Things that keep me busy

I thought I should post about the knitting that I currently have on the go. Too much. I said to Martin last night that I wouldn't start anything new 'cos I had so many big projects that I had to finish. When I finished listing them I thought, hmmmm! that's a year full of knitting; but of course there are other things that I need to complete by mid July for birthdays and which I hadn't thought of.

I wonder how other people manage. I also drew up a list of things that I need to knit for next year, 2 jumper, 2 cardigan, 4 pair of mittens, two hats and 3 pairs of leg warmers, singlets if I have time. Of course I say need but in reality it would be cheaper and easier to buy these things. But the quality wouldn't be the same and that it not where the love is for me. This all makes me happy though. To see my girls' faces when I present them with a new item is great.

Blue House Yarns

I am so excited, after much waiting, my yarn shop officially can accept online ordering and payments. I am so happy. It was so troublesome before with e-mails going back and forth. I was getting a bit despondent but I feel excited again so I think I will have a look at my indigo vat to see if it's up to some dyeing.
You can visit it at http://www.bluehouseyarns.co.nz Any comments are appreciated.

What we are reading

Well it's not so common that you read something and you feel that you have to let the world know bout it. But it has happened to me and here goes: Mona Minim and the smell of the sun by Janet Frame. I'm reading a library copy but I have put it on my list of books to buy as soon as I have some spare cash!

The one I'm going to get is with the illustrations by David Elliot.

So the language is just beautiful, the pace delightful and it's full of detail. The best bit is that Martin is reading one chapter per night to the girls and I and at the end of each chapter there is a child-mind cliff hanger. I love it. I want the world to read it and know about it. I think I'll have to give it as gifts at Christmas time to some special little people.

BTW I appreciate that not being a born kiwi it's taken me until I'm 37 to find out about it. So apologies if this is a very well known fact and I'm preaching to the converted.

A word about the illustrations. They are just beautiful. A non reading child would be just as enchanted looking at the pictures. I'm becoming a bit of a David Elliot fan. His range is quite varied and the detail exquisite. If you read my blog and you have recommendations please let me know; especially if they are for books that would suit a very book wormy family that doesn't watch TV.

Take care

Dunedin weather

So today we were all stuck at home. Not only were we snowed in but also our road was closed by the council on account of the snow. Martin couldn't get to work and it snowed all day, easing at times but never really stopping. All schools in Dunedin were also shut. Now it's freezing. I hope it will be safe to get out tomorrow.

We did a lot of knitting, listening to stories and eating good hearty food.

Happiness

Today I was really clever and made tea before I picked the girls up from school. Mondays is a hectic day, we go from school to piano so that the girls can have their lessons; when one is at piano I'm with the other at Port Chalmers library and then we swap. Then home and I start to cook, but not today. Tea was ready, so we sat down in the sitting room to listen to stories, (first in Spanish, then in English) and knit. I worked on Tim's (son in law) hat, Sofia on her dolly that she's knitting and Cristina cast on 5 stitches and was going to do something very long.
Then Daddy arrived early (yay, yay!) and there was a bit of time for all of us to continue knitting. Yes even Martin, he's knitting an 8 ply blanket for the girls' dollies. My happiness is complete. I hope to be able to post a picture of the completed blanket before the end of the year.

Lacy socks

Well, I did say to myself that this would be the year of lace! And it is.
I've just finished my first pair of lacy socks. I have made a fair few pairs of socks since I learned how to four years ago; but of course this is my first lacy pair.
I'm so pleased with them. The pattern is from Barbara Walker's treasury of stitches. I chose the horse shoe pattern. Its quite simple as it's only an 8 pattern repeat. I designed the sock and the only scary bit was once I had turned the heel and I had to rearrange the lace pattern on the instep only. After a couple of attempts, it worked.
I'm so glad that I started with socks. It has really been worthwhile. I feel very confident and I'm going full speed with my pi shawl now. The cuff is 2x2 rib and the toe is a wedge toe with a beautifully grafted end. Yay! So if you have been wanting to try lace for a while but haven't dared...just give it a try. As my friends had said to me, all you need is a quiet place, a good way to mark where you on your pattern are and a pattern that's not too difficult to start with.

Dolly pyjamas

So this is what has kept me busy for the last fortnight. I have been making a pair of pyjamas for my daughter's dollies.

I used a lovely vintage fabric I picked up at one of my local op shops. I'm really pleased with how they turned out. They are nice and loose as pyjamas should be and I also used really nice shell buttons. Sofia and Cristina are really pleased and so now their dollies, Cristina and Clementine don't have to go to sleep in a dress. I really feel that I want top make the bathrobes but I'm aware that I could spend all my free time making dolls clothes instead of clothes that we can all wear.

I do like the fact that it makes me do a lots of hand sewing. I couldn't make a grown up dress by hand, but this is fun.