Blossom time ...

I know there's going to be strong winds today as every year, just as our old, old plum tree bursts into flower, there's some sort of storm and half the blossoms get blown off before they can set their fruit - ah nature, don't you love it?!

On the knitting front I've been busy knitting a couple of orders, one of which is some pairs of the "squares" bootees, the pattern for which is I believe about 50 years old!



I'm much happier with my finish of these ones than the first pair I made. I'm now using whip stitch to sew them up and it's a lot neater - especially when you realise the seams are on the outside!



So now it's just getting them finished and deciding on buttons etc. One pair are getting these cute little ladybird buttons I've had stashed away.



But as you can see, I'm a bit indecisive with the pink pair - not happy with any of these .... I'm thinking little pink fabric roses with leaves so watch this space.



Issie wants to be a reader ....

Read more...

Inspiration needed .....

I was feeling a bit ho hum about what to knit next which was a weird feeling for me as usually I'm brimming with ideas. I've been knitting some fingerless mitts for a couple of the girls at work, then for a friend for her birthday which then culminated in a couple of orders so that kept me going for a week or so. Then inspiration struck and I made an "evening pair" ...



And then I found a pattern for these cute little bootees. I was showing my beloved when I'd finished the first one and he very sweetly wondered whether I was going to make a second one !!!!



After a 4 to 5 hour stint under the blankies yesterday while I was at the Devonport Craft Market, Isabella then launched into life and kept us amused with her antics - this tennis ball is her most favourite toy in the whole wide world, far surpassing the expensive toys in her toy box.

Read more...

Spring ....

I bang on about loving winter so much and then the freesias and camellias blossom and bloom and my white lillies flower and I remember why I also love spring.



Issie's not too sure about spring and summer. She's undecided whether or not it's wise to leave the warmth and security of her mohair blankies. As you can see, she's keeping her options open.



Our new kitchen is finished - yeahhy. Without actually planning it, a polka dot theme has emerged - funny that!



A friend have me this napkin holder because I love cats - just look at the napkins though!!!



And then to top everything off, I found this little stool at Redcurrent in Albany.

Read more...

Spring is coming ....

I know I should love spring but as a knitter who hates knitting cotton, I also mourn the passing of winter. Although Auckland's winter this year was been weird - wet rather than cold !!! Not good for beanie sales - almost all of my sales this year have gone to the lower North Island and further south.

I've been finishing a couple of baby orders - sex not known - therefore creams and gender neutral buttons ....



And I've been knitting some fingerless gauntlets/mitts which have turned out quite well. A simple pattern with seed stitch.





I found these gorgeous little buttons at Fran's Wild and Woolly shop in Devonport - can't wait to knit a little pair of bootees for the September Devonport Craft Market!!





And here's Isabella ...

Read more...

Why I love winter

Every year I have to wait until winter nearly ends before our white camellia flowers - the first flower opened up this week ......

Read more...

My secret squirrel project ...

One of my close friends is having to have nana naps in the afternoons and I decided to knit her a lap/foot rug. Initially I wanted to use a really simple pattern and put the emphasis on the wool - using a Debbie Bliss silk/mohair/wool mixture until I realised I'd be using about 20 balls at $16+ per ball - I'll leave you to do the maths!

So Plan B was called for and I found a really interesting pattern using 20 squares with each one having more squares within it. Decided to use Touch merino which is still a lovely soft wool and away I went. Except that when I'd made enough squares to lay them out and get an idea of how big it would be, I decided 20 weren't going to achieve the size I wanted and I'd have to knit 25. It's a bit daunting when you're not even half way thru them! But, having decided on more, that then meant as I had uneven rows I could do something interesting with the very middle one and the corners, so this evolved ...






And here's the final result ....




And here's proof that Isabella is a typical cat!

Read more...

The reason I've been a bit quiet ......

A picture tells a thousand words doesn't it !@#$%

Read more...