These are little elephants with big ears and I think they make lovely wee gifts for babies and toddlers. I first made them when Keira was a little one- all the way back here! And ever since then, I've had emails from readers asking if I'd share the pattern. It's obviously quite a simple one –…

It's a stormy spring Saturday here – what better conditions for making cake and knitting by the fire? I'm working on some baby knits for friends' new arrivals and wishing I'd started work on them a bit earlier. That's pretty much all I have to report today. Except to say that the native clematis (puawhananga)…

I'd never knitted a shawl before, and wanted to make something special with a skein of Dark Harbour yarn in the colourway 'Old Salt' Isn't that an evocative name? It features speckles of black sprinkled like salt on a grey base. So above you can see my finished Spindrift shawl. I really enjoyed knitting it even though I…

I love these simple little bags, and have been making them to keep my knitting projects safe and tangle-free. A small version is perfect for in-progress socks, but it's easy to up-size the pattern as I've described below. Inspired by Japanese bento and furoshiki and sometimes known as azuma bukuro, these bags can function as the…

I seem to be all about knitting small things these days (okay, so not just these days but all days). I made a hat from possum yarn in a beautiful fern-green colour that has been getting a lot of use already. It's the Rikke Hat pattern (free download on Ravelry) and it's a simple and…

Thanks for your comments on my last post – I'm working on a photo tutorial for you and hope to have it published soon! (Probably next week). + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Last Saturday Keira and I spent the morning at home, and while…

I've always found the combination of linen and Liberty lawn to be pleasing. My latest project has been a set of simple linen bento bags – just like these from last month – except lined in Liberty cotton. The result is a slightly more substantial bag, but a rather aesthetically pleasing one which is perfect for keeping a medium-sized knitting project in…

I haven't got much to say today, but I do have these photos… a) Botanical business b) A bit of embroidery-in-progress c) Chocolate-chip cookies made for an afternoon of visitors. The recipe is this trusty favourite. I hope you're having a good week!

It's been about as wintry as it gets in these parts, so that's meant more knitting by the fire, more reading, more cosy times. Not such a bad thing really. It seems that everyone needs a pair of slippers now, so that's been taking up a lot of my knitting time. The lightweight shawl, cardigan and…

Hello! I hope you're having a good weekend and the sun is shining where you are.  We've had a beautiful weekend but in typical Wellington style it's included rain, hail, sunshine, storms and a bitterly cold wind. Plus a dusting of snow on the mountains in the distance. Thanks again for your messages on this…