Welcome to Knotty Bicsie!

GongXi FaCai!

2012-01-22T21:30:00.000+08:00

Dear Knotty Fans,

I'm taking my long-needed break to spend more quality time with my fast-growing 18month-old little angel :) For enquiries, pls email me at bicsie@gmail.com & I'll get back to u asap when I'm back to work on 29th Jan 2012.

Here's wishing U a Happy & Prosperous Lunar New Year! :D

Luv,
Betsy :)

We are on Straits Time Lifestyle Again!

2012-01-09T09:19:00.000+08:00

2012 has started with a bang for Knotty Bicsie. We are on Straits Time Lifestyle yesterday! Yay...! We were featured in Sept 2008 & so glad 3years later Straits Time decide to feature us again after we've reached a new milestone. It feels like receiving a beautiful report card after 5years of hardwork :)

Straits Time feature in September 2008

This feature is extra special to me because of all of you reading this now. I received lotsa SMSes, facebook comments & emails from our Knotty Fans since early morning yesterday. I'm truly overwhelmed by all your enthusiastic responses! This feature in Straits Time means nothing, if not for your support & well-wishes. Thank u so so so very much for sharing this joy in celebrating Knotty Bicsie's "good performance" for the past 5years! I will continue to work very hard & attain new breakthrough to show my appreciation for all the love & support u've been showering Knotty Bicsie with! Thank you!

Here's wishing everyone a fabulous 2012 packed with abundance of love, health & wealth! :)

Customized Orders are Welcome

2012-01-07T23:18:00.000+08:00

I've been receiving many feedback from our Knotty Fans on how they miss admiring our Knotty products. Thank u so very much for loving our creations & I sincerely apologize for not having been able to launch any new series of products. :( But if u wanna order our all-time favourite baby booties, bangle bags, amigurumi (dolls, toys), scarves, knitwear, etc... we definitely still welcome all customization requests! :) Kindly allow at least 2weeks (depending on your item, complexity of design & quantity) production time though. Simply email Betsy (bicsie@gmail.com) your customization requests to get a quote.

Voodoo Zoological Project

2011-12-17T12:39:00.000+08:00

Some of u must've already seen these adorable little fellas on our Facebook Fan Page. Well, guess what? The pattern book is finally launching NEXT WEEK @Kinokuniya!!! :) Even better news: Knotty Bicsie is proud sponsor of 100 x $50-vouchers to help promote the book launch! Look out for the red sticker as shown below on the pattern book when purchasing the book :) The $50-voucher is redeemable when u sign up for a Crochet Craze (Amigurumi) Workshop.

Meet the 10 (out of 17) kawaii creatures that can be found in the pattern book:

Meet the handsome toucan

Meet the sleepy ladybug

Meet the sweet giraffe

Meet the lion who loves busking in the sun

Meet the monkey who turns out to be afraid of height!? Yikes!

Meet the koala who is in search of his mate (pun intended :P)

Meet the dusty bunny

Meet the handsome dragon

Meet the octopus who can't help feeling rather out of place here :P

Meet the friendly dachshund

There are 7 other adorable patterns in the book. So go down to Kinokuniya next week & be the 1st 100 to grab our FREE $50-Voucher when u purchase the pattern book :)

Rubber Stamp Carving was Really Fun!

2011-12-02T14:17:00.000+08:00

Last weekend we had 2sessions of Rubber Stamp Carving Fun! with our friendly & sweet Teacher Jo :) Being a full-time teacher before turning full-time Mum, Jo definitely made rubber stamp carving almost easy as ABC! Her handouts & instructions are both helpful & comprehensive. The kit-sets she's prepared for us are definitely of very good quality too! She's also very patient & approachable whenever anyone got "stuck" :) Thanks a million, Jo, for bringing so much joy & fun to Knotty Bicsie Studio! Looking forward to more collaborations in future :)

ps: For those of you who missed out on Rubber Stamp Carving Fun! this time, do drop me an email (bicsie@gmail.com) to indicate your interest, so we can try to make arrangements for more sessions for you :) & If u can form your own group of 4-8pple, we will be able to start a session right away for you! :)

Happy Sling is Back!!!

2011-11-12T21:55:00.002+08:00

CNY is round the corner! Have u gotten bags for your little ones to collect their "ang-baos"? Our Knotty Happy Slings are just what u need! They are perfect for ages 1-5, or even the young at heart :)

Each Happy Sling is uniquely hand-crocheted, with hand-sewn lining & hand-stitched applique. Mastepieces of our very own Knotty Elf, Irene. The 12x10cm pouch size is just enough for our EZ-Link card, a tissue pack, & maybe 1 or 2 little affections to bring out with :) The 100cm strap is also proportionate to the little ones' height. I'm sure they look VERY KAWAII on your little ones!!! :)

Only 3pcs left. So hurry! Email Betsy (bicsie@gmail.com) to order now!

Price: S$28.00 each,
EXclude S$4.00 postage via registered mail for local/Singapore address. S$8.00 for O-overseas address

To order, email bicsie@gmail.com your Full Name, Contact Number, Mailing Address & Name of Happy Sling you are ordering.

Christmas Shopping Time! Ho! Ho! Ho!

2011-11-12T21:13:00.000+08:00

My favourite time of the year is drawing near... & I can hear the Santa bells jingling already! My little Edda has just learnt to say "Ho! Ho! Ho!" too! hehe.... It's really funny when she does that! Ho! Ho! Ho! :D

I can't wait to start my Christmas shopping! Have u started yours yet??? Here's something u might wanna add onto your shopping list - Knotty Snowball Scarves! ;) Hand-knitted with loads of love by Knotty Elf Wenn Yann :)

2pcs only.

1pc only.

Each scarf is approximately 1.5m long.

Price: S$60.00/pc

(Postage surcharge is applicable. S$4.00 for local/Singapore address, S$8.00 for overseas address. Registered mail only. Alternatively, u may also arrange to self-collect from Knotty Bicsie Studio @Admiralty Drive, Sembawang.)

Yes, only FOUR pieces available. So grab them before they are all gone ;) To purchase, pls email bicsie@gmail.com & indicate if u want the mix-coloured, pink or blue one. Happy shopping! :)

Congratulations to 3 Lucky Winners of Our Birthday Give-Away! :)

2011-11-12T20:54:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Ariana, Bingjie & Kervin! Happy crocheting! ;)

NEW!!! Rubber Stamp Carving Fun!

2011-11-09T16:32:00.001+08:00

Rubber Stamp Making Workshop for Beginners

Duration: 2hr/workshop

Workshop Fees: S$32.00, INCLUDES ALL tools & materials

Available Slots:

- 25th Nov (Fri), 2-4pm;

- 26th Nov (Sat), 4-6pm;

- 2nd Dec (Fri), 2-4pm; or

- 3rd Dec (Sat), 4-6pm

To register, simply email your name, contact number & preferred slot to bicsie@gmail.com

Pls note that class size per session is minimum 4pax, maximum 8pax.

Raveling Friends, NEVER Rivalry Foes :)

2011-10-24T13:02:00.000+08:00

For those of u who has been following my blog, u will not find this week's local talent unfamiliar, for she's been mentioned a couple of times here liao :) Similarly, if u are a fan of her wedding dolls, u'd also have heard (or read) my name mentioned a few times on her blog too :P Yes, yes, she's none other than my dear friend, Jullie! :)

I met Jullie online while exploring Etsy as a platform to sell my baby booties. Then together with a few other local Etsians, Jullie came visit my stall @MAAD some 4years ago. Somehow both of us just clique & even went out for dinner a few times after that :) Well, again, the rest is history la :P

I've literally witness Jullie metamorphoses from a passionate crafter yet with a clear direction, to one fabulous crafter with a distinct style of her own. Hop over to her blog now & I bet u'll be going, "Wow! Wow...! Wow.... Wa.....!" :)

Jullie is definitely more than a "raveling friend"... We've both seen each other through our *young* aspiring crafter days to finding our individual directions & style, even to becoming Mummies! :) Now our babies are friends too! :P

Jullie is a perfectionist & she always insists on intricate details for all her customized wedding dolls designs. Her beautiful dolls (I know it's an under-statement) definitely speak for themselves & her "hobby" grows into a serious business which requires additional pair of hands! Woohoo...! She now has a permanent helper who helps her crochet the basic body parts, while she will do the assemblage & finishing touches. She never fails to surprise me with every new dolls she posts on her blog... My FAVOURITE by far is this new Japanese-inspired pair. Just look at the details! I'm totally LOVING it, are u??? :)))

Nevertheless, I had to give Jullie my blessings with mixed feelings when she told me that she's going back to full-employment job & is gonna make her dolls in SERIOUSLY LIMITED EDITION (only 4pairs/month i think?!?!) starting next year! I know! Even U are disappointed right??? :( Well, just remember to book her REAL FAST to avoid disappointment then ;)

Jullie is actually not the only crocheter/knitter whom I've approached to do a feature on. Sadly, the rest turned down my offer & I think it's because most questioned my intentions, especially since I'm a knitter/crocheter too. Well, honestly, in my opinion, the only way to find our directions, styles & niche areas, is by knowing & learning from your "competitors". Jullie & I been doing exactly that! :) We discuss our business plans, our new designs, our new directions, & we get new insights from each other! This has helped us grow & develop a lot more than if we were to just hide in our little attic & knit/crochet away.

As arrogant as it may sound, but I'm never afraid of "copycats". In fact, I'm secretly flattered if I come across anyone trying to copy my work! :P "Copycats" will always victimize themselves in cannibalism in this small competitive crafting world. Only the true "masters" will "out-wit", "out-do" & finally "out-last" in the crafting world... It also puzzles me why crafters are always so defensive & possessive over "their style"... In the Art scene, everyone starts off by copying from the masters before we eventually find our own style. I suppose I can't speak much for real big art masters since a lot of them are already no longer in our world, but I really think Singapore crafters in general (including myself) still have a long long way to go...

Oops, sorry for the side-track (Jullie, pls forgive me :P) hehe.... hop over to check out Jullie's BEAUTIFUL DOLLS now! [http://http://www.julshandmade.blogspot.com/] :)

A Glimpse @A Few of the Many Knotty Orders That's Been Keeping Us Busy

2011-10-24T10:18:00.000+08:00

Special note to all the disappointed Knotty Fans whose orders we've not been able to work on: Really very sorry to disappointment u, but September & October has always been our busiest months & our hands are literally, really very tight :( So do remember to order early next time to avoid disappointment :)

Knotty Phant, Pinky, to join her siblings at a loyal Knotty Fan's collection. Jet's been collecting a Knotty Phant on every Knotty Bicsie's Birthday! Thanx, Dear! ;)

No doubt tired, everyone @Knotty Bicsie is always thrilled when we manage to put happy smiles on Knotty Fans' faces when they receive our packages. Yay! :) Here are a few of them... :)

There's been sooo... many babies joining our happy Knotty Club, I've really lost count! The other day someone asked me if I keep count of how many booties I've made & how many are "out there" playing with the little princes & princess. Hmm... honestly, I've lost count! :P But If I may use my Knotty Bicsie packaging boxes to gauge (well, this can only be a ROUGH gauge, since some did not want the box coz it's to be mailed overseas, or some are meant for their own babies, while some requested for a few pairs to be put into 1 box...), then we must've sold at least 1200pairs of booties over the past 5years!!! Since I've used up about 1200pcs of boxes :P Wow! I must thank that person who asked me this challenging question! Never realize this is how much you Knotty Fans out there LOVE us! THANK YOU!!!! WE LOVE YOU too & promise to continue to make these little handmade-with-love & always come up with new knitty gritty to melt your hearts with ;)

Besides booties, of course we've been making many other knitty gritty, from the practical ones like scarf & beanie... to wearables... even some whacky ones like the Amigurumi, bowties, knitted placenta for teaching aid (this is still the quirkiest by far! :P), etc. :P It's really been very fun for us @Knotty Bicsie too! :)

I totally enjoyed knitting this little cardigan for a little princess. I'm so loving the colours! :)

These 2scarves are flying all the way to florida to keep a loving pair warm. Hand-stitched some "love notes" on the scarves. His tag reads: "Wifey <3 Me"; Her tag reads: "Hubby <3 Me" :)))

I can hear the jingling X'mas bell ringing already.... if u are planning to get some Knotty handmade-with-love, gentle reminder to All Knotty Fans: With immediate effect, pls allow at least 3 weeks production time for all orders. Bulk orders will be at least 4weeks, depending on the volume & complexity of designs. Thank you! We really do not wanna rush through our work, as we would rather maintain our standard & quality of our creations :) If u do need any URGENT order (1-2items within 2weeks), there'll be a surcharge of 20% of product price. Thank u for your kind understanding! :)

"Birthday Pilgrimage" to HCI

2011-10-14T17:21:00.000+08:00

October 12 & 13 have been 2 very special days for Knotty Bicsie since 2009. These are the 2 days when the J1 students of Hwa Chong Institution gets to enjoy their 2 days of Sabbaticals Program, while their teachers go busy marking their exam scripts :P & coincidentally, itx the time when Knotty Bicsie celebrates our Anniversary! So it always feels like a "birthday pilgrimage" for Knotty Bicsie :P

This year, besides our usual Funky Knit & Basic Tatting Workshop, we also collaborated with Japonicas to conduct a very special course - "Mu" Workshop (Terrarium & Hand-Bouquet).

I'm really excited when the teacher-incharge told me the wonderful news of "full-house" for Funky Knit Workshop on both days. This means Knotty Bicsie will be able to spread knitting as a therapeutic hobby to 50 new Funky Knitters!!! It's indeed an honour to be able to make crafting (knitting in this case) a modern way of life for everyone. & I give myself a pat on my shoulder with every new Funky Knitter that Knotty Bicsie successfully teach :) So 50pats this year... I can have a massage liao! Woohoo... :P

With 2 full classes this year, which means I had to bring more "Knotty Elves" along... :P

Meet Master Wenn Yann.

Wenn Yann is extremely experienced in her knitting & crochet. In fact, I would say she's much more experienced than me! Knotty Bicsie is so honoured to have her join our humble team. Wenn Yann's experience, patience & approachable personality makes everyone (students, other "Knotty Elves" & myself) simply adores & respects her :)

Meet Knotty Elf - Chenyen.

Chenyen has a long history with Knotty Bicsie. We 1st met some 4years ago, when I conducted my very 1st corporate knitting workshop @Anderson JC. Chenyen was 1 of the very enthusiastic students I met then. Some even went to MAAD to look for me after the workshop! It was indeed a very encouraging & heartwarming experience for me. It was also a pleasant surprise when Chenyen called me up 1 day to say she'd like to continue knitting & learn more about knitting. & the rest, like they say, is history... From a young Funky Knitter, Chenyen has now bloomed into a wonderful Knotty Knitting Instructor (which never fails to surprise her friends)!

Meet Knotty Elf - Gina.

Gina is an extremely talented crafter. Among all the handicrafts, u name it, she probably had properly learnt from a teacher & even has a proper tool set for them :P Since she's left-handed, I was initially apprehensive about teaching her to crochet. When we both finally picked up the courage to just give it a shot, I was immediately amazed at & impressed with Gina's psychomotor skills! Within minutes, she was crocheting like a right-handed Crochet Craze! Nothing can stop her now! ;) She was shy & unsure when I 1st approached her to join the Knotty Elf Team. Very glad I finally managed to convince her (after a lot of persuasion & assurance! :P). Look at that smile! I know the students really like her & I know she truly enjoyed herself too! :)

Meet our dear friend, Ayako.

Ayako is not really our "official Knotty Elf", but she's always so willing to help when I need extra hands. Ayako is much more than just extra help. To me, Ayako's been a guide, a listening ear & a supportive friend. Thanks so much, my dearest friend Ayako!

I Love "Zakka" Style. What About U?

2011-10-14T16:04:00.000+08:00

Sorry this feature comes rather late this week. Been really busy rushing orders, while running our annual "birthday pilgrimage" to Hwa Chong Institution for 2 full days of Workshops (will blog about it later :P).

This 3rd local talent in this week's feature has a "special relationship" with my family, for Ivy, creative hands behind ivbelongings, is Edda's "honorary dress-maker & hairband-maker"! :P Ivy is a work-from-home-Mummy, just like me & Jocelyn. She has 2 lovely daughters & Aunty Betsy has "special feelings" for the elder sis, Tzian... shh... pls don't tell Tshan :P I fondly remembers how Ivy will make pretty dresses for her girls & add little details to her own clothes, just so they will have "mother-&-daughter-look"... How adorably sweet, right! So when Edda comes into our lives, Ivy immediately comes to my mind when I was shopping for Edda's dress for her 1st Birthday! :))) Very very very pretty dress with many lovely details. It's every girl's (& Mummy's too) dream dress! Look how happy our little Angel is wearing the dress! :D & the yummiliciously cute hairband too, of course! :)))

Ivy is superb in her sewing skills. Her attention to details makes her creations extra sweet & special. Confession: I'm a collector of her hand-sewn baby booties, even when I was selling my very own hand-crochet booties @MAAD! :P Most of Ivy's designs are "zakka" inspired - a Japanese vintage style. This makes her work very timelessly lovely too. U can easily feel her simple, humble, ernest & sweet personalities from her amazing work of heart :)

Check out all her pretty knick-knacks on her online stall www.ivbelongings.com

Warning: Watch that hole in your pocket, for everything is so irresistible! :P

Birthday Give-Away!!!

2011-10-01T11:30:00.004+08:00

This week we take a break from my little local talent feature. Next week, we're gonna meet a work-from-home-mummy (just like myself), who sews BEAUTIFUL little knick-knacks... O, I MUST mention that she's also little Edda's "honorary dress- & hairband-maker"! ;)

okok, now for the Birthday Give-Away details :) This year, we'll be giving away 3 Japanese crochet pattern books!!! So there's gonna be 3 happy Knotty Fans at the end of the month :)))

To enter this Birthday Give-Away, simply post your Birthday wish for Knotty Bicsie on our newly made Fan Page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KnottyFans), TOGETHER with a photo of your very own crochet/knitted item. Here's an example of what you can post on our Knotty Wall:

Happy Birthday, Knotty Bicsie! Keep those fingers wriggling & many more knotty knotty years to come! :)))

If u do not have a Facebook account, u may also post your Birthday Wish here as a comment for this post & email the photo of your crochet/knitted item to me at bicsie@gmail.com. Pls remember to include your name & email address so I can be intouch with you if you are 1 of the 3 lucky winners :)

Closing Date: 31st Oct 2011, 2359hr

Size Does Matter!

2011-09-25T10:00:00.002+08:00

AiClay - a mini yummilicious wonderland. Founder, Jocelyn, like Leatherprince & myself, is also a full-time crafter. I do not (I prefer to say I have not yet) know her personally. So nope, I did not get to know her from MAAD, but instead, I found her on Singapore Etsy Group.

Even though I do not know Jocelyn personally, her warm & bubbly personalities literally radiate through the few email exchanges I had with her. Just go to her website now & you'll know what I mean :P Warning though: if u are a food lover, have an interest in Ball-Joint-Dolls, love admiring beautiful photographs, be warned that u'll be "stuck" in AiClay Wonderland for a looong time! :P

Jocelyn admits that she's a food lover too, leading her to start hand-sculpting these amazingly realistic looking miniatures. Interestingly, her unusual career also makes her more sensitive to the colours & textures of food. So next time if u catch a weird lady staring intensely at her food & stopping in between her bites to study her food, well, chances are u might have just ran into the crafty hands behind AiClay! :)

Jocelyn also shared her "crazy" dream with me... She dreams of opening up a miniature museum, whereby visitors will be required to literally crawl in with a magnifying glass to explore her masterpieces! Haha... what a quirky idea indeed! Reminds me of Hayao Miyazaki's Ghibli Museum in Tokyo! Definitely top on the "Must Visit List" for my little Edda! & Jocelyn, I mean your miniature museum too! Don't keep us waiting for too long though... hehe... :D

Just like myself, a good degree holder, Jocelyn also gave up her "stable" job in search of her little wonderland. It's a tough route, but definitely a joyous & fulfilling one too :) Jocelyn, hang in there, put your head up! When asked the "million dollar question" (as u put it), proudly announce that your are a crafty entrepreneur who makes a living by making beautiful miniatures that can brighten up anybody's day! ;)

A Fairy-Tale in our Crafting Land

2011-09-19T22:46:00.000+08:00

Working full-time as a crafter can get rather lonely sometimes. Simply coz u don't have colleagues to gossips with, nor bosses whom we can b***h about?! hehe... so i should say I'm so lucky to have started my crafting journey @MAAD, where I met many like-minders who have become great friends :) SO I'm gonna take this opportunity to introduce these amazingly talented friends of mine here, one at a time, over the next few weeks, in celebration of Knotty Bicsie's 5th Birthday :)

Leatherprince - a hubby-wifey-team... Every couple's dream, or at least I'm speaking for Dar & myself la... We are so envious! :P When Beon & Candy 1st came to MAAD, I thought Beon looked real familiar, & I found out that he actually appeared on TV before as the few young cobblers left in Singapore! Isn't this guy simply brilliant??? To have successfully made a traditional craft/skill into such a trendy trade! Coupled with Candy's illustration background, nothing's gonna stop Leatherprince! What a perfect match! :)

I got this leather notebook for Edward a few years back, from another fellow MAADster, Colleen, which I later asked Beon to customize this Transformer Logo onto it. Look at the details! & Leatherprince actually apologized for the "bad finishings" due to the small size of the logo & nature of leather craft!? Dear Beon & Candy, are u kidding?? Itx looking FANTASTIC! Dar & I were so thrilled when we saw the finished work! Thanx a million, Leatherprince! ;)

Leatherprince has since shifted their focus onto their online shop @etsy.com & has made truly made Singaporean Crafters very proud in becoming one of the top sellers among strong international competition in a very short period of time. Our crafty Prince & Princess have also shifted to Taiwan (Princess' hometown) a few years ago. Still never stop making me smile with their amazing work of heart whenever I "stalk" them on facebook :P O, & I'm loving their studio too! hehe... Check out these cuties!!! :D Did they make u smile? They sure did make me day :)

To My Dear Friends, Beon & Candy, promise u'll keep playing with those leathers & never stop surprising us with your amazing creations, yah? ;) I'm sure The Leatherprince Story is gonna be just like in the fairy-tales... & they live happily ever after... :)

[Coming up next week: A sweet lady who made it big with miniatures...]

We Are FIVE!!!

2011-09-01T23:31:00.001+08:00

Yes, the time you've all been waiting for is finally here! Our Anniversary promotions are here again!!! :)

1) 50% off Funky Knit Beginner Special & Crochet Craze Beginner Special!

2) S$50.00 off all other project-based workshops!

3) 15% off all yarns order!

4) 15% off all pattern books order!

5) Anniversary Give-Away! Check back our blog on 1st October 2011 for more details! :)

Email bicsie@gmail.com now to start enjoying all these great deals! :D Promotion ends on 31st October 2011.

Some Changes to Knotty Policies

2011-08-28T23:57:00.000+08:00

Dear Knotty Fans,

Due to the tight schedules @Knotty Bicsie, kindly note the following 2 changes to our policies with immediate effect:

1) Pls allow at least 4weeks (from date of order confirmation) for ALL customized orders. In addition, due to fully booked workshop sessions in October 2011, there will be no delivery of order this October.

2) All project-based packages are valid for 6months from the 1st session, after which, there will be a charge of S$20/session. This is just a deterrent for inconsistent learners from "hogging" on to popular time slots, since our sessions are cosy with a maximum of 4students each time only. I know this will not affect most of u, since almost everyone completes your project in way less than 6months :)

Apologies for any inconvenience caused, & thank you for your kind understanding! :)

Yours Sincerely,
Betsy :)

Special Deal Feature on Groupon

2011-08-26T11:18:00.001+08:00

Knotty Bicsie is offering very very special promotional deal on Groupon.sg!

Funky Knit Beginner Special for only S$35.00 (usual price: S$80.00), INCLUDES all materials.

You can purchase Groupon deal from groupon.sg today (Friday, 26th August) from 12noon onwards!

Yours Sincerely Making Some Noise

2011-08-23T23:09:00.000+08:00

Hello, my friends! I hope this post finds everyone well & happy. & I sure hope my dear knotty fans are still following my blog even though I seems missing in action on this blog for a long while :( Sorry! Occasionally I will receive email, SMS, comments on my fb from u wonderful friends out there. This really brightens my day & warms my heart! Thank u! Rest assure that Knotty Bicsie will keep knitting & crocheting, & will always continue to spread these addictive hobbies! ;)

No blog post doesn't mean baby Edda has taken away all my time (even though I'm really quite occupied by my active little munchkin :P). Our crafting workshop is still busy & crowded as usual, especially on Fridays & Saturdays. There's also been quite a handful of customized orders...Interestingly, at one point some weeks ago, I had so many scarf orders, I had to activate my 2 wonderful knotty elves (my mum & funky-knitter-turn-crochet-craze Irene) to help out! We were wriggling our fingers into the nights like scarf factory! :P

Then there's the usual booties orders. Here's a few of the many uniquely handmade with love ;)

There's also been a few customized wedding dolls orders. I really need help in our little cottage studio all the time, so I decided to "groom" our very own crafty Irene to be my assistant. She started off unsure of her skills & workmanship, but time & again she impresses me with her meticulous attention to details & intricate finishings. More importantly, Knotty Fans' faces lit up with joy when they finally receive her fabulous work of heart! ;) Well done, Irene! These are 2 of her masterpieces. U'll see more of her creations I'm sure ;)

Finally, one rather embarrassing (at least to me) incident happened last week. 1 funky knitter asked me during our workshop what programs I have lined up for Knotty Bicsie's Anniversary this year & she's really looking forward to it. I feel very ashamed & paiseh when I had to admit that I haven't had any concrete plan yet :( but definitely there'll be promotions la :) I know I have to plan something interesting & prepare some real good deals. I cannot disappoint you, my dear supportive fans! So stay tuned. Look out for updates on our anniversary programs & promotions here next Friday on Teacher's Day! ;)

Till then, keep crafting! ;)

Crochet Craze, Sharon, Back in Action!

2011-06-30T22:37:00.001+08:00

"Dear Betsy, Thank u so much for helping me & guiding me to finish up this mouse! You are still as patient even though I paused for so long. Thank you! :)" - Sharon, 27th May 2011

Some Knotty News...

2011-05-18T16:42:00.001+08:00

Iyo, it's been unknowingly 2months since my last post!?!? O dear... I've been such a lazy blogger! Apologies to my dear Knotty Fans... Well, I must say though that I haven't really been lazy, but VERY BUSY instead... Most of all, as most of u must've guessed, I've been kept busy with my fast-growing baby Edda, who's 10months+ now... time flies indeed. Here's a latest picture I took of her just this morning. Yes yes yes, she's modeling a Knotty Bicsie Knitwear ;P

Well, there's been quite a few customized orders as well. Special thanks to my "new pair of hands", Irene, who's been helping me with some of the productions, while I get busy with workshops. To those few Knotty Fans whom I've turned down your orders, I'm truly very sorry! Thank u for your kind understanding. :) Gentle reminder to all Knotty Fans, pls contact me with your order request EARLY, giving me at least 2-4weeks production time (depending on complexity/quantity/size of orders) to avoid disappointment. All Knotty Productions are uniquely handmade with lotsa love & stringent QC you know :P

As for workshops, well, Knotty Bicsie Home Studio has been busy mostly from Thursdays-Saturdays only, due to some ongoing corporate workshops:

1) Weekly knitting sessions @Warren Golf & Country Club is very fun for me as well. These ladies are truly enthusiastic & diligent! :)

2)The gals at Singapore Chinese Girls' School Art Club are in the process of completing their very own knitted vest! I'm really excited to see all their masterpieces! 41 vests!!! The biggest class for Knotty Bicsie so far... Special thanks to my 2 lovely assistants, WennYann & Chenyen. Couldn't have done it without you ladies! :)

That's all for now... typing this while my "Little Empress Dowager" is taking her afternoon nap... :P

Edda @8mth, by 31Images

2011-03-16T11:04:00.001+08:00

Time really flies... our little angel is already 8.5mth old! We had a most enjoyable session with a very talented & charismatic photographer, Sweng, some 3weeks ago. Little Edda, like most of u know, does not have "stranger anxiety", but she doesn't really smile at strangers much, even though she's actually very cheeky & playful with Papa & Mama :P Sweng is so good at what he does & is able to capture many cheeky smiles of our naughty angel ;) Thanx a million, Sweng! :D

Check out www.31images.com

Special Announcement!!!

Well, actually I have two $50-vouchers to 31Images' wonderful family portrait services that I'd like to share with my dear Knotty Fans here! ;) Simply spend S$50.00 (on product, supply &/or workshops) in a single receipt by 30th April 2011 to stand a chance to be 1 of the 2 lucky winners. Results will be published here on our blog & also our official website. Winners will also be notified personally.

Understanding Our Work of Heart

2011-03-11T05:02:00.000+08:00

Came across this very cool animation from my good friend, Jullie's, blog. Share with you here so those who don't knit/crochet have a better understanding of what goes on "behind the scene" & the effort we crafters put in :) Usually take me at least 3-5hrs (non-stop) to make 1 amigurumi, sometimes even longer for those complicated ones. Hmm... so it must've taken this animator at least a few days to make this! BRAVO! Enjoy! ;)

Working from Home...

2011-02-25T10:43:00.000+08:00

HELLO!!! I know I haven't been blogging for a long long time... just couldn't find the quality time & discipline to do it :P Many thanks to all Knotty Fans who's been emailing/sms-ing your well-wishes. I feel so loved each time I hear from you peeps. Thank u! :)))

I always say Knotty Bicsie is a "happy accident", yet it's given me & my family our ideal lifestyle. Truly feel very lucky & blessed. Running my little home studio not only has given me lotsa freedom & flexibility to balance between work & family, most importantly now it's given me the joy of witnessing every milestone of my growing little angel. Edda is almost 8months old now... time really flies, watching her learn something new everyday. A little smile from her magically makes everything ok. We all laugh heartily with her whenever she laughs & giggles. She's indeed a bundle of joy packed with abundance of love & warmth :)

Well, besides "entertaining" & "being entertained by" Edda :P , I've been kept busy in our kitchen & our crafting studio too lo. Yup, been cooking almost everyday nowadays, healthier, save $$$, & less disruptive to our little girl's routine in the evening, even though it means getting busy in the kitchen as early as 6+am everyday @_@ So dinner out during Saturday nights have become a little treat for me :)

As for Knotty Bicsie's plan & directions for 2011, we will be focusing more on corporate deals & Weddin'Craft Parties this year...

We've had 2 groups of ladies coming over for their Hen's Party so far, & it's been really fun!

As for corporate workshops, we have the honour of working with Warren Golf Country Club, Singapore Chinese Girls' School Art Club & Sahara Sundance Event Company to conduct knitting & other crafting workshops since last year. All have been fun & exciting. Special thanks to all my instructors too. All these workshops would not be possible without YOU! :) Letx work hard together to make crafting a modern way of life for everyone! ;)

In adjustments to my new routine, Knotty Bicsie Home Studio is now opened on whole of Fri & Sat, & Sun mornings only. Selected Thursday slots are also available. Hence, to avoid disappointment, do book & confirm your slots as early as possible. :)

Introducing 2 of our many new Funky Knitters...

"The pace was slow enough for me therefore I could easily understand what she was teaching me. Now I am able to grasp the basic skills of knitting. As it was also a one-to-one teaching experience, that benefitted a lot as well." - Dellysda, 10th Feb 2011.

Sherman is really sweet & wanted to knit something for his sweetheart as Valentine's Day & went straight to YouTube. Unfortunately it turned out to be a disaster :P & eventually found his way to Knotty Bicsie Home Studio...

"My knitting experience is tough & challenging for me. Tangled up a couple of times & got mistakes. Knitting is not smooth-sailing at all. Thanks to Betsy for her kind patience & faithful teaching!" - Sherman Yeo, 12th Feb 2011.

Besides teaching, my fingers are still wriggling around to make some special orders for Knotty Fans out there. There's been some scarf, baby booties & other orders as well. A Knotty Phant Collector, Jet, kept her promise & came back again for her annual Knotty Phant! Now our 3 Knotty Phants are making friends @Jet's Japonicas Garden :)))

So you see, multi-tasking is definitely an under-statement for Knotty Bicsie this year :P Nevertheless, to maintain the quality of our creations & teachings, I'm sorry I have to disappointment some of you sometimes :( So pls do make your orders & confirm your workshops as early as possible to avoid any disappointment :)