Dao Bot Knit!

Re-draw for Spring Vines PDF

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:56:00 +0000

The winner of the pattern had already bought the pattern before the contest winner was anounce! Yes folks that mean you get another chance to win the pattern.

This time i randomized the list of people who commented. So it didn't matter if you were the first to comment or last last to comment. The order of when you commented was randomized. Then from that list :

funckiedunckieknits
Krista
bravebird
Rachel
Lynn
Kimberly
María
BeanMama
wildforyarn
Heather
The Pinko Bitch
saboknits
Jude
Erin
ZombieCat
green.eyez
Cara
Squeaky
Megalion
earthchick
Yarn Thing
Molly
Knit Wit
katerina
Sara
Donna
Emily
Lisa L
Anonymous
Becky Katz
devon
stormimay
Dana
Kristi

I used the random number generator to pick a random number and that is the new winner!

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2008-05-26 16:56:17 UTC

SO CONGRATULATION DEVON!!!

Please email for your pattern.

and the WINNER is!

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:55:00 +0000

Congratulation to Elizabeth, you are the winner of one Spring Vines pattern. Please contact me to claim your pdf!

Thank you for everyone who participated in the contest

I would like to offer more pattern contest in the future. I have alot of sock pattern in the works, so stay tuned this fall!

Crochet and Knit Giveaways

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:58:00 +0000

Giveaway Item: A free pdf of the Spring Vines Pattern
How the winner will be chosen: Random Generator
Giveaway Begins: May 11th
Giveaway Ends: May 16th
Winner will be notified on/by: May 24th via email
Rules: No duplicate entries/comments. No spamming. Giveaway is open to everyone. Winner MUST respond within five days, otherwise they forfeit their winnings, and a new winner will be announced.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on this entry
Find other Crochet and Knit Giveaways to enter!

Cravings some soft pretzel

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:20:00 +0000

I was craving some sold pretzel so, I baked some! This by far the best turn out I've had from all the time I made soft pretzel. I try different recipe each time, and somehow this one worked the best for me! Although i haven't mastered the art of making the pretzel shape yet. I had to compromise with myself and made big pretzel stick that look more like garlic bread. The skin actually turn golden brown this time, and it was soft not hard like French bread. I have had many mishap in this baking adventure :)

Here is the recipe clipped from the food network website, where i got the recipe!

Homemade Soft Pretzels
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007
1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Spring Vines Cheat sheet

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:28:00 +0000

I just uploaded the spring Vines cheat sheet for size 40 up to ravelry. Now when you buy the pattern you can download the cheat sheet as well. The pdf is made my test knitter Devin, when she was knitting her sample to keep track of her body shapping. I hope this help! And thank you for all your purchases!

Carillon Cropped Cardigan: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:45:00 +0000

Front Left & Right (make two)

Set up/Waist band
Using a 4.00 mm needle CO 28[33, 37] sts
Work 2x2 ribbing for 8 rows.

Upper Waist shaping
For the back you will decrease at the beginning and at the end of the row. The front left and the front right you will decrease only once, at each ends. For the Right piece dec. on the right, for the left piece dec on the left.

Work carillon chart 1[2, 1] then work side chart to the next 11[1,5]sts
Inc. 1 st on every 4^th row 5[7, 7] times @ each ends. Maintain side pattern as you increase.

Armhole and neck shaping are work at the same time. Never decrease in the middle of a leaf.

Armhole Shaping
Dec. 2 sts @ armhole, work WS.
(Dec. 1 @ armhole, work WS) x 2
Work 3 rows, on the 4^th row (rs) dec. 1 st
Work 26[32, 36] row straight

Neck Shaping
Place 7[9, 9] on marker, then work RS
Dec. 3 sts, work WS
Dec. 2 sts , work WS
Dec. 1 sts, Work WS
Work 3 rows, on the 4^th row (rs) dec. 1 st.
Work 26 row straight

Shoulder slope

Left front: K to end.
P up to the last 4 sts, w&t,
K to end
P 4 sts before last wrapped sts, w&t
K to end
Purl 3 sts

Right front: K up to the last 4 sts w&t
P to end
K to 4 sts before last wrapped sts, w&t
P to end
K 2 sts.
Place 11[10, 12] sts on marker.
These sts included the W&T stitch.

Please comments if you have any question or suggestion you want to make regarding directions! Stay tunes for tomorrow installment of the back direction.

My Ravelry Store is Open!

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:35:00 +0000

I just open my Ravelry store and uploaded Spring Vines to the store for your convince! I will upload the free stuff up there as well, so if you are on Ravelry you can hope over and down the the freebies!

The pattern is also available on The Unique sheep, where you can shop for DK weight yarn for the halter vest!

Devin my test knitter made cheat sheet for the pattern so she can keep tracks of all the shaping for the front. She has allowed me to upload/provide that for anyone who buys the pattern. Its a nice little chart she made! Also check out her project page of Spring Vines she keeps excellent notes!

Carillon Cropped Cardigan: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:21:00 +0000

Today post I wanted to give direction on the left and right front of the crop cardi. But I was volunteer to help my friends with a senior design project in the mist of making these charts and putting the material for this post together. Technically I'm writing Tuesday post on Wednesday, but who cares right? I'm posting the chart for the cardi with the keys right now, then I'm off to bed and tomorrow i shall write the front band back direction for you enjoyment!

The Orange line indicate the repeats.

Carillon Cropped Cardigan: The Prologue

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:35:00 +0000

Born from a period of obsession with cropped cardi and shrug, this pattern came into fruition. It took a while to knit it and actually have the pattern written up. Everything takes a long time for me. I have an idea, then I have a problem I have to solve for the idea to work. Once I've solved most of the problem and have complete my own sample, I become somewhat un-interested. This pattern survived, because I've already posted on Ravelry and people seem to be interested in it. I couldn't let you guys down! ^_^

Its very easy to knit, anyone who can do knit, purls, increase and decrease can knit this pattern. The hard part is probably grafting it all together. I'm writing this pattern in three pieces and it will be knit with a straight needle. But anyone who has the ambition to streaks or knit it with a circular needle is encouraged to. When I was knitting this I find it easier to knit one pieces at a time. Because they were small and it made me felt gratified every time I finish a pieces. Which one took me two hours, it took as long as the movies I was watching play.

My original plan was to release it as a pdf for everyone to download. That plans has change, because I'm writing this post. T_T I need traffic to my blog/website so in order to encourage traffic I will be releasing the pattern in five parts. One for each working day of the week. Then I will make the pdf of the pattern available for $1.75. For those who wish to purchase a clean and pretty layout pattern. You will be helping me support my design habits ^_^ The pattern release on the site will still be available.Okay now for the pattern!

Gauge

16 stitches and 24 rows in 4 inches -- worked in stockinette stitch, flat (back and forth)

Materials

Yarn

I used a cream and white color yarn of Yarn: Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc Peaches & Creme Solids. But you could use another Worsted / 10 ply (9 wpi) Or any yarn you like as long as your gauge is the same.

Chest: 28[32, 36, 38, 40, 44, 48] inches

Notions

A pair of straight needles US#6/4.00mm
Waste yarn
Tapestry needle
Stitch marker
Buttons 4 or 8 buttons, If you want to button the cardi up to the top, buy 8 otherwise 4 is fine.

Measurement s[m,l]

Chest: 32[36,40] inches

Tomorrow I will blog about the front left and right piece. Stay tunes! or subscribe :)

Spring Vines Its done its done!

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:46:00 +0000

Its Finally done! I check, and checked and checked and finally I changed everything that has to be change and sent it to Laura to put up for sale on Monday. I'm so happy that its done. I hope everyone who has been waiting for the pattern will not be disappointed.

Thank you Devin SO much for testing and working to sort out little minor detail! You brought so much clarity to the pattern that I left out. You were the perfect test knitter for my first pattern ever! I owe you great thanks!

Bust circumference
30(32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50)

Waist
12.5(13.5, 14, 15, 15.8, 16.7, 18,19, 20, 21.3, 22)

Yarn Requirement
The Unique Sheep Silk Twist 2( 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7)

About the pattern
Its a Raglans style yoke with waist shaping and three different cable chart for different sets of sizes. One for size 30,32 and 34. One fore size 36,38 and 40. One for size 42,44,46,48 and 50 The back is work with a seed stitch boarding the left and right and plain stockinette in the center. The front is work in a combination of seeds sts, and knits and purls, that set up for working the cable charts. Shaping for the front leaves a bell shape, triangle at the the bottom princesses seam. The neckline work with 1x1 ribbing pattern. The border at the arm hole is incorporated in the pattern as the seed stitches at each ends.

Technique required
Cable
Reading charts
Multiple shaping @ once
Grafting
Ribbing

You can buy the pattern and yarn at The Unique Sheep online store

Ravelry Download
Purchase through Ravelry, you will receive an automated download link, and the pattern will be saved to your library! Payment is through Paypal, credit card or balance transfer.

Secert Knitting

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:29:00 +0000

I can't tell you what I'm knitting, but I think its okay for me to post a teaser picture of the yarn I'm using. The color is so pretty. I'm always surprise when I see the pattern variegated color makes when you knit them. Sometime its not as pretty but let me assured you that this variegated color knitted out like the violet, orange yellow that you see in a sun set in a wave.

This yarn has one of my favorite shade of violet! can you guess which one?

I also finished a pattern today! so proud of myself :)

Super Wool in Sage

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:38:00 +0000

IMG_8591
Originally uploaded by EmDao

The photos on The Unique Sheep site for this yarn does not do it justice! This is a really soft SOFT yarn. I am a newbie when it comes to animal fiber. But i have had several sweater that said "wool" on them and they were pretty itchy!!!

But this super wool yarn by the unique sheep is NOT itchy, its a soft dk weight yarn. Great for making cable sweater because it won't make the recipient too bulk looking. You know if you use a worsted weight you add an inch to your actual body mass! Well maybe not really an entire inch, but when ever I wore a top in worsted weight it made my boobs look much bigger in the mirror than they ought to be!

Autumn Gold Shawl

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:01:00 +0000

1
Originally uploaded by EmDao

I was test knitting the Autumn Gold Shawl by Janine Le Cras last month and took some picture of it. But I didn't get around to posting them! So here they are.

We shoot all three, piece at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens (herb garden section) We thought some of those herb didn't look like herbs at all. The look more like nuisance weeds and they smell weird! I guess I'm not as educated in this subject to be a critic. Anyway Thank you Chris for putting up with me for 2 hours! You are the best!

I Must tell you when I got this yarn from laura and kelly I went goo goo gaa gaa over it! I was smelling it and showing my boyfriend, and telling my sister how awesome it was. I blogged about this in my other perivouse entry, but somehow the smell of tencel is so alluring to me. It think this yarn takes color very well and VERY shinny. Its a great alternative to silk, if you are on a budget and want to get the most for your money!

To see more photo that I uploaded click on the picture to your right and it shall lead you to the flickr photo steam!

Must Finish...

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:55:00 +0000

I'm working on a project that is so easy, its addicting. I want to feel the rush and satisfaction when i pull the threads through the seam and have it look flawless! I'm almost done knitting. I have one more piece to knit and then DONE! puhaha...

This project started because I had yarn left over from another project. If you've been to my Ravelry page then you can guess what project the yarn came from. Also because I wanted to try out the turned hem method. A few thing bother me about how this hem look when its finish. I set out on this project to work around the buck of the hem, and I think I was pretty successful.

This is one of my test swatch of the hem. Its there but not quite. I will show you how I work my turn hem this up coming Tuesday. I decided to blog on Tuesday about technique I use in my knitting and things I tinkle with to make it pretty. I debating if I should post the technique on the blog as html or if i should make a pdf tutorial. Right now I'm leaning toward the pdf. But I might just end up doing both.

Oh spring I welcome thee!

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:11:00 +0000

Spring is my favorite season of the year. Living in Florida I don't see much of winter, like the rest of the country. It's mostly summer and spring with a little bit of autumn mix in. We only get at max 3 season out of four in the state.

This morning I woke up to find that the spring Knitty issue is out! everything in this issue I must say is top notch. The pattern are sophisticated but not hard. Thing you can knit on the go, which I very much like. I Love everything in this issue, especially the beyond the basic article Jenna wrote about sizing. Its complimentary information in addition to written source (Sweater Design in Plain english). Because some of the knitting design book I notice, is a little mis place in time. Everything now can be done in excel, and record can be kept so meticulously through the program. Its a shame is you haven't felt the power of excel. Her article is not focus on excel but rather grading pattern. Which can be easy done with excel. Its just my own personal opinion that pencil and paper are not so essentials to sizing to me as my spread sheet.

This week I'm finishing up some a pattern that I will be offering for free! It was made from yet again, left over yarn from a knitting project. I don't like to WASTE anything. Everything must be use. The expected date for the release of this pattern is March 21, so mark your calender :) Its a little fun project, so stay tune.

I think I'm Crazy... BUT I HAVE an idea... crazy idea

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:23:00 +0000

Recently I found out my cousin is getting marry this August. It happens to be the month when I will be doing my massive move to NC. My family has started calling me asking what i'm going to wear, and if I have an ao dai. The answer to that question is a BIG FAT NO. I didn't think about what to wear too much, but the thought of going to buy something for her wedding isn't appleaing to me. Why? because the last time I went on a major shopping spree, was during Christmas, like everyone else in the world. At the time, nothing in the store really jump out at me, and scream "BUY ME"

Tonight as I was taking a break from laying out stuff in Indesign, and was browsing yarn. It occurred to me.. WHY DON"T I MAKE an AO DAI!! **ding ding ding** With my heart beat going off the chart I went to get a drink, and told myself I was crazy. In my great idea moment, the shaping and moving of stitch, that I think most original came to me. This is making REALLY excited. But I'm telling myself I'm crazy. A DRESS?? how long is that going to take? Am I going to finish by August? UGH????

I'm doing it! I'm going to make the dress.... After I run the Idea by a certain person :) and if things goes well my crazy idea and my crazy self will be one. -laugh-

I write on my blog, during moments of great happiness and great sadness. Therefore my blog post are inconsistence, like salad dressing.

On Friday, the day of which I schedule another photo shoot with Chris, the sun never shine. No even once. The entire day was gray. If I wasn't hoping for sun, it would have been a relaxing day inside to knit. I was up all night before, I actually never went to sleep, to have everything ready for the shoot, which was schedule for 8.00 am that morning. Its been re-schedule for the 17th of march, the week after spring break. ALSO the day of the Interweave knits submission deadline. I'm not sure I will actually turn anything in. Because right now I'm not happy with any of my sweater Idea.

WHY? Because the guideline packets for this particualr issue submissions call is asking for mens wear with out the men... I wanted to turn my idea for sweater, particularly for MEN. The reason being, i read a bunch of why doesn't interweave knit have more thing men. I thought the same, so I thought, oh what a good time to address the issue. Anyway tell you when the deadline is over, if I turn anything in.

Dress Form Template & Photo shoot

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:48:00 +0000

Today I give another template! The template is base on a size 2 dress form, which translate to a 32 size bust. This is only the front view of the dress form. I hope to draw up multiple view of the dress form. The next one I will work on is a side and corner view. I'm not sure if I should draw the back view or not, because its pretty similar to the front.

Yesterday I called up a friend up and we went and had a photo shoot of an item I'd design to submit to Knitty for the summer issue. It was a lot of fun! The weather was great and amazingly warm. The previouse day it was supper cold, in the 50's or something during the day and in the 30's during the night.

This is my first time submitting to Knitty, and I'm very excited just to finish the pattern and turn it in. I sent in a lot of picture, and I had forgotten to resize a few of them to the 1.5MB requested. I hope this doesn't hurt me in any way. I'm posting a picture from the photo shoot, to share with all of you. Its not a close up shot or anything, so i feel comfortable posting this. It'll give you a better idea of the place my friend and I went to take shoot. If you live in Gainesville you probably can guess it was Lake Alice, and you are right!

Click to download Dress Form.pdf

Connecting!

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:32:00 +0000

I've been on Ravelry for a some time now, but I've never sent in the request to get my profile and my design connected and today I have!

I'm test knitting a shawl right now. This is my first time Knitting shawls, I've crochet one before. I'm working on the border of the shawl right now, instead of finish witting my pattern! Urgh the yarn I'm knitting with is so addicting to work with i keep coming back and knitting the shawl. The yarn is the Unique sheep Tinsel toes in Aqua sky. The color is very hard to photograph because of the yarn luster. This picture is the closet looking to the yarn in person. In person the yarn is a tad darker, the shine makes the yarn look lighter in this picture.

Do you like the smell of yarn? Is it weird to like the smell of yarn. I must be really dorky to smell my yarn...lol

Sock Template

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:46:00 +0000

Design sketch is hard sometime, that why template are my friends :) Today I'm going to share with you one of my newest template that I made to help me design sock. This will help you visually convey ideal to who ever you are presenting ideas to. I like to print a copy out and trace it and then sketch on the trace. Or if I'm lazy i just print it out and draw on top.

Click to download pdf template: socks.pdf

Swatching and planning cable sweater

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:18:00 +0000

Swatching sleeve caps and back is fun!

UFO

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:14:00 +0000

Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 04:06:00 +0000

My uncle thought no one would eat the turkey and would only the honey
baked ham! Look what happen to the turkey after lunch.

Thank god for black Friday. I need to burn all the food I consume
today. I can't even walk, because I ate too much. Shoes! I'm coming to
adopt you tomorrow.

Sock from my sister

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:59:00 +0000

My sister gave me this pair of sock she got from a third party. The
only thing I dont like about this is the fuzzy texture yarn at the top
of the sock, just below my knew. You can barely see it on this picture.

I'm home in orlando for the weekend. Hope everyone is having a great
hoilday!

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:06:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (EmDao) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:05:00 +0000