Sweet Little Nothing

Knitting has been a frantic thing for me at least in the past two years. It has become anything but a calming, soothing, constructive, productive pass time, hobby or whatever is the buzz word these days.
這兩年來, 編織對我來說已不是甚麼紓壓, 舒緩, 有建設性, 有成就感的時間打發還是嗜好還是甚麼的.


This blog has never used to be the place of ranting about anything but knitting which was what I vowed to do in the very beginning, yet somehow it might change a bit from now on, since things in our lives will effect and show in our knittings. It is what I believe now.
這個格子從來就不是拿來說非編織的事, 以前也未曾拿來唸不是編織的事. 只不過, 以後恐怕要出現些非關編織的事, 畢竟, 生活上的事情會反映到編織上. 不是嗎?


As an effort of pulling myself out of our knit along group projects, away from everything that is going on in Taiwanese knitting circle, and truly focus on what knitting is supposed to bring me, I started knitting what I really want, what I really like. However long the project has been in my queue.
為了讓不要被自己群織項目制約, 不要被台灣編織圈影響, 要回歸編織的初衷, 我要織我想要織的, 我喜歡織的, 不管在待織清單上放了多少年.


I knew Marie years ago in my knitting blog reading and following days. I knitted  most of her designs but not Sweet Little Nothing. Marie is taking a break in designing (my words) and is very busy studying law, practicing law, raising her child, and living her life. And I miss her. With all that happened in both of our lives, it's just like what she said in SLN: " Les meilleurs choses sont parfois les plus simples. Pourquoi ne pas essayer petits plaisirs du quotidien? (Simple things are sometimes the best. Why not search for happiness in all those everyday life's little pleasures?) "
認識 Marie 好多年, 她的設計只有幾個沒有織, Sweet Little Nothing 是其中一個. Marie 近來沒有再設計新作, 因為她忙著唸法律系, 忙著在律師事務所盎上班, 忙著養孩子, 忙著認真過日子. 忙到讓我很想念她. 因為在我倆生活中發生的林林總總, 想起她說的一段話: 最簡單的事物有時候就是最好的. 何不在日常生活中尋找自己的小卻幸?


The yarn used is handpainted by Chin, a talented yarn painter and knitter whom I met a few years ago. I consider her yarn babies the best of our island. It is a 75/25 merino/nylon sock yarn in the color of coffee beans and I have 10 skeins from a 55-skein batch ordered by a knitter who wanted to start her sock club but later decided not to use them for she decided the color didn't sit well with her, despite the color scheme was discussed, test dyed, and samples confirmed. Anyway, the skeins were later adopted by several of us and I got 10 beautiful coffee colored yarn babies.
帽子用線是 Chinno 羊毛手工營的手染線. 琴子的手染線我認為是台灣手染線第一把交椅. 這組 75/25 美麗諾/尼龍 咖啡豆色襪線是我從一批 55 絞手染線裡認購 10 絞中的一絞.


I wasn't a huge fan of folded brim, maybe it's because it is widely used in Japanese style knitting which I cannot conform myself to all the time and thus tried to avoid it, although sometimes it would be fun to explore and experiment with it. I was lazy and didn't use provisional cast-on but cast-on in long tail method. I could but was in a state of hurrying in starting something. Maybe because of that, the twisted ribbing stand at an angle instead of perpendicular to the folded edge.
其實, 我沒有特別喜歡內折帽沿. 也許是因為和風編織用很多, 我遇到和風編織會鬼打牆, 所以能不碰就不碰. 儘管如此, 偶而玩玩實驗一下, 也挺有趣的. 總之, 因為懶, 又煩, 想快點開始個 project 跳脫這些煩人的事, 不用別線起針而直接長尾起針, 也許如此, 內折邊的扭羅紋有點斜. (不過, 扭羅紋內折本來就有會斜的傾向.)

 

Knitting with 2.75mm is very rare with me. I have several fixed metal circulars but very seldom use them. It is an odd feeling. Working with these made the process seemed longer, like working on a pair of stockings, especially when the size the bérêt intended is slouchy - 24 more rounds. Should the yarn weight were sport, the normal size rounds would suffice but will have the slouchy effect.
雖然我有三付 2.75mm 固定式金屬輪針, 但鮮少使用. 它是個尷尬的針碼. 用它織帽子感覺要織很久, 像是在織雙長襪, 尤其這頂帽子我要織鬆垮版, 比普通版多了 24 圈. 如果用 sport weight 線, 織普通版, 應該可以用鬆垮版的效果.


Blocking a hat is as important as blocking a lace shawl. I've knitted my share of hats, some blocked some not, it depends, but to be honest, all hats needs blocking. Sweet Little Nothing would not become a bérêt without blocking. That said, note to oneself: but a 10-inch plate, for blocking.
帽子的定型和蕾絲披肩的定型是一樣重要的. 織過的帽子不少, 有的有定型, 有的沒定型, 要看. 說實話, 帽子真的需要定型. Sweet Little Nothing 沒定型前根本就不是貝雷帽. 還有, 提醒自己要買一個直徑 25 公分的盤子, 專門定型用.

Before blocking 定型前

Beanie-like before blocking 定型前像貼頭帽

Beanie-like before blocking 定型前像貼頭帽

Sweet Little Nothing has a perfect balance of lace and cable, not too much not too little, more would be over-powering less would be under-designed, like Mozart's music. The color of the yarn, although dark, has such depth that the presentation is neither too heavy nor light, nor too pretentious or bland. I love the pattern with this yarn.
Sweet Little Nothing 是蕾絲和麻花的完美組合, 不會太多不會太少, 不會過於繁複阿雜不會過於簡單無趣, 多一點少一點都不行, 就像莫札特的音樂. 帽子的顏色, 雖屬深色, 但有層次和深度, 顏色的呈現不過度濃厚也不太過淡薄, 不過於華麗也不太過平淡. 這個帽圖配這色毛線是最佳組合.

Slouchy version 鬆垮版

Bérêt - after blocking 貝雷帽 - 定型後

Blocking opens up motifs 定型後花樣明顯

Annual update

Can't believe it's been another 13 months. It's has become a serious issue updating this blog. Especially when I've been feeling not quite well about things around here, specifically the knitting community.

These are some of the things I made after my last post here in 2015.


I've been knitting since 2005. Back then I was a lone knitter and had only one fellow country-knitter friend, who started the first knit along group here. Knitting here is heavily influenced by Japan in every way. I didn't like it and taught myself knitting with American and European patterns. As the years went by, knitters learned more through all kinds of platform, knit-alongs, knitting meet-ups are everywhere, also experience sharing. All was well. Alas, not quite. All would be well should they be established on the basis of respect. In the least amount of words, a decade passed, nothing's changed. Our knit-along group changed several formats and it kind of not work as well as we would've liked.

Since I didn't follow attentively my fellow country-knitters in the beginning, didn't start to during the past years, and still don't. It's all the same. Every one of the groups and pages and blogs. There were incidents which in the end led me to believe that it's utterly chaos.

Maybe I should start again, from the beginning. 

Knit something I truly like, notes on Ravelry, and write about it on my blog.

Crown Prince Sqaure Shawl Part 1 王儲方形披肩 - 第一章

Been wanting to knit this shawl since the book has been published. Nevertheless, I never got the right yarn, so I never started knitting, which was a good thing I guess, for there are so many details in this shawl knitting I would never have imagine there would be until I actually worked on it.
Knitted Lace of Estonia 在 2008 年一出版, 就想織封面這條披肩. 但因為沒有對的線, 一直都沒開工. 這也許是好事, 因為編織這條披肩的過程中, 發現了很多細節和問題, 是之前從沒想過碰過的. 真的要動手織了, 才會明瞭.

In spring, I learned that C has been buying undyed Estonian cobweb lace for hand painting, I asked her to keep 2 hanks for me. She asked what I planned to do with it, I told her I need them to knit the Crown Prince. She was intrigues and immediately said she would knit it, too, with me. And several other knitter friends joined us for a mini knit along.

今年春天, 聽說 C 進了愛沙尼亞蜘蛛絲蕾絲線來染, 馬上請她留兩絞. 她問我要拿來織什麼, 我說王儲. 聽完我的解釋, 她馬上要跟我一起織. 後來, 陸續有幾位熟識的織女朋友, 也一起加入這個迷你群織.

 

100g  1400m  100% wool

100 克 1400 公尺 100% 羊毛

We started at the end of June, when we got our yarn. This is the first shawl I knitted from this book. I've knitted quite a few Estonian lace shawls: several Swallowtail, several Percy, and Sofia Scarf. None of them were knitted with cobweb. Really wanted to used the right yarn. 

六月底, 當大家都拿到線, 或準備好線時, 就開始織. 這本書中, 織的第一條, 就是王儲. 愛沙尼亞風的蕾絲披肩織過不少條: 幾條 Swallowtail (燕尾), 幾條 Percy (珀西) 和 Sofia (蘇菲亞). 沒有一條是用蜘蛛絲. 真的很想規規矩矩地用蜘蛛絲來織.

Or so I thought.

我以為這樣就 OK 了.

Had quite a tough time starting out. Frogged several times. First time I used circular needles, the knit cast-on edge wasn't satisfactory but I went on. The garter stitch gauge was terrible, like the cat jumped on it, was what AH described. So I started over. The knit cast-on edge was better, so was the garter stitch gauge. It was better because I consciously tug after every stitch, and it resulted in too tight the stitches and they snagged  while being pushed forward from the cable to the needle and evetually, the yarn broke. Had to start over again. This time, I used a pair of short double-ended needles of my mom's. Surprisingly, the knit cast-on was great, the gauge was GOOD, and I actually CAN relax while knitting not straining my hands. It was then I realize the benefit of straight needles, which I wasn't a fan of. The gauge is way better. As to why Estonians use short ones, because the cobweb stitched can all fit onto them, and being short there are no extra weight of the needle weighing on the hands. And they are convenient to carry around, just like circular needles!

起頭就讓我踢到鐵板. 拆了好幾次. 第一次, 用輪針, knit cast-on 結果不甚滿意, 但繼續織下去. 到了 garter stitch (起伏針) 部分, 密度真的是爛到可以, AH 姐姐說像是被貓跳上去蹂躪過一樣. 所以, 重來. 第 2 次, 還是輪針, 但起針好些了, 密度也好點. 那是因為每一針打完後有拉一下. 這樣密度看起來好, 但是其實針目變太緊, 要推針目時不容易推到針頭上, 會卡在接頭處, 最後, 線就斷了. 再重來. 這次去老媽家翻出她的短雙頭棒針來用, 織出來結果出人意料: 起針超讚的, 很整齊; 密度很好; 重點是, 手可以放輕鬆織. 我才領悟到直針的好處. 一直以來就不喜歡棒針, 因為多針目的需要長棒針, 很重, 手很痛, 但是密度卻很好. 愛沙尼亞人用短棒針織蕾絲, 是因為用蜘蛛絲線, 再多的針目, 都可以通通擠在短棒針上, 沒有長棒針的多餘重量, 而且攜帶起來跟輪針一樣方便!

1st CO with circ and 7-st nupp

第 1 次起針. 輪針. 還是 7 針扁扣.

2nd CO with circ and 7-st nupp

第 2 次起針. 還是輪針 & 7 針扁扣.

3rd CO with dp & 9-st nupp

第 3 次起針. 雙頭短棒針. 9 針扁扣.

But, the needles I used were metal ones. They were heavy when my hands are tired and knitting with small needles and fine yarn my hand tired very quickly. In the end, I orderd some ebony and rose wood single point needles. And, they are a dream to work with.

只不過, 老媽的短雙頭棒針是金屬的, 有點重量, 手容易累. 細針細線的更容易累. 最後, 還是訂了黑檀木和紫檀木的短棒針. 真的好好用.

4rd CO with ebony dp & 9-st nupp

第 4 次起針. 黑檀木短棒針. 9 針扁扣.

All the nupps I made with previous shawls were mostly 7-stitch nupps. I really like the strong contrast of the nupps with the airy lacey cobweb background, so I made 9-stitch nupps. The center progressed s l o w l y . . .
以前織愛沙尼亞蕾絲披肩的特色扁扣 nupp 時, 都是做 7 針的. 我比較喜歡對比強烈的, 覺得白白一顆顆扁扣在空氣感蜘蛛絲蕾絲底上的感覺超讚, 所以這次做的是 9 針的. 披肩的中心部分針的是以龜  速  在  長  .  .  . 

17 Months 17個月

O.M.G.
天．哪．


I cannot believe it's been 17 months since my last post.
最後一篇格文竟然是 17 個月前的事了.


SEVENTEEN.
十七.


Yep.
沒錯.


Guess it was partly because of a sudden shifting of activities onto Facebook. Margaret and I decided to move TKA (Taiwan Knit Along) to Facebook, creating a fanpage and a group. Since Margaret lives in Canada, I, who live in Taiwan, would have to pick up the gauntlet, right?
大概是為 TKA 在 2012 年暑假後從 Blogger 搬到 Facebook 的關係. 瑪姊和我決定搬家是因為大部分織女都在 FB 紀錄自己的編織活動. 搬到社群網站, 變即時, 當然就是由住在台灣的我來負責處理主要的事項囉.


Anyway, in a chat with my knitter friends during TKA's May meetup, it was mentioned that I've been neglecting my blog way too long and that I shouldn't have it connected to my Facebook page. I defended that the page was created so that Taiwanese knitters, most of whom are intimidated by English reading, can easily follow me on my knitting activities in Chinese without having to translate my blog posts or request to be added to my FB friend list in hopes of a glimpse to my knitting and notes. They dismissed my reply by saying all I had on it were mostly TKA project-related stuff. Well, girls, someone has to knit them and be prepared to all those questions and what not thrown my way. Unless, some of you are willing and available to help like I do ;-)
總之,TKA 五月聚會時, 被人說荒廢部落格多時, 還把格子跟自己的粉絲頁連結在一起, 又沒更新格子, 不好. 我說, 粉絲頁是給台灣織女看的, 畢竟格文都用英文寫 (比較快). 此外, 就是讓 FB 上的織女們不用要求我家她們為朋友, 就可以看到我的編織活動. 不過, 我還是被打槍說,  織的東西都是 TKA 的群織主題. 捧油們, 總是要有人先打好, 才能回答大家的問題吧? 除非, 你們有人自願先開打, 然後來幫忙回答問題 ;)

Empire State 帝國配色頸圍 (TKA 2013-09)

The first knit along since TKA's move to facebook.
TKA 搬到臉書後第一個群織活動.

Empire State by Jill Zielinski

Start date: 2013/9/28

 Finish date:  2013/11/3

 

Lana Grossa Cool Wool 2000 Melange (sport) #101 Heather Pine Green 5 balls

 Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino 2000 (sport)  #432 Ivory 5 balls

   Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein 50克/160公尺 合太線

#101 夾花松綠 & #432 象牙白   各 5 球

Margaret and I picked this pattern for the first TKA project after its move to facebook. While browsing for patterns I wasn't very interested in joining this one for my knitting mojo hasn't really came back yet, but when we decided on Empire, I had to cast on. I had the yarn and color choices but needed to swatch. 
瑪姐和我選了帝國配色頸圍做為 TKA 搬到臉書後第一個群織活動項目. 選織圖時並沒有想要跟著織, 因為編織倦怠嚴重, 尚未恢復正常. 決定帝國頸圍後, 瑪姐因為忙, 加上時差, 我只得起針開打. 雖然這組 Lana Grossa 合太粗細的線用過很多次, 不過配色圈織的鬆緊度不一樣, 還是得測織. 最後照尺寸起 128 針, 共 8 個重複, 長度要 6 重複, 一整個比原作用極太粗細的線一圈 6 重複, 長度 4 重複多打很多.

 

First swatch was knitted with 3.5mm needles, although I thought it would be a little loose but as I haven't stranded for a while, it might smooth over the puckering. After 35 rounds, I really hated the stitch definition. It was all over the place and I forgot to take a picture to show how bad it was. Ripped and started over with 3.25mm.

一開始用 3.5mm 針測織 OK 後開打, 結果出來很酥鬆散, 而且除了編織倦怠, 配色手感也沒回來, 一整個亂七八糟. 打了 35 圈後, 實在是看不下去, 拆掉換 3.25mm 重織, 連照片都沒拍.

It all seemed well knitting with 3.25mm, but honestly, after 1 repeat, it looked bad. The knitting was really tight. It had to be stretched out to see well the color pattern. After some discussion with friends, I decided to rip and knit with 3.5mm.
用了 3.25mm 織, 針目似乎不再鬆散, 一個重複打完後, 看起來很醜. 太緊了. 如果不拉開, 感覺快要看不到白色的部分. 給惠芬和秀芬姐看過後, 最後我決定要拆掉重來. (秀芬姐叫我不要拆, 可是自己實在看不下去.)

Knitted with 3.25mm needles

用 3.25mm 打的

 

Knitted with 3.5mm

用 3.5mm 針織的

Knitting was quite smooth after switching to 3.5mm needles, but progress was slow for the warm weather we had. Took me a long time to finish. Finally, when the second knit along project was announced, I had to sew up the ends. When I reached the last few stitches, which didn't match up, a dropped stitch was found. After a few stitched at the BEGINNING. Unravel. Start over. Sigh.

換回 3.5mm 織後, 大致上算順利, 除了第 2 個重複大概是天氣太熱邊打邊睡織得有點緊不平外. 總之, 天氣熱, 織得很慢, 直到 TKA 第二個全織活動項目公告, 又拿出來趕快將兩頭縫合. 縫合到最後幾針時, 發現兩邊針數不對, 原來前面漏縫一針, 而且還是一開始沒幾針處掉了一針. 拆開重來. 唉.

Dropped a stitch while doing Kitchener Stitch

縫合時掉了一針

 Hot off the needles

熱呼呼剛縫合完的頸圍

 

All bundled up

實穿照

I actually quite like this cowl, especially the long version, which is versatility. It's a shame that we don't have much decent fingering weight yarn in Taiwan, and that I had to settle with sport weight. Usually, sport is fine by me, but stranded AND knitted in the round, that's 4 times the normal thickness. It might be a little too warm for the mild winter here, but I like to wear it indoors with a t-shirt.

我是蠻喜歡這條頸圍, 尤其長版, 很多功能. 只可惜台灣沒什麼 fingering weight 中細線的選擇 , 只好用 sport weight 合太線織. 通常, 對於用合太線織東西我是很滿意的, 只是這條頸圍是配色, 再加上圈織, 等於是一般的四倍厚, 對台灣溫和的冬天來說, 可能太溫暖了點. 不過, 我都在室內穿針織衫圍它.

Knittings in 2012 (2/2) 2012 的編織 (2/2)

I usually knit something for my mom for Mother's Day and her birthday. As I was so obsessed with Color Affection by Veera Välimäki, I decided to knit as many as I can for my mom, my aunt, and myself.
通常我會打一件東西給老媽當母親節和生日禮物. 當時我很著迷 Veera Välimäki 的 Color Affection, 決定要打很多條, 給老媽給阿姨給自己, 打到吐為止.


The colors chosen were brights, something my mom didn't have, and I thought she would appreciate that. She did. She wore this a lot.
這條披肩故意選亮色, 因為老媽沒有這樣的顏色組合, 應該會喜歡. 果然. 一整個秋冬都是披它.

 

 Color Affection

Start date: 2012/4/8

Finish date: 2012/5/10

I spent more time on this shawl then I expected. Actually, I finished it but almost ripped and started over right away for (1) I didn't like how I did with the first stitch. It was too tight. I was knitting Color Affection for my aunt and applied another way and it was good. So I decided to re-knit my mom's (2) I didn't have enough yarn for bind off the second time. The cast off edge was tight and ugly. Very mad about it. Bought more yarn, undo the cast off and re-cast off. All good.

老媽這條我花了比預期多很多的時間. 事實上, 我是打了兩次. 原因是 (1) 我不喜歡第一次頭上一針的處理方式. 太緊. 那時已經在打阿姨的, 用的是另一種處理方式, 效果很好, 所以又把老媽的拆掉重打, 變成兩條同時進行, 又要趕母親節前, 手都快抽筋了 (2) 第二次打的時候線不太夠, 收針的地方太緊, 很醜, 看了很不爽. 乖乖去買線, 拆開重收. 好多了.

Bright blues, teals & turquoises are my aunt's favorites. I've knitted her quite a few items in those colors over the years. Since I'm knitting her something for Mother's Day, I went for another direction in color choosing: bright pink and orange.

阿姨最喜歡亮麗的藍綠色系, 以前也打過幾件這種色系的, 這次就要選一個完全不同的亮粉紅和亮橘.

  Color Affection

Start date: 2012/4/16

Finish date: 2012/4/28

After Mother's Day gifts were finished, I had to resume working on my mom's birthday shawl. I've been wanting to knit Rock Island, but never could quite decide what lace yarn to use. I wanted a real lace weight yarn so that I wouldn't have to struggle should I have to frog a little, but ordering yarn is a nasty business, and with all that lace yarn stash I have, I really shouldn't be ordering new yarns. So I picked a cocoa colored cobweb for the project. I was very, very careful when I knit, so that I wouldn't have to frog too much or too often. I had luck on that. BUT, the construction of the shawl was special, my first time knitting a shawl like that. The lace edge was actually knitted first, and then pick up stitches on the side and then knit across decreasing the way to the center top. Theoretically, it should be getting easier and easier while knitting, but no, it was really taxing. The FO was really beautiful. Ethereal. My mom LOVED it. She wore it right away the next day while meeting her friends.
母親節禮物完成後, 還不能休息, 得馬上繼續打老媽的生日禮物. Rock Island 披肩想打很久了, 是要付費的織圖. 當初看了沒買圖打, 是因為不能決定要用什麼線. 應該要用規規矩矩的蕾絲線, 那又要上網買, 明明一大箱的蕾絲線, 只是很多都是標準蕾絲線一半粗細的蜘蛛網紗...  實在不應該再上網買, 最後選了一組可可色的蜘蛛網紗來打. 這下可好, 打的時候得非常小心, 最好不要拆或退針. 這點這次很幸運, 沒怎麼拆或退針, 到是這條披肩的打法很累人. 第一次打這樣的. 下擺的蕾絲邊先打一條長長長的, 然後再從旁邊挑針起來打中間, 邊打邊減針到披肩上緣中間. 照理說這應該是越打越輕鬆, 其實是越打越累. 不過, 成品很美, 很輕盈, 老媽很愛. 第二天飯局就穿出去了.

  Rock Island

Start date: 2012/3/17

Finish date: 2012/5/23

At this point of the year, my knitting fatigue should had kicked in, but still I managed to crochet 2 bunnies, for they are too cute not to make. Sadly, my crochet technique is really bad, so the bunnies aren't as cute as they should be.

在這個時間點, 老媽生日過後, 天氣熱了, 我的編織倦怠也要發了, 不過, 還是鈎了兩隻兔子給兩小, 因為原作實在太可愛啦! 只可惜我的鈎針功力不夠, 小兔子們沒有我想要的可愛. 兩小到是愛得很, 天天抱著睡覺.

  Boxy Skirt/Shorts Bunny

Start date: 2012/6/30

Finish date: 2012/7/8

And then there was a hiatus until October. Before the end of the year, I made 6 pairs of fingerless mitts: 4 Cute as a Button, 1 Susie's Reading Mitts, and 1 Camp Out Fingerless Mitts.
然後就休針到十月. 年底前打了 6 雙露指手套: 4 雙可愛豆豆露指手到, 1 雙閱讀露指手套, 1 雙露營露指手套.

Also made more than a dozen hats. Some of them I didn't take pictures for most of them were commissioned: 3 Gwen Stacey, 1 Regina, 5+ One Day Berets, 1 Godric's Hollow, 3 Knit Night Hats.
打了超過 12 頂帽子. 有的還沒拍照, 因大部分都是人家託織的, 趕著給人呢: 3 頂關史黛西, 1 頂蕾吉娜, 5+ 頂一日貝雷, 1 頂高錐客洞, 3 頂編織夜.

2 pairs of leg warmers. Only took Scarlett's picture, mine hasn't been photographed, they're dark gray in the same pattern.
2 雙襪套, 只拍了若的, 我的沒拍, 是雙深灰色同花樣的.

 Some Cloudy Day

Start date: 2012/12/5

Finish date: 2012/12/7

Last but not least, 10 pairs of socks: Hermione's Everyday Sock (aunt), By the Seine (mom & K & me), Hedera (mom), Monkey (mom), Maelstrom (mom), Lateral (mom & me), Vanilla Latte (mom, not photographed).
最後是 10 雙襪子: 妙麗日常襪 (阿姨), 塞納河畔 (媽, K, 我), 赫德拉 (媽), 漩渦 (媽), 側邊 (媽 & 我), 香草拿鐵 (媽, 還沒拍照).

Knittings in 2012 (1/2) 2012 年的編織 (1/2)

It's been way too long since the last update. Over a year and a half.
真的是太久沒更新部落格了. 超過一年半沒動.


Yes, I'm still knitting, although only in the cooler/colder months, and I have been suffering the knitting fatigue during the warm/hot months, which is long here in Taiwan, especially this year. We have a record high of 39.3C in Taipei. The whole city is HOTHOTHOT with consecutive weeks of 35C+ without the usual summer afternoon thunder storms or typhoons that frequent the island from June to September.
還是有在打毛線, 只是都是天氣涼時打, 熱天就不打, 這兩年編織倦怠嚴重, 尤其今年. 台北都創紀錄到了39.3度. 連續高溫數週, 整個盆地烤得熱烘烘的, 既沒午後雷陣雨也沒颱風. 在冷氣房打毛線也提不起勁.


After checking out my Ravelry page,  actually, I've been knitting a LOT. All small projects though. Considering the period length and the number, I would still say it was quite amazing.
看了自己 R 站的紀錄發現, 其實去年我還打蠻多東西的, 雖然通通都是小物. 但以打的時間來看打的數量, 算不錯的.


I've decided to post a series of photo collections of my FOs of 2012 and showing them in chronological order (roughly).
我把 2012 年的成品照片通通拼圖起來, 比較容易秀. 照大約的編織時間順序.



Knitted 3 more Fugues after the first gray one for my cousin who was studying in Japan. Made 1 each for Scarlett & Sebastian and Tina (red).
第一頂給旅日表妹的灰賦格之後, 又打了三頂. 兩小每人各一頂, 一頂紅色的給緹.

Then, I participated in Liz Abinante's the Great Cowl KAL. #1 Flurries Cowl. I like the idea of this cowl but used the wrong yarn. Should use proper fingering weight yarn instead of trying to destash and use lace weight doubled. The yarn was alpaca and silk blend, which made the FO a bit too soft with no construction.
然後, 我加入了 Liz Abinante 的 the Great Cowl KAL  大脖圍群編. 大是指總共有 5 個脖圍可打, 織圖依序釋出, 下一次出來上一個就撤掉. 第一個脖圍織圖免費. 不需要每個都打, 但如果每一個脖圍都在規定時間內打完並上傳照片, 就可以免費拿到下一個脖圍織圖. 我並不是 5 個都喜歡, 最喜歡的是第 3 和第 5, 1 和 2 不錯, 可有可無. 所以, 為了那兩個最喜歡的, 前面要努力打. #1: 一團混亂脖圍. 叫這個名字是因為設計師住在冬天又長又冷的芝加哥, 天冷出門脖子一定要圍起來, 但一進地鐵站暖氣又熱得可以把人悶熟, 圍一般圍巾披肩的話, 進出地鐵就是一團混亂地圍上或解開, 很煩人. 這款脖圍有扣子, 可以調節鬆緊度, 也可以拉過頭當帽子擋風. 我還算喜歡這個設計, 只是線用錯了, 不該拉兩條蕾絲段染線打, 應該乖乖用 fingering weight 來織. 還有, 蕾絲線是羊駝和絲, 很軟, 導致最後成品太塌, 不成型的感覺.

Flurries Cowl

Start date: 2012/1/31

Finish date: 2012/2/3

#2 A Very Good Cowl Indeed. I like this one. It is Sebastian who is wearing it now though. The only one thing I would say about this cowl is that I might like it better if the front could be a little longer to cover the center part of the clavicle.

第 2 個: 真是條好脖圍. 我喜歡這條. 現在是兒子在戴. 對這條脖圍唯一可說的就是, 希望前面可以長一點, 剛好蓋到鎖骨中間那塊, 冬天那裡吹到風會咳嗽.

A Very Good Cowl Indeed

Start date: 2012/2/11

Finish date: 2012/2/12

Yes, finished in a day. 是啊, 一天就打完了.

#3 Weeble Wooble Cowl. I love the undulating design. Used fingering weight yarn but turned out kind of a disaster. Tosh Merino Light did not do well in this pattern. It rolled up too much on the edge, compromised the width and the undulating design, and made wearing it a nightmare. Should knit this again with other yarn.
第三個: 搖來晃去脖圍. 我喜歡這條下擺波浪狀的設計, 套圍起來會有特別的造型. 我乖乖用 fingering weight 線打, 但結果很不好. Tosh Merino Light 不適合這個織圖. 打完後邊捲得太厲害, 導致整條脖圍捲起來變很窄, 下擺波浪不顯型, 套圍後更難看. 下次要用別種線打這條.

Weeble Wobble Cowl

Start date: 2012/2/17

Finish date: 2012/2/19

 #4 Perpetually Persistent Cowl. As I was trying to destash, and trying to get the same gauge, the cowl was knitted with 6 strands of worsted weight merino. It was a nightmare to handle 6 strands as the knitting was springy and tough. Really persistent. And heavy. So I had to shorten the length. 2 repeats and omitted rows 9-12 of the first. It's my least favorite cowl, for the yarn. At least here in Taiwan, knittings with too heavy a yarn is not practical: too warm. Besides, this cowl has the same issue with #2: wish the front is a little longer. But I guess because my yarn wasn't optimal, a suitable yarn should make this cowl stands up on its own, as its name, but also soft enough to be sculpted, to be pulled a little longer in the front to cover the clavicle.
#4 永遠執著的脖圍. 當時我正努力消庫存線, 又想要鬆緊度和織圖一樣, 拉了 6 條中粗線打. 有夠難織的. 因為美麗諾線很 Q, 打起來真的很難抓緊, 織片又蠻硬的. 真的是超執著的, 又好重. 所以我還把長度縮短了點, 只打兩個重複, 且第一個重複的 9 到 12 排沒打. 5 個脖圍中我最不喜歡這個. 一是台灣冬天不適合這麼粗的現打的東西, 不夠冷, 穿戴起來會熱死. 二是和 #2 脖圍同樣的問題, 我希望前面可以長一點. 不過因為我用的線不適合, 也許對的線不但可以讓脖圍自己如其名站得起來, 同時彈性也夠可以把前面拉長一點蓋住鎖骨中間.

Perpetually Persistent Cowl

Start date: 2012/1/31

Finish date: 2012/2/3

#5 Blueberry Scowl. This is my favorite one. I didn't have the best yarn I have in mind and I had to order online. But I needed to finish this one on time so that I could  received the 6th cowl pattern, which is free for those who knitted all 5 cowls and posted pics before designated time. I have worked so hard for this one, whether I wasn't very into the pattern, or I was not using the best yarn for the cowl, I endured it. I had this heather alpaca yarn in stash, so I decided to knit it for E. Still have to finish this on time to get the 6th pattern! And my perfect yarn needs time to get here. This scowl simply has a variety of ways to be worn: as a cowl (buttoned) or as a scarf (unbuttoned). I spent almost an hour over which buttons to choose in the button shop. As a cowl you can wear it untwisted, twist once or twice. There were leftovers from this scowl and I made a pair of fingerless mitts for E so that she could wear them together.
#5 藍莓脖圍圍巾. 脖圍 cowl, 圍巾 scarf, scowl = scarf + cowl --> 脖圍圍巾. 叫藍莓只是原作用的線是藍莓色. 除非找到相近的顏色, 或是用同組線並同款色, 其他的都不能叫藍莓吧? 這是我最喜歡的一條. 為了這條, 前面四條不管是設計不很愛, 或是用庫存中不是很適合的現打得很痛苦, 都忍住. 當時手上沒有心目中想要的線, 只好上網訂, 但這最後一個脖圍期限內完成上傳照片, 我又五條都打, 設計師會再送一條脖圍織圖. 為了要那第 6 個織圖, 就先拿手上有的這組羊駝線, 打給 E, 她一定會喜歡. 這條的設計可以扣上釦子當脖圍, 解開時可直接掛脖子上不怕掉. 或打開釦子當圍巾. 當脖圍時可直接掛, 或套圍一圈兩圈都可. 為了這條送給 E 的脖圍, 選釦子選了快一小時. 打完還有剩線, 後來又織了雙露指手套給 E 讓她可以和脖圍配成套.

 Blueberry Scowl

Start date: 2012/3/10

Finish date: 2012/3/16

My ideal yarn came later and I knitted one for myself.

訂的理想線後來才到, 這是織給自己的.

Blueberry Scowl

Start date: 2012/3/22

Finish date: 2012/3/27