My mum loved my previous little button loafers so much she kept bugging me to make a pair for her friend who just had a baby couple weeks ago. I only had two buttons left so I made the one button strap version.

Pattern: Little Button Loafers (pattern is available for purchase from Sylver Designs)

Size: 1 (3 months) (3.75″L by 2″W)

Yarn: 0.5 x Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Cookie and a little bit of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Military

Hook: 3.5m

I think my gauge changed because this pair came out a wee bit bigger than the previous pair.

After making the sole 8 times, I can memorise the pattern now.

My Project on Ravelry

• Little Button Loafers

Edit: If you would like a pair for your wee one but can’t crochet, I can do a custom order. Please convo me on Etsy.

Presenting my first FO of 2009! A cute crocheted FO!

My friend is due very, very soon and I wanted to make something for her baby boy. Initially, I wanted to make the Pea Pod Baby Set but I was afraid the lace may be a bit too girly. Then I decided on a set of Offset Wraplan and Saartje’s Bootees. I had already cast on on the wraplan when I came across the Little Button Loafers. They were just so freakin’ adorable I decided to make this instead.

Pattern: Little Button Loafers (pattern is available for purchase from Sylver Designs)

Size: 1 (3 months) (3.75″L by 2″W)

Yarn: 0.5 x Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Cookie and a little bit of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Military

Hook: 3.5m

Pattern Comments
The pattern is quite clear and well written. However, I was a little confused with the last part of the sole mostly because the stitch count listed after the invisible join was xx sl st. The stitches worked just before the join were sc so that threw me off. I don’t think we’re supposed to do a round of slip stitches after the join so I left it at that.

My shoes actually ended up being almost 4″ in length. It’s better to be too big rather than too small for baby stuff, right?

The yarn amounts used are just estimates since I don’t have a scale or anything to measure. It’s certainly a great pattern for using up the leftovers.

My project on Ravelry

• Little Button Loafers

Edit: If you would like a pair for your wee one but can’t crochet, I can do a custom order. Please convo me on Etsy.

I haven’t had much time for knitting lately. After concentrating on my Butterscotch Cardigan last month, I decided it’s time to start a new knitting project (even though I still have some unfinished ones lying around!). I chose a simple top down pattern – Sassymetrical – this time round. I know it looks like a lump of crap at the moment…

Speaking of my Butterscotch Cardigan, I’ve completed the crocheting, seaming and have even woven in more than half the ends. I’ve yet to sew on the buttons though. It should be completed soon. I hope.

My Projects on Ravelry

• Butterscotch Cardigan
• Sassymetrical

I bought some cute buttons the other day and thought they’ll be perfect for the Butterscotch Cardigan.

FINALLY a crochet project that’s coming along nicely. I’ve completed the back and am working on the right front piece.

I’m trying to find more information on seaming crochet garment pieces. Anyone has any experience in this area and will like to offer some tips?

PS: Sorry about the craptastic pictures. Can’t seem to take any decent ones today.

PPS: I promise that the next project after this will not be a red one.

I’ve been dying to start on a crochet project for quite a while (last crochet project was the Lace Skirt a gazillion years ago!). I had my heart set on the Butterscotch Cardigan from Interweave Crochet Spring 2008 but I can’t quite seem to decide on a yarn. I tried swatching with Brown Sheep Cotton Fine but I couldn’t get gauge (note: gauge listed in the magazine was wrong). Since the cardigan’s worked side to side, I assume the row gauge is vital and I’m having trouble with that. I don’t really want to use any of the wool sock yarn since I don’t really wear wool. I contemplated Knit Picks Risata which I used for Breeze but it’s still too prickly to me.

While continuing my search for the perfect yarn for the Butterscotch, I decided I’ll also like to crochet the other cardigan by the same designer – Ocean Pearls Cardigan. Now, I already have 4 balls of the GGH Mystik used in the pattern so I decided to try my luck and see if I can get more in the same dye lot. Well, the online store I bought it from was out of stock. Then I saw that Stitchywitch is crocheting the same cardigan in Garnstudio Cotton Viscose which looks like it’ll be a perfect substitution.

The yarn’s super pretty, super shiny and perfectly cool for the humid weather here but it is also ohmyfreakingod super duper splitty.

Now, what the pattern didn’t tell you was this: Super Splitty Yarn + Crochet Bobbles = Nightmare

Seriously, I’m getting so frustrated doing the damn bobbles. There were bobbles that took 15 minutes to crochet.

15 minutes. 1 bobble.

And the whole cardigan is full of these blasted bobbles. At this rate, I’ll be looking forward to wearing this when I hit 80 years old, provided I don’t keel over and die from crochet frustration first. Now, that’s a cheerful thought.

To add insult to injury, my bobbles look like crap. It looks nothing like the neat little cardigan in the pattern. I don’t know if blocking is going to fix this. I think I should block what I have now and see if I want to continue. Alternative will be to replace the bobbles with something else. I don’t really want to crochet an entire cardigan just in double crochet stitches.

Oh hey, at least I’m not using red yarn.

Ever since I abandoned Violet Beauregard, I’ve been wondering what to do with the Shine Sport yarn. I came across Lily Chin’s Lace Skirt when I was surfing Interweave Crochet. Ooh pretty!

Pattern: Interweave Crochet‘s Lace Skirt with Drawstring Waist
Yarn: 5 x Knit Picks‘s Shine Sport in Violet
Hook: 3.75mm
Size: 29¼”
Comments: The pattern is pretty easy to read but I wish a chart had been included. It was a little difficult to picture the stitch pattern when I first started crocheting the skirt.

My waist is nowhere near 29¼” however I like to wear my bottoms low so I decided to crochet a bigger size, plus I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to pull it past my hips. Well, the yarn stretched a little after a wash so I’ve no problem pulling it past my hips but it’s kind of loose on the waist now. Thank goodness for the drawstring.

Since it’s a lace skirt, I’ll have to find a lining for it. I don’t fancy flashing my knickers to the rest of the world when I wear it. I can’t sew to save my life so either I buy some kind of half-slip or I pay someone to sew a lining to the skirt for me.

I wish I’ve taken notes during the process as I can imagine they’ll be useful to any crocheter interested in crocheting the skirt. Eh, I’ll try to remember next time.

I haven’t mastered the art of taking full length pictures of myself so eh, no full action shots.

I crocheted this while watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Special Edition) (think anyone will give me a shrubbery for my birthday?). As much as I love how crocheted shells look, I can never get mine to look right. The first stitch of the shell always looks awful. But I think this scarf looks great on the whole, well, as long as you don’t look too closely anyway. Merino Style was such a soft and squishy yarn to work with but it was a little splitty. Still, it did feel nice next to my skin.

I love how the scarf looked like a flower when it’s balled up.

Pattern: One Skein Scarf from Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
Yarn: Slightly more than 1 ball of Knit Picks‘ Merino Style in Maple Leaf
Hooks: 8.0mm and 6.5mm

I thought I’ll do a little update on the Violet Beauregard I started two weeks ago. I’ve actually completed the first colour change for the scalloped border but as I’ve mentioned in my failed Sweet Pea Shawl post, I suck at crocheting shells so I frogged the border and tried again. I tightened my tension and the shells looked a lot better now (but my hand hurts!). Now I’ve another problem. I’m beginning to think the gaps between stitches are kind of big. Take a look at the picture below and see if you have the same thought. My panties will probably show through the skirt when I’m wearing it! I’m not averse to frogging (for crocheting anyway, knitting is another different story) so I’m wondering if I should just frog the entire thing and start again with a smaller hook.

I got tired of working on my Violet Beauregard so I started on the Sweet Pea Shawl which was also from Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker. I frogged it after completing only the first row of shells because I hated how the shells looked. They were really loose and loopy. I don’t think I’m cut out for crocheting shells. I just can’t seem to get them to look right. It’s really frustrating. Moreover, after starting on the shawl, I realised I’m not crazy about making shawls with worsted weight yarn. If I do decide to give the Sweet Pea Shawl another try, I think I’ll probably do it with Knit Picks‘s Shine Sport.

Now what am I going to do with 8 balls of Knit Picks‘s Shine Worsted in watermelon?

Finally! Another FO! I actually finished the crocheting part last week and decided to wash and block it slightly on Sunday. Well, it’s still not completely dry today but I didn’t want to wait any longer so I sewed in the lining. For those living in wool country, does your woolly stuff take so long to dry as well? I can’t imagine doing my laundry and waiting days for my damn clothes to dry. I’ll be naked half the time. Although I suspect the culprit is the high humidity here.

Before sewing in the lining, the bag was floppier than Hugh Grant’s hair. I ironed on some interfacing to the lining fabric and it’s so much better now. After lining my Fat Bottom Bag, I still had lots of fabric left so I used the leftovers for my Fit to be Tied. I love the colour combination. Looks like it’ll make a nice Christmas gift.

Also, I’m no photographer but the difference between a crappy picture taken by my trusty K800i and one taken by my DSLR is tremendous.

Pattern: Fit to be Tied from Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
Yarn: Slightly more than 1 ball of Knit Picks‘s Wool of the Andes in Evergreen
Hook: 4.0mm

PS: I still hate seaming and sewing linings. I don’t think I’ll ever like it.

I’m beginning to recall what I bought all those Knit Picks yarn for. One of the projects I had in mind was Happy Hooker’s Violet Beauregard skirt. I had some trouble with the first increase round. Basically, I’m pattern-challenged and had an extra dc in my row and couldn’t figure out why. Thank goodness the good folks at Crochetville came to the rescue. I’m a really slow crocheter (and knitter) so I’ve only done about 8 rounds so far. I bet if turtles can crochet they’ll be faster than me. It’s ok, I like it that way. Slow and steady. Or at least that’s what I’ve been trying to tell myself. :D

I bought Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker because I was seeing all these gorgeous fat bottom bags on the forums and blogs and I just had to make one for myself. Now, I’ve been seeing all these gorgeous stuff crocheted from Sugar ‘N Cream cotton yarn and thought that would be perfect for my fat bottom bag. There’s only one teeny weeny problem: we have no Sugar ‘N Cream cotton yarn in Singapore. Scratch that. The fact is I can’t even find cheap worsted weight cotton yarn anywhere here. Eventually, I did manage to get my hand on one precious cone of Sugar ‘N Cream yarn in ecru and I started work on my fat bottom bag right away.

Most of the fat bottom bags I’ve seen were lined. That stopped me cold. Sewing needles and I aren’t exactly the best of friends. When I was in school, it was compulsory for all the girls to attend Home Economics classes where sewing, cooking and craft were taught. I broke the sewing machine needle during my first lesson. For our term test, we were given a piece of cloth and told to machine sew a rectangle on it. My rectangle was a triangle. Needless to say, I failed the test. That’s how inept I am with a sewing needle. What saved my life was Kel’s fantastic tutorial on lining the fat bottom bag. If I hadn’t found that, I’d probably have ended up sewing my fingers to the bag in frustration. Not a pretty sight.

All’s well that ends well. The crocheting was a breeze and after 2 days of much cursing and swearing while doing the lining, I have myself a pretty fat bottom bag. Will definitely make more if I can get my hands on more cotton yarn.

Edit: Added new photos.