tiny happy

Kia ora, hello!

I've been absent from here for over a month – maybe the longest stretch ever! My apologies if you sometimes check in and found there was nothing new. It's been a busy one, but no more than usual, if I'm honest. In any case, it's lovely to be back here again today and I've set myself the goal of writing shorter but more frequent posts next year – maybe a once-a-week kind of arrangement. 

I thought I'd share some of my recent projects and news. It's rose season – as you'll see here in this post. We recently went wild-rose-hunting with Tom's mum Clare and found some beauties – she's a heritage rose specialist and has shown me some interesting spots around the older parts of Wellington. This latest rose mission coincided with a beautiful gift from my friend Lizzie in Melbourne. She included in her package Mary Oliver's 2015 collection Felicity, and I've snapped the poem Roses for you in the photo above. I feel deeply its reminder to live more like a plant – be in the moment, focus rather than scatter my thoughts and energies everywhere. At least, that's what I take from the poem. You might have a completely different reading.

I finished my Soul Craft Makealong project bag – I talked about it in a few posts back. It was really enjoyable to make and I loved the suggestion to patch together small pieces of linen for it, rather than embroider on a larger piece. This approach allowed me to use some test pieces of avocado-dyed linen. I embroidered various plants and patterns on each patch, in black and white thread.

For the lining, I used some checked cotton cut from an old shirt of Tom's that had worn around the cuffs and collar. And some brown linen on the back of the back, and black cotton tape as a drawstring. 

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Recently on Instagram, I shared a little d-i-y project: handmade cleaning cloths and spray. They're both things I make quite regularly and I never buy these products anymore as I think the homemade version is much nicer!

In case you don't have your own method, here's mine:

Best cleaning cloths: cast on 35 stitches using 4mm needles + DK cotton yarn (I used some great 100% cotton recycled from old textiles!)

K to last 2 sts, slip 2 with yarn in front (for a neat edge). Repeat till you have a squareish shape, cast off, weave in ends.

Kitchen spray: in a reusable bottle, place a good splash of white vinegar, a decent squirt of dishwashing liquid, a few drops of essential oils (I use lavender + tea-tree), then top up with warm water and shake together. Never buy this stuff again, feel virtuous!

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Another project I've finished recently is a blanket for a friend's new baby. For this I used leftover yarns from other projects – most of them were DK weight wool + alpaca blends. I worked a finer border, in grey alpaca, around the edge to finish it. I love these light and soft blankets and intend to have one on the go at all times, now I've finally learned to crochet!

What are you enjoying listening to and reading at the moment?

I've always been an Aldous Harding fan but at the moment I'm loving her track Old Peel through the headphones, as well all things Noname (check out this wonderful Tiny Desk concert!) 

Another piece of music I love very much is My Friend, The Forest by Nils Frahm. If you're looking for something deeply calming and beautiful for your headphones, look no further!

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I hope you're well and safe. See you again soon. XX