Cheeky Pineapple Cap-Sleeve Bolero

Yarn: Rowan 4-ply Cotton (100% cotton), #133 Cheeky - 3 balls (185yd [170m] / 50g)
Pattern: Courtesy of Margaret
Hooks: Boye D/3 - 3.25 mm
Size: chest circumference 34"
Duration: 2007/06/20 - 2007/07/07

線材: Rowan 4-ply Cotton (100% 棉), 色號#133 桃紅 - 3 球 (185yd [170m] / 50g)
圖樣: 感謝瑪格慷慨賜圖
針號: 3.25 mm
尺寸: 胸圍86cm
製作日期: 2007/06/20 - 2007/07/07



I finally managed to finish this popular bolero. Huge thanks to Margaret for sharing the pattern!! I felt bad for the long delay in finishing this project. Margaret sent me the pattern a long time ago, and I have just now finished it. Sorry! I first tried to make it in white, and ran out of yarn. I searched all LYS's in the area, and couldn't find the extra ball of yarn I needed. I could have ordered it online, but I just don't feel like paying shipping for a $6.50 ball of yarn. Thus I decided to switch color. Fuchsia is usually not my top pick when it comes to colors. But several weeks ago when I was going through my closets, I realized that I have several sleeveless dresses in white or cream with pink/fuchsia/burgundy prints, that would look great with a fuchsia bolero. In the photos is one of the dresses, and I think the dress and the bolero look perfect as an outfit!

這件超人氣的小外套終於被我完成了! 感謝瑪格慷慨分享織圖, 讓我也能擁有這件美美小外套. 在此還要特地和瑪格説聲歹勢, 圖很早就拿到了, 拖到現在才完成, 不好意思捏! 之前本來是用白色線鉤的, 主體還沒鉤完線卻沒了, 後來在附近的毛線店找了一陣子也沒找到, 而我實在不想為了一球$6.50的線, 網購付$4-$6的運費, 於是決定換個顏色. 我通常是不會挑這麼鮮艷的桃紅色, 這次是因為整理衣櫃時突然發覺, 我有好幾件無袖洋裝都是乳白色的底, 上面印了粉紅, 桃紅, 或酒紅的花, 想説有件桃紅小外套來搭配應該是很不錯地, 個人覺得效果很好耶! :D



The pattern for this bolero is probably one of the most confusing I have seen. I started studying it as soon as I got it in the mail, and just wasn't sure how to start. At that time there were not yet any discussions in Margaret's blog about the starting instructions. I thought about it long and hard, and decided to just go ahead and do it the way I think it should be done (based on what I could decipher from the diagrams.) Hehe... what's the worst that could happen? Right?! If it was a mistake, then I'd just rip it out and start over. Maybe I would learn something new in the process. Actually my first attempt (the white UFO) was somewhat a mistake - it was too small! I used a 2.75mm hook to get gauge, but it was too narrow and tight at the shoulders (the original pattern was sized for young girls). The size was too big for a little girl, I think it would fit a teenage girl better. But I don't know any teenage girls. I may just have to rip it out and save the yarn for something else.

這件大概是目前為止看過織圖看來最霧沙沙的, 收到圖後就馬上開始研究, 真的是有點不太確定如何開始, 那時瑪格家還沒有大家的留言討論. 想了很久後決定照自己的想法動工, 反正照圖看它也只能往一個方向進行, 就鉤鉤看吧! 嘻嘻... 反正大不了織錯就拆嘛... 在織錯拆的過程裡也可以學到新東西哦! (至少知道下次不要犯同樣的錯誤... :D) 其實我原先沒鉤完的那件白色的就是錯誤的示範, 那時為了配合織片密度用了2.75mm的鉤針, 結果太小啦! 那個size給小女孩穿還太大, 給十幾歲的美少女可能剛好, 可惜身邊周圍沒有這種人物. 我想我應該會把它拆了吧?!

Bonsai Tunic

Yarn: Berroco Bonsai (97% bamboo, 3% nylon), #4110 Shibui Clay - 9 skeins (77yd [71m] / 50g)
Pattern: Interweave Knits Spring 2007
Needles: Addi Turbo US size 4 (3.5mm) / 32" (80cm) circular, Addi Turbo US size 6 (4mm) / 32" (80cm) circular
Size: chest circumference 34"
Duration: 2007/05/29 - 2007/07/04

線材: Berroco Bonsai (97% 竹纖維, 3% 尼龍), 色號#4110 Shibui Clay - 9 綑 (77yd [71m] / 50g)
圖樣: Interweave Knits 2007 春季版
針號: 3.5mm/80cm 和 4mm/80cm 輪針
尺寸: 胸圍86cm
製作日期: 2007/05/29 - 2007/07/04



I guess I am not quite happy with this FO. The pattern was clear, I had no problems following it. The knitting went smoothly as well. But I came to realize when I was knitting the front piece, that the finished garment would be quite heavy. The yarn itself is heavy, each skein has only 77 yards and weighs 50g. The size small I made required 9 skeins. I just weighed the garment, the whole thing is 428g. It felt thick and heavy when I tried it on, for which I am quite disappointed. One of the reasons why I decided to knit this project is the potential versatility, a garment that you could possibly wear all year long. Now that it is so heavy, wearing it during the summer is out of the question. I may have to wait till late fall to actually wear it. Well, another lesson learned. This is something I could have foreseen when I chose the yarn. I just got too excited in the midst of a yarn sale, you understand.

這件織來不太滿意... 其實過程很順利, 織法寫的也算詳細, 沒有遇到什麼大問題. 後片織完時還沒有什麼特別感覺, 前片織到一半時忽然驚覺 ~ ㄟ 這件衣服很重耶! 線本身就重, 一綑才71m就50g, 整件衣服要用9綑耶!! 剛剛量了一下, 整件成品是428g, 穿著身上只覺得好厚重, 非常失望... 當初會想要織這件就是覺得它應該春夏秋冬都合穿, 就看裡面怎麼搭配 (小可愛, 短袖T恤, 長袖襯衫... ). 現在這個樣子, 夏天是不可能穿它了, 會熱死... 秋天嗎, 也要等到晚秋... 只能怪自己後知後覺, 這種事應該買線時就要想到. 誰叫我那時遇到線線特價, 興奮過度, 只想著把它搬回家, 卻忽視了這線本身的缺點.



I made modifications to the length of the garment. I felt the original length would be too much for me. The waist ribbing was reduced from 3 1/2" to 3". The lower body was reduced from 10" to 8 3/4". Everything else is pretty much per pattern.

這件衣服的長度我改了一點, 覺得原來的樣子對我來説太長了. 腰部的鬆緊編我從3 1/2英寸改成3英寸. 下半身從10英寸改成8 3/4英寸, 這樣比較剛好(也是偷懶, 少織一點... :D)



With all that said, I still like the lace patterns and the color of the yarn. If I can start over, I think a lightweight cotton-blend yarn would have been a better choice. The pattern is not difficult, it's just the hot weather making me impatient. I spent only about 1 hour, sometimes 2, everyday on this project. Even the 64" I-cord belt, which is so easy yet so boring, took me one week to finish. To get myself to finish it, I decided not to publish another posting until I am done with this project... haha... it still took me more than a month. Although in the meantime, I finished another crochet bolero, just haven't had time to block it yet, it will be the next posting.

不過這花樣和顏色我是都還蠻喜歡的啦! 如果能重來(哈哈... 不可能的事), 挑個輕的棉線應該就很好了. 花樣不難織, 只是天氣實在太熱, 心情浮躁, 再加上已可預料的結果(不滿意), 每天都織一點點就丟到一旁去了. 這段期間為了激勵自己來完成它, 決定沒有成品不發文... 哈哈, 還是被我拖了一個多月. 你們相信嗎? 光是那條64英寸長的I-cord腰帶, 我硬是花了一個星期才打好. 打到後來實在很無聊, 強強要睏去... 當然, 這期間為了不讓自己無聊至死, 也是我三心二意的壞習慣, 又鉤了一件小外套. 已經鉤好了, 還沒整燙, 過兩天再給大家看喔.

Just Being Lazy

It's been almost two weeks since my last post, and I have to still bring myself to write this one. I must have caught the thing called "laziness", or the warmer weather is just making me want to lay back and do nothing at all. Other than a short trip to San Diego (Sea World and San Diego Zoo) over the Memorial weekend, which Connor enjoyed tremendously, nothing much is happening. Knitting is going slowly. I haven't reduced my WIP pile, and I managed to add another one. I have been working on Bonsai Tunic, from IK spring issue, for a few days now. The back piece is finished, and I have just cast on for the front piece. It's easy knitting so far, although the yarn is a bit annoying. It's very twisty, and keeps tangling up all by themselves.

已經快兩個星期沒發文了, 今天這篇居然還是覺得有點懶得寫. 我一定是得了懶病, 要不就是這天氣令人覺得懶洋洋地, 什麼都不想做. 上星期的四天週末假日帶兒子去了聖地牙哥(海洋世界和聖地牙哥動物園), 卡比玩的很開心, 我們可是累慘了. 其他也沒做什麼... 懶嘛! 手邊已有三個未成品, 嘻嘻... 我又開始了另一個project - 是Interweave Knits春季版裡的一件背心. 後片已經織好, 今天剛開始打前片. 蠻簡單的, 只是這線有點討厭, 捲曲的很厲害.



I have also managed to finish the collar on Phildar Swing Jacket. What's left to be knitted are the four pocket pieces, and then I still have to decide on what to do with the trim. I have made up my mind not to use the bias binding tape, and will probably either knit or crochet the border. But I haven't decided on exactly what to do. It has been very easy to get distracted from this project. Not sure why. I guess especially now I won't get to wear it until fall, there's less incentive to get it done right away. And handling wool in this summer weather is just not very enjoyable. But I am anxious to get it off the WIP status though, maybe I will work on it when we have the AC on. :D

另外, Phildar七分袖外套的領子也織好了. 再來就剩下四個口袋織片要織, 原圖樣毛織的部分就算完成了. 我還沒有決定那淺紫的邊要怎麼做. 已經確定的是, 不用原設計裡的bias binding tape, 我打算另用毛線用棒針或鉤針來做邊, 只是還沒想好要怎麼做. 做這個project很容易分心耶, 尤其現在天氣越來越熱, 這件外套就算做好也要等到秋天才會穿, 就不太想去動它哩. 這種天氣實在是不想碰羊毛線, 但又覺得這件拖了有夠久, 也許等天氣熱到非開冷氣不可時, 再來躲在冷氣房裡織, 哈! :D



And I want to thank you all for stopping by and for your kind compliments. They were always received with deep appreciations. I wish I have time to go around and chat, but the truth is I am getting less and less computer time these days, as my 2-year-old is already fighting with me over the computer. Well, not exactly "fighting", he just needs to pull at my shirt (hard!) and I will have to get off the computer and let him use it. And this happens whenever he sees me sitting down in front of the computer. He would tap at the keyboard and giggle when he saw those dots in the password box of the login screen. He has also figured out how to insert a DVD and the key sequences to start playing his favorite Teletubbies episodes on the laptop. Truly scary!

感謝大家有空過來逛逛, 留言, 和讚美(是大家不嫌棄啦!) 能在網路上遇到這麼多編織同好, 高手如雲, 實在是很令人開心. 我很希望能有更多時間也到大家的部落格看看串門子, 可惜現在用電腦時間越來越少. 卡比只要看到我坐在電腦前, 就會跑過來把我拉起來, 然後自己爬上椅子, 在鍵盤上東按按西敲敲. 他喜歡看登入時密碼格裡的黑豆豆, 一按出黑豆豆來他就笑的很高興. 他也知道如何將DVD拿出和放進電腦裡, 然後要按那些鍵來播放他最愛看的Teletubbies, 兩歲的小孩耶, 連話都還不會說... 實在是恐怖!