tiny happy

I felt so happy recently to be able to contribute a few things for a project that helps families in need.

Little Sprouts is a local group that puts together kits for new babies. These boxes include everything from nappies and clothing, strollers and high chairs. Everything is gathered and sorted by a team of hard working volunteers. Working through affiliated social agencies, they dispatch the packs to those families in the greatest need.

I first learned about Little Sprouts through the work of another hard working local woman Karen, who I mentioned on my blog a few years ago (here). She is assembling packs of pre-cut projects ready to be made into specific items for the baby boxes.

Karen dropped around some of the items: hooded towels, change mats, toys, merino hats, etc which I made up. I was reminded of how extremely untalented I am when it comes to trimming things with bias tape. For my next donation to Little Sprouts, I plant to make soft toys and stretchy baby pants. 

For more details about crafting for Little Sprouts click here (they are keen for more handmade goods, and/or materials).

The sun's out today, after a week of stormy weather. So it only seemed right to find some yellow around the house to add to the blog.

From the top:

– the beginning stages of a hat knitted for a gift – the yarn is 'cashlana DK' in a golden honey colour.

– some in-progress embroidery. Threads wound around pieces of old birthday cards.

– tulips from my sweet sister-in-law who stayed a night this week.

I stumbled upon the work of Swedish textile artist Ann-Mari Forsberg recently – she designed bright and beautiful tapestries and rugs. You can see a collection of her work here.

And for more bright and beautiful work, click here to find a photo essay/interview with Australian textile artist Liz Payne. 

During the recent school holidays, Keira and I made pompoms. We always like to have some sort of project on the go, and this is a favourite (a couple of years ago we made some too) mostly because it's a simple, tactile activity with quick and effective results.

This is the super-easy and quick method we used – no cardboard circles required.

We used yarn from my stash and some from the opshop, that was either too scratchy or had acrylic content. The best was a peachy-pink – we thought it worked nicely with the cream, white, blue and light brown. In the garden at my parents' place, there were beautiful big dahlias in bloom the last time I visited. I'm sure they inspired these pompoms.

Keira worked some long chains of finger knitting, and we threaded it through each pompom to make two garlands for our living room wall, which was previously too plain and 'entirely boring' according to the kids.

I took these two photos this morning and it struck me how perfectly 'April' they are. Well, April at my house, anyway. 

The last hardy cosmos flowers from summer still going strong and beautiful in the courtyard.

And a kitchen table with feijoas (just out of the scene: three children eating them quickly), knitting-project-in-progress and another one about to be started even though I don't really have time. 

Oh, and coffee, of course…

Happy end-of-April to you.

From that title, I don't necessarily mean that I've been working during the day and at night like a Victorian novelist, (though I do sometimes tend toward Brontë-esque drama) but rather that I've been enjoying working in monochrome of late. Or at least, a limited colour palette. 

Those shadowy trees were captured on a recent trip away to a beach house surrounded in beautiful native bush as well as stands of eucalypts and willows. I got my camera out after dinner, just as the sun was going down, and the birds were swooping in and out of the branches.

I've been enjoying listening to Auckland musician SJD lately. Especially this track: Was I always here?

Today in New Zealand we're observing Anzac Day – you can read more about it here. It's a day to remember all those who have served and died in all wars and conflicts, but was originally established to remember the ANZACs (Australian and NZ Army Corps) who fought at Gallipoli during World War 1.

It's traditional to wear a red poppy pin on Anzac Day and the days either side of it, because red poppies flowered in the fields of soldiers' graves in WW1, and the RSA has sold them to raise funds to support veterans. But I also like the idea of wearing a white poppy, which is a universal symbol of peace.

The white poppy was first introduced by the UK Women's Co-operative Guild in 1933 and is now sold by the Peace Pledge Union, as a pacifist alternative to the red poppy. Their motto is "War is a crime against humanity. I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war. I am also determined to work for the removal of all causes of war."

I was talking about this with my friend Pia the other day, and she said she had been working on some white poppy pins for her family to wear. I have taken that idea and made some pins myself – probably not as beautiful as Pia's, but simple enough for the kids to make some too.

In case you'd like to make some too, I've included a template (in pdf format so you can print it off and cut out) and some basic instructions below. You could of course also use the template to make red poppy pins. Or poppies of any colour, for that matter.

MAKING A WHITE POPPY PIN

You'll need:
Small pieces of felt (I used wool-blend) or any other fabric that doesn't fray too much, in white, black, and green.
Needle, pins, thread and scissors
Safety pin
Paper pattern template – download it here: poppy pin template.

Method:

Using the paper template, cut out all the pieces from felt – (see photo below)

Layer all the pieces, except the larger black piece, together to make the poppy and arrange the leaves behind the flower in a pleasing way. Use black thread to secure the layers together through the centre (I worked a number of French knots on the flower centre to secure everything together.)

Now take the larger black piece and, using small hand-stitches, sew it to the back of the poppy, covering up your previous stitches. Then sew the non-opening side of the safety pin to this backing piece. (See photo below).

I don't have much to say really, these days. It feels like I'm almost always working in the office but when I get home there's usually a trusty project waiting. 

My current works-in-progress include embroidery work that i'm doing for Loop, and a hand-knit cardigan (this one) from some heathery purplish-grey yarn. 

Actually, I think that's why I'm enjoying knitting so much. I'm a terribly slow knitter- there's no chance of me finishing it in a timely fashion at all. But I'm learning to embrace that, and enjoy the slowness. The half-finished knitting project is always waiting patiently, ready to have a few new rows worked or yarn wound. 

The 2016 class schedule for The Craft Sessions was published the other day – and it looks amazing! I'm sad not to be going there again this year if for no other reason that to see some of the projects and classes unfold – I mean come on, there's even spoon-carving! You can see the class list here.

Aren't bean seeds (I guess they're just beans) beautiful? Smooth and perfectly formed, each one an individual. Louana sent me these direct from her Auckland garden – they're 'king of the blues' heirloom variety, and will grow to be dark purple runner beans. 

I didn't have much bean luck this year (I planted six seedlings and got one bean in return – I blame wind and vine-hopper insects but it could well have been my lack of gardening skill) so I'm looking forward to trying these next summer.

In the second photo above you can see a new pillow I made- 'Greetings from Western Australia' featuring a swan family and the city of Perth (I think?) behind. It was originally an old-ish linen tea towel, which I saw in a rummage sale and knew would be perfect for the sofa. This is in our kitchen/dining area and is the best place to knit and read while someone else is cooking dinner. 

I've been doing just that, looking through the beautiful book My Garden Kitchen by Unna Burch (Forest Cantina).
Hope your weekend is coming along nicely! 

Mum gave me this book for Christmas: it's Slow Stitching: Mindful and contemplative textile art, by Claire Wellesley-Smith.

I've been enjoying reading it and going back to soak up the inspiration: Claire writes about community art projects, the history of hand-stitching and mending, and gives ideas for practical projects and activities to slow down the handmade process.

I especially like the discussions about re-purposing work and the value of old textiles, and how we can be more thoughtful about what we make. She also showcases a range of work by other textile artists. 

For a glimpse into Claire's work, especially natural dyeing and importance of place, check out this beautiful video.

I hope you're having a good weekend so far?

I spent this afternoon working on some projects from the kitchen table, including this embroidery which was worked in a few different shades of grey on teal linen. 

The first photo above shows the other end of said table: a new bowl (bought from here) and Nelson limes.

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I really like the site Brain Pickings, and recently read two interesting pieces there that you might like too:

Why Love Hurts: The sociology of how institutions, rather than our personal psychological failings, shape the romantic agony of modern life

Spiderwoman's cloth lullaby: The illustrated life of artist Louise Bourgeois.