tiny happy

I was going to share some of the summer clothes I've made lately, but no-one's around to help me take a photo or two! Never mind, I'll get some photos over the summer holidays.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post about some of the small things made for Christmas present and end of year gifts.

As always, the kids and I have given teachers, friends and neighbours edible gifts like marmalade, fruit mince pies and cookies. I also packaged up jars of chutney with other edible things in bento wraps (from this tutorial) as reusable packaging. For the chutney, I used this recipe – couldn't be easier!

I didn't make as many gifts this year as I usually do at Christmas, choosing instead to gift books, mostly. But I did make some foraging satchels (pattern from my book) for two of my preschooler nieces, and the usual handmade soap and knitted facecloths for a few people who (I hope) like such things! 

Another project finished recently was my ''garter squish'' baby blanket (started back here). We had a beautiful new niece born last week, so I was thrilled to be able to wrap up the blanket and give it to her on her birth day. To make this, I used the instructions set out in this Stephen West blanket pattern, but on a slighter smaller scale. I held together a strand of possum merino with silk yarn in various colours, knitting until the silk ran out and was replaced with another colour. My Ravelry notes are here. The resulting blanket is really soft and a little drapey from the silk content. I wouldn't mind a bigger version to put on my bed in autumn and I just might cast one on sometime soon.

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I hope you're enjoying some shopping or gift-making or not, depending on your own holiday traditions! 

Here's a favourite seasonal song for you: Sufjan Stevens' Silver and Gold.

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