tiny happy

I bought some beautiful possum/merino Dark Harbour yarn from my mate Nikki. When I picked it up and looked into its beautiful grey-blue depths, I couldn't leave it on her table (at the Social Wool Fair a few weekends back).

I packaged it up for my sister who had a birthday last week, along with a project bag I made for her, with tiny white plants (she's a gardener) embroidered on dark blue linen with woven squares. (You can click on the picture for a closer look at the embroidery). Hopefully she likes dark harbour blue hues as much as i do.

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This week's knitting project: a delicate baby vest for the neonatal unit at Wellington Hospital. I'm using 4 ply white merino, and this pattern, as specified by the hospital (scroll down to find the pdf download link).

I found this post on Facebook about how the Wellington NICU needed knitted woollen vests, blankets and cardigans and couldn't resist getting started. Nothing more motivating for a knitter than being told your work is important and needed! 

Click here for more information about knitting for Wellington babies. Maybe premature babies in your area need knitted garments too?

Small things with happiness-generating powers:

– carving stamps from rubber blocks to make wrapping paper. This one is brown parcel paper with X x xs of various shapes and sizes.

– scavenging in the garden for whatever colour I can find. In this case, yellow pansies, some lavender and purple hebe flowers.

– thinking about the concert Tom and I attended on Friday night: Liszt (piano concerto number 2) and Mahler (symphony number 5). I've been in the mood for dramatic European classical music lately.

I struck retro craft book gold with this 1978 number called Creative Crafts.

The projects certainly are… creative.

Thought you might like to take a look at some of my favourites, (click on photos to enlarge), in order from top photo to bottom:

– Described as a 'Matisse-inspired hand-appliqued dress', this is essentially a poncho made from a duvet. The model is walking along by a metropolitan river to keep it chic.

– These are giant chicken sculptures, covered in tiny sea shells.

– 'Joke' candles, featuring a wax ice-cream for tricking a child, a bundle of dynamite and a champagne bottle for a romantic night in.

– A fold-up deck chair with rich needlepoint work.

– A tapestry pig footstool.

– This one is a life-sized doll, named 'Layabout Larry.' Terrifying!

Kept inside by the storms and cold, my kids have been picking up knitting needles and yarn this winter.

Arlo is working on a small scarf (for one of his soft toy friends I believe) and Keira has finished one for her bear Pinky. She bought the variegated yarn with her pocket money. (My collection was too boring.) To make Pinky's scarf, she case to on 10 stitches (with worsted weight wool) and knitted until it was long enough.

On the weekend she finished a pair of green fingerless gloves/handwarmers. It was so great to see her really get in to a project and the satisfaction of finishing something and being able to wear it. The gloves were perfect because she could practice casting on and off, knitting and purling, and sewing up, but all on a small scale.

She's very pleased with them, and has plans to make more for her friends.

Do you know a junior knitter looking for a project? Here's Keira's pattern:

KEIRA'S HANDWARMERS – to fit small hands (Keira is 10 years old.)

1 ball DK yarn and a pair of straight 3.5mm needles

Cast on 32 stitches. Work 10 rows in K2, P2 rib.
Knit in garter stitch for 22 rows.
Knit 6 rows in K2, P2 rib.
Cast off.
Sew up side seam, leaving a gap for thumb.
Make another one.

It was a very lovely weekend. We had friends and family visiting, went out to hear live music, did some shopping and cooking, eating and drinking. 

And… it was light enough to take photos. (During the week I'm not home during the light hours). So I made the most of it and photographed a few quiet moments inside. 

I'm working on two projects: some embroidery and some knitting. Both are quite slow going but I don't mind.

Started watching some wintry, dark drama (I'm probably the last person to see this)

And discovered this beautiful album (thanks Clare!)

Hope you had a nice weekend too.

Pieces of brightness from the weekend:

– We celebrated Arlo's 12th birthday.That was a good day, for sure. You can see him in the photo above with his requested chocolate cake (with chocolate ganache layer inside) and candles glowing. Not pictured: his friends around the table and cold midwinter outside.

– I found this colourful bright wool rug in the op shop. Woven, geometric jewels.

– I've been listening to this album quite a lot these days: The 9th, by David Kilgour and the Heavy 8s, with poet Sam Hunt. So rich in sea and forest imagery and local history, not to mention New Zealand landscapes at night, and other magical thoughts.

Someone asked 'why all the grey?' when they saw me knitting this week, and I can't really give a good answer for that, except that I just like it. I also like Wellington in the winter, which definitely puts me in a minority.

There's no denying that the weather here is 'difficult' but that's okay with me. More reason to knit and wear cosy things, feel grateful for hot coffee, my house and fireplace and warm coat. And I never get tired of the wintry sea views (the top photo was taken on a nearby hilltop this time last year).

These are my Wellington winter fingerless mitts/armwarmers, finished just in time for peak greyness and the winter solstice. I'm so happy with them – they're lightweight and nice and long for under my cardigan and winter coat. Perfect for typing 9-5 in the chilly office, which is how I spend most of my time these days. The pattern is this one from the Purl Bee, and the yarn is Vintage Purls sock yarn.

I'm thrilled to be an occasional 'craft contributor' on my friend Nicola's beautiful blog Homegrown Kitchen, which is all about making lovely healthy and delicious food. My first post is about making a hot water bottle cover from cosy knit fabric. I hope to contribute a post each season from now on.

This coming weekend marks the winter solstice and on Wednesday we observe the start of Matariki (Māori New Year). I get great comfort from knowing the days will get a little longer from now on. 

We are really into hot water bottles in our house – and just tonight both kids have requested them for their beds. Making soft and warm covers for the bottles is a good wintry evening activity – once you have your pattern cut out, you can make one for everyone in a couple of hours.

Find the tutorial here.

Hello dear blog readers, how are you? I've been finding it hard to get to this space, lately. Life has taken on a new sort of pace, with fewer gaps for activities such as taking photos and cooking and making. I hope it won't last too long, because I really love those sorts of activities, as i know you do too.

I have been managing a bit of late-night knitting, though. So far (along with a few unfinished projects) I have one fingerless glove done, and am now starting the next. Colours to match the silvery sky.

The above darkened view was snapped the other day, coming home from work. I like the silvery grey light, the misty sea view as the street lights switch on. Small road stars, a suburban constellation.