Thursday, August 31, 2017

Intrigue

I apologize for the non-activity for so long and bam, 3 posts in one day.  Semester started this week, and I'm so exhausted.  I know I'll be swamped for few weeks or longer, but I really want to catch up and share some of my latest patterns.

This pattern, Intrigue, just came out today!  I am super excited to share it with you.

The pattern has waited for a while to be published. I wrote this pattern and knitted the sweater nearly a year ago, but one thing after another that I just didn't get a chance to have it photoed and tech edited until this summer.

I used "Road to China Light" yarn by The Fibre Company.  I first saw this sport weight yarn in a yarn store in Bay Area few years ago.  I remembered there was a lot of beautiful indie dyed yarn and others that were so popular at that time, but this yarn just stood out to me among everything.  I couldn't get a sweater's worth at that time, but it lingered on my mind.  Finally I bought some, in the color I lusted, Peridot.  The yarn simply whispered a simple and soft design.  So I gave it curved hem at the front and a lace detail at the back neck to this v-neck cardigan.  The front button band also has light rolled edge.

It really makes me happy that I'm finally back to publish more patterns after months of non-activity.









Daruma Yarn and Patterns

I was approached by the Japanese yarn company, Daruma Yarn, last year about making coupla designs.  How can someone pass up such opportunities?

I came up with 2 easy designs that used the squishy Daruma Genmou yarn which is DK weight, a pullover, Wadachi,  and a shawl, Minamo.

The yarn was such a pleasure to work with that I will definitely use it again in the future.  Perhaps knit myself the Wadachi sweater.  (I had to knit the sample in a much smaller size than myself, and the company got to keep the sample as we'd agreed :)

If you have not checked out their yarn, you should it's quite a fun yarn. It's slightly squiggly with a thread that runs through the center.














Sisterhood

This free pattern, Sisterhood, came out coupla weeks ago, but I was so exhausted to do any posting for the last few months.

This is the little response that I felt compelled to.

It uses Worsted Weight yarn.  Charted pattern.







Sunday, June 25, 2017

New Pattern - Impulsive






2017 has been a mess and I haven't publish a pattern in a quite a while.
Finally, here is one pattern ready to show - Impulsive.  The knitting and pattern was done coupla months ago.  However, finding an available editor took a while.

It's a triangular shawl knitted from top down with lace border.
The yarn used was Cloudborn Superwash Merino Sock Twist Yarn.  This shawl comes in 2 sizes and can be knitted in single color, two colors, or multiple colors.  The design has graduated section of stockinette stitch separated by eyelet insert, and edging with lace border.

It's about time for me to have completed something I'm happy with.








Thank You Mom


It's my first birthday since my mom passed away 2 weeks ago.
We didn't always have a emotionally close relationship.  But I'm missing her.

Thank you mom for bringing me to this world.

Thank you mom for showing us that a woman does not have to fit into a mold.  Thank you for being who you were and made us believe from day one that woman are equal to and just as capable as men. Because of you being who you were, we never have to come to that realization, it has alawys been a belief as natural as air.



Friday, February 3, 2017

Doodling #3




"Bowling Green Massachre"










Saturday, January 28, 2017

Saturday Drawing





"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free."

Friday, January 27, 2017

Friday Doodling


Never interested in drawing cartoon, but I just counldn't help it this time. 



"The Crowd is Huge"


Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Trip of Life Time - Part 5

I was so distraught by the election that I never quite finish blogging about my trip to Bhutan.
Now I'm back writing about it, mostly for my own sake, to keep me sane and remembering how peaceful I felt during that trip.

After Phobijikah, we made our way back towards the capital, and stopped at Punakah Valley.
It's another lusciously rich valley.  Basically most of the places we visited in Bhutan were in deep valleys.  The mountans there soared up high on both sdies.  Punakah being lower altitude than Phobjikah, it immediately felt warmer and slightly more humid, but still relatively dry.  Bhutan kept reminding me of home, here in Tahoe, drier, and mountaneious climate.


After stopping for lunch we took a gentle hike up to Chime Lhakhang temple.  Because the temple worships the divine madman whose symbol is the phallas, the village we walked through had many bildings with the phallis adorning the walls. It certainly brought a few giggles from us.




At the temple, we saw many young monks just hanging around playing soccer or chatting, quite a good life. 







A stay at Como Uma in Punahka was super luxiourious for me thanks to my sister's generosity.  I have a beautiful view of the river.  It was most relaxing after some hiking up to more temples the second day.  



Alas, we visited the Dzong of Punakah.  Another beautiful architecture that combined both civic administrative center with a temple.



On our last day in Punakah we had a picnic by the river.  It was quite interesting to see a group of people gathering in nearby.  Our guide told us that the village was gathering to vote.  It looked like they were discussing issues first before they voted.  A pack of stray dogs waited patiently for scraps. And there were a few cows nearby too.  It was definitely happening! The dogs were very happy after our driver gave them all our good amount of leftover.  Our guide always patted stray dogs or gave them some scraps. The generosity of their hearts were plainly evident in all the small gestures they did without thinking. 





Monday, January 2, 2017

Beginning the New Year with Alien Trail

First pattern to published is Alien Trail




It's a top down, seamless, 2-color cardigan with set-in sleeves done by picking up stitches around armhole.

This is a pattern that was done long, long time ago, but too much happened in life that caused the delay.  One of which was my laziness and lack of motivation to get it tech edited.  It's finally done with tech editing.

I'm hoping in 2017 I will be a lot more productive creativity-wise!