tiny happy

Kia ora, welcome!

I haven't made as much time for creative work lately. Let's blame paid work, dark and rainy days and various other things. It doesn't really matter – sometimes down periods are needed to let new ideas come through.

I made a little cardigan for my baby niece Madeline a while ago now but just realised I'd not shared it here yet. The pattern, from Ewe Knit Toronto, is called the Amore Cardigan. You can find a copy here. I used some possum-merino yarn in dark grey and worked free-form embroidery around the neckline, and added little green vintage buttons to finish. I was so happy to see pictures of it on that sweet little baby – it looks lovely on her. You can find my Ravelry notes for this project here.

As for new projects, I've not had much on the go lately, although I am working on sweater for Tom. It's incredibly slow going and it will (hopefully) be done by next winter… sigh! Will share that in my next post, hopefully with some progress. 

My dream knitting project is a vest – I am keen to make the Sara Vest (a free pattern in case you're keen too!) which I think would be a really useful garment for wearing over winter dresses. In preparation, I bought some beautiful hand-dyed mohair from Nikki at Dark Harbour Yarn – it's a grey with greenish tint (I've included a photo above). I will hold that together with some dark grey fingering weight yarn from my stash. Dare I case it on before finishing Tom's sweater? I'm quite tempted.

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Last weekend, some friends and I visited the beautiful Porirua art gallery Pataka. Along with many other treasures, we loved the Star Gossage exhibition, Let Peace Be Among Us. Star is a painter based in Pakiri, north of Auckland. I think her work is incredibly beautiful and had to buy the exhibition book from the gift shop before we left so I could show Keira when I got home. You can learn about the artist by watching this clip, which was also showing on a screen at the exhibition.

After looking at paintings, we noticed a sign for a spring flower show. We bought tickets and in we went. What an amazing showcase of daffodils (both 'amateur' and 'novice') and other spring flowers, old-fashioned morning tea baking and community spirit! We loved it and stayed for a cup of tea.

I hope you're doing very well. Thank you, as always, for visiting me here.
M

p.s. that night-time photo was taken on the Wellington waterfront – it's a Para Matchitt sculpture + crane in the distance. Wellington spring evening twilight skies are my new favourite.