A Knitter’s day

Tags

Audry Nicklin, Celestarium, Knitting

Yesterday was one of those days when I didn’t think anything could get much better.

I was very privileged to have a day with Audry on her trip to New Zealand.  We had so much fun! Audry has written a post about her day, and I don’t think I can add much to it, except to say thanks very much to Jimad for allowing us to visit the mill, and for spending time showing us around when he was already very busy.  And of course, thanks to Audry for meeting up with me!  It was really lovely to meet her after reading her blog all this time, and knitting her pattern.

During lunch, I showed Audry my current pattern in development and she displayed impressive detail and pattern writing skills by critiquing (very nicely) the design.  I think it will be much, much better when I finally get around to finalising it!  I really enjoyed having someone to chew over the design with.

Audry asked me to model the Southern skies version of Celestarium… I am not sure I quite make the grade for professional model, but it was a privilege to help her with the pictures.  :-)  I’m looking forward to the release of the pattern (maybe tomorrow?) so I can knit it!

Hop on over to her blog for a sneak peek of the new Southern Companion and a read about our day!

Oh, and before I forget… I was treated to a very sneak peek of the patterns in her new book!  The designs are simply beautiful, well curated, quirky and very interesting-to-knit looking.  It’s going to be a good one.

Hydrangeas for mother

Tags

Mother's Day

It’s Mother’s Day in New Zealand on Sunday.

My beautiful daughter organised a very surprise bunch of flowers for me today on behalf of all three of my children.  Aren’t they lovely?  Winter hydrangeas.  Quite a different shade to summer!

I’m a lucky mum.

The hydrangeas have much meaning for me.  They were the flower I used to see as a child when we visited New Zealand in early summer.  My grandmother had an enormous hydrangea bush with huge heads of vibrant blue/purple flowers on it.  I loved to look at them. I still think of her when I see hydrangeas.  And my daughter remembered this, and got me hydrangeas.

All she wants to do is knit

Tags

Knitting, WIPs

All that yarny excitement of the past week has spawned a small tidal wave of new projects.  I can’t seem to stop casting on!!

That’s three sweaters, a pair of socks and a new design hat in my WIP basket. You’ll be pleased to see I’m making use of some of my newly acquired stash already.  That lovely orange (it’s not quite as bright in real life) is the yarn I picked up from Travelling Threads at the Creative Fibre Festival.  Eric needs a new hat and mittens.

The red project is the beginnings of Irish Moss by Alice Starmore.  I think it’s coming on nicely, but I won’t say much more about it just yet.

This is almost all of one sweater.  It won’t fit in the basket.

One giant-man-sized sweater almost done for my brother-in-law.  I figure that now the weather has decided to start cooling down he’ll need it fairly soon.

You might be wondering how the pattern writing is coming on for Tidal.  It’s not too far away.  I’m going to satisfy my OCD tendencies and test knit another version to make sure the pattern is right before I release it.

It’s a glorious afternoon, and best of all, there was a frost this morning!!!!  Ah, sweet relief, it’s finally becoming cooler.  On that note, I shall potter off and quickly mow the lawns before we lose the light.  One must make the best of good weather when it is here!

The seagull

Tags

Anna Gratton, free pattern, Happy go Knitty, hat, Knitting, ribbed beanie, Wellington Underground Market, Wonders of Wool

“Skee!  Skeeee!”  screamed the seagull.

“Oh, look Eric, the seagull is eyeing your sausage!” I remarked.

“Where!??”

“Look up there!”  I pointed, to a seagull hovering close overhead with its beady eye fixed on his lunch.

“Aaargh!  It’s not getting my food!!” he wailed, covering his lunch and running from the hovering bird.

“Has it gone yet?  Where is it?”

Eric remembered the story I told him of the seagull snatching his aunt’s hamburger right out of her hands when she lived in Sydney.   I don’t think New Zealand seagulls are quite as aggressive, but you never know…

“I think we need to go home now.  Can we go yet?  I don’t like that seagull!”

I found the situation rather amusing (bad mummy).  The seagull soon gave up and went away, but someone’s nerve had been shattered, and all he wanted to do was eat his lunch in peace, away from the greedy eyes of hungry seagulls.

Why were we on the beach?  I was trying(!) to get a photo of the hat.  It’s a small revamp of an existing pattern to take into account new yarn, and new sizing (small and medium/large) so that the hat can be used as a family pattern for all of dad, mum and kid.  Eric’s wearing the medium/large in case you’re wondering.

It’s knitted in Anna Gratton’s Little Wool Co. 100% wool naturals in 12 ply in Peat.  The pattern is available for free dowload here and on my “free patterns” page as well as in hard copy at Anna Gratton’s stall at the Wellington Underground Wonders of Wool market this Saturday.  Anna has wound special 100g hanks of 12 ply, 100% naturally coloured wool yarn that are just the right size for one hat (with a little left over).  The hard copy pattern will be free with yarn purchase.

Oh, and in case you are coming, do pop over here for a chance of a free skein of yarn from Happy-go-knitty!

Hope to see you there!