Zakka Handmade - Part One

I am fascinated by the number of shops and studios in Taiwan that offer handmade items for sale or classes. Most of these classes are offered by authors who have written many books on items they make. I had the opportunity to take a few of those classes on my recent recent to Taiwan.

I made the pair of purple house slipper on the left. 

 This wonderful woman opened up her studio for me to learn from her!

This pair of shoes fit me perfectly and is machine-able and anti-slip! This instructor is extremely talented. Below are more photos of her studio and items she made.

 I love how she hangs her tools across the shelf.

 Fabrics nicely stacked.

 Coasters for students to use. 

Shoes she made for kids. The book shown is written by her.

 Quilts she made on display.

I adore this bag and wish I had more time to learn how to make it!

I highly recommend taking one of her classes if you are planning a visit to Taiwan in the near future!

Belgium

Gosh! It looks like I haven't blogged in almost a month! I came back from a very short trip to Brussels, Belgium. I am in love with that city and will plan to return in the near future.

 Manneken Pis

 Delicious chocolate shops everywhere!

I am sure most of you know that Belgium is famous for their chocolates, beers and waffles, but did you know that certain types of lace were originated in and around Brussels? I had a chance to visit some of their most famous lace shops.

 Dantelle Lace

 Handmade.

 

I think there is even a lace museum nearby!

I took an hour train ride to a beautiful town, called Bruges, nearby. If you ever visit Belgium, I highly recommend you stop by this town. It's in the Flemish region of Belgium, and it is referred to as the "Venice of the North." The market square and the cobblestone streets took me back to the Golden age!

A view of the world famous Market Square.

Ah! I forgot to mention these beautiful German Dovo scissors I got! I had no idea I would find classic and fantastic fabric scissors on this trip.

 Tiny little storefront operated by the nicest woman.

I got that pair of stork scissors and a simple pair of Dovo 6" fabric scissor. The scissor shown here all way on the left is entirely handmade and costs 300 Euros!

Until we meet again, Belgium! Thank you for a very productive and pleasant week.

Sock Knitting

I wanted to show you the Argyle sock I worked on a few weekends ago. This was a swatch I made for the Argyle sock class I took. Although it was super fun to make, it was not easy!

Oh so pretty!

Do you remembering reading about the Twisted Limone sock project I started two years ago? I finally picked it up and started working on it again. My tension is pretty loose, so I need to use size 0 or 00 to achieve the right gauge. I think this is why I avoid knitting socks? 

This yarn is just so beautiful to work with. I must get more of it!

Check out the knitting needles I am using. They are called "Karbonz" by Knitters' Pride. I love knitting with them. The tips are smooth and pointy; the best part is that my stitches don't slip off the needles when I don't want them to!

Best DPNs I have seen in a long time.

By the way, I am still not able to leave comments on your blog. I am so sorry; I have no idea what's going on with my account.

Enjoy your weekend, and don't forget it's Daylight Saving!

Argyle Socks

Several of my friends and I took an Argyle sock class with Anne Berk at Stitches West this year. Anne said that it's hard to find Argyle sock patterns because knitting Argyle sock is just like making scramble eggs -- no recipe is needed! She had my attention after that introduction!

Here are the swatches we made during her class. I love how they are all so different!

 Mine is the light blue, dark blue, grey and red one. 

Here are some samples Anna brought to class with her.

The one on the right is my friend, Marisa's favorite!

This was a great class. I highly recommend it. I wish I had more time to tell you more, but I must go to finish up my swatch from today! If you are in the area, stop by Stitches West! 

Stitches West 2014

Wow, this annual convention just never fails to impress me. I always have a great time, but this year was amazing. My friends and I decided to take the Argyle sock knitting class together. This class started at 8:30am and ended at 5pm. I was so exhausted, but oh boy. It was so fun much! We ran through the marketplace in two hours during our lunch break. And we squeezed lunch during those two short hours as well.

Check out some of my favorite vendors from this year.

Knitter's Brewing Company: They had these $5 project bags that I love. My Argyle sock knitting instructor got a few and highly recommended. You know it's good when your teacher tells you so, right? I love the side pockets; they keep everything organized.

 My new project bag storing my Argyle sock. 

I got a few more for family. 

Big Bad Wool: This is a new booth that I haven't seen before. The owner (I think?) had her seven months old baby in her arms the entire time while she was manning the booth. I have no idea how she managed to do this with a big smile on her face. I admired her very much. I got the "Wee Cardigan" and yarn to make a soft cardigan for my little one. You see the orange pinkish yarn below? That's for this cardigan. 

These buttons made out of wood are so cute!

This is a corner of her booth with the Wee Cardigan on display.

Chromaticity Cowl: I am going to make one of these with the Bugga yarn. I am in love with this cowl design. I met the designer, Miriam Felton. She was so sweet and super helpful. She even showed me her current project. It's more fascinating for me to meet these designers than Brad Pitt? Is that weird?

Pepperberry Knits: This is also a new vendor with lovely patterns. The booth was super cute and inviting. If I had more time, I think I would sit down on the couch and just start knitting away. I purchased the Hannah hat pattern from this booth.

I am going to do another post just on the Argyle sock class I took!