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In a Cable Knitting Frenzy

By Christina Lee| January 7th, 2017|Handmade, Knitting, Work Hard. Play Hard. Knit Harder., Yarn Addict|

Exploring the Bay Area for new coffee shops and finding that warm, cozy niche is my idea of making the most of a wet, wintry weekend. I’m always on the lookout for coffee shops with the right atmosphere — a balance between community tables with enough elbow room, an area to lounge, good coffee and bite-sized snacks, music and the right temperature. That’s not so much to ask for, right?

While the big chains, Starbucks, Peet’s and Philz are at the turn of every block, I’m a big fan of discovering independent coffee houses. There’s something about the warm, wholesome authentic feeling of being at home while sitting at a ‘mom and pop’ coffee shop that just cannot be replicated by the big leagues. But that’s not to say I’ll shy away from the chains, since you know what to expect for the most part.

We ended up making our way to Redwood City to check out the Starbucks Reserve. I’ve heard several good things about Starbucks Reserve — their freshly brewed reserve coffee, limited edition menu, gourmet wine and food selection — and even affogatos (!) on a hidden or soon to be released menu. I helped myself to a Butterscotch Reserve Latte in a hefty black, Reserve mug while picking up a new knitting pattern. Drunken off the creamy whole milk latte, I found myself tightly wound into a cable knitting frenzy as I braided one stitch over the other. This is my first attempt at cable knitting and I have YouTube to thanks for the step-by-step pattern. I’m looking forward to adding more stitches to this ‘brioche’ scarf, then bundling up to it during San Francisco’s cold, wintry season.

And Finally, It’s Done!

By Christina Lee| November 8th, 2016|Crocheting, Handmade, Humbling Hobbies and Habits, Oh My Crafts!, Yarn Addict|

Cooper, I’m glad that you find my crocheted blanket so comfy. Now please scoot over, so I can finally wrap this up. It’s taken me years, well probably a decade with all the breaks I took from making this blanket. This was a my very first crochet project that got me started on scarves, towels, amigurumi and other accessories. I’m especially thankful to the lady who taught me this granny square pattern in my good old days of working for a real estate company. This pattern is rich with a combination of stitches and taught me single, double and treble crochet along with the ‘popcorn’ stitch. I am proud to say I can now do this pattern with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back. A whopping seventy squares later, plus a few extras on the side for practice of course, I am finally done.

All in all, I didn’t mind crocheting the single squares as I did sewing them together and weaving in the loose ends. In reality I think it was the combination of light blue and dark blue that had me dizzy at times. With the help of my cousin, I was able to sew this blanket together. The final test of sturdiness was throwing this baby in the washing machine and praying that it didn’t fall apart.

In the end, it came out the same way it went in, intact and in one piece. However, I did have to mend a few strands, but other than that, it is one big throw that I’m gifting to my parents for Christmas. I honestly can’t track the number of hours spent on this blanket, but it is no comparison to the number of hours, weeks, months and years that my parents have spent on me. I hope they like it.

The Ribbed Diamond Pattern Scarf

By Christina Lee| October 1st, 2016|Handmade, Knitting, Work Hard. Play Hard. Knit Harder., Yarn Addict|

It’s craft day and I’m ready to pick out a new knitting pattern for a scarf. In flipping through my e-reader, I came across the Ribbed Diamond Pattern which caught my attention. This pattern is both reversible and symmetrical, so it’s perfect for a knitted scarf or cowl. I especially like the delicate texture and the flow of the ribbed diamonds as they cascade downwards.

Initially, I wanted to bring this scarf with me on a trip, but found it better to accompany me on my reading chair. There’s plenty of tallying and counting that comes along with the pattern, so my glass of red wine will just need to sit on the side. I’ve been working on it a little bit each week and have made some good progress, but there’s still quite a bit of work that needs to be done aside from the fringes that everybody loves. That said, this scarf is going to a very special Aunt and I’m hoping it will keep her warm in her daily commute to work.

The ‘Manhole’ Scarf

By Christina Lee| September 18th, 2016|Handmade, Knitting, Work Hard. Play Hard. Knit Harder., Yarn Addict|

It’s been a while since I completed a knitting project, and it’s the same feeling of accomplishment that feeds my soul and compels me to start another knitting project.

This pattern is called “The Manhole” and I thought is was rather fitting that I choose more of an olive green to accompany the circular indentations. The rounded texture is very prominent with uniquely positioned diagonal slant. It reminds me of a more pronounced version of the double seeded stitch.

If you’re interested in getting your hands on this pattern, you can get a copy of the Knitting Stitches by Sharon Turner. This visual encyclopedia is composed of over 350 stitch patterns, edgings and more.

Coffee and Cookie, Anybody?

By Christina Lee| February 28th, 2016|Amigurumi, Craft Day, Crocheting, Handmade, Oh My Crafts!, Yarn Addict|

It’s craft day and a gal with a sweet tooth like myself couldn’t resist this amigurumi project, especially since I wake up nearly every morning with a cup of coffee and a cookie. Perhaps waking up to this set in my kitchen will curtail the ‘cookie monster’ craving from within.

As with many amigurumi patterns, this one required quite a bit of counting and sewing to put the pieces together. The pattern itself wasn’t very challenging, though I did have to re-make the handle of the coffee cup twice, since I miscounted. These little guys make me smile and make the perfect gift for a coffee lover.

Craft Day

By Christina Lee| April 26th, 2014|Craft Day, Crocheting, DIY Home, Handmade, Humbling Hobbies and Habits, Oh My Crafts!, Yarn Addict|

It’s Craft Day with this crazy bunch. Knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking and sewing… we do it all! This time around, I’ve got my special little helper, Kendall helping me crochet this blanket everyone is sitting on. Yes, that’s how big it really is – 10 people can fit on this thing! I’ve been working on this for the past decade, well I started it five years ago and took a sabbatical, so it feels like a decade. My goal is to finish this before October. It sounds like a long time away, but that’s what I said last October (!)

Christina’s Cupcakes

By Christina Lee| July 7th, 2014|Amigurumi, Crocheting, Handmade, Oh My Crafts!, Yarn Addict|

If you don’t already know, I’ve got one heck of a sweet tooth which doesn’t help with keeping up with my figure. Part of trying to stay lean and eat healthy is to refrain from eating sweets. And how do I refrain from eating sweets? Well, I acquired a new found hobby, amigurumi. If you can crochet and count, then you’re all set. In fact, it’s a ‘piece of cake’ if you know the basics. Each layer is it’s own separate piece from the cake itself to the frosting and the cherry. One by one you end up with everything needed to make this zero calorie cupcake and it’s all a matter of sewing it together and paying attention to the details. The eyes and the lips are what make amigurumi so cute. I finished making the doughnut the other day and since my sweet tooth is beckoning again, I decided to go for the cupcake.

Freshly baked from my house to yours, Christina’s Cupcakes. Enjoy!

Hamburgers and Craft Day

By Christina Lee| February 12th, 2014|Amigurumi, Craft Day, Crocheting, Handmade, Oh My Crafts!, Yarn Addict|

Girls and their crafts in one house, and boys, chicken pot pie and ribs in the other. That’s a pretty good divide, don’t you think? Today will be somewhat productive without all the kids running around. On the craft agenda today is some knitting, scrapbooking, card-making and painting. There’s so much to do, but since I just started exploring my new found hobby of amigurumi, I think I’m going to continue in that direction and create a hamburger. Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, meat and buns – just the way I like it.

I will start out with the buns and then work my way through to the meaty center. There’s lots of counting and details to make each piece come alive.

Mmm…. I can already taste the burger.

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