Latest Crafty Happenings

Hello friends, how quickly the days seem to be going at the moment. It almost feels like spring is in the air, but late August/September can get very chilly and cold. I have noticed that the mornings are getting lighter now too, when Glenn leaves for work around 7am it was pitch dark a week or so ago but this week it's now light. 

So what's been on the go here over the past few weeks?

I finished the red work embroidery ornaments that my friend stitched - these are to be donated to a craft sales event later in the year. 

I also pulled out  my "Merry Christmas" banner red work project to work on over a couple of evenings, I hadn't stitched on this for absolutely ages.

Some lovely new fabrics arrived from Stitchbird in Wellington.  I purchased some of the new French General Sacre Bleu fabric range, and also some wool felt, for when I'm ready to make up Stacy Nash's Gingerbread House needlebook, which I've been stitching on recently. 

I added a new goodie to my sewing toolkit—a By Annie Stiletto & Pressing Tool from my local sewing shop. I can already tell this is going to be incredibly useful!

A lovely parcel also arrived from Rainbow Stash, I finally ordered some fabrics so I can made up the Lori Holt bags panel that I bought a few months ago, as well as some new charms and a vinyl bag - so cute!

I pulled out my knitting bag for the first time this year, as a friend has asked me to do some knitting for a grandchild coming in the new year.  This is the Bappity Jacket by Mariana Lazy Daisy, pattern can be found here. 

Stitching lately has included finishing some Stitching with the Housewives ornaments leftover from Jolly July, and also working on some older sampler projects, including Humming of the Bees by Blackbird Designs. I'll be back soon with some stitching pics but I'll finish here for today with a photo of these two cuties.

See you soon x

Latest Crafty Happenings

Hello dear friends, welcome to August. I'm so happy as we're having some perfect winter days right now, a bit frosty to start - it was 0 c when I left for work this morning, and then a day of sunshine follows. It almost feels like spring is in the air, but August can get very chilly and cold. I have noticed that the mornings are getting lighter now too, when Glenn leaves for work around 7am it was pitch dark last week but this week it's noticeably lighter.

So what's on the go here over the past few weeks? My friend is due to have her baby later this month and just loved the knitting I gave her at the baby shower so I've got a couple of other little baby projects to make for her. I started this simple little blanket last week. The wool looks a bit pink in this photo but the colour is more like the second photo. 

I also started some more socks for my sister in law. This ball of Opal sock yarn was some of the first sock yarn I bought, can you see the sparkly thread running through the colours? I'm knitting Christine from Winwick Mum's basic sock pattern. 

I pulled out this stocking project on the weekend to stitch on, so enjoyable. 

Next up are three ornaments I stitched earlier in the year but only recently completely finished. All finished as flat ornaments with DMC thread handmade cording for the trims.

Mistletoe Kisses by Erica Michaels, this is Hannah's 2024 ornament.

The Prairie Schooler's 2024 Santa, I loved stitching the green stitching in this design.

From the 2023 Just Cross Stitch Ornaments magazine, a design by Karen Kirk from Fox & Rabbit.

What else do I have for today? My current reading pile, including some new books I purchased last week.  Looking forward to getting into all of these. 

See you soon xx

Stitching in July and more

Hello friends, 

this month I've been Jolly July stitching, a Christmas design stitch along that has been running each July for a few years now.  

My first choice is Claus Christmas by Stitching with the Housewives, this design has been in my stitching basket since it first came out. I'm using the recommended DMC threads on 32 count black linen.

 

The second design I chose to start is the Green Coat Santa by Teresa Kogut, a Patreon chart released back in July 2022. My fabric is 32 count natural linen and I'm using the recommended threads.

Priscilla and Chelsea's latest little series is so cute - I had to add these to my July stitching bag. 

We are very excited as a family friend and her husband are expecting their first baby, a daughter, in a few weeks time.  I started knitting a few little hats a few months ago and also two little cardigans.  If you ever need a baby knitting pattern, do check out Mariana Lazy Daisy's blog. I have knit so many of her lovely patterns over the years. 

We recently travelled to Wellington for the weekend to catch up with our friends and to go along to their baby shower. It was a lovely afternoon, lots of delicious snacks and drinks, and fun baby shower games.  Hannah and Glenn did very well at one of the games and won me a bottle of wine ha ha.

The rest of the weekend was spent mostly at the mall shopping, and we enjoyed a lovely meal out with our friends.  A trip to Wellington is so much quicker now you drive through Transmission Gully, it was just under three hours from home to our motel.

It's school holidays right now here in NZ so Diesel has been enjoying hanging out with Hannah, lots of snuggles together as its been quite cold some days.  Here he is, waiting patiently and watching out for either Glenn or I to get home from work, so cute.

Diesel will be two years old this coming Friday, he's just such a joy, he brings us so much fun and laughter.

Have a fun week, see you soon xx

World Knit in Public Day and more

Last Saturday morning I went to our local library for Worldwide Knit in Public day.

My friends Clare and Sonia came along too and we had a lovely morning chatting and knitting away, and meeting some new friends.

Our library is a wonderful space, it's way more than a library with lots of other services operating from there and activities happening. The staff that work there are amazing, always so chatty and friendly and they go out of their way to be helpful.  We do have two libraries in our small district, the other one ten minutes away is just as amazing, I love going there too.  

And the great thing about Saturday? I've joined a new knitting group, how fun! We're going to meet up monthly on a Saturday morning.

Now for some recent finishing and stitching.

Cup of Cheer by Brenda Gervais was stitched earlier in the year, it was started during my summer holidays. 

I used the recommended threads and 32 count Flax linen, natural ric rac for the trim.

Next up are some recent ornament finishes.

Mistletoe Kisses by Erica Michaels, this design has been kitted and in my stitching bag for quite some time. Stitched on 32 count vintage mocha linen with the recommended threads.

From Country Cottage Needleworks Pastel Ornaments Collection, Christmas Bird. I used the recommended threads and 32 count cream linen.

This year's Prairie Schooler Santa  - I loved stitching this, recommended threads and 36 count vintage mocha linen.

Have a happy week, see you soon x

Bits and Bobs

 Almost the end of another month and that means spring is almost here. We even had a spring like day on Saturday, the weather was lovely, which meant after the usual housework, catching up with washing and taking Hannah out for lunch and then to dancing, I spent a few happy hours outside. What a good feeling to be out in the sunshine, the lawns were mowed, our greenhouse was swept out and tidied up, and two vegetable gardens weeded.  I can't wait to get some vegetable seeds going in the greenhouse - lettuce, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, beans, etc hopefully ready to be planted out in late October.  The good weather continued yesterday morning meaning more gardening achieved and I was even able to get some house windows washed before the rain came again.  A very productive weekend.

Last night I finished stitching this cutie - I've had this design kitted since I first got the chart back in 2020 so not sure why I hadn't stitched it yet.

I've been using this Elizabeth Arden hand cream since my trip to Christchurch, one of my dancing mum friends recommended it. It's been fabulous over the winter months for my hands and I'll soon need to purchase some more.

A couple of knitting finishes last week - this hat knitted up quickly. I'll be trying it out tonight when we go out walking with Diesel.

Another pair of handwarmers for a gift. This yarn is so lovely and soft.

Our good boy, he looks gigantic in this photo with Hannah!

A new cook book arrived last week - Vanya Insull, VJ Cooks is a NZ food blogger and this is her second book. I just love her recipes, so easy and most ingredients are pantry staples.

Have a happy week!

See you soon xx

New Stash, Knitting and more

Hello again, well, it's been a few weeks since my last post and what a time it's been. After two and a half years, covid finally got me and wow, it was terrible. Two weeks later and I'm almost feeling back to my normal self. Fortunately, Glenn and Hannah remain well, for now anyway.

I had a little parcel arrive from 123 Stitch in the US recently, this was my first order from there in quite awhile due to the mailing restrictions we had here in New Zealand for several months.

A few charts from my wish list, thread drops and a bundle of threads needed to kit up some new projects.

Our bathroom is coming along and most of the walls that have been lined are now painted, and Glenn has made a start on the floor tiling.  The next part is to replace the toilet, which is now going to happen when Hannah and I are away in Christchurch next month.  Fingers crossed, the new bathroom sink and drawers will go in then too.  

Winter is well and truly here in New Zealand, and we've some miserable bleak weather lately. My knitting needles are back out and I've been making hand warmers and cotton dish cloths for gifts.

I bought some of this lovely and soft merino from my local craft shop so I could cast on this new hat pattern.

This will be a gift for my sister in law's birthday early next month.  This yarn is lovely to knit and I'm enjoying the pattern - Silverwood Hat by Rachy Knits, can be purchased on Ravelry. 

See you soon x