Swatching

I DO swatch! Honestly! When I substituting yarns, this is exactly what I need to do. I don't use exactly yarn in the pattern. Swatching is a little like sketching. It's a chance to try out ideas, to get a feel for what I am working with and to dream about the project. If the pattern involves a stitch pattern or technique I am unfamiliar with, it can be a great idea to try it out on a swatch in order to become comfortable with a small sample isolated from other considerations like shaping. Knitting a sweater is such a leap of faith, nothing at all like purchasing a garment I have tried on, but a swatch can help predict how it will turn out. A sample piece of fabric to play with can tell me a lot about how that fabric will behave in a full garment and the effect washing and wear will have. I am making my swatches at least 6" / 15 cm square. There are a few reasons for this: The edges will be a little distorted, so I will need enough room in the middle to accurately count 4" / 10 cm worth of stitches and rows in order to measure gauge.

To check my gauge/tension about which I am loose or tight knitter. To play with my swatches to know what to do with the yarn: feel, thin. bulky, split thread, and how well I hold the yarn.

Swatches are beautiful to do! I play and pet them. If I have so many of swatches, I can sew them together to make a huge afghan. :)

The swatches do have a lot information to tell me about them. I take some time to do the swatch. I am not in rush to get the project to started. I want to have a well fitted garment. I want to have enjoy knitting and wearing. Before I started learning to knitting. I was like 'Oh why swatch!" Then more time to come and I realized that it is most important in the knitting projects. I love swatching. :)

Litte Red in the City

YESSS! I got it today at my mailbox. I am so exciting to have it. I have been waiting for to come since July 4th. It is a knitting book by Ysolda Teague. She lives in Scotland. This book is about fitting. I still want to buy about 10 more books from the different designers. I am so exciting. I am so SO addict to the yarn stuffs. :) Happy day for me now.

Jell-O Mold

I made Jell-O mold. The kids, of course, love it. I used peach, cranberry, lime, grape, and apricot. I don't use whipping cream. I just want straight Jell-O without cream in it. I finally bought the pan. You can see inside of the pan. I forgot to put on the PAM. Next time I will. The jell-O is firm than weak. I only used boiling water. No cold water added. Yummy.

Yummy!

Goober! I love it with grape and peanut butter. But I found it in Wal-Mart: Chocolate with peanut butter. It is SO SO SO SO delicioussss! Love it. You guys should try it. :)

Christmas Baby Blanket

I finished it today. Finally! Because I had to seam all of the motifs together then crochet the edge. It's looks good. I am using it for my couch for Christmas season. Not for "cover" blanket because it is so small blanket. I love it. I used Red Heart Holiday yarns. It is crochet project.

Rug

I am so happy that rug is done. It's so slow project. Because of loops. I had to chain 3 every second stitches around to form the loops. I still have to make another one. I already started another rug. They are for my mom's friends' wedding gifts. It's looks good rug. I want one for myself in someday.