nzknitter

I think its lovely to have other knitters to sit down and knit with.

With social media being used so much , sometimes knitting with online knitters is the only way to connect, learn new techniques and see others finished projects.

Podcasts are great. Knitters always seem to love seeing what other knitters have made, or what they are in the progress of making. I have a number of podcasts that I watch regularly and its great to see a project from the start right through to the finally coming off the needles. I enjoy seeing the way projects are stored while in progress. Boxes, specially made knitting bags, fabric knit sacks and beautiful leather bags.

I love seeing all these and also like to find out what type of needles are being used. Most of the podcasts I watch, have a signature song.  Some are video’s of the knitter, mostly in their own home, showing their woolly purchases, from their LYS or some woolly event they have been too. Some podcasts are slick and well produced. Some are just basic videos, shot with, possibly a mobile phone and uploaded.

All the podcasts that are videos are definatly the type I prefer.

The ones that have show notes and are just audio are good, but you cant beat seeing the knitter and their projects. It is much more personal. These knitters seem to become so much more a part of my knitting circle.

Most of us knitters have a friend to knit with, or a group of friends. Most times these friendships are made purely as a result of joining a group. There are many knitting groups around . Not hard to find. Ask at your LYS. Ask in an online group in your city.

Local cafes are often great places to see a group of ladies with their knitting. I know of a local library that has a monthly group of knitters. Getting together and sharing a few hours is a great way to de-stress and get some quality knitting time away from family pressures and our usual routinue

I knit with a friend most weeks, time allowing. We compare patterns, talk about family and often shop for yarn together. I also attend a knit night on a monthly basis that was formed by asking if anyone knew of a group in my area, or anyone wanting to form a knitting group.

I was going out tonight to knit with a new group, but I have had a head cold for a few days and its really cold out tonight. So I am home, tucked up warm, a cup of tea and a sock waiting to be finished.

Latest finished garment.

I have knit a mountain of things while I was on my break from blogging.
There are far too many projects to list here. I must say that the ones I enjoyed knitting the most would be the ones I knit for my Grandsons.

Being a knitter that has to knit all year round, I try to work on projects a year ahead.
So I knit big sweaters for my eldest grandson this year. When I say big, I mean 2 sizes too big.
Its funny how children get to the stage that they want to wear baggy clothing. Well, my eldest is there now. So I knit size 10 sweaters. 3 of them. All in 4ply !!

At the beginning, I didn’t think much of it. When I got to the third one, I was wondering how I could possibly be silly enough to think knitting giraffe long arms in 4ply could ever be classed as anything other than sheer madness.
The sweaters were lovely, but what a marathon.

For my 3 other grandsons, I knit their sweaters in DK weight yarn. Much more sensible.
I didn’t need to make so many things for my 2 little ones in KeriKeri. They have a ” hand down the sweater ” policy in their house. It makes sense. I do like to knit them something new, just for them though . So they got 2 each this winter.
I believe there is a mountain of handed down sweaters waiting to fit those 2 littlies.

For the tiniest boy, I have knit more, as he does not have any handed down ones to speak of. The big boys get such a great lot of wear from their’s, and they aren’t worth passing on.
So I made a good selection of warm knits for Tommy. He loves beanies and so I made matching ones for a few of the sweaters.
I will continue to do for him. He looks so very cute in them.

I did knit an all over fair isle sweater for him this year. It was an adaption of a child’s sweater that had a fair isle body but striped sleeves. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would put striped sleeves on such patterned garment. So I did the sleeves in the fair isle pattern. It took a little bit of working out as I had to include the sleeve increases in the pattern. But it came out beautifully and he loves it. I will try to remember to take a pic of it to show you.

As you can see, I have knit the green sweater for him. I like to use the 2 different shades. The yarn for the cuffs and bands is plain green and the body of the sweater is self striping green. It’s cute. It’s for next winter.

I guess everyone thought I had given up my blog…I didnt. I was just a bit overwhelmed.

Ive been so very busy.

Taken up with baby sitting, visiting with family, having a new bathroom installed,
cooking & baking, trying to learn to spin, knitting copious amounts, gardening, reading and working longer hours.

Ive tried to get in a bit more reading time. I have also tried to organise some more yarn dyeing, with little effect.

I have done yarn shopping, knitting with friends and sleeping….a lot.

It was so nice to not having to wake to my alarm clock over the Christmas break. I get up so early for work each day and I sure didnt miss that routinue for a few days.

If you’d like a run down on the knniting done over the break..well ..its serious stuff.

A vest for Number 1 Grandson

Picture hats for all 4 of Nanna’s boys

Socks for me..and for friends

Baby jackets…for a busy knitter friend

Lace shawlettes

and a lovely jumper in grey for a growing grandson.

I am starting 2013 with a resolve to knit more, dye more yarn and de- stash the knitting room ( just a little ).

Ive got a million ideas for some new knitting patterns and a hankering to do more embroidery this year as well.

So ..its going to be a busy one.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and time to relax and enjoy the lovely weather we had over December.

I hope you are working to keep your New Years resolutions…if you made any.

I wish you all happy knitting for a wonderful 2013.

This is Mel Clark.

You may remember in my earlier posts having mentioned that I sample knit, and test knitting patterns for Mel.

I’ve knit a lot for Mel over the last few years. She always has something for me to knit for her.

Recently, on her blog, southseasknitting.com she mentioned that she has sold her house and is moving.

When she wrote that post, she mentioned going off to the UK and the US for a few months. Mel has a daughter in NY and a son in the UK. There was also  mention of  plans to hold knitting workshops in both countries, over the next few months.

There haven’t been any new posts on her blog over the past few weeks, so I am guessing that things are fairly hectic and there’s probably a lot of packing going on.

It seems there aren’t any definite plans on where Mel will settle, once her jaunts overseas are finished. I do hope that she will settle here in NZ.

Wishing you Good Luck on your travels, Mel.

 This wee boy is the latest addition to ” Nanna’s boys ”

When Nanna first got a grandson, it was a true delight.

Jonothan is my eldest at 6 years old. He’s a runner and swimmer and is very good at reading. Quite bossy and very handsome.

The next addition was just fantastic.

Bryce is now 3. He thinks he is the only 3-year-old in the world. He has dibs on being 3.  Long thin pencil legs. Bossy to the max. Never cross him..he takes no prisoners.

Then Liam.

Dearest ” Lolly “. Big and bold. Nothing fazes him. Nothing really bothers him. If he gets hit…he hits back. Soon to be 2 years old.

Then there’s Tommy. Dearest wee Tommy.

He has started smiling in the last few days. The smiling was encouraged by his Mother singing. She was singing about wee and farts.

He smiled.

Sounds like he fits in with all the rest of Nanna’s boys quite well.

Thursday tomorrow

I have always seemed to have some kind of an affinity with Thursdays. No idea why. I  have always kinda liked Thursdays as a rule

Coronation Street is on Thursday night.

But, it’s also on Fridays as well. So…that can’t be it. Thursday generally is followed by a Friday ( which is always welcomed with open arms ) Always a nice thought, Fridays.

Thursdays do seem to be a tired day for me though . Getting out of bed is a drag, going off to work on a Thursday really should be banned. Then there’s the thought that although I’ve gotten up all week at the ungodly time my alarm is set for, there’s always another day to go before the weekend. Sheesh….another work day.

Once upon a time Thursday was a payday. It looked like a slightly better day then. But that was years ago. I’m definitely older and wiser now and payday isn’t always the best day of the week.  Still, I like a good Thursday.

Id have to say, if someone bothered to ask, that Tuesday’s are a pretty good day. Tuesday means I have gotten over the tribulations of trying to get through a day of work on Monday ..Tuesdays mean only 3 days to go till another weekend, always a nice thought.

I think the reason I like Tuesdays so much is because it’s usually Nanna Day.

I go and visit my darling wee grandson Tommy, on Tuesdays He is 5 weeks old now and very beautiful. He has tiny wee pencil size legs and a sticky out ear on one side that just begs for a kiss. He certainly knows how to make his Nanna’s heart melt.

Roll on next Tuesday !!!

 Meet my beautiful new Grandson, Tommy.

He arrived in a hurry on Aug 30. He weighed in at 3.030 ( 6.11lb ) and arrived at 3.03am.

Do you think his lucky number might be 3 ?

He has tiny wee hands and legs as thick as pencils.  His Mummy and Daddy are so proud.

So is his Nanna