If you're reading this blog, the chances are good that you enjoy a bit of textile making, music, books and the like. There has never been a better time to get stuck in to these activities, but I so wish it was for a different reason than keeping away from each other to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Wherever you are in the world, I hope you're well and safe, and not feeling too lonely. I'm sending love and good vibes from my screen to yours!
I thought I'd share a few photos from life here lately:
+ + In amongst so much sad and frightening news, there was something joyful: I had a beautiful wee niece born this morning. It will be a while before I meet her in real life, but in the meantime I'm knitting her some winter clothes and admiring her through photos. In the first photo above, you can see I'm knitting her a Baby Surprise Jacket, from a 1968 Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern. I've not knitted this before, and I must admit I'm finding the pattern a little trickier than others I've tried (it was written in a time when knitters were expected to know a lot more) and I'm using a ball of handspun gradient merino wool that was a gift from my Mum.
= = I've been finding comfort in my pot plants – i'm getting a nice wee collection of indoor ones, and trying to remember to look after my outdoor ones too. Question: how many indoor plants are too many?
+ + This time of year is such a special one. I love the early-morning sky outside the bedroom window (fiery-red/maroon on a clear day, and sometimes a pastel pink gradient) and it's also Keira's birthday. On the weekend, we celebrated her 15th! Three of her cousins came to stay and the girls went to see Aldous Harding and Weyes Blood as part of the NZ Festival.
In these strange and uncertain times, here are my suggestions of comforting things to listen to/try/do:
This beautiful knitting pattern, by Japanese designer Eri, is free to download until Sunday.
This vegetable lasagne. I'm going to make it tonight.
The Gentle Knitter podcast on Youtube
Until March 31, all of Whitney Hayward's knitting patterns for Harrisville Tweed are free to download. There are some real beauties! I love this hat and this cardigan, especially.
Make a needlebook for a friend or yourself? Here's a pattern I wrote for Sweet Magazine a while back
Moonchild, NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Some nice, simple, free sewing patterns from the Fabric Store
Pressing flowers and leaves (you could make gift tags or cards like these or these)
Life-long favourite piece of music to listen to in anxious times: The Lark Ascending, Vaughan Williams
I'd love to hear what you're up to these strange days, friends. I'm feeling deeply grateful for human connections and the internet, and where these two combine: our amazing online community of makers and writers. X X X
tiny happy 
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