New design tuesday - working

I like it when a detour suddenly becomes the right road, when meandering (and let's face it...avoidance) leads us back to the path.

I took an idea that I liked with that Grellow, and turned it into something that I am only just starting to like again, it's a fair few weeks away from being finished at this rate, so I decided to turn my energy into improving something I like very much, the Nikau sweater...the pattern needed updating (I am so much better at writing patterns now) the yarn didn't work for most people and the motif wasn't doing it for me.

Here is a photo of the old Nikau and the New Nikau (top)

Not too much difference overall...everything has changed, but everything has remained the same.

the yarn is thicker (took me 2 days to knit...with plenty of breaks, and work) but still organic, the motif much more clearly defined, and the hood....SO much easier, so much easier.

and a few options for those who aren't so much into Nikau palms...this will look lovely when blocked, there is a polar bear motif to come and there will be a funnel neck option as well...for those who like hats more than hoods.

The Plum blossom cardigan has been revised by the Tech editor, now I have to make my changes and send it back to her...not too much longer.

New design tuesday - old design tuesday!

Hopefully this incarnation will be the last for the Grellow (working title) I completely ripped the Koigu one!

This is how I work, I refine and change elements that aren't working, I get ideas along the way and suddenly the reason I came up with the pattern in the first place (3 colour slip st) has disappeared from the design altogether!

I'm knitting this version with Wollemeise, initially I thought the yarn maybe too firm for babywear, however it knits up beautifully and gives real bounce to the stitch patterns, and even though I have only been knitting Grellows for weeks, I have been frantically sketching whilst doing so, and now have an entire e-books worth of 4ply (fingering) weight designs ready to take their place in the line up...hopefully the process will not be as torturous as this has been.

Who knows what will be here next tuesday...maybe I will have finished...maybe I will decide to add a hood...c'est la vie!

New design Tuesday - the one where I distract you with a jellyfish

Here is the jellyfish of the title...it is really an adult sized Aviatrix ( I used the largest size worsted pattern instructions, but used a bulky weight yarn) with built in scarf, here it is blocking. The combo actually looks really good on, I should get a photo when Blaise comes to pick it up on Thursday. I started it on friday and finished it yesterday, it was good mindless knitting for the stolen moments I was able to grab.

I did not accomplish anything like the amount of knitting I had optimistically hoped this long weekend, in fact very little knitting was done at all, however there was lots of family time, and couple time which more than made up for it. Charlotte's birthday tea was combined with Easter sunday, so most of the family gathered around at our house for a big Indian feast, I love preparing, cooking and eating Indian food, so leap at any chance to go all out!

The Grellow (working title) cardigan has grown a little, I am onto the slip moss st bodice now (this is the newborn size) I love, love, love the i-cord cast on...it is neat, tidy, clever and strong enough to prevent rolling, did I tell you I loved it already? I have tweaked almost every aspect of this cardigan, but will wait until it is almost finished to decide if it needs ties or buttons, ties are nice, but buttons are convenient for parents...we will see.
I also love how this yarn works with the stitch patter, I have found these short colour change yarns ( I have used Koigu KPPM and Shibui sock in this one) respond very will to slip st patterning, it reduces the appearance of pooling, even if it is achieved by one  pooling colour being layered on top of another pooling colour!

More distractions... I have a couple of patterns in a soon to be released book "10 secrets of The Laidback Knitters" - you can read more about the book here, or on the Facebook page and even attend book signings if you are the United States - so exciting! I can't wait to see it.

finishing up

Like my friend Ailsa I decided to spend some time just knitting accessories, nothing too taxing on my poor sick brain (unlike Ailsa I chose particularly simple projects - that woman is a lace legend)

Blaise's hats:

 Ysolda Teague's "Verity"

homage to a hat seen online - couldn't get off the couch to buy new yarn, so used what I had - Lambs pride in Charcoal.

 Panda hat - made up on the needles, better with the brim tucked under (need to get a photo of that!)

Socks for Flash (Ravelry is keeping me honest, the last socks I knitted for him were finished more than 2 years ago)

he has huuuuuge feet,  so I always have to augment the 100g ball with contrast colours at heel and toe, this time I decided to make this the contrast the feature of the socks, so I have a lovely Koigu kpppm in a camo colourway and Patonyle in a dark donkey grey. I'm knitting the socks as 1 sock on 2 circs but knitting 2 at a time (my brain was too addled to work 2 socks on 2 circs) I knit the rib on one sock first, then on the other sock, and continue in this way alternating between them as each component is finished so that at the end I have 2 finished socks! I will immediately cast on another pair when these are finished, I have some lovely Subeam St Ives in a heathered cocoa colourway which will suit the remaining Koigu.

The sock pattern I use has evolved over the years, I worked a 4 x 2 rib pattern in this one, which extends down the top of the foot, this works best for a business sock as it stays up (and the contrast parts are hidden by his shoes!)

My infinity scarf from the previous post, you can't see the sparkles in the photos - but they are there!

The Mister Man pattern is not far away now, boy has that been a long time coming! and I'm still working away at the Plum blossom, I've had a change of heart about the child's size, have decided to work it in a DK weight yarn now...just waiting for the yummy yarn to arrive.

In family news: Holly and Nick (and a bunch of friends) have had to dig their driveway up in order to lay a new water main, as the old one kept bursting for earthquake related reasons. Nick has had to email EQNZ as their house was assessed as "no structural damage"  when it actually has demonstrable structural damage - the assessor wouldn't look at the photos they took after the September quake which show the difference between then and now, which is extremely distressing for them. I do worry about them - this was supposed to be the time of their lives - newlyweds with a lovely old house to renovate, Holly was about to retrain as a teacher as it is much more family friendly than winemaking, and they were planning to start a family. The retraining has been put off for a year due to intakes being cancelled and as for the baby - it's not a sensible option in light of the instability in the land and their lives. I know they will be fine, and there are many people much worse off, I just want them to have a nice life, they are good kids, they deserve it.

My island home

23 years ago when Holly was a toddler, I bought my first house.

I was very young, didn't have much money and didn't want to move out of Auckland, but buying a house meant security for the 2 of us and I was determined.

During the 1980s house prices boomed, I bought at the height of the market so the little money I did have would not stretch far. I had a choice between a brand new box in nappy(diaper) valley West Auckland or a cottage on Waiheke, believe me the choice was not a hard one and one I have never regretted!

Waiheke has a 35 minute ferry to Auckland, which meant a commute was possible, it was safe, child friendly community and we loved living there. Life progressed as it does, there were more of us, then less of us and the girls and I grew and changed. Eventually it became evident that Waiheke was not the place for us any longer - we needed a bigger house, and to live somewhere a little less laidback.

In an ideal world we would have bought a house on the mainland and kept the old house as a bach (holiday home) but since when has the world been ideal? I haven't returned often to Waiheke in the intervening years but it has always been a part of my heart.

Flash and I visited the island on Saturday, I was feeling nostalgic and recent events in our family had left me wanting to show him why I am the person I am and think the things I do.

We caught the ferry 35 minutes + waiting, then a bus to Rocky Bay 30 minutes + waiting and walked for 30 minutes uphill to the old house, now he understands how it must have been for me, getting 3 small children ready and walking to the bus down gravel roads at sun-up winter and summer, and even though when I had a car life was so much easier, I still never saw the house during the daylight during the week commuting to Auckland everyday, but we were protected from the weather!

 I think Flash now understands my frustration with and seeming harshness towards our 21 yr old (step)daughter who has recently moved back home with her baby while she saves to move into an apartment, we gave her a very good car 4 or 5 months ago and she had money from an inheritance, but still has not attempted to get her restricted licence. My decision not to chauffeur her and her baby to work or the train (she starts work at 7.30am) when he is away means that she has to leave home at 6am for a 30 minute walk to the train, my reasoning is that the inconvenience will be an incentive for her to get her licence and drive herself. My experience of living where I did taught me that hardship makes you a stronger, more resilient person, soon our daughter will move into a place of her own and will need to do her own housework, cook her own meals and pay her own bills - she will need to be resilient, and we are not doing our job if we do not encourage her independence.

Anyway, enough of that...life is not always sunshine and lollipops with such a large family!
The other reason for visiting the island was to walk the sculpture trail called Headland it is a stunning walk - through bush, across farmland around the clifftops above Matitia bay, the sculptures are often arresting, vibrant and exciting and the walk is pretty strenuous, we were glad we thought to pack lots of water and I was very grateful for the umbrella which shielded me from the worst of the late afternoon sun.

Flash found a friend

and I found one of my kids favourite haunts

we walked, talked and plotted firstly camping there and eventually buying a section or cottage (it's on the 5 year plan...well at least if it is on the plan it's more of a reality!), ate great food and  had a fantastic, adventure filled day, the kind of day we hope to have more of in the future.

Laundry tips

this is a page from my website, however I felt it may be useful to reproduce it here as the recipes and tips are useful to more than just people wanting to wash baby clothes, they don't stay babies for long and you can't keep having them!

Caring for woolens is not difficult, follow these steps to get a good result every time.

1: never ever rub at a stain, this may cause felting and pilling, instead spray the stain with white vinegar mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with warm water or mix a little wool wash with warm water and spread over the stain. and leave for an hour before washing.

2: to wash: fill a basin with handwarm water, add detergent as per directions, place your garment in the water, keep it submerged and gently press down repeatedly until it stays under the water by itself. Leave to soak for an hour or so, then press the water through the garment to get rid of any remaining grime, lift out of water squeeze well but don't wring,  let the water out of the basin and fill again with clear water to rinse., repeat the previous actions until the water runs clear.

Let the water out and  gently press the garment to remove excess water, place in a dry towel, roll it up and press hard to remove more water ( I stand on mine!) remove the garment and place on a dry towel or sweater dryer out of the sun to dry.

3: use lavender, peppermint, pennyroyal essential oil in your detergent,  alone or in combination with other oils to deter moths.

4: don't stress! there is nothing stressful about leaving something to soak for an hour or two - go off and play with baby, read a book, have a sleep!

Recipes:

Liquid Woolwash   

Ingredients:

4 cups soap flakes , 4 cups boiling water, 1/2 cup methylated spirits, 1.5 Tablespoons of lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil.

Method:

mix soap flakes and boiling water (you can use a food processor) then add the meths and oil. Pour into a large glass jar, this will set to a jellylike consistency. Use by adding 1 T to a basin of warm water, soak the garment and rinse in clean water.

Powder laundry detergent

Ingredients: 1/2 cup washing soda (crush before use) 1 cup grated soap, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup borax, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2T essential oil of your choice.

Method:

Mix all ingredients together, place in a large jar, dissolve 1T in warm water for small loads, 2T for larger loads, rinse in clean water.

Looking forward

 This New Year I made no resolutions, I drank champagne and watched the fireworks and just enjoyed the end of 2010.

The year did end well, Holly's wedding was everything I ever wished for her and more, Christmas was noisy, fun and festive and the sadness of Blaise leaving home for good was tempered with the work of making her bedroom into my new workroom.

I'm so excited to have this new space, the entire time we have lived in this house (4 yrs now) I have shared the upstairs lounge, firstly with Flash as an office space, then when Maria moved out and Flash turned her room into his office, as a den/ workroom so that Flash could watch TV while I worked, now that I have this decent sized space all to myself we finally get a nice clutter free upstairs lounge and a door can be closed on work at the end of the day (that's what I'm telling myself...)

I scrubbed and filled, sanded and undercoated and finally painted the room a lovely blue my furniture was already white, beech and cream - so I felt it was important for the room to have a colour, it is cool without being cold, an enveloping colour, a sanctuary. I finished it off with floor length charcoal slub satin drapes which add a touch of glamour to an otherwise useful space.

I haven't "worked" in this room yet, it was only finished yesterday, but today I sat on the couch looking out on the 9 frantically flowering gardenias who love the dappled sun outside the window in one direction, and the pool and crazy summer vegie garden on the other side, while I sat and watched and thought about what I want to say and do this year, while I sipped vanilla mint tea out of a pretty cup and breathed the scent of a green tea mint candle (you get the theme here?)  I tore fabric into strips, knotted them and then rolled them into balls, the first cushion I made using fabric strips knitted up on large needles turned out so good I've decided to make more, and I have this pink lining fabric from Trelise Cooper's workroom sale that I have wanted to use for ages, the print is so pretty, but quite frankly the fabric is rubbish, it crushes and snags on everything, so I bit the bullet and repurposed it. I'll run a strand of dk weight cotton with the fabric, cast on 60 sts and knit until the fabric runs out, then I'll add another end of the dk and knit the back. I love how the knots work themselves to the front of the fabric, it's rustic and tactile, the smoothness of the silk and the unfinished look of the fraying knots. The other ball is strips of blue tulle to be worked the same way.

As for the things I want to do and say...for a start lots more designs should be percolating through now that most of the crazy is over, this year needs to be one of consolidation, of settling in and nesting, enjoying friends and family, and home.

What are your dreams for this new year, this new decade? or are you carefree as Frasier, only dreaming of birds!

Chile redux

with the Presidential guard in Santiago - the sunglasses were necessary in this place of tears

making empanadas at Los Lingues

my vineyard? Vino Bello restaurant Santa Cruz

with Senora Maria-Georgina Canales the master hat maker in Lolol, my plaiting was so good she offered me a job!

Santa Cruz winery - scenery seems reminiscent of Otago

Vinovino Panpan restaurant - the pile of rubble was a bread oven prior to the earthquake

The cellar at Haras de Pirque - the final dinner

I do not know where to begin, we arrived home last week and I am just getting my head together.

Ok...25 years ago I saw a movie calling "Missing" starring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, it documented a father's journey to dicover the fate of his journalist son who has gone missing in the aftermath of a bloody coup in a Latin American country - Chile is not mentioned by name, but somehow everyone knew that the country in the movie was based on Pinochet's Chile. The movie affected me deeply, affecting my political beliefs and giving me a certain wariness of South America in general.

When Flash told me we were going to Chile I was initially incomfortable, however some quick research assured me that we would be safe on this adventure. I have told you before that these exotic and luxurious trips that I am lucky enough to take part in are arranged by Flash as a customer reward, so we travel with the same group of people each time, the company isn't about to put anyone in danger so I relaxed a little, and my investigations on the internet eased my mind further.

The flight direct from Auckland to Santiago was a painless 10.5 hours, followed by an hour by bus to Santa Cruz, a country town of 19,000 people surrounded by orchards and vineyards. Santa Cruz was a laidback intorduction to life Chilean style and a good place to practice our kindergarten Spanish, the people were quiet, polite and friendly, but being blonde blue eyed and tall, people stared wherever we went, which was disconcerting - I suppose it is good to placed in the position of a minority for a change.

As always on these trips we were submerged in amazing places, beautiful food, wonderful wine. Chile's topography is very similar to NZ, often I would look up and think I was in Central Otago.

6 teams competed in the blending and label design contest - we won!

We had a fantastic time, we relaxed, walked, talked and explored. I have lovely Aracaunia yarn to play with. I'll let the photos talk for me, my head is not just full of Chile, but also the upcoming wedding and getting my head around my transfer from PC to Mac - a good choice, but a seriously steep learning curve! the results will be worth it though as you will see.

A helping hand

those wonderful folks at Ravelry have been at it again - this time you can now search or browse pattens tagged with "help for Haiti" where the designers have pledged part or all of each sale to help the people of Haiti as they deal with the aftermath of the horrific earthquake in their little country.

now is a good time to have a look through your Ravelry queue, purchase a pattern that you would have bought eventually and help the people of Haiti at the same time.

I have pledged 20% of my gross sales (before any fees or charges) until further notice, which will be paid fortnightly to the emergency response fund of Doctors without Borders whom I support for their ability to just go in and get the job done without any religious, nationalistic or monocultural underpinning.

and on a totally personal note - I won't be here for a few days, I'm going to hospital to have my left ovary removed - it has gone feral and I know I will be a healthier, slimmer and much happier Justine without it, and to answer some of the questions I have been asked recently:

Q. what if you want to have more babies?

A. as the 41 year old Mother of 3+2 delightful adult children I do not see pregnancy in my future, however if I lose my mind completely and decide to give it one last go - I still have my nice, tidy hard working right ovary.

Q. so now you will get the menopause?

A. No - it's just one ovary - the other takes over the job of both ovaries and will no doubt make a much better job of regulating my womanly hormones.

Q. What knitting are you taking to hospital?

A. I'm so glad you asked! I'm taking worsted and DK to make a couple of Aviatrices - I'll be playing with the pattern at the same time so that I can write up more sizes. I may take the Moth wing hood with me...but I doubt it, I do not fancy my chances with even basic lace while recuperating - but you never know.

see you all in a few days!

Life keeps on slipping, slipping into the future

bad blogger!

I have had good reasons - spring has sprung in New Zealand - so full of renewed excitement for life, Flash and I sat down and did our 1yr/5 yr plan - this one is a lot tamer than the past couple - looks like we will be staying put for a while. We have chosen to be more grounded - to focus on family and home, we will still travel - but a overseas postings are way down on the list.

I sat in my studio and had a good think about who I am and where I am heading...and then sold 2 of the knitting machines and put the rest in storage, cleared out the yarn I will never use and the books I will never read and put them on Trademe too...from the proceeds I bought a very nice couch (on Trademe) for which the cat will be eternally grateful in that "thank you for buying me such a comfy bed" way, and cleared the clutter (and it isn't just hidden...it is gone!) my current wip (a cardiganised adult version of Kikkie) has been put aside while I whip up some cushions (more info soon) and I'm scouting for just the right rug.

Flash kindly moved the wine fridge and antique spirits collection into the dining room where they belong - giving me even more space, but we are still in negotiations about the tv and lazyboy... still it means we can be together in the evenings, while he watches and I potter, and pottering is how I came up with this cute pincushion...which could also be used as an oversize button (very now) if made smaller.

This started with me wondering how to make a flower pincushion in knitting, then realising that my Aviatrix hat provides the perfect leaping off point.

I am not writing a flash pattern for this - think EZ.

Kina Pincushion

Get some feltable wool, preferably 2 or 3ply and 3mm or 3.25mm needles (fabric needs to be reasonably loose)

(you can use any thickness yarn you like - the flower will be larger or smaller - you can also cast on less sts and work to less sts from the ends to make it smaller)

Cast on 34 sts using a provisonal cast on, then work as follows:

Row 1:(right side) slip the 1st st, knit to 5 sts from the end, wrap and turn

Row 2: purl to 5 sts from the end, wrap and turn

Row 3: knit to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 4: purl to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 5: knit to 15 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 6: purl to 15 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 7: knit to 10 sts from end, wrap and and turn

Row 8: purl to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 9: knit to 5 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 10: purl to 5 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 11: knit to end

Row 12: slip the first st, purl to end.

repeat 9 x

graft these sts to cast on sts, close up one end using a running stitch then pulling it tight. Using polyfill stuff the flower firmly, then close the other end. You now have a flattish ball shaped like a Kina (sea urchin)

Felt using your favourite method.

When dry, use embroidery thread to seperate the "petals" start in the centre, then take the thread over and through to the front centre, pull tightly, then take thread back to the back centre at a 180 degree angle to the first, divide the flower into 8 sections, ensuring the thread is pulled tightly each time, then secure firmly and sew a button into the centre to hide the knot.

Busy busy

WIP update:

Flash's vest is 20% finished - not certain if he will get it this winter, we'll see!

I started a Baktus this morning, using my hand dyed handspun superwash merino (above) in the "60 seconds" colourway (you know the ad - lichen, moss and mildew - just spray and walk away!) I blame Ailsa for this - her Baktus was so lovely and versatile, I just had to make one for myself. It is racing along, very addictive and great tv knitting.

and this is a version of the Ruffle lace scarf I cast on 200 sts and am working in garter st, increasing every 4th row, using 2 skeins of Madil Kid Seta in the the 681 colourway...love this yarn despite the imaginative colour description, it makes other Mohairs feel like a brillo pad.

I'm also working on a mitred square baby blanket - no photos yet.

I have finally finished most of my secret projects - phew! I can start sharing my work with you again soon.

wherever you go - there you are

so, I'm supposed to be writing up a new pattern, I'm sitting at my desk looking out of the window, the valley is cloaked in kauri trees - huge NZ native trees and underlying bush a deep verdant green except where the setting sun has burnished it with a golden light. The liquidamber immediately outside my window - has leaves the colours of rubies, toffee and dried blood and the palm beside it is striking green, orange and yellow.

I can open the door to the balcony on this side of my studio and listen to Tuis singing, children playing in the park, my cats chirruping to one another, watch hawks swoop on hidden prey and breathe the cleanest air you can imagine 20 minutes from the centre of town, I can stand here where there is no wind, sipping tea and enjoy the stillness.

but stillness is not what I crave - although it is what I need, what I crave is Newtown on a thursday morning, bustling and busy, loud and colourful. I feel very creative when life is busy, Flash mentions an upcoming position in Sydney, I can tell he is fishing we look at Inner West house prices, it is do-able, we could swap our 250 square metre home for a 3 bedroom rabbit hutch with a view over the park...

I already live across the road from a park, I love to listen to the children building huts and swings, the puppy training, Dads kicking a ball around with their kids. The inspiration here is a quieter kind, it creeps up and envelopes you, infiltrates your senses, has clarity. I need a still life right now - the children are in that independent but still dependent phase, and my extended family needs calm water for a while. I realise that my creativity comes from inside me, that wherever I go - I'm still me.