Pretty as a Poppy

I had the lovely wee Miss Poppy here a couple of days ago & I was able to give her the wee shrug. Mum was organised & made sure she was wearing the dress that inspired the garment & I have to say I am thrilled, she looks gorgeous!

I have had a great week getting projects finished & new ones started, I am finishing off Poppy's sleeping bag, an amalgam of knitting & weaving & have just cast on a pair of socks in a Merino/Alpaca/Merino blend that we have just had come through the factory - delicious!

I love this time of year, because the days in general are lovely & the evenings cool, so you really feel like curling up & ripping out the sticks. The best part is when it rains, ahhh, put on a movie & knit, knit, knit. I love the Harry Potter series for this especially, as there are plenty of hand knits & I never get sick of seeing the films.

Last night we watched 'The Water Horse'. A story about the origins of the Loch Ness monster set in the early 1940's. A lovely family story, filmed in the most part in New Zealand, so filled with familiar faces. I have 'Second Hand Wedding' ready to be watched, another Kiwi film, perfect for sock knitting I feel!!

How time flies...

We have just had the sunniest Easter break. Easter is a wonderful holiday here, it's Autumn, so still pretty sunny, but without the oppressive Summer heat & lovely cool nights. Easter for us also is now birthday time. Hugo was born on the 9th of April last year, so this year his birthday fell the Thursday immediately prior to the Easter break. One! I can hardly believe how quickly the year has flown by! We got together with Granny Ruth, Grandad Bill & a few friends at the local park for a picnic & a play.

Young Poppy who was there is 22 months old, the most gorgeous little girl with the biggest brown eyes & wearing the sweetest dress with orange, hot pink & purple flowers over it, she just looked edible. Now that 'Fusty' is finished, I took one look at Poppy, instantly remembered some Alpaca yarn in the stash that would match the dress & felt very compelled to design something just for Poppy. I am thrilled with the result, finished in just two days. I am now in the process of writing the pattern up to publish & when I get the Shrug to Poppy I will get pictures of her in her matching outfit, in the meantime you can enjoy my work modelled by my bruiser Hugo (he is so NOT going to be happy in future years at these pic's getting out). Enjoy!

Farewell to Fusty

Fusty Cardy is finished!

I sewed the last wooden toggle on this afternoon & it's official, NO MORE FUSTY!

It's feels great to have this monkey off my back, but best of all, Dr Phil loves it, he donned it as soon as got home, so he could pose for the pic & then changed into his Winter PJ's & fusty to enjoy a quiet evening at home.

What a landmark day, it has come on Hugo's first birthday, celebrations all round. This now just leaves one question.... What to cast on next?

Colour Burst

From Top Left Clockwise: Storm, Leaf, Glacier,

Cyclamen, Apple, Syrah, Peacock

It's tax time. The time of year when I really get to see whether my filing system is really up to scratch & I do all those jobs I have spent an entire year putting off. So far, I have to say, it's been pretty painless. Due in no small part I assume to the fact that I have just had a relaxing tropical holiday, so therefore in the right frame of mind to attack those clerical jobs I usually despise. Things at work are pretty exciting too, whilst I have been away the new seasons colours have finally found there way into the shop. This is the first time I have had a hand in helping select these colours, a fun & nerve wracking process all at the same time. The good news is there are loads a brights, funky vibrant colours to help shake off those recession blues. I have been very restrained by not taking any of the new colours home & casting on instantly, I am dying to do a triangle colour pattern using the Apple, Cyclamen, & Peacock. I can not however cast on another thing until Fusty Cardy is finished. I have about 5cm of the last sleeve left & then the neckband finishing - the homeward stretch, I am determined to have it done this weekend so I can start something new!