Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest

Instagram

Sunday 9 September 2012

Another Baby Cardigan!



Guess I'm at that age where mostly everyone I know is either getting married or having babies. Some friends of mine are expecting a little bundle of joy in October and had a baby shower last weekend - so I did what I do best and made the little bubba something from yarn!

I was talking to another friend (the mum of the little girl I made the last cardigan for) and she said a baby cardigan for them would be perfect especially as it'll be a winter baby.

I decided that I wanted to knit a seed (moss) stitch cardigan with ribbed edges and a hood.  So, you know, not really that specific at all.  I spent quite a few hours looking for patterns all over the place but to no avail.  But alas, whilst browsing Ravelry I came across a raglan baby cardigan in seed stitch, ribbed edges and a hood.  I couldn't believe my luck! I purchased that pattern in a heartbeat!  

There I was, all excited that I was going to make this amazing cardigan and started reading through the pattern and saw...Circular needles...what?!...knitting in the round with double pointed needles (DPN's)...whaaatttt?!  I've only ever knitted on single points :/

I saw this as a challenge and I couldn't avoid these things forever, especially if I am to become the knitting extraordinaire that I want to be.  I went out a bought me some bamboo circulars and DPN's and got to work. Again, I used Rowan All-Seasons Cotton as it's easier to take care of especially where babies are concerned.  I cast on, then got into my head that I was knitting the body in the round with the circulars and got into a major panic.  How could I join 30 stitches across a 80cm circular?!  I decided to email the lovely lady who designed the pattern and she cleared things up for me instantly.  Eventually it would be 108 stitches long; the circular is used just to hold all the stitches and not to knit in the round.  Phew!

Then came the sleeves, DPN's and knitting in the round.  Whenever I've seen pictures of socks being knitted and seen all those DPN's, I'd get scared.  Plain scared.  It looked so complicated! Thank goodness for YouTube.  Is it bad that that it taught me how to knit in the round?!  Well, I am glad to say it was no where nearly as scary as it looks, and actually pretty enjoyed it!



Anyways, two weeks later, ta da! I finished the cardigan on the morning of the baby shower so I cut that one really fine!  The parents-to-be loved it.  I can't wait to see the little one wearing it when he/she is born :)



Sunday 2 September 2012

"This is for everyone"

©The Yarning Darling 2012


Hey everyone...first of all I'm so so sorry for going AWOL for a while, ended up being super busy this summer!  I have been crocheting and knitting but just didn't have the time to update the blog, and so I shall fill you in on why I've been so busy!

So, guess what, I performed in the Olympic Opening Ceremony in July!  I auditioned back in November last year after applying on a whim then got through to the second round.  Unfortunately I wasn't successful and got put on the reserve list.  I honestly thought that was a nice way of saying "no thanks"!  But in May, I got a phonecall from one of the Cast Co-ordinators for my section asking if I wanted to be an understudy for a role.  I took a look at the schedule and decided to go for it, then when I turned up for my first rehearsal I was told I had a permanent role!  I was soooooo excited :D

For those of you who saw it, I was in the 'Thanks, Tim' section, the part that represented the Digital Revolution thanks to Sir Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web).  The segment consisted of a boy and girl who meet and try and find each other through different clubs, each with a different music era.  I was in the 1960's section and had the most amazing costume.  EVER.

Outside the stadium!
©The Yarning Darling 2012

Me in the Peace Sign!

In action - I'm the one shaking my head in the blue wig :)

Me with some hunky military guys outside the stadium!
©The Yarning Darling 2012
With Kenrick Sandy of Boy Blue Entertainment, choreographer for 'Thanks, Tim'.
©The Yarning Darling 2012



Rehearsals were pretty long, especially coming up to the big day with dress rehearsals having a call time of 2pm and not being on stage until 9.57pm! But it was the most incredible moment of my life, me, being a dentist and occassional knitter/crocheter, getting to perform in front of 80,000 people in the stadium and the whole world!

I also managed to get my 15 minutes of fame too!
CBS News Photoblog
ITV News
ABS-CBN News (video) (A Filipino news network, as I'm half Filipino)
ABS-CBN News (written)

Through the Olympic Opening, I managed to get the role of 'Audience Leader' for the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies.  I'm not performing but I'm up in the stands with the audience, but I still get to feel the energy and atmosphere.  However, the costumes are nowhere near as gorgeous as my mirror dress!


©The Yarning Darling 2012

Taking part in these is honestly a once in a lifetime thing and I'm so honoured to have been able to take part in them!