Lotus Cardigan FO

Late posting again! I've been very busy these days since the boys are on winter vacation. No break for me though as I've been cooking, driving and checking on them around the clock. Little time for knitting. I finished Lotus cardigan a few weeks ago but I don't have very good photos to share. To get things going, I'll just post these ones or it will be another few weeks before I can post again.

As you can see, Lotus didn't turned out so great. I had high expectations that it would be a nice FO. It looks a little bulky, or in other words it makes me look bigger than I think I'm now. The pockets turned out to be all right. Regular length sleeves would be better since it's a little cold to wear it without an inner layer.

I managed to make the collar stay still by knitting extra rows and adding a ribbed border. It's just not the collar I had in mind though.

Yarn : Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino ( 10 skeins)

needles: Japanese 7

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, I had in mind to have a new sweater (named as Jade Jacket). Unfortunately, I won't be able to finish it in time for the occasion. Just the cable border took me a week to complete. The body is being knitted in one piece after picking up stitches from the side of the long cable strip. At beginning, I wasn't sure if I should knit the body parts ( back and two fronts) and later have it sewn to the cable border. I thought it would be safer to just pick up the stitches. A little more trouble at beginning to ensure even stitches along the border but no mending job left in the end! And I think it was the right decision. I'm satisfied with the connecting section.

The seed stitch is slowing me down in this project but I am happy with it. I'll add cable borders to the sleeves as well. Looking for a pattern that has Chinese collars but so far haven't found any. I believe I'll knit or crochet a button border with some Chinese style knotted closures, if I could successfully make them. I feel it's going to be a long project. it's not easy to knit without a pattern to follow. There are just too many little details that I can't foresee.

Last and certainly not least, I got an unexpected package from the postman this afternoon. Little stars to lighting my day from my childhood friend ( since I was 6 and she was 4) from the other side of the earth. Really, it's all the way from Brazil. Our last meeting was in California more than 20 years but we are still in touch by email and phone. She sent my favorite childhood chocolates, caramelized figs and fig scented soaps and body cream ( just because I told her I miss figs). And knowing that I am an addict knitter she sent me yarn and knitting magazines. I have lots of cotton yarns and hand made kitchen towels from her past parcels that I'll post in the near future.

I almost forget that I wanted to share new knitting books that I found this weekend and that followed me home. First one on left has classic vests for men (by Hamanaka, titled as "men's sweater & vest" that I think it will come handy when I knit for hubby. I already missed his birthday, so I still have plenty of months for the next one. Second one was an old edition from 1989. I only got it because it has golf clubs cover patterns that I plan to knit for hubby as well. One of these days... Well, good intentions count too! ;) And last, was this reprint of a vintage book. I have seen it in an ad from Keito ( summer 2006) and have since been very curious about it's content. It's a paperback quality and has lots of Japanese text ( unfortunately, can't read any). It looks more a book for machine knitting though. Which I presumably assume could be used for hand knitting too. In addition, there are stitches charts with similar symbols used nowadays. For now, it's more for browsing and seeing all the different designs the book offers ( no ISBN number information available). Anyway, I had to have it since it was the only copy on the shelf. All three books were lonely copies, so it was very easy to make up my mind.

Next week we'll be visiting Fukuoka , Oita and the surrounding area for vacation. And that means I'll be able to check on yarn shops. I'm pretty excited that I found out Yuzawaya has a branch store in Fukuoka. I am looking forward to seeing the new spring books and yarns! Does anyone know other yarn shops in the area?

It feels so good to know that I'll be starting the new year looking at yarns! ;) Happy Chinese New Year!