Brynja for me

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The last few winters I have tried to knit at least 1 item each for my little family (admittedly Fil only gets gloves or a hat).
Usually, I start with the kids and by the time it is my turn Spring is on it's way and the project is put away for another year.

This year I decided to start with me!

I made the Brynja by Helene Magnusson. The 10 ply merino knitted up really quick and the thought of doing the lovely colour change pattern at the top kept me motivated through the second sleeve.

getting ready to Steek

This project is knit in the round and then the front is cut open (called Steeking) and a knitted border added for the button holes.

starting to cut

My kids were very entertained by the idea of me CUTTING the knitting I had just completed. I have come to love it  - and it adds some drama to the making of a cardigan!

Fil made me some lovely wooden buttons. He strung them up so the oil could dry.

So, here I am in my new cosy cardigan and still plenty of knitting time until Spring.

I am planning to knit something for Evie next. Apparently she wants exactly the same so we can be matching! I'm not really one for matching clothes but I guess that is a compliment in many ways.

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As for Steeking - I have already started my next 'Steeked' project - a blanket.

Joining in with Matariki Crafting at Tartankiwi.

New doll

Hello! this week I bring you a doll I have just put the finishing touches to  - like hand sewing a rolled hem on the top of her t-shirt as it is so tiny!

I have made both girl and boy dolls and have read a fair bit recently about boy dolls and boys playing with dolls. In our house this is just normal and the gender of my children's dolls seems quite flexible at times!

However, for this doll I wanted to make a girl doll who wasn't quite so 'girly'. Maybe on reflection I was inspired by the changes in my own daughter who now prefers trousers and most other colours to pink.

Anyhow, I think she turned out quite lovely. What kind of doll would you like to make and who for?

Work in Progress

Every now and again in this busy home of ours I like to stop and take stock of all the 'work in progress'.

In a rare quiet moment I took my camera around to find out what was being made....

 sketching in the workshop...

a new shaped fairy house will be ready soon....

in the sewing room a little family grows...

Autumn = knitting and this time something for me! The pattern is here

a little workspace made on an upturned crib

these look sweet

working out on paper + table...

and look what I found in the playhouse!

Have a great weekend and next week you will see the new fairy house and it's inhabitants in full!

Sam

Work In Progress

It has been a bit of a whirlwind around here lately with Mid Winter festivals (called Matariki here in NZ) and 2 family birthdays all in one week. 
As I pondered what to make today I realized that the best thing I could do was to have a good old tidy up. 
As I put things away from the flurry of crafting and making that has happened here recently I made some discoveries. Some works in progress that had literally been on the bottom of the pile.

the makings of a game?

The promise of a jumper? If you want details, my Ravelry notes are here

some little dolls getting a make over....

and some sweet felt flowers starting to bloom, written as I now know as 'Camellia'.

Ok, so I have my works in progress back on track. I am looking forward to showing you around the little doll's fairy house when they move back in (hopefully next week) and watch out for some of these projects making their way back to the top of the pile.

A Kid in a Cowl

As mid-winter approaches here in New Zealand it is really getting cold. This means the fire is being lit at night with scraps of wood from the workshop. It really deserves to be sat next to for as long as possible and this means - knitting!

I came across this Bandana Cowl pattern and thought it would be a great little project to get my winter knitting started. I made it kid size just by simply using a finer yarn, 8 ply instead of 12 ply.