for me, on the crafts level.  I actually shifted from making toys and scarves to garments, and I also began to work on some serious crochet, and finished myself a few bags and a lovely halterneck top as you can see from my previous posts. Of course, nothing would have come this far without the great push I got from the Stitch N Bitch books, which I bought in 2008. These are really useful handbooks for knitting and of course for crochet. I had never crocheted before, and all of a sudden I could take the plunge and first made myself a very basic bag, and then moved on to crocheting my lovely halterneck top, which you've read so much about.









I have now ventured well into the world of pattern working, as I can finally say I can read a pattern without getting all cross-eyed. Besides this collection from Debbie Stoller, I have leaned heavily on Simply Knitting Magazine.  Again, I was driven to subscribe because of all the lovely Alan Dart toys featured, but when I began to see the delightful garments shown, I was inspired to have those garments and therefore, of course, to knit them. I am also susbcribing to The Art of Knitting, which does have some delightful items too, although I did find a number of page-fillers in some of the issues. I recently also bought Le Idee di Susanna (Solo Maglia), but you have to be very familiar with italian to work with this magazine.  The thing with this lovely italian publication is that the Italians have a knack for fashions - I prefer Italian fashion to that of the English-speaking world, and therefore I was excited by - promise! - each and every project in that book! Well worth my six euros!

I'd also love to thank all my friends at ravelry for the great support given to me in my mad quests for success in my projects. It's worked so far, and yes, the Internet is very rich in resources - both for knitting and crochet. I thought I'd also venture a little into beading when it gets warmer later into the year, but for now I will be happy with the thick wools....

As for thick yarns, I have bought some Wendy Viva, Wendy Fusion (3 colourways) and a host of other yarn! It's preposterous, my yarn is taking up all my free space! So I have embarked on a new poncho, to be knitted with Wendy fusion, and on a sweater dress, which will take up 9 balls of my eletric blue dk. Pictures below tell the story... but frighteningly there's more awaiting me at the post office... yes, I had an ordering moment of madness in December! Still I'll knit it all up somehow!!

Back on track!

I usually 'get knitted' round about this time of year, more than anything else. Because I discovered crochet in the summer, I thought I was hooked to the point of forgetting my lovely needles, but now that winter has really hit, I am back on track with the needles, and will leave the crochet hook until warmer days.

I have so, so, so many things to make. I am using 12 balls of Wendy Narvik to make a shrug for my sister, just like the Wendy Pampas shrug I made for myself earlier this year. I used Iceland (641) as a colourway, as it is rather versatile - the greys and whites tend to match with most things that one would wear. I've also bought a number of skeins in the Polar colourway, as I plan to make a long jacket designed by Artesano. I don't have a design name for it, so I will wait until it's done to upload a picture. you may have to wait a while ...

The current (January) issue of Simply Knitting has some really gorgeous knits that I can't wait to start either. There's the lovely jumper dress, which I bought some spanking new royal blue yarn in DK. Actually, I did try to look in my stash for a suitable yarn, but I did not have the right amount, or the amounts available were not in the right weight. Since there's some shaping involved, I preferred to use yarn of the same weight so I can concentrate on the pattern without having to think about adapting it. There's also a lovely party top which I plan to make in a ribbon yarn instead of the expensive silk chosen, and of course Alan Dart's Snow Queen.

To top it all, my LYS has got a new colourway for Wendy Fusion so I bought enougb yarn to make a cardigan. I figured I'd need it- I always need cardigans on top of a shirt or poloneck. And I bought three in the aquamarine colourway to make one of the lovely scarfs on Ravelry...

Is this list long enough...?? I just don't think I will finish them all by winter, but I will definitely try!

Beginnings and endings

The thrill of beginning a new project, whatever your hobby, is as great as completing one. Of course, a lot of work goes in between, and unless you persevere you will find that you begin many, only to complete very few.

Just now I finished my double moss-stitch scarf, which is a project that I left off when the weather got warmer last April or May. That's two skeins of yarn from my stash.... but so many more to go! I have been working on my Shaker-Style throw and my Jean Greenhowe Pirate in fits and starts - though I have indeed been so busy that days have passed without touching my needles.

I was about to start Simply Knitting's winter wrap, when I realised that I still have a pair of socks that I started just before going abroad last month. The yarn was bought from Lidl (manufactured by Zettl GmbH, and is 75% superwash new wool (whatever that is) and 25% polyamide. The yarn is really thin (is this what sock-weight is really like ?) so it will take rather longer than planned to finish these socks (and I'm only at the beginning!) but never mind... I'm getting on a little better than I thought I would when I first cast on.

I have many, many plans for projects but time is always a factor. That, and the fact that my elbow aches (down to my wrist, and up to my shoulders), especially after a day of typing translations, which leaves me little room and time to knit as hard and as fast as I would like to.

Nevertheless, efforts are always rewarded. I've had this idea of giving the double moss-stitch scarf as a present, or selling it on etsy... we'll see how that goes.

Beach Boys and Bunny Babes - Alan Dart

I bought these two patterns, and afterwards (before I'd even looked at them), I bought 'Irresistible Gifts to Knit', which included these sets of patterns as a whole.

I am therefore trying to sell them on ebay, if anyone's interested. I've not even used them, and they are still in the envelope as received :)

I've finished my Sweet Pea Shawl, and mum took it to Spain with her on holiday. We'll see how she gets on with it - I'm flattered she wanted one. I have other cotton yarns so I might as well get crocheting another one! I'll include a pic shortly!

I've also started again with my Shaker-Style Throw. I've bought until issue 37 but shamefully I'm still at Square 12. Nevertheless, if you apply yourself it will pick up very quickly, I'm told, as the work is not that difficult...

As to other projects - lots of people I know seem to be preparing to have babies.... or having babies... so that will be a lot of nice knitting of toys or shawls!

Winter ...

It's suddenly turned chillier, and of course we're getting rain a tad more often. All of a sudden I've realised that I've not finished my summer projects (at least 3 left, with yarn and patterns handy) and have yet to start my winter stuff. I definitely have some gifts to make, but I'm now seriously wondering whether they will be ready on time. One of them is half way there but it's still too warm to handle such thick yarn. In this country each season is so short that you have to knit really quickly for that season, or you'll miss the boat.

Of course, I am trying to keep my own limitations in mind. When the party season opens, which is soon. I get less time to do my own knits and often have to prepare for a party, or spend a lot of time resting afterwards. Still, I plan to make the maximum effort possible to at least have a few projects to be proud of this winter!

Rediscovering creativity

The weather has taken a sudden turn for the cooler, and so I can now handle my knits again. This week I met a very nice lady from the UK, who came to Malta on holiday. I originally made friends with her through Simply Knitting, but then discovered she comes to Malta very often and so we've met up. I enjoyed the chat with her, and pity we could not stay on longer, but it was definitely very good to meet up.

I have taken up my Sweet Pea lace shawl again, and have also decided to give many hand-made presents this year. I have all this lovely yarn and cannot afford to continue to spend on it - so why not have an excuse - making stuff for others. I already plan to make toys for my nephews, as well as a couple of christening presents. That should work out really great. I will try to post pictures as I go along :)

Meanwhile, I have so much to knit and yes! you have it! not enough time!