Excited to share with you one of my new designs to be released at TNNA this weekend!
I am launching 4 new designs you can see as knitted samples
in addition to samples of my earlier designs, too.

[Wishing I had been able to squeeze into the boxes that
have made their way from Australia to the United States...
But. Maybe next time.]

If you are planning on attending, please check out Booth 247:
give those knitted samples of mine some kind words,
perhaps an encouraging pat or even try ‘em on!

Pick up a postcard, sign up for a newsletter,
say hello to my booth buddy, Olga,
and make your orders with my Wholesale Rep.

Wheeeeee! Long Weekend Ahead!

We will be spending a significant portion of it on the road.
Off to somewhere west of whoop whoop.
The upside is some quality knitting time.
The downside is the 5 hours in the car each way with 2 kids.

And 2 dogs.

I’ve been baking for the trip:
let me encourage you to give these ginger biscuits a go.
Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.
Pretty much perfect if you like ginger biscuits!

[Thanks to Sooz for sharing them with us on Craft Camp.
I'm also going to try making them with Egg Replacement
for my friend who is allergic to egg and dairy.
Knowing how these go together, I think they should be fine.]

Have you been looking for something to help teach your kids to knit?
My good friend, Michelle, has put this booklet together
and both my children (boy, 10 and girl, 7) have loved it!

Cleverly titled “How to be a Knitting Ninja” with the “secret code” (standard knitting abbreviations)
and 19 projects with 3 skill levels [ Novice | Warrior | Master ].
It is aimed at 6-12 year olds beginner knitters and my two have successfully made the iPod cosies.

Not sure what my son will knit next but
Anais is planning on the teddy blanket.
Might be one of those Long Term WIPs…

This booklet is available instore.
[Although I can't see it online yet.]
And the even better news: I have 5 copies to give away!

Simply tell me who your favourite Knitting Ninja is
in the comments below before next Friday, 15 June, 2013.

EDITED TO ADD:
Very sorry to report my blog comments have gone down…
Please send a direct email to me here
or comment here on FB.

Ahhh. It’s been a mad dash to get to the line
but tomorrow morning I load up the borrowed car
(I considerately decided to leave ours behind for my abandoned family)
and transport myself with an embarrassingly LARGE number of projects + equipment
to Sewjourn for the weekend.

I’ve been looking forward to this since, well, my last visit in November.
A decidedly awesome bunch of friends are meeting me there.

VERY excited and looking forward to keeping warm with
food,
laughter,
coffee,
machine knitting,
running,
the wood fire,
maybe a touch of handknitting (if there’s time!)
and perhaps a few-reels-of-thread whizzed through my sewing machine.
Did I mention food?
I think a better title might be
FOOD | FRIENDS | FABRIC.
Sums things up pretty much.

Tragic news last week of the loss of Kathreen Ricketson and her husband, Rob Shugg.
Kathreen was an entrepreneurial giant in the international online craft world and
most generously shared and promoted all who were engaged in craft;
regardless of medium, aesthetic, or country of origin.

I’ve been filled with thoughts of how could this happen?
How could such a monunmental tragedy like this strike in [isolated] paradise?
And, mostly, my thoughts centre on their children.
Oh, their kids! Their precious kids.

So, if you can, please give via links here:
to support these children financially in the years ahead.
And to all those who loved these guys,
my thoughts are with you.

羽 HANE : Japanese for (n) feather, plume, wing.
The applied ruffle reminiscient of wings; feathered and plumed.

A stunning design piece with asymmetric drape, side shaping and unique sleeve detail.
The clever construction allows the natural beauty of the linen to feature.
The waist and short row shaping provides beautiful detail with modern design edge.

This pattern provides 6 different styles for you to knit:
choose your preferred Model,
calculate your Yarn Requirements using the handy Yardage Chart
and get knitting!

The pattern provides detailed instructions for 10 sizes,
along with photos and schematics,
and a yardage chart with yards and metres for each option.
The garment has a single side seam,
worked in one piece up the body with hem and short row shaping.
Sleeves knit in the round.
An applied ruffle, or two.
Applied I-cord edging.
Edge.
I love a bit of edge.

Special credits:
Thank you to Tamara Erbacher for her beautiful photography. Again.
And Renae @ Suzy Hausfrau for introducing me to the beautiful Kalinka Linen. Gorgeous.

I’ve been keen to find a way to hang out with Tom
in a meaningful kind of way:
doing something together that is just him and I.
And for now, running it is!

After watching me run the City2Sea,
we came up with entering the 5.5km Run For The Kids.
Especially poignant when a dear friend
is undergoing treatment at this fantastic facility.

We’ve been training and preparing -
all good mum + son time -
building up to 5.5km non-stop running sessions.

And post-run: all smiles!
A total of $2m raised.
So good to play a tiny part.
And, of course, the rest of the family now keen to do it again next year.

OUCH!

Can you feel my pain?!

2 weeks’ worth of knitting…

I know what I’ll be doing over Easter:
with fortifying chocolate by the truckload.

Breaking News!

My boy came home from school a couple of weeks ago
with the news that “all the boys in his class make dinner once a week”.

Well. I felt terrible!
My poor child!!
I had been so neglectful in my parenting duties…
What sort of a mother did I think I was?!?!

I IMMEDIATELY helped him flip through some recipes he might like to make.

And this is meal no. 2 (unfortunately minus the eggplant).
Delicious!

Do you cook with your kids? Any tips?! Books?

Hello!

Been awhile. Yes. Ahem.

This is one of those designs with serious “history”.
I first swatched these Habu yarns in 2009,
and then entered a design process bordering on automatic repeat:

start,
rip back,
re-design,
re-draft,
re-start.

And repeat.
And repeat.

Very pleased to have broken the cycle and finished this little baby.
Now entering the next critical phases of the design delivery process:
1. pattern sizing and editing;
2. wearing [the best part].