tiny happy

Hello! How are you?

The world feels so big right now – we're sharing the experience of sheltering in our homes during this pandemic and tracking the numbers of those suffering every day. But at the same time, our own lives are smaller than ever. Staying close within ''our bubble'' as our Prime Minster would say, and reducing contact with others as much as possible.

I hope you're feeling well and happy. And safe, wherever you might be. 

Of course, in a time like this, those of us with indoor hobbies like textile crafts, listening to music and reading will find life a bit easier. I've never been more grateful for my bookshelf, and craft supplies and the like. I hope that you're able to access the things you need to keep you comfortable and happy right now, friends.

I've also been lucky enough to be able to keep my job, but just do it from home. So while it doesn't feel like I have lots more time on my hands, I do have the time that I would have spent commuting to and from work, and the time that would otherwise be spent at events, parties, kids' activities, etc. So I have found that I've finished off some projects. 

I wanted to share some pictures from my week with you. Some were taken on my early-evening walks around the neighborhood. Yesterday I came across a huge wall of mint-green succulents I'd not seen before. And the day before, I climbed a small hill to look at our suburb from a new angle. Small but beautiful novelties.

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In my last post, I showed the start of an Elizabeth Zimmerman Baby Surprise Jacket I was making from some handspun yarn. I finished it last week. Such a clever design, and a fun knit too. I have tucked this aside for one of my nieces. It will be on her way to her as soon as we are able to post things again. Hopefully before it's too small for her!

And in extremely practical craft news, I finally replaced a peg bag that had been left outside too often and was completely worn through. For the new version, I used some blue striped linen and a kind of envelope opening in the front. There's a small hole in the top where a wooden coat hanger can be fitted so the bag can hang on the washing line. The simplest make but also one I'll use nearly every day! I'm quite fond of projects like that.

One stormy day on the weekend, Keira asked if she could do some knitting with me. It's a very rare occurrence so she was probably bored. But I was happy to document the moment nevertheless. You can see that she opted to knit her first sock – she's using some self-striping Opal sock yarn and the magic loop method. I'm making a pair of Hermione's Socks.

I also finally got an artwork framed – you can see it hanging in our kitchen in the photo above. The piece is by Tom's maternal grandfather who was an artist and designer based in the UK and working mostly between the 1940's and the 80's. This particular piece depicts a place he visited in Majorca, Spain, and worked in graphic pastels. I'm so happy to have it framed and on the wall, and in such a busy part of the house so we can look at it every day.

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A few links you might like:

The other night, some friends and I stayed up late to listen to some music together (through our screens) – Nadia Reid Live. You can listen again here, if you like!

And this coming Thursday evening (NZ time), you can hear part 2.

If you're a sock knitter, you might like to download this beautiful free pattern: Woodland Walk Socks. I'm thinking about casting them on too.

Audible have made a selection of their audio books free to listen to, including classics, folk stories, and children's books. You can find them here.

A very simple and cheap dinner we made the other night: red lentil soup + ciabatta. We used this recipe for the soup and this tried and true method for the bread.

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How are you filling this time spent indoors? Are you working on any new or interesting projects? Perhaps you're trying to finish off some neglected ones, or work your way through a book you've always meant to read. I'd love to hear from you, if you have time to leave a comment below!

Sending lots of love to you.
M