The frustrating French knitting

Ok, I know I am making my own trouble. I can not read any French at all, and I chose this project to knit, it's written in French!!! It's not that I am crazy or something, it's just because the garment is just so attempting to me that I MUST knit it! Isn't the tank top shown on the above photo fabulous? I could even smell the summer by seeing the photo only!

The local distributor here says they import the French versions only and it should be no problem for knitters to figure out the pattern. I've been online searching for a version with English translation, but the only way I could have is to get it from the states. See how much I'll have to pay for the postage along with the English version?! It's not cost effective at all and thus I would rather to having my soul crashing instead. Some experienced local knitters here have told me that they could knit the pattern without any difficulty by seeing the PHOTO only. Isn't that amazing?! Thus, I have gained more confidence that MAYBE I could do this as well.

The first thing is to find a translation on the french knitting abbreviations. A really big thank-you to CHEZPLUM for posting a valuable article talking about knitting the French way and the English way, in terms of knitting cultures and abbreviations. By having the conversion list of the abbreviations from French to English and vise versa, I have more clues on figuring out the pattern.

My buddy Kim has learnt French for years, though she said she almost forgot everyting on French, but indeed she helped me alot. And here's the results.



This is the pattern on the garment and I finally made it! I really want to screm out loudly when I saw the pattern coming out through my busy hands!

To figure out the pattern is just a beginning. Kim and I "studied" the pattern for days, and we figured out the knitting sequences clearly. I'll have to increase 10 stitches on both sides of the pattern, and have to increase by following the pattern...it's not easy though...

I am still looking for yarns for this garment and it's not easy since most summer yarn here are either fingering or DK, which will not match with the required gauge...but I'll try my best to finish this!

Green Mango Bolero

Having struggled with the crochet project of Romantic Wave Bolero (浪漫波浪小外套) for more than three weeks, I decided to shift to another project-the Green Mango Bolero (綠色情人果).

The outcome is fabulous indeed! I did not follow the pattern exactly, the little Nupp stitches were missed and I've added the lengh of the bolero because I am just not used to wear a short bolero.

Tools: Clover #3 crochet hook

Yarn used: cotton yarn from 哞哞毛房. The yarn was wrapped in a center pull ball and weight roughly 220g, there's still 2/3 remaining after the bolero was done.

Pattern: Joey's KAL

線材:哞哞毛房 點點色.棉線-藍紫

I'd say that crochetting is never an easy task for me and if it's not that humid summer is coming, I'd never pick up my crochet hook for a trial... But, it's weired that once you started to crochet, you just simply fall deeply into it and never want to stop... Guess it's all because the crochet pattern is just too beautiful to have my hands off the hook. :)

Evie Tank Top

It's my first time to knit with worsted summer cotton yarn and I am happy with the result. The yarn I chose from a local web shop is a strap like summer cotton, with elasticity. I use US#8 circular for a swatch and happily that my gauge is exactly the same as the pattern book.

I casted on 81 stitches and follow exactly with the pattern book for size XS. The pattern is too simple that I had to take a break for a cup of tea or coffe during the knit process or I would fall asleep.

Pattern: Debbie Bliss
TKA#19

Needles:US#8 circular needles

Yarn: 草莓斜紋網紗

It's also my first time doing the short rows following the instructions in English and it's pretty interesting and looks much easier than that of the Japanese one. While doing the Japanese way, there'll be calculations and many things to do, which is quite frustrating to me.

I look good when wear this top tank on me, but...I would not wear it if I am not able to stay in an air-con environment! The weather here is absolutely a sub-tropical type and this top tank suits for early spring or autumn time, what we need here is T-shirts, and sun glasses! :)