To the bookshelf

At 5 bucks per book (AND brand new), how could I resist...

There were so many but I judge a book by its cover and it's copy. Yeap, if the fonts appeal to me only then I'll buy. These ones did.

Finished my Organizational Behaviour assignment yesterday.

Gotta start on Accounting assignment soon.

Road trip tomorrow. Work assignment.

Waiting for the long weekend......

Uncertainties in life

You might know the feeling of waiting to know about something, something so crucial that it keeps on playing at the back of your mind. Something really bothered me.

Back in October 2008 I went for a blood test and the result showed an abnormal reading for a certain hormone. Upon finding out from a family friend who is a doctor, her eyes just turned wide open. Apparently if is consistenly abnormal, there could be a reason to it - a small tumour in the pituitary gland or otherwise known as pituitary adenoma.

Before I could react further, she pacified me by saying that it is usually not serious, but it might have an affect on having children later on. That was probably the scariest thing I've heard so far. I mean, I love babies and kids. What if I can't have children of my own? My own biological children... I'd have to be on medication for, oh I dunno, a long long time. All these thoughts just flew by when I heard what the tumour can do.

So I was advised to wait for another month and to do another blood test, just to see if the reading is still abnormal. I was also told that sometimes, it may be due to stress, the reading may be higher than normal and probably there's nothing to be worried at all. But my reading was almost double than normal.

Only I didn't do repeat the test a month later. I waited, but didn't know for what. Maybe I couldn't take the reality of having problems of getting pregnant and having children. Not that I plan to right now, heck I'm not even married. But I want to, in the future. So many what-if questions kept pacing my mind.

Not taking that test was probably my way of avoiding of the probable chance that I may have the tumour. A tumour in my head. Crap. Though it's not life threatening, but.. it's there!

I kept delaying. I delayed for about 5 months then I told myself I'd have to find out sooner or later. I didn't know what to expect, or how to prepare myself. Yes the tumour can eventually disappear if I keep taking medication. But still..

And so I finally went....

In the meantime, I had knitted a pair of baby booties for my friend who, at that time, had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl. I just love how it turned out. So girly. The yellow flowers just made it even more girly.

When I actually got the call that all was fine for my blood test, it was a mixture of feelings of relief and thankful that I am in fact.. healthy =) I'm just grateful for that. So it was because of the stress? I don't know, maybe it was.

But right now, I'm just thankful to God.
Thankful that I'm healthy.
Thankful that I can still have children in the future.
Thankful that I still have a job and wake up everyday and go to work.
Thankful that I have people who care about me.

So much has happened since I last blogged. I'll hopefully update again, soon.

If you read this, leave a comment, so I'll know people are still reading this blog. Thanks!

Take care everyone!

My So Called Scarf

Lil sis will be going to UK to study for a year. She will be going in February and once her study visa is approved then it's confirmed for sure. Though it's just going to be a year but I'm going to miss her! She'll be doing a year's study to obtain her degree in Hotel Management. Siiighh... I'd love to live outside of Malaysia..just to see what it's like..!

I think my knitted goodies are going with her...My Clapotis is going with her for sure since that had really kept her warm during her trip to London 2 months ago! Good thing I made it wide enough to cover her neck.

Yeah she's comfy alright! Clapotis put to good use!!

She requested for another scarf (since she took a wild guess that I am most certainly will not be able to finish a cardigan for her in time before she leaves...blehh...fiine).

I decided to knit My So Called Scarf and really, the pattern is a fun knit! Amazing how the 'psso' stitches gives a real nice pattern!


The yarn is a gift from a friend who went to India. It's acrylic but surprisingly very soft and 'silky' like. It came in a skein and as you can see in the picture I was to darn lazy to wind it into a ball (no I don't have a ball winder...sighhh).

Sis wants the scarf to be narrow so I casted on 40 sitches using a 4.5mm needles.

Blog updated two days in a row...This is record..!

Here's something cute that I found... Enjoy!!

Baby fest

Lately it's all about knitting for babies. A newborn baby boy and a baby girl due in about two weeks. I love knitting kiddy stuff cos I don't have to worry much about the size. If it's too big..no problem! The kiddo will grow into it!

I knitted the Daisy baby cardigan from Knitty.com for a certain Baby J. OK I didn't backstitch any daisies on the cardigan cos baby J is a boy. I wanted to backstitch the letter J on it..but...HOW on earth do you do a backstitch??!! Ideas are most welcomed thank you very much :)

I just love the way it turned out! For the first time a FO with perfect (ok, almost perfect) seaming! Ms Yarn Harlot has designed the garment very well, it's quite an easy and quick knit I must say. I am not a very fast knitter so it took me about 4 - 5 days to finish it.

But too bad that I couldn't get any cute buttons. I only managed to get plain ones which is a bit boring... Sigh I remember looking at really adorable buttons at Spotlight Singapore. Now I regretted for not getting a few of those.

Pattern: Daisy by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
Available at Knitty.com

Needles: 3.5mm Addi circulars
Yarn: OnLine 165 Sandy
Modifications: none

I'm gonna go visit baby J in a day or two. He was born just about a month ago. I think the cardi will be a bit big for him.

Next up is another Vine Lace Baby Hat that I knitted for my MBA classmate who is about to give birth within a week or two. The baby is going to be a girl and her name starts with K, so let's call her baby K shall we? I'm still deciding as to which booties to knit for her though.

I've knitted this hat before, like a year ago. My sis saw me knitting the hat and said 'if you knit it my size I'll wear it (with a big grin)'. Hmmm... I'll think about it!

Pattern: Vine Lace Baby Hat by Sandi Wiseheart
Needles: 3mm Brittany DPNs
Modifications: none

Updates on life in a later post. Cheerios!

Something that is true...

To love is a duty.

To be loved is a success.

To be with someone you love is an achievement.

To be with someone who loves you is life.

Update..

6 months has passed and so much happened since I last posted. I haven't been posted at all because..well..I haven't been knitting at all...except for last month..

Let me just summarise the life events that has happened within the past 6 months...

January - Realised that my job was getting a bit too routine for me to enjoy

February - My birthday month but it sucked anyways

March - Lots of late nights and clubbing sessions

April - Well this was a both happy and a sad month. For the first time, my status officially changed from single to 'in a relationship'. But, It was also the month when my dad passed away. We lost him to stage 4 lung cancer. We only discovered that he had it earlier Jan this year. *May his soul rest in peace*

May - I gave my notice of resignation. I know that there are jobs out there that'll suit me better.

June - Officially jobless again

July - I've decided to take up a part time MBA course and classes start next week! So I'm also looking for a job that'll fill my weekdays since classes are only on weekends.

I also have an F.O to show all of you, a pair of Bayerische socks that took me 6 months to complete!

Pattern: Bayerische Socks by Eunny Jang
Yarn: Knit Pick's Palette in Blue
Needle: Addi Circulars 2.0mm (80cm)

The first sock took me at least 3 attempts to get it right and it took me a month to complete it. I was already a 'pro' when it came to the second one, so it took half the time ;-) The amount of hard work I've put into the socks, I don't know if I'll have the heart the wear it! Even my mom was shocked that I can actually produce stuff like this.

Now I'm project-less again. But a couple of baby bootees, baby jackets and gloves are playing in my mind. Cos a couple of babies are on the way...

Hopefully I'll blog again soon, with some knitting content as well. I hope all of you are keeping well. Till I blog again, take care and just keep knitting!

Happy 2008!

Hello....yes...it's me....popping in to wish you, you and you a very happy new year!! Here's wishing everyone a great year ahead, I know I'm looking forward to an awesome one! I hope y'all had a wonderful Christmas too.

My explanation for being MIA for the past month is because I finally got a job and yeah, actually have to wake up at 6am and not go to bed at 6am! And now I'm cherishing every single weekend! But thank you to all of you who left comments on my Clapotis post and also on winning the contest online.

What job am I doing if you might ask, well I got one as a medical underwriter with an insurance company. Whazzat you ask??? No worries, I get that question every single time lol. Click on the link to find out more. I'm still under training, but by the end of 6 months I should be a certified underwriter. Not exactly my ideal job, but thats the best offer I could get so far.

On the knitting front, I did finish my Phildar bolero. Don't mind the picture, I had no one else to take it for me. Somehow it didn't turn out to be like the one in the pattern. And yes that's me in my Lelah Top too.


The bolero turned out to be a tad too big, especially around the arms. And I wore it for a whole day and it kept falling backwards and slipping off my shoulders, which was pretty darn annoying. I am thinking of making an i-cord and attaching it to the front so I can tie it and not worry of it falling all the time.

Oh yes before I forget, the yarn ball population in my yarn box has increased by 3! yep!! First up, is Knit Pick's Felici from my buddy Rain. It was an Eid pressie from her. Thank you sweety =) The yarn is so so unbelievable soft I wish my pillows and sheets were that soft. Those of you who have tried this yarn before would agree with me, won't ya?



Next, is something I purchased for myself...2 balls of Knit Picks' Gossamer in Carribean. Hopefully it will be a lacy top, and not a shawl...again.


That's all for now folks. Not making any knitting resolutions here. Hopefully there'll be more FOs this year. Take care and happy knitting!

Contest prize!

I took part in another contest at Here Be Knitting a couple of weeks ago and guess what, I won! Yay my second time winning a contest online!

So look who travelled from the land down under and across the ocean to see me...


It's a beautiful hank of Interlacements Little Toes sock yarn, which I believe is no longer available. It's so soft, superwash wool, and has all my favourite colours rolled into one. I really didn't expect such a generous gesture from her! See, I even got a tube of dewberry hand cream!

Thanks so much Deb!!

Bad month, so far..but an FO to show

This month so far has been good and bad, happy and sad for me.

About two weeks ago, my younger sister was mugged. She lost her handbag, her mobile, her money and her identity card. She has a nasty wound on her knee and when they had pushed her, she landed on her butt, which had affected her back bone. What pissed me off the most is that, at the time of the incident, she was walking home ALONE in the middle of the night. Right before that she was having late supper with one of her GUY colleagues. Looks like it would have killed him TO WALK A GIRL HOME!

In another incident, some money was stolen from me too. Don't ask me how. I have no idea. Frickin savings for the past two years!

I'm missing my buddy A LOT. Miss hanging out with her. Miss her company ='( Yeah babe, I doo!!

In a slightly more happy news, I got a few job offers. But so far I am still not sure whether I'll be starting work next month. Pre-employment medical check up didn't go well. But then it hit me, once I start to work, I'll be working for the rest of my life. I was whining that I didn't have a job before, but now when I am about to start work, I'm whining that I'll miss the lazy days.

I whine a lot don't I? Okay for those of you who are still reading this post, I'll show off my Clapotis! Yes, another FO woohoo!

Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Needle: Addi circulars 4.5mm
Yarn: Premium Marvel 8 ply Acrylic 1.5 balls

This yarn was surprisingly so soft to knit with!! And the stitches could be dropped so easily too. It's more than 60 inches in length and if I had finished the two balls it would have been too long.

How many of you who do not block clapotis? And I notice the cast on end and the cast off end is jutting out and not curled up like the other two corners. I kind of like the wavy effects it has, and it is so soft that it drapes nicely over the shoulders too..

I'll update you about the Phildar bolero in the next post, and also my war with a sock that I'm starting. Till then, have a great week ahead people!

Garage Flooring

You know how sometimes when you walk into your garage and you see just a bare old concrete? If its not oil-stained, then it's either beat up or cracked. Of course there's that one particular spot on the concrete that has an oil stain which dripped from the family car over a long period of time. If you've been living in your home for the past 20 years, chances are that the concrete will start to crack up.

If you're just tired of that and want a whole new garage flooring, why not give Car Guy Garage a try? Not only that they sell tiles to cover that old dirty floor, they even have a wide range of patterns of tiles that you can choose from!

But if you recently just had your garage floor retiled, I'm sure you would want to protect it, so that cleaning it every now and then would be easier for you. These guys have just the thing you need - a professional grade epoxy!

Thinking of how to give your garage floor a make over?? Well what are you waiting for?? Go on and check it out!

*This is a paid post*

Clapotis and a bolero

A couple of things happened in the past two weeks, both happy and sad. But right now I don't seem to be in the right mood to talk about it. So I'll just give a quick update on what's currently on my needles.

A clapotis! Yeah, decided to join the clappy-bandwagon, finally. Don't know who it will be for yet but it's quite a mindless knit, easy enough to keep my eyes on McSteamy ;)

Regg, recognise the yarn??

I started on a Phildar Bolero quite some time ago and it's being knitted up in pieces...I'll have *so* much fun seaming later..bleh...Last night I finally decided to block them before I can seam them up and start picking up stitches to knit the ribbing. Weather has been pretty gloomy around here so I'll leave it for two days to dry.

Boy only now I realize cotton does STRETCH! I literally had to shape the pieces when blocking them. Have to make sure that they are of the same width and length before poking them with the pins. I hope that it won't be too big for me when I finish it!

Instructions said to knit a separate piece of ribbing. We don't want more seaming now do we?? So I'll just pick up stitches and knit the ribbing for the collar.

Pay Per Post

Since I started this blog a little over a year ago, little did I know that I will be getting to know people from all over the world, sharing our common passion for knitting and love for yarn. And indeed, I was so amazed by the amount of people that knit! I really admire those who knit for charity or to raise funds. I have started knitting seriously this year and blogging is a way for me to keep track of what I'm knitting and have knitted. It's like my knitting diary only uber cool since its online and other knitters can see too!

I got to know about Pay Per Post (PPP) thru me buddy Rain. It caught my attention because I can see that it is really that easy to earn money thru PPP, just by posting about a topic. So I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Hopefully soon enough I can indulge in some online yarn shopping therapy!

It's really very easy, after signing up for PPP you just need to post on topics that are available to you. You get paid to blog about products! Sounds good to me! This definitely motivates me to blog more often!

If any of you out there are looking for a side income, I would definitely suggest you come and join! I'ts a fun way to meet other posties too!





*this is a paid post*

Another baby hat

Baby knits are the best! They knit up quickly and are instant FOs!

Here's one that I knitted for a 7 month old baby...
(You're most welcome Rain) (no she DOESN'T have a baby! She's giving it as a pressie)

Pattern: Ripple Eyelet Baby Hat

Needles: 4mm Addi bamboo circulars

Size: Approximately 12" in circumference

Yarn: Bella Baby Puppet in Pink (much less than one ball!)

This hat was knitted flat and seamed together using mattress stitch. Can you see the seam in this picture? No, right?? That's how awesome mattress stitch is! I love it when I pull the yarn to bring the two sides together. It's like magic! As if it was knitted in the round.

Baby Hat and Mini OSW

I have been knitting, really...And I've got a couple of FOs to show off =)

First up, a really cute baby hat that I knitted for a 6 week old baby girl, Honeybun, a name her 3 year old sister calls her. How cute is that?

Pattern: Vine Lace Baby Hat

Needles: Brittany 3mm dpns

Yarn: Katia Capri 100% cotton - Half a ball

I also made a pair of Saarje's Bootees with the rest of the yarn, but for the life of me, I forgot to snap a pic of it before I gave the lil baby! But they were really really adorable and the booties are sturdy.

Not wanting to let her elder sister feel left out, I knitted a mini One Skein Wonder for her...

Pattern: One Skein Wonder
Needle: 3mm Addi circulars
Size: 13" width for arm to arm
Yarn: Schachenmayr Catania 100% - 1 ball

I'm really really proud of this FO. I actually made sure that I made no mistakes and I looove how the ribbing turned out. Took me quite a few attempts to pick up the stitches properly so that it doesn't look 'joined'. I didn't get a chance to take a picture of her wearing it though, she was sleeping when I was visiting.

It's really lovely to see the expression of people receiving knitted gifts. These girls' mom was shocked to see something so cute can actually be hand knitted. I think when something is knitted with love, it will turn out just beautiful!

A gift from SP11

Here's what she got me!

Yep it's Orangina by Stefanie Japel

Thanks SP! Now I'm thinking of what yarn to knit it with...Hmmm..

And here is a book that I finished reading

Turns out it's not a typical story line of a typical novel...Pick up the book and you'll see ;-) I'd recommend it!