tiny happy

It's pretty exciting to be able to offer a giveaway for my new book, Sweet and Simple Handmade.

It's published by Stash Books (C&T Publishing) and should be available in most countries right now. If you can't find it, please ask your local bookshop to order it in. Otherwise, you can order it directly from the publisher here, or at other online booksellers. From tomorrow (Tuesday), I'm also offering signed copies in my etsy and felt shops- but I must admit- the overseas shipping costs are quite high. But I wanted to offer it as an option anyway.

There are 25 projects, including the reversible baby shoes I've been making for almost 8 years. There's a pattern for a velveteen rabbit, and a winter coat for an older child. I'm hoping there are lots of projects you want to make. All the patterns are provided on tissue paper in a pocket at the back. It would be a nice gift for a new parent or aunty/uncle.

The book is a compilation of my textile designs of the past ten years, since I became a mother. I really wanted the book to be USEFUL and for each design to be really customisable for the maker. It's not about spending loads of money on designer supplies, but rather thinking creatively and making lovely things for the kids you know. Things from the heart.

If you'd like to win a copy, please leave a comment below. I'll draw a winner randomly on Wednesday (I'll ship anywhere in the world). If you could let your friends/facebook pages know about the giveaway, I'd appreciate it greatly.

Thank you for your support and for following me on this bookwriting journey!

Happy Mother's Day, dear readers. I love my Mum, love being a Mum myself and I also enjoy the sweet cards and notes made by my own children on MD each year. Although it's nice getting those anytime, really. But I've always thought it an exclusive day, and the greeting-card marketing of it never sits well, as I'm sure it doesn't with many people.

There are so many who can't/decide not to be parents and so I prefer to think of it as a general day to remember those who care for others, because, surely that's the implication behind Mother's Day itself. It's not because you give birth or adopt, drive kids to soccer games, make school lunches or any of that stuff. It's because you look after others, right? There are lots of people like that in the world. And I like thinking about them on Mother's Day. 

I came across some interesting reading on the subject this year.

The Radical History of Mother's Day (Huffington Post)

Mother's Day Proclamation, 1870 (a passionate demand for disarmament and peace)

Why I hate Mother's Day– Anne Lamott (Salon.com)

Hello dear readers, happy Friday again!

This wallpaper-style print was part of the design process for this fabric, and my friend Karuna helped me make digital files and repeats of my paintings. So today's pattern is a bit of cheat really- I found it in an old scrapbook, just waiting to be scanned. It makes me think of faded wallpaper in an old house, or even 1980s-style floral friezes (my sister and I had one of those in our childhood bedroom).

Thank you to Jenny for this review of Sweet and Simple Handmade, and also to Ellie who has written about it over at Extra Curricular. 

I have received the first copies of the book and next week I'll hold a giveaway, so see you on Monday for that!

I was asked by the lovely Anissa to write a seasonal tutorial for her workplace blog: East West Organics, in Auckland. It's one of those shops I wish I lived closer to: it stocks all manner of organic produce and products, as well as plant seedlings, crafts and books. 

Here in New Zealand we love our hot water bottles: they're cosy and frankly essential in our draughty winter houses. But even in well-heated places it's still nice to have one of these to accompany you on cold days. I used to take one along with me to work and I distinctly remember someone on the schoolbus with one of these hidden up their jersey in June.

The best covers are made from recycled materials, of course. I found a cashmere vest at the local thrift store, and have used this to make my cover. You just need to find a knit with some ribbing around the hem or neck for this particular design.

Are you ready to get making? You'll need:

– one (or more) knit garments to be recycled. Look for something with a ribbed edge. Natural materials are nicest but it doesn't matter too much.

– scissors, pins, paper, pen, sewing machine, hot water bottle to trace around.

1. Make a paper pattern by tracing around your hot water bottle. You want the cover to fit fairly snugly, so don't worry about leaving too much of a seam allowance.

2. Cut out your pattern and then you need to draw 2 horizontal lines on it. One can be about a third of the way down, the other a third of the way up from the bottom (see picture.)

3. Cut out the pieces from your garment. Cut one full piece for the front of the cover, then cut two pieces for the back. To do this, fold the top of the pattern down at the first line and place it on your knit fabric so that the ribbed hem is matched up to the folded line. Pin and cut. Open out the pattern again and fold the bottom part up. Line it up with the ribbed hem again, pin and cut. You should have three cut pieces, two with ribbed edges (see picture below.)

4. Now it's time to decorate the front piece if you'd like to- I embroidered a simple red cross on mine, but you could sew a patch, embroidery, trim, anything you can think of.

5. Pin the pieces together. To do this, place the cover front on a flat surface, right side up. Then place the top (back) piece on top, right side down. Lastly add the bottom (back) piece on top, right side down. Pin all around the edge, and pull out the ribbed edges slightly (see picture below).

6. Using your machine (or by hand if you're a whizz with a needle and thread) sew all around the edge, making sure you catch all the layers. Re-stitch the cover sides, where the pieces overlap. You can then finish the seam with a zigzag stitch or overlocker.

7. Turn the cover inside out and slip your hot water bottle inside. It's easy to fill and empty the bottle through the opening at the back. Time to snuggle up in bed with your book and hot water bottle, you've earned it.

East West Organics, Auckland

blog

FB page

Anissa 🙂

A bunch of bright flowers from my sister inspired a stitching session last week. I love the look of bright coloured threads on grey linen and I found both dark and light grey in my linen basket, so I got to work. The result was these little botanical portraits- each one different and fastened to their own hand-painted card. I made a few to give to friends and family this Mother's Day (quite fun to match the designs with personalities), which is next weekend, I believe. And the others are in the etsy shop. I reckon they'd look quite sweet pinned to a winter coat or cardy. 

And speaking of bright and cheerful colours, you've probably seen this amazing pompom rug already, but if you haven't, you can take a look here, at Pip's. I'd love to make one.

This pattern is a day late- yesterday got busy- and was actually inspired by a video game Arlo and I played at this brilliant exhibition last week – (it was our third time there- it's finished now sadly). I simply can't remember the name of the game- but it featured a desolate landscape and flurries of petals (pink, magnolia-style) sweeping along mountains and sand- maybe you know of it? Arlo was into playing all the games of course, and it was a fun thing for us to do together.

I found this photography project moving and beautiful. Four sisters, photographed in black and white by Nicholas Nixon every year for 36 years. I think my sisters and I should start a project like this too.

Second week of the school holidays here, and so far we've been drawing and eating. For the past year or so, I've not spent the school holidays at home with the kids, so I'm treasuring this mooching-around time. Arlo is always drawing these days. Mainly medieval scenes complete with castles and knights, but I liked these portraits he did of Tom and I too. Not a sword or shield in sight, either.

And to fuel all this drawing, I've been doing a bit of baking. Above is a plate of apricot buns, a new favourite. I made them using this recipe, except I replaced the peel and currants for a handful of dried apricots, chopped then soaked for a while in boiling water to soften. The finished buns, cut in half with butter and apricot jam is a pretty nice morning tea, I think.

I knitted this hat recently- it is a more successful version of this attempt (my knitting skill/patience is limited these days!) It was useful on the ferry trip we took last week and will no doubt be well worn this winter. The pattern is one I'd meaning to try for ages- Beatrice Hat by Hadley (scroll down a bit and the free pattern link is in the right sidebar.) Hadley's hat has knitted leaves to decorate it, and while I love that idea, I ran out of time before going away so I finished the hat without them.

The yarn is Jo Sharp Alpaca Kid Lustre (thanks Mum) in 'Cork' colourway and some grey handspun for the stripe and pompom.

Now I've finished this little knit I feel like doing much more! Watching TV/films is much better with needles in hand, at this time of the year, anyway. I have my eye on these, these and this sea-blue blanket.

Brenzen Fuerst & Lize Immelman of Lelu Boutique, Kilbirnie, Wellington

: : : : : : : : : : 

Welcome to My Wellington, a special blog post I'll write every now and then. I want to explore this beautiful colourful city of mine, beginning with my favourite places in Newtown/Kilbirnie (where I live) then stretching out to other parts of the city. I'm often asked by visitors to NZ about where to shop and what to see. So eventually I hope to have a collection of these posts to gather together. It's also a good way to celebrate our first 18 months-ish in this bustling community. Please note: the places I write about are 100% of my choosing. I'm not sponsored in any way, I just genuinely like them. 

: : : : : : : : : : : 

Our first stop on the tour is Lelu, a sunny little shop in Kilbirnie village. Lelu belongs to Brenzen and Lize, who first met at antenatal group and decided to go into business together. The name of the shop combines Leonie and Luca, their two year old daughters, and the store is very much a tribute to the joy and love of small people. There's a wide selection of beautiful shoes and slippers, toys, books and clothing. Some of the pieces are handmade by NZ designers. Many others are sourced from Europe. Brenzen and Lize say they choose everything carefully: things they love, things their children love and things they'd love to give as gifts. It's a real 'aunty's store': I found many things I wanted to buy for my neices and friends' babies. I think my favourites were the woven doll-houses imported from France (you can see these below.)

Also at Lelu, Brenzen's partner Daniel (an animator and artist at Weta Digital, working on The Hobbit) is exhibiting a collection of joyful artworks inspired by toddlers and fatherhood:

Below are some photos I snapped on a sunny Friday afternoon at Lelu, but you can also visit them online.

Lelu: The Baby Boutique, 70 Rongotai Road, Kilbirnie Wellington 6022, New Zealand.

Pattern Friday for today was inspired by the bare trees and leaves all around us this April. We've just returned from a trip to the South Island, and the forests down there were particularly beautiful: swirling leaves and reaching branches, everything golden and in transition.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you are in Wellington, you might want to check out Fabricabrac which will be held at Massey University Great Hall tomorrow, 9am-12.30. My fabric shelves are looking pretty healthy, but I do love to go along and look at all the gems.

Wishing you a very happy weekend ahead.