Winter Days and Stitching update

It's been a busy few weeks lately - with lots of winter sickness doing the rounds at my work, we've been very short staffed, meaning extra hours and jobs to fit into the day. Here in Hawkes Bay, we've had some very wintery weather, even a day where snow fell on parts of the region that it never does!

So there's been lots of stitching, knitting, and finally getting some pieces fully finished, very satisfying. 

Stitched earlier in the year, Peace by Teresa Kogut, a Patreon ornament, stitched on 32 count Charcoal Belfast linen.

Also, stitched earlier in the year,  Mill Hill Santa Holding Heart and Candy Cane Santa

From the Hands on Design's Patreon Club Merry Moments series, Sweets for Santa, stitched on 32 count Raw Belfast linen 

A Vintage Rocker also by Hands on Design

 

I used some Lynette Anderson fabric for the backings 

A favourite hat pattern to knit, made for a friend, with NZ Merino yarn 

I also managed to finish the knitted socks, made for my sister in law. 

Some gorgeous new patterns arrived in the mail, from All Threads in Australia, and Kitten Stitcher in the US - very excited to get these newer Brenda Gervais patterns, which we are unable to buy here in New Zealand.

Home on Quaker Lane is going to be my start for Sampler September, the Cedar River linen is a stunning colour. 

During July, I stitched on a few ornaments and these will be made up soon,

From the Quilted Gingers Collection, Hands on Designs Patreon club, the Single Family Sawtooth chart was stitched on 32 count Up in the Attic linen by Fox and Rabbit.

Jingle all the Way by Stitching with the Housewives

Mrs Claus Stockings - Stitching with the Housewives 

Mr Claus Gingerbread - Stitching with the Housewives

Now for some new starts - a friend is expecting a new baby at the start of 2027 so I started this sweet baby blanket pattern from Lisa F Designs last weekend. 

Also started recently, Stitching Rules from Primrose Cottage Stitches, and for the fabric I'm using vintage grey Belfast linen. 

I really like the new House Rules chart and other patterns in the series so look forward to these being released as pdf charts soon.

Lastly for today, I popped in to see my friend Andrea, who owns our local sewing shop, Curtis Fabrics, and she was absolutely thrilled to show me her newest treasure — a beautiful Singer Featherweight sewing machine.

Isn't it gorgeous?

Andrea is also a By Annie pattern and supplies stockist so she was showing me the latest patterns, very cool.  

Thanks so much for stopping by, see you soon x

Latest Happenings

Hello friends, I'm so happy as we're having some perfect winter days right now, very frosty in the mornings to start the day. It was - 1 c when I left for work this morning, and then a day of sunshine follows.  Soon we will notice the turn towards spring, as we are now over half way through our winter months.

I have all the things on the go right now, and some days wish there were more hours in the day for all the crafty happenings!   My lunch break knitting project, socks for my sister in law, are progressing well, one sock down, and half of one to go. I've hopefully managed to match up the stripes up on both too.

The Summer Vintage blanket is finished now - I loved making this, my first crochet blanket in quite a few years.  I purchased the yarn from the Wool Warehouse in the UK and the pattern by Amanda Hurrell, Eight by Six on Instagram, can be found as a free download on the website. I missed one colours, Buttercup, when I placed my order, so adjusted some of the rows, and I completed the border as suggested, using the different colours in the rounds.  

This going to be perfect to have in our campervan, as its very light weight and not too big in size.

As I mentioned last time, we recently had a long weekend to enjoy, with the Friday being a public holiday for Matariki here in New Zealand.  Glenn and I spent the Saturday in Hastings doing some shopping, and then to Havelock North, where we visited our friends.  They are having some new laundry cabinets made by Glenn so he needed to check out the space and get measurements. We then enjoyed lunch out at a very popular restaurant, Off the Track, which was delicious, and so busy that particular day, over 240 people were there! 

I snapped this photo on the way home, after the horrendous weather earlier in the week, it turned out to be a lovely day.

Our friends cutie pie wee dog, Bee, she is so sweet. 

No wonder it was cold last week, fresh snow on the Ruahine Ranges, this photo taken at the end of our drive way. 

This week, Whittakers, released a new novelty chocolate, Gumdrop.  It's pretty good, and reminds me of a childhood favourite ice cream, Tip Top Goody Goody Gumdrops, and yes, it's actually green :)

The school holiday break has finished so Hannah is back to high school for her very last full term of school, Term 3.  Diesel enjoyed hanging out with Hannah over the past two weeks, lots of snuggles together.

We try and get out walking with Diesel as often as we can, and this past Sunday was fairly warm while I walked him by the river. We are fortunate to have several good limestone tracks to pick from, only a few minutes drive from home, and they are very popular with other walkers and cyclists.

Diesel turned four on Sunday, can you believe it - he's the best good boy, he brings us so much fun and laughter.

Have a fun week, see you soon xx

Current projects

Hi friends, well you could say my yarn mojo has returned - it's been several years since I had both a crochet project and knitted socks on the go at the same time, and I am thoroughly enjoying working on each.  My reading lunchtime break has been replaced by one or another, even if it's only twenty minutes or so, I can get a row of crochet done or a few rows on the sock. 

My new crochet project is the Summer Vintage blanket by Amanda Hurrell, Eight by Six on Instagram and Facebook.  I purchased the Yarnsmiths cotton/linen yarn from the Wool Warehouse in the UK, and it arrived here to New Zealand in just a week's time.  Took me a minute or two to try to remember how to do a treble stitch, ha ha.  

Gorgeous colours. I did forget to add the lighter yellow, Buttercup, to my order, but never mind.

Over the past week I've knitted the heel and now onto the foot part of these socks 

For many years, during May, I'd participate in Stitchmaynia, starting several new projects throughout the month of May. This was so much fun, deciding what to stitch, kitting up each project.  This year I decided to do a "WIP" May, and hunted out one of my oldest wips, Lizzie Kate's Christmas ABCs.  I couldn't even say when I started this design.  It's actually my second time stitching as the first time I stitched it and gifted it to my Mum.  

The fabric is 32 count Mint belfast linen and most of the recommended threads.  

The other WIP project that I'm currently focusing on is Martha's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush, another project I've not stitched on in ages. 

Last week I ordered some ultra firm stabliser from Rainbow Stash for some new project folders and added these cute fat quarters and a thread holder to my order. 

Last weekend I spent Saturday with some friends - I couldn't decide what to work on so took everything ha ha.

Two little projects finished completely: a freebie from Primrose Cottage Stitches

Hope anchors the Soul, also by Primrose Cottage Stitches, made into a scissor fob.

Many thanks for stopping by, see you soon x

New Starts, Knitting, 18 Birthday Candles and more

 Hello friends,

well, I can't get this photo the right way up but this is a recent start on Mother's Day last Sunday. Birds and Bees Sewing Roll by Stacy Nash. I actually had another piece of linen chosen for this project but when the Fox & Rabbit linens I'd bought for my May Fabric club arrived, I thought this would be perfect. 36 count Prehistoric linen with the recommended Weeks Dye Works threads.

The other linen fat quarter I'd bought is a newly released colour by Fox & Rabbit, Tuscan Path.

Recently I went into a shop in town that has a small selection of yarns and knitting accessories and found this pretty sock yarn.  My other rainbow socks have been relegated to "file 13" for now, ha ha. 

These have been my lunch break project lately.

Another new project underway has been one of Teresa Kogut's Santas, lots of stitches in this design. I love the DMC red colour, DMC 22.

Our darling Hannah May is now 18, wow, where have the years gone?  

We celebrated with takeaways, an ice cream cake and treats as Hannah had been late at school, involved in the dress rehearsals for their latest production, in the hair and make up team. 

It was Mother's day here last Sunday and for a treat on Saturday night, we went out with friends to a restaurant we'd not been to before. It was delicious and I enjoyed a crispy salmon and pork belly salad for my main followed by sticky date pudding for dessert, so divine!

On Sunday afternoon Hannah and I watched the school production, Alice in Wonderland.  Wow, there are some incredibly talented young adults at our local high school and I really enjoyed watching several of Hannah's good friends taking to the stage.  

I'll finish today with some recent photos of the goodest boy ever, Mr Diesel.  We've had to put our river walks on hold for a week or so as he's had a sore paw but we'll be back walking our limestone tracks hopefully this coming weekend. 

See you soon x