Friday, June 29, 2007

Before & After

Wow...this is a record in my blogging history. I'm actually blogging almost everyday!!!


Anyway, I have been thinking about this project since ages ago. I knitted this teal mini shrug last year. I adapted the pattern from a raglan sleeve top I got from one of my Japanese pattern books. However, when I did this I did not think about the curling that I would get when I knitted everything without a border. Also, I had no clue how to pick up stitches. Hence, I ended up with with a somewhat cute top (IMHO) with collars that are messed up (so I folded it down when wearing it) and bottoms that would not stop curling. I finished it off with a ribbon tie which I do adore. ^^

Time passed and I eventually did end up learning how to pick stitches up. ;;^^ And recently I acquired a pair of fingerless gloves from Mimco. This pair of gloves are lovely but I thought the buttons are horrendous, being placed where they are.

Today while bitten by the knitting bug and a bit reluctant to start anything new and not in the mood to continue what I'm doing so far, I decided to re-work my teal shrug!!! ^^ First I picked up the stitches at the bottom and added a 2 by 2 rib edging. Then, I decided to stick the two giant buttons that seemed to misplaced on the Mimco gloves onto my shrug to cover the horrible mistakes I've made when knitting the collar.

And here is the result!!! ^^ The photo was taken on a rainy, cloudy day...so it looked a bit dark... :(


I absolutely adore it now!!! The buttons really did find their rightful place... ^^.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Keeping Kitty Kat Warm


J bought this cup for Wool Baa as I had knitted a cup warmer and actually left behind my own cup at Wool Baa for display. When she got this, I took back my cup and the initial cup warmer (which was pretty crappy I think, in fact a customer once mentioned it was ugly...lol until she asked me who did that and I told her I did... hehehe).

Anyhoo, she bought this lovely cup with a kitty cat on it. I decided to re-knit the cup warmer with improved pattern and using the Clover felting kit, added a ball of running yarn. Unexpectedly as I ran and felted the yarn, I created a word that looked like "one".

Will be writing the pattern up and bringing it to Wool Baa for display on Friday. :)

Monday, June 25, 2007

Fish - do give us a sufficiency! ^^


Ok, this is the ginger steamed fish I cooked yesterday. I kind of forgot to get the spring onions haha...so in terms of the colour of the presentation, it is a bit lacking. ;;^^ It's real easy to cook, with soya sauce, pepper, a bit of sugar and sesame oil. Steamed it first for about 20 minutes, then pour hot oil (cooking + a bit more sesame oil + sesame seeds) over it. Real quick to cook too!!! ^^

In terms of knitting projects, I haven't knitted much since I'm trying to catch up with my readings and korean dramas. ;;^^ Sigh...I really need to find a full time job though. :( I also need to call up for freelance jobs now that everything has ended. :P I feel a bit lazy but I keep telling myself no...I need to be more pro-active this time!!! Yosh~! ^0^/

Friday, June 22, 2007

Easy Recipes!

This posting is inspired by one conversation I had with Shanwen about easy cooking...^^


First, let me present Unagi Don homestyle! Don't pay $12 or even $11 for this great tasting dish. Just buy a pack of frozen unagi from those Asian grocery stores (for about $9) and you can actually cook two sets of Unagi Don with this. I was just being hungry when I did this and finished off the whole pack...hehehe... Top it off with a sprinkle of dried sea-weed and sesame seeds garnish.

Next is Karaage Chicken (Jennifer's style!). This one the recipe is purely made up with initial tips from my parents haha... The chicken has been seasoned with salt, pepper & garlic powder. Then it is tossed in cornflour (dry! not mixed with water or egg) seasoned with salt and pepper. Then deep fried and presented on a bed of rice. Topped off with Tonkatsu sauce and wasabi mayonaise, sprinkled with dried sea-weed and sesame garnish.

I know I cooked mostly Japanese influenced cooking, but I guess they are usually easy to do...;;^^ also haha...just realised that me working on a restaurant's menu as a freelance job before actually paid off with the way I described my own cooking!

And oh oh oh...serve these with Japanese green tea that you can buy for about $2.50 per pack at Asian grocery stores.

Economic, simple and nice! ^^

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Bootielicious!

At least that's what I hope Chia and Tai would say when they see what I've made for their little bundle of joy who would be making his or her entrance in 3 months time...;;^^


It's my very first booties and it's knitted in 8 ply Heirloom Cashmino with 4mm needles. ^^ It is then finished off with a simple yellow button ensuring if it's a her or a him, it will suit. ^^ The pattern came from the Vogue Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2007 magazine.

Monday, June 18, 2007

View from the top...

I'm back from my Gold Coast trip~! ^^ I'm so glad to be back in Melbourne despite the weather and all. Don't get me wrong...Gold Coast is a very nice place. Dream World, Movie World, the beach and the shopping trips are fun.

I just dreaded the nights as the people I went with tend to get drunk within the 4 days and 3 nights we were there. I swear it's like as if they are deprived of alcohol from the way some of them were drinking. Or maybe some of them are just alcoholic... Gah~!

Here's a photo that made my day...hehe...even though I looked so scared lol my expression can't beat some people's...hehehe


Anyhoo... I captured this beautiful view from my hotel room on the last morning. Despite all, I did enjoy some parts of the trip. I guess the trip just made me realise the true colours of some people, and perhaps made me appreciate more the friends that I already have...


Sunday, June 10, 2007

Buttons buttons buttons!!!


Went to the button sales with Shanwen and got heaps of buttons for my stash. I did go over budget with it but some of the buttons are really worth it! ^^

Going to Gold Coast tonight and will be away till the 14th. Excited but I hope those people I'm going with are not going to drink so much. I'd rather shop and take in the sights than get drunk...;;^^