tiny happy

Tom wears a tie to work most days, and a while back he asked if I would knit him one.

After a bit of online research I settled on this pattern and started knitting. The first version I made wasn't quite right, as I used a yarn with cotton content, and the end result was too long, wide and prone to stretching. 

So I tried again with the recommended yarn (Quince & Co 'Chickadee'), and used an existing favourite tie as a template to copy as I knitted, and had success! He’s already worn it to work lots of times. 

I realise now it’s important to create a tight but lightweight fabric when making ties. (Here are my Ravelry notes for the project.)

I do quite like knitting for Tom, as he's so appreciative and keen on wearing handmade things- although I must admit I haven't offered to knit anything as ambitious as a sweater or cardigan for him yet.

+ – + – + – + – + – + – +

The last photo shows him with Keira on a walk we took recently around the South Coast of Wellington. It was a rare windless day here in the capital and absolutely beautiful.

+ – + – + – + – + – + – +

In the spring I planted a small tansy plant in the garden, never realising how big it might grow. Now it's early autumn and the plant is taller than me and threatening to take over the flower bed. I really only planted it for embroidery purposes. 

I've also been reading that dyeing with tansy can produce a beautiful earthy yellow, so I'll try that when more flower heads appear on the plant.

Imagine a garden planted specifically for embroidery and dyeing? I'm intrigued by this idea and am going to start doing some research. Have you planted anything in particular for these purposes?

+ + + + + + + +

Hope you've had a lovely weekend. We've had family staying, wood stacking, friends visiting, kids playing music and coffee brewing. Not bad at all.

+ + + + + + + + 

a) Scandinavian and Scottish winter weather feels very far away at the moment, but that doesn't mean I don't love looking through the windswept and grey photos of my latest book purchase, Knitting from the North by Hilary Grant. I first heard about this book on Nicole's podcast and fell in love with the aesthetics of it. I hope to try some colour-work knitting from it this winter (I think this hat will be my first project). You can see all the projects in the book here.

b) We have a lot of native plants in the garden, especially hebes as they seem to be the only flowering plants who are unpeturbed by our stormy hilltop conditions. At the moment, we have little hebes growing from cracks in the concrete, through the bricks in the courtyard, and big hebes growing like wild in the garden. I love their delicate-yet-sculptural flowers.

c) Both Keira and I (but especially Keira) like to make sure we have a good supply of wrapping paper, cards and tape on hand at all times. This is our latest order of washi tape (from here) – we have a lot of fun carefully choosing a few rolls each a couple of times a year. That mushroom tape was my choice, though.  

Hope you're having a lovely weekend so far, dear readers! 

My littlest sister is expecting her first baby soon, and I wanted to make her something useful for everyday Mum-life. She said she had her eye on a particular tote bag and zip case that our sister-in-law used with her first baby. So I took measurements from those items and tried to reproduce them – well, rather, make my own versions of them.

The result is this denim tote bag which involved a bit more trial-and-error than I care to admit, and a hand-printed linen case, which is quite large – big enough for nappy-changing essentials and other bits and bobs you carry everywhere with a new babe.

The bag was sewn from denim twill fabric (originally bought at Fabricabrac) and lined in striped grey and white cotton. It has a recessed zipper and some recycled leather details. The original bag had leather straps but I used some webbing tape instead, after getting some great advice and guidance from Maryanne at Made Marion Craft – thanks Maryanne! I also bought the zips and interfacing needed for the bag there.

To celebrate my new niece's imminent arrival, we joined Sarah and her friends at Martha's Pantry, which I can recommend for beautiful teas (served in vintage teapots with hand-knitted cosies) and cakes of all kinds.

+ – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +

Upon purchase of three beautiful skeins of silk/merino yarn, I decided I’d have to make another 3-colour cowl (I knitted this one as a gift last summer).

The yarn was hand-dyed by my friend Nikki, who runs Dark Harbour just up the road from me, so I was able to choose them in person which was a treat. I wouldn't usually pick pink as a colour to wear, but when I saw it on a shelf together with the greys, I couldn't resist. Here are my Ravelry notes for the cowl.

I love the ice cream pink of the contrast panel, and it’s nice to break away (albeit momentarily) from my usual colour scheme. 

+ = + = + = + = + = + = + =

And speaking of ice cream, Keira has been doing her usual summer experimentation with ice-blocks moulds in the quest to find the perfect after-school frozen treat for when she arrives home after walking up several hills in her hot school uniform.

This current prototype was made by blending together one cup each of frozen blueberries, natural yoghurt and vanilla ice cream in the food processor, before spooning into the moulds. 

+ = + = + = + = + = + = + =

I'm starting to get excited about my trip to Melbourne at the end of March. I'll be teaching workshops along with Felicia Semple and Elizabeth Barnett at this event, and I'm starting to gather materials and inspiration for the work we'll do there.

As well as stitch guides and instructions for the projects, I'm hoping to find space in my suitcase for a couple of botanical books, as I love sharing them with embroidery students. The book Wildflowers of Britain was a recent-ish gift from my friend Emma – thanks again E!

One of my workshops will involve making an embroidered garment – so I've been experimenting with patterns and designs for that. Above you can see my latest make – a gathered top with embroidered yoke.

For this I used the Alice pattern by Tessuti, but made a few changes. These included shortening the armholes, sewing French seams and hand-stitching the yoke lining, and reducing some width and length in both bodice and top. I also removed the sleeves after deciding they didn't quite suit my version, and replaced them with a narrow hand-sewn bias edging.

I chose some silk crepe fabric in dark grey because I wanted something drapey and I found that really nice to embroider on.

+ + + + + + + + +

To one keen maker who is unable to attend due to financial reasons, Felicia is offering a scholarship place at this retreat, which is really exciting. You can read more about that here on the official site. 

I think there may also be one or two paid places available due to last-minute changes – more details here.

+ + + + + + + + + 

The summer has been so grey and cold, that when the warmth does appear it's almost a surprise.

We had a day like that today – cicadas singing, even, and I managed to knit a few rows sitting outside in the garden. I've nearly finished the cowl I've been working on this month.

And this evening, there was a melted-icecream pink sunset to watch from my bedroom window. Not bad at all.

And speaking of colourful things, I saw a link to this knitted blanket pattern today – what a fantastic way to use up the yarn leftover from other projects. Quite tempted to cast one on…

– – – – – –  - – - 

We've not had many summery days here in Wellington, but I wanted to capture a little bit of sun when it appeared recently. Perhaps some warm weather is still on its way, like a parcel lost in the post?

I made a few sun catchers (details here) with flowers pressed back at the start of the season. One for a friend and one for our kitchen window, featuring hydrangea petals and a carnation, pansies and fuschia.

I couldn't resist ordering a copy of Laine magazine from Scandinavia – it features beautiful knitting patterns, photography and writing. You can see the patterns included here on Ravelry. I love the 'Nordic arrows shawl' but I think the cardigan might be my first cast-on.

I took the second photo above while we were in the South Island last weekend, for a friend's wedding. After the ceremony, my sisters-in-law and I walked up into the valley behind the crowd with our glasses of wine, where the light was like honey.

My kind friend Poppy let me borrow one of her tapestry weaving looms and gave me a lesson on how to use it. I must admit I found it more difficult than I'd been expecting. I used to get frustrated easily and give up when faced with a new challenge, but I'm happy to report I have (a little) more patience as I get older. It's so good to learn new things – and I hope it will help me to be a better teacher, too.

Anyway, I enjoyed sifting through my yarn scraps basket and weaving this little piece in sea-inspired colours and I'm planning on buying my own loom soon.

Poppy does beautiful work – she is an accomplished weaver but has been painting for many years – you can check out her work on Instagram and she also here.

= = = = = = =

My companion while weaving: Every man needs a companion, Father John Misty.

= = = = = = =

===============

a) Some Sunday morning knitting with blueberries. I'm making another one of these cowls (the first one I made was a gift). It won't be long before autumn is here again…

b) A linen project bag for my etsy shop, inspired by current side-of-the-road flowers…

c) A late crop of sweet peas from the garden – I love the dark velvety purple of them.

================