tiny happy

Kia ora, how are you? 

Thought I'd pop on to share some of my latest projects – I seem to be having longer and longer gaps between blog posts this year! Thank you so much if you still visit this space and read my thoughts.

Keira turned 17 a couple of months ago. I offered to knit her something and she requested a brown, loose-fitting sweater, and chose the Kelowna pattern by Good Night Day – there's a Ravelry link with more info about my project here, but you can also find the pattern on the designer's site. 

For Keira's version I used some brown alpaca yarn she picked out from our local craft store. It's an alpaca blend and very light and airy. I held two strands together throughout, so that the fabric wasn't too holey – and I think the result was just right. She is happy with the shape and fit so that's great! And even better, she wears it all the time. I think the Kelowna sweater pattern would be a great project for a new knitter – it knits up quickly and is very simple. It has a great boxy shape. I'd quite like to make one for myself in black – but have to find the right blend of yarns I think.

In other crafty news, we received some beautiful photos of a cousin's newborn baby wrapped up in a crochet blanket I made for him, and the parents said I could share them here. Check out those tiny and perfect toes! The blanket itself was just a giant granny square, and i used various DK weight yarns in blues, browns and peachy pinks. Most of the yarns were wool and some had possum blended in (baby's parents are keen trampers and conservationists, so it seemed right to use that yarn!) I also love how soft and lightweight it is for babies.

For a friend's birthday recently, I made her a little set using small pieces of hand-dyed linen leftover from other things. I sewed these together and constructed a 'petal pouch', which is a pattern from the first edition of Making Magazine and a lavender sachet which turned out quite large and possible too lavender-ish – I probably went a bit overboard with the dried flowers! It was a fun little set to make, though.

And my watercolour learning continues (albeit very slowly). I've been practicing watercolour skies – and trying to paint one every day. I thought they did look quite beautiful en masse though – a wall of watery sky.

I hope you are keeping healthy and safe and is well in your world?

Take care,

Melissa