By emy Thursday, May 05, 2016

FB has taken over blog land for the last couple of years as it's often much easier to post a photo and write a short commentary; then say it's a post done. (You can find us here.)

By emy Monday, July 21, 2014

If you have been following our FB page, you would know that The Handiworks is still very much well and alive.

We are just bummed that time is just a scarcity these days (and it's not just us) and so FB posting just became the de-factor operandi until we get properly seated in front of the laptop to start cataloging photos and do some real writing.

Yes, we have been prodded by knitting needles of our customers asking when we are going to blog next. While the prodding don't hurt (seriously, it would be too wicked to think of using our knitting needles as weapons), we are genuinely thankful that our customers still love to read all about each others' new project adventures.

So in the meantime, we will rather swath ourselves and put on oversized sunnies like Joleena's stylish model does before we step out of the house!

By emy Tuesday, August 20, 2013

By emy Tuesday, December 11, 2012

We want to thank all our customers for their great support!

Your incredible patience when it comes to signing up and taking previous time to attend our previews.
And most importantly, your persistence in mastering the craft and creating lovely thoughtful pieces.

For those of you wanting to join us, we'll see you at the preview this Sunday.

Otherwise, we will see you in 2013! (Due to capacity reasons, our earliest preview next year will be sometime mid Feb.)

Have an awesome holiday break!

By emy Tuesday, July 24, 2012

...On this blog, that is. 


Sorry for the silence. We've been having way too much fun making new friends and whipping up fantastic projects!

Often, we blog way too much about the starts, the journeys and miss out the critical finished project photos.

Here's one knitted and modelled by Chai Bee.



She started knitting this top back in 2007 and completed it with the same year. However I never saw the completed version.

Anyway, Chai Bee kindly shared the photo of this wide neck top.

The shape is very simple yet flattering. I just love how the piece shows the arms but yet provides some coverage around the shoulders.


This tunic blouse is knitted from a ladder yarn and thus has a very cushy textured feel.  It was a pretty straight forward piece but we bet you wouldn't have thought it would look this gorgeous when you looked at the WIP photos!


And if you are wondering, there are still tons of FOs that is yet to be published! 
Until the next time....


PS. My friends suggested that I should have cameras set up in 2-3 corners of the room with remote features so that I don't have to fiddle with the cameras while I am teaching. I really should consider that! LOL

PPS. There has been several inquiries from customers who are keen to sign up with us. Please note that we are fully lined up for the month of July (we run on very limited capacities) and we will open up registrations when our August previews are setup -- do look out for the dates!

By emy Thursday, May 17, 2012

We noticed that some visitors routinely come upon our websites when they are looking for knitting or crochet wedding ideas.

Since we have created several items surrounding the wedding theme, we figured it's time to pull and collate everything we have in a post so that visitors can find them easily.

Our most recent contribution in this area was the wedding bouquet that many of you saw.






Recent is probably not the right word since it was last featured in the Mar-Jun issue of Style Weddings last year. You can read more about the project here in this post.

These could also be very well translated to hairbands for the flower girls.

Speaking of which, when I had my wedding banquet 2 years ago, some ambitious crafty elements had been planned but I just never got around to it. I figured I would have to get around to making that gorgeous lace crocheted dress that I had in mind; never mind if it'll be several years late.

Perhaps I can aim for 2014?

My only personal contribution of a crafty element to my wedding are the knitted teddy bear and superboy doll that my hubby and I posed with during our bridal studio shoot. [I suppose that is better than having none...]

Leena, who has not only managed to wear her hand knitted spaghetti dress in her photoshoot; she also knitted a pair of wedding dolls and decorated an ang bao box for her actual wedding ceremony.



If you think that's impressive, do you know the vest in that photo her hubby wore is also her creation? In fact it was her first knitting project with us!


Then she also had another dress knitted for her tea ceremony.


Also, I noticed during the evening dinners that the banquet halls can be quite chilly. How about a lovely shrug to cover those bare shoulders?


Several customers made this design as it was really pretty - here's another to read.

Another variation can be a shawl  -- this one featured is knitted.




As for gift favors, Jenny has crocheted some cute mini rosette bouquets which I am sure would be a great hit with female attendees! And how about champagne bottles for the men?!



I just simply love the idea -- you can read more here.

Other things I can think about more drawstring bags, and hand knitted or crocheted flower girl dresses. the list goes on and on.

Hopefully these would be useful inspirations for those crafty souls intending to add their love for knit and crochet in their weddings!


In case anyone's wondering about the lack of postings lately, we've been away in April for a 2 week trip. Following our return, it was a flurry of lessons non-stop for 2 weeks -- this often happens pre- and post- holiday trips for us.

Other than that, the joining of new customers have kept us very busy. We'll try to get around to posting some new faces when we have some breather. 

By emy Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Isn't it cute?

Wish I had asked Jasmine to send me photos of the matched footies!

By emy Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The next project in line was a baby cardigan, right after the completion of the following:

• baby cap  

• baby booties

• baby blanket 

Upon casting on and knitting for several inches, Jasmine was surprised to find the baby cardigan way larger than she preferred. She likened it to be more of a one-year-old sized top - it was 10 inches across. (Actually I have already narrowed it from the 12 inches indicated in the pattern.)


She argued that a newborn baby tee was just barely 6 inches wide -- she measured some baby clothes she had bought.

Unfortunately, that's the stock standard sizing that is widely used across most knitting magazines.

Well, they say the customer's always right.

Although I tried to explain to her that most moms would prefer a bigger and looser cardi for the ease of dressing the baby (given their limbs aren't as coordinated) and also for the baby to grow into subsequently to ensure longer wearability, she told me that she preferred it to be on size.

So it was a trip to the frog pond.

The snuggly worsted weight yarn worked up really quickly.




This should easily size up for toddlers and I think the pattern works well for little baby girls too!

By emy Monday, February 06, 2012

When Katherine decided to join us, she did it with trepidation.

 It's not due to fear of the unknown, as she has been knitting for 2 years. But rather, she felt uncomfortable doing a transition from her ex-knitting instructor to us. So she's requested not to be photographed in person.

 The Singapore knitting market is so small that almost all the instructors do know of each others' presence. While some do get territorial with their customers; here at The Handiworks, we embrace an open attitude.

Teaching style is never a one size fits all. 

Customers are free to choose to pursue other options and decide which instructor's teaching methodology best works for them. There is no awkwardness when our customers decide to part ways and choose not to renew and then re-join or drop in for purchases subsequently.

Anyway, Katherine felt she was reaching a bottleneck under her previous knitting instructor. She was frustrated that the several garment projects she knitted ended up fairly shapeless even though she has requested for fitted silhouettes at the start of the project cast-ons. 


 Most of her visits to her earlier learning place was also limited as the knitting sessions are often large groups of varying skill levels -- there was inadequate instructor attention despite spending time waiting and was often left to her devices. 


She wanted a breakthrough.


She was pretty excited when she surfed the web and found us -- she didn't think that she would be able to find another instructor offered individual knitting classes. What appealed to her was that:

• Our one-to-one private knitting lessons allows her to  accelerate or slow down the teaching pace as per her comfort level to maximize her learning. (Everyone hates to be in a group class and end up being either the one waiting for others, or trying to catch up with the rest of the class!)

• Of course, the flexibility of arranging lessons at her own timings (aka on appointment basis) was a great plus point for her [No need to rush and dash or miss lessons unnecessarily!]

• Finally, our customized shaping knitting methodology to fit her personally!

This is the first project she started when she signed up.