What I'm Working On

As always, I have several projects on the go and most days I stitch or knit on something different.  I don't have any set plans or goals for my crafting during 2019, just to enjoy whatever I'm stitching and knitting and maybe get back to doing a bit more embroidery and sewing. 

I would like to stitch some of the Prairie Schooler Santas, this one is now finished since I took this photo.

This is the Washed Out shawl by Joji Locatelli, and I'm using three gorgeous yarn colours by Bleating Art yarn, which is hand dyed locally here in Hawkes Bay.  I started this way back in September and I'm now 2/3 of the way through.

Next up is my sock knitting, I'm about to finish the first sock of the Cha Cha Chevron socks, a pattern by Sandra of Cherry Heart. This gorgeous yarn, Fig Bird, is by Circus Tonic Handmade from Australia.

During my holidays I did make a teeny start on this gorgeous sampler by Blackbird Designs :

I'll share a progress pic next week some time.

See you soon xx

Knit August Nights 2018

One of my favourite things to do now every August is take a trip up to Napier to the Knit August Nights (KAN) event. This is a whole weekend of classes, yarn shopping, mill tours and lots more but my friends and I just go along to check out the market which is open to the public on Sunday morning. 

For the third year in a row, Napier turned on the sunshine and it was a beautiful day. The venue for KAN couldn't be in a more perfect spot, right beside the sea at Ahuriri. 

Look who I found - Kath! We arranged to meet up for the morning and had a fab time checking out all the gorgeous yarn, accessories, patterns and chatting with several NZ designers and hand dyers.

If you are a NZ knitter you probably would have heard of Libby from Truly Myrtle Designs.
Kath and I had a great chat with Libby and checked out her wonderful designs.

Here are the samples for the Floozy cardigan, which Libby has released recently.  Using Catrien from Yarnfloozy lovely colourways, the pattern and kits have been a huge hit here in NZ and around the world.

I had so much fun spending my yarn money, photos of my purchases at the end of this post.

Once we'd finished at KAN, we decided to head into town for lunch and a browse of the shops, it was such a warm sunny afternoon.

And my goodies - some new pins for my knitting bag

This yarn by Revive Designs is so lovely to squish, so soft, its a silk and merino mix.

One of my favourite hand dyers to visit is Alice from Bleating Art yarn and I've purchased from Alice several times before. Alice and her Mum dye the most fantastic colours.  These three skeins are intended for a shawl, which is going to be an ambitious project for me considering I've only ever knit one small shawl before.

My first ever skein of Hedgehog Fibres, in the Cheeky colour way. Hedgehog Fibres is from Ireland.

It wasn't intentional but I must have a thing for pinks and greys at the moment, lol.

If you get the chance to visit KAN one year, please do so as its well worth it. Maybe next year I'll get along to some classes.

See you soon xx

Knit August Nights

On Sunday morning, with my friends Janet and Elsie, we headed up to Napier for the annual Knit August Nights, a retreat weekend for knitters. We didn't register for any classes but instead checked out the market, which is open to the public.

I've been so looking forward to going along to this market, and once again, I was in absolute knitters heaven I can tell you! It was actually quite overwhelming, people everywhere and so much gorgeous, gorgeous yarn and other accessories.

The weekend was held at East Pier, at Ahuriri, one of my favourite spots in Napier.

And my acquisitions? Well, I was quite restrained this time ha ha.  I was really excited to get a ball of Straycat sock yarn and one of the little bags, as apparently the stock had sold like hotcakes and there wasn't much left on the table.

I also picked up a gorgeous skein from Bleating Art Yarns. Based in Napier, Alice and her Mum's yarns are just divine. I'd remembered to take along the socks I'd knitted from the limited colour way available at last year's market, Inky's Empty Tank, to show Alice and she was so pleased to see how they had turned out.

                  

I couldn't resist the set of cool knitting markers. They will come in very handy when I attempt my first shawl! I just loved this New Jeans colour way from Catrien at Yarn Floozy from Auckland, and then I had a lovely chat with Libby from Truly Myrtle. She recommended her Settler pattern so I can't wait to get this underway sometime soon.

We could have spent hours browsing, and spending more of course, so it will be a definite visit there again next year. I'd better start a Knit August Nights fund!!

After picking up a coffee from Starbucks, we had a quick look at some of shops in the Napier CBD before heading to our next destination, the Silky Oak Chocolate Company, which is just on the outskirts of Taradale.

Lots of delicious looking food to be tempted by, in the end I went with a hash brown, kumara mash and bacon stack, yummo!

After lunch we had a lookie in the gift shop and the chocolate shop, and as I had a voucher to spend, I couldn't leave without picking up a few treats to take home.

The passion fruit vinaigrette is so tasty, it will become a favourite for our salads over the summer I think.

See you soon x

Swirl E Socks

I'm so happy, I have finished my second pair of socks!

These ones seemed to have been on my needles for ages, but only because I've been putting them aside for some secret Christmas stitching!

Pattern: Swirl E Socks by Prairie Girl Designs (free Pattern)
Yarn: Inky's Empy Tank by Bleating Art Yarn
Needles: 2.5mm

I really enjoyed this pattern so I'll definitely be make more of these!

From the Weekend

Last weekend we got to enjoy an extra long weekend with public holidays here last Friday and on Monday. Glenn and I had lots of around the house jobs planned but with the weather more like winter again, much of our to do list will have to wait for a fine weekend. We still managed to get the barbeque cleaned, the outside deck and all the patio furniture washed down and the vegetable garden planted with some more seedlings potted up.  There was also a catch up with friends and a few glasses of bubbles consumed to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary.

I didn't much crafting done either but I was able to finish off one or two things. I had stitched this Country Cottage Needleworks ornament ages ago, and after being inspired by a similar finish on Pinterest, I decided to have a go at crocheting a trim around the outside. 

Angels by Country Cottage Needleworks

stitched on 32ct cream belfast linen using the recommended threads

I also finished several of these little Angels, ready now for the pressie box. This is a little pattern by Rosalie Dekker.

Other projects on the go include more sock knitting, I've started the second sock using the gorgeous Bleating Art Yarn I bought back in August.

I also started a simple granny square blanket using the left over yarn from Hannah's cupcake blanket.

This will be a dolly/teddy sized blanket for a friend's daughter.

See you soon x