This shot (with flash) shows the basketweave pattern more clearly:

I might not be posting regularly to this blog for a long while. Have to really focus these 2 weeks to finish my thesis, the deadline of which I have negotiated back time and time again! I’m really looking forward to closing this chapter of my life and moving on to new things =) I’ll still be knitting definitely, to give my mind a break from the writing! Knit well everyone.

In other news, I’m slightly sad to have finished a really great PC game, Knights of the Old Republic. It’s part of the Star Wars franchise, but set thousands of years before the movies’ timeline, so no movie characters appear. The technologies and costumes used look different, but many beloved Star Wars elements are there – loyal and adorable Wookies (walking carpets who did occasionally get in my way during the game!), deep space battles, lightsaber battles, Force powers, and an engaging and fun storyline. This game was much more than a nostalgia trip though, it’s a great product that stands on its own feet – the storyline is long and complex, you meet several charismatic humans, droids and aliens who join you as allies, each of whom have background stories of their own which impact your experience of the game. Best of all, the game takes the battle of Light and Dark lying at the heart of the Star Wars to a personal level – you can be as nasty or as virtuous as you want to be, and your alignment with evil or good drastically affects events in the game! It’s a big departure from the linear adventure games I usually play, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole ride! It regularly (at least once in a 1-2 hour session) lagged on my laptop, so knitting was a great companion during those minutes of unplayability

Since I’m done with the game, I’m using my leisure time checking out new knit blogs, among them Eunny Jang’s old blog, Grumperina and Amy. Eunny’s in particular was very inspiring. She’s my age or a bit younger, but she’s knitting beautiful and really complex lace and Fair Isle patterns, as well as designing complex stuff for free as well as for press. It’s all done in blistering speed too. Judging from the comments on her blog, this prowess isn’t related to years of experience, so it’s either an innate talent or a mindset for fearless knitting. She seems to think it’s the latter, so that’s quite encouraging! Anyway, what I’m getting to is that, with a few FO’s under my belt, and a proper lace project well in progress, I’m starting to feel like a proper knitter, not just a dabbler! *grin*  Here’s to more good knitting years for all!

Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Have a good time catching up with relatives! I’ll have a pretty quiet first day tomorrow, so more knitting time for me! Friday is when all the relatives on my dad’s side come to my house. It’s also the first time Hans will be over to meet the whole clan, haha! Hope he survives it

Then, a boo-boo came along. Rrrrr. I’m still not too sure what the problem is, but my stitch count is wrong right now and the eyelets on the last pattern repeat look off. Anyway, I should be able to fix it. And here I was thinking Hanami didn’t need a lifeline. *Doh!*

To make up for that unhappiness, here’s a lovely picture of a cute recipient of my handknit gift: Oliver!

I get along very well with my supervisor and his wife, so when she was expecting last year the most natural thing to do was to knit the baby something! It made things easier that they decided to know his gender in utero at 5 months, instead of waiting for surprise at birth! I also knit baby socks, but I don’t have an FO picture, it was probably in my notebook hard drive which crashed and burned.

Yesiree, I’ve cast on for Hanami! (The yarn is Jaggerspun Zephyr in Aegean Sea) I’ve liked this design for a long time. Even after browsing through the numerous wrap patterns on Ravelry, I find this the most modern and wearable lace wrap design so far. The simple rectangular stole design is great, no complicated edgings or need for provisional cast-ons. I’m quite attracted to Icarus, Leaf-Lace Shawl and Shetland Triangle, but I really can’t see myself wearing a triangular shawl! It is still much too “granny”-associated. Maybe Icarus in a jewel tone would be nice for a formal occasion, but I don’t have anything suitably grand coming up in the near future! Btw, here’s a close-up of the critically-acclaimed Addi Lace Circular Needle. This one’s a 3.00mm:

Very slick tips, and light too. I like that the cord doesn’t retain kinks – well it does for a while after first taking it out of the package, but it relaxes soon after. Nice! I’m still not used to the slipperiness though, I’m kinda missing my bamboo Clovers in the same size. Will give it a good try though, hopefully I can start taking advantage of the smoothness to knit faster!

The other night I had a dream that a friend of mine was getting married, and she was wearing two lace shawls she had knitted herself over her wedding dress. One was blue, the other a summery yellow, but oddly enough, it looked nice! Maybe cos it was a dream and surreal things seem normal in dreams. But… there’s an idea! Ha!

On the topic of significant relationships, I recently told my boyfriend happily that I would knit a sweater for him if he was posted overseas for a goodly length of time, since I saw a couple of attractive designs on brooklyntweed’s blog. He jokingly said that he might freeze to death before I get it to him in time! Humph. Oh well, Kessa has assured me that the going is quite slow when one has just started knitting, hopefully my speed of knitting will pick up in time and I can realize the sweater idea!

Pattern: Hedera

Yarn: Hand-dyed sock yarn in Pensieve colorway, from The Singing Yarn

Needles: Aero 2.25mm dpns (cheap and good!)

I had a bit of finishing fever the past few days and determinedly finished my second sock. Heh. Really like them, even though the color pooled. It’s my first pair of adult socks, and they’re mine, all mine! There’s something very snuggly, cosy and heart-warming about a pair of hand-knit socks (to me). Maybe it reminds me of children’s stories I read when I was young. Well, even though I live in sunny Singapore, I can think of a few uses for this pair already – in my future workplace if it’s cold, and to keep me warm on long flights! =) There we go.

Well, with my drawerful of 90% completed UFO’s, with a little bit of time I could churn out a whole parade of FO’s! So cheaterbug =) In the meantime, enjoy more pics of the sockies!

By the time we got there it was almost closing time, even so the staff were really nice to us. The gal in charge of yarn and knitting supplies is called Penny and she really took the time to show us the shelves where the yarn is kept. It’s quite cool looking at the bags and bags of exotic yarn from Europe (like Katia) and Japan (Olympus). Can’t remember the brands of the other yarn… However, it’s kind of hard to find all the yarn that way, cos some is stored on the high high shelves requiring ladders to climb. That’s why the staff is preparing a display cabinet with sample balls of each yarn they carry as well as catalogue books with yarn sample cards. They will also display sample knit and crochet garments. This will probably be up and ready after Chinese New Year.

Of course, they don’t bring in every line or every color, so must ask. Not sure on prices, cos we didn’t have in mind anything to buy, and they’re not labeled, you have to ask the staff and they’ll look it up. Also take note that yarn is sold by the bag. Mostly in 10′s, some are sold in packs of 6. Definitely worth the trip though! Will definitely go again when I have a project in mind. And one of the best things about Ondori: Addi circular needles! I’ve heard they are the distributors, not sure about that, but prices are slightly cheaper for the regular circs, and significantly cheaper for Addi lace circular needles (the ones with the sharper tips and red nylon thread). Woot! =) I bought a 3.00mm lace needle for Hanami, and 3 sets of regular circs for knitting sweaters. *beam* They carry certain other brands of needles, like Inox dpn’s, but you must buy them in bulk (e.g. 5 sets at a go). Addi circs can be sold per piece though.

‘Nuff said, spread the word, this is a great resource for Singaporean knitters!

Company: Ondori Pte Ltd

Contact No: 62739922 (ask for Penny)

Address: 8 Jln Kilang Timor #01-06 Kewalram Hse (off Jalan Bukit Merah)