Tweedy Diamond Cardigan

Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed DK (100% pure new wool), color #025 Oatmeal - 4 balls, color #019 Peat - 1 ball (123yd [113m] / 50g)
Pattern: Japanese Pattern Book ナチュラルテイストのこどもニット
Needles: Addi Turbo US size 6 (4.0mm) / 32" (80cm) for main body, Addi Turbo US size 4 (3.5mm) / 24" (60cm) for edging seedstitches
Size: For toddler height 39", chest circumference 30"
Duration: 2008/01/11 - 2008/02/29

線材: Rowan Scottish Tweed DK (100% 羊毛), 色號#025 燕麥 - 4 球, 色號#019 深褐 - 1 球 (123yd [113m] / 50g)
圖樣: ナチュラルテイストのこどもニット (舒適休閒的兒童毛衣作品集)
針號: 4.0mm/80cm 輪針織主體, 3.5mm/60cm 輪針織邊
尺寸: 身高 100 cm, 胸圍 76 cm
製作日期: 2008/01/11 - 2008/02/29



This is the second garment I knitted for Connor. I really should feel guilty, most of the stuff I knit are for myself. I spent all those time knitting, and so far I have only made two garments for my older son. I had originally bought the yarn for Phildar Swing Jacket more than a year ago, and changed my mind after swatching. I saved the yarn and thought one day I would make a Raglan Cardi for Connor. A few months ago I bought this Japanese pattern book for toddler knits, and I saw this jacket. It is so much more interesting than a simple raglan cardigan. So I decided to switch.

這是我為Connor織的第二件毛衣呢! 說來還有點不好意思，自己織了一堆衣服，寶貝兒子的才兩件。其實線早就買好了，一年多前在找線織Phildar Swing Jacket時，本來想用Rowan Scottish Tweed的，後來覺得不合適，便決定用這組線幫Connor織件外套。那時只想織個簡單的拉克蘭外套，後來買了這本兒童毛衣書，看到這件覺得樣式比較特別，織起來應該比較好玩，拉克蘭織久了會有點無聊呢!



I love the design of this cardigan. There are diamond shapes on both the front and back shoulders, along the bottom hem, and on the side of the sleeves. The collar, hem, and the sleeve hems are in seed stitches in darker color. Although I like this yarn, I realized it is probably not the best choice for this particular design. I really should not use a tweedy yarn for a design that emphasizes on stitch definitions. You can hardly see the diamonds unless you look closely. But I was more than half way done by the time I realized it, and was too lazy to frog and redo it.

很喜歡這件外套的設計，在肩頭(前,後),下擺和袖子有稜形的圖案，領子和袖口用深色線織桂花針。不過有點後悔用tweed的線來織這種有texture的衣服，稜形圖案顯現不出來，要仔細看才會注意到。發覺時已經織了過半了，懶得拆了。



I also like the buttons on the original design, but I couldn't find any suitable ones in the stores. The button holes are quite small too, they were done with only a yo. Most of the similar buttons I found are much larger and would not fit. So I picked out these acorn buttons to go with the cardigan. They are so cute, and I love how they look on the cardigan!

好喜歡原作用的大釦子，可惜找不到size合適的，釦洞只有小小一針寬一段高，釦子買太大還怕穿不過去呢! 找到很可愛的橡果釦子，大小剛好，搭配起來還蠻好看的。



This cardigan is a little too big for Connor right now. Hopefully he will get more wear out of it. You know how fast kids grow at this age.

這件外套對Connor來說還太大了，這樣也好，可以穿久一點。

Red Capelet (Joey群編2008年1月紅色斗篷)

Yarn: Classic Elite Classic One Fifty (100% fine merino wool), color #7258 Radish - 5 balls (150yd [138m] / 50g)
Pattern: Joey's Knitting House KAL for January 2008
Needles: Clover E 3.5 mm crochet hook (for main body), Clover D 3.0 mm crochet hook (for front edging)
Size: Neck circumference 17 1/2", length 14 1/2"
Duration: 2008/01/28 - 2008/02/06

線材: Classic Elite Classic One Fifty (100% 美麗諾), 色號#7258 鮮紅 - 5 球 (150yd [138m] / 50g)
圖樣: Joey編織の屋 97/01群編會活動-實用的披肩式斗篷
針號: 3.5 mm 鉤針 (日規6號) 鉤主體，3.0 mm 鉤針 (日規5號) 鉤前立緣編　
尺寸: 領圍 44 cm, 主體長 37 cm
製作日期: 2008/01/28 - 2008/02/06

I've finished this capelet for quite a while now, just couldn't find time to sew on the buttons and post it here. Again, this is one of the projects from Joey's knit/crochet-along for the month of January. I realized my last few projects have all been crochet. And no, I have not been converted to all crocheting. In fact, I have three other projects on my knitting needles now that I'm dying to finish. But there's always a sense of urgency associated with an "along" project that I felt I had to make this a priority and push the others to the back burner for a while. Anyway. I was saying, this is my favorite out of the four projects to choose from. Thus even though there were already tons of people making this capelet, I decided to jump in as well.

這件完成已經好幾天了，卻一直沒有時間放上來，光是要挪時間來縫釦子就拖了三天呢！連續做了幾件鉤針的作品，本來想換換口味，手上也有三件棒針作品急於完成，可是看到這次群編會的紅色斗篷，實在是很喜歡呢... 所以雖然已是"紅海一片"，還是要湊一下熱鬧。只是每次織格友分享的織圖，雖然沒有時間限制，總覺得還是要盡快交作業才能安心，所以原來進行中的作品又被我丟到一邊去啦！



I did not encounter any major issues in the process of making this capelet. The only part I had to redo is the front edging. I had initially finished it with the same 3.5 mm crochet hook, which resulted in a very wavy edge (see photo below). I ripped it and went down one size smaller on the crochet hook, and the result looked much better.

編織過程算是順利，只有前立緣編有拆掉重做。本來是用日規6號鉤針從頭鉤到尾，鉤好後發現，前立成了波浪狀(以下照片)，還心存希望下水定型可以把它拉平。可是媽和姊看了一眼後就說，你還是換小一號針吧！...>.<... 只好拆了重來，用5號鉤針，果然平整多了。



I did have a little problem with the yarn though. As you can see in the photo below, there were one or two plies splitting from the yarn strand. They didn't break, I guess somehow they just became loose. I managed to continue crocheting, tried to hide them in the pattern stitches the best I could. I didn't have to break the yarn and rejoin to continue, but it was just annoying. And it happened way too often that it got on my nerves.

這組線倒是讓我織的不太高興，也不知是為什麼，三不五時就會遇到下面照片裡的情況，有一兩股線會散開"脫線"。線也沒斷，我盡量把鬆散的線鉤進針目中藏起來，是可以繼續啦，只是每次碰到就忍不住想罵幾句，很煩人哩。



Close-up of the pattern from the back of the capelet
後面花樣近照



I just realized how difficult it is to photograph red. The first photo is closest to the actual color. The others are too bright.
紅色真的很難拍，實際顏色跟第一張照片比較接近，其他幾張有點太亮了。

B A B Y. L O V E.

It's been more than a month since Jayden came into this world. The past few weeks have been anxious, hectic, and joyful. I feel fortunate to have this healthy little guy in my arms despite his early arrival. And I am blessed with help from our families so that I can have the undreamed-of-luxury of knitting and crocheting while taking care of a newborn, to keep my mind clear and calm. I thought I might have to put away my needles and crochet hooks for a while, but so far, let's just say, I am very happy with the amount of time I managed to steal here and there. And nothing beats spending quality time with family, and I am enjoying every minute of it. While we would like to think that we have mastered the general baby-care tasks, we are still "learning" from this little baby, his temperament, his likings, as he is checking out his family members and the surroundings. Connor is curious about his little brother. He has wanted to stay by his side, and pat him gently. He even wanted to grab the bottle to feed his little brother... :)

OK, I promise I won't turn this into a baby blog. Next up, one (or maybe two) FO's to share - as soon as I find time to organize the photos...

Happy Valentine's!