tiny happy

sky was a bread roll

A few papery bits and bobs made lately include these small envelopes (template here)- I used some pages from an old Frankie magazine for these pretty pastel ones. And instead of glueing, I was a bit lazy and fastened the edges with Japanese paper tape, but I like the effect- like a paper patchwork. I also made some cards from some black and white pictures collected over the years from old magazines and fallen-apart books. Nothing like a grey wintry day spent around the kitchen table with scissors and glue. Kids and teenagers all join in, too.

I've also been getting ready for this weekend's HANDMADE festival, making bears and gathering together supplies for those joining in. The bear pattern is from my book. Looking forward to seeing you, if you're planning on it! There are still places left in the Saturday afternoon bear-making workshop, and a few in the Sunday morning printing class- more info here.

Do you know the song Only Skin by Joanna Newsom? I used to play it constantly (I found this blog post about it from 2007) but then forgot about it until the other day. Favourite lyric: The sky was a bread roll, soaking in a milk bowl. Apt for the Wellington window view today. 

dotty

I saw some really beautiful linen bedding in a homewares store a while back: it had an all-over pattern of dark yellow dots and was very expensive. Then yesterday, while organising supplies for my printing class (come along! it's this weekend) I wanted to test my fabric inks, and remembered some linen pillowcases I'd op-shopped for this very purpose. 

I stole one of the kids' pencils (with an eraser on the top) and used the rubber tip as a stamp. Voila- dotty pillowcases. Don't worry, I'll bring a handful of these pencils with me to HANDMADE. The class is actually about designing and carving your own stamps, but i'll have lots of lovely coloured fabric inks and materials for everyone to play with.

DOTTY PILLOWCASES (in case you want some specific instructions..)

* You'll need pure cotton or linen pillowcases (or cushion or duvet cover), fabric ink (I use 'versacraft' and order it on etsy), large sheet of paper, smooth tea towel or piece of fabric, pencil with eraser on the end, iron.

* Make sure your pillowcase or similar is well washed and dried. Place it on a flat surface, with a smooth piece of fabric (such as a teatowel) underneath (the slight cushion improves the print). Place paper inside the case, to prevent the ink bleeding into the back of the case.

* Use the rubber tip of the pencil to stamp in a random fashion all over your case.

* Leave somewhere warm until the ink is completely dry. Then iron it on a warm-hot setting, to fix the ink.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

a borrowed book

Feel like a quick flick-through of this book with me? It's 'Sweet dress book' (English version of the original Japanese), by Yoshiko Tsukiori, Laurence King Publishing. I wrote about another book by the same designer here in March.

This book is similarly beautiful and quirky, with lots of great styling that could only be found in a Japanese book, such as flowers in a cat food tin and cats with bows around their necks. Also cakes and baskets and stuff.

Some of the patterns are similar/the same as designs I've made in the past, from Japanese-language books. Here are some of the clothes I've made from Japanese patterns:

Leaf-printed

Lemon-cream blouse (little girl's)

Brown dress with pockets

Marimekko top/dress

Blue dress with embroidered yoke (for a 5 yr old)

Brown top with crochet edge

Shirt with shell buttons

There are probably more... but I've run out of computer time : ) Have a great weekend.

trapped glimpses

Got some more cards printed, to fuel my determination to keep sending snail mail this winter. It's working, and I do love sticking on the stamp and dropping notes in the letterbox. I printed some extra sets for my etsy shop too (along with some freshly minted new copies of my book, in case you need a signed copy ;)

These cards are printed with two photos of favourite trapped glimpses. The time I grew strawflowers in an old tyre in the back yard, before they were mistaken for weeds and pulled out. And the time we stayed in a cabin and looked out at the sea, which seemed like it lay at the edge of the world. 

ready to eat apricots

Went to see some great stand-up comedy over the weekend- Stuart Goldsmith and James Acaster who were both hilarious. When I got home, I did some 'research' and found this routine- the ready-to-eat apricots being my favourite part.

I've been working on a set of small felt pins to take with me to this event. There'll be a gallery/shop for the teachers set up in a communal area, and I'll (hopefully) finish these in time for my display, together with some card sets and books. I really like making these, though I think the other people that live here are getting sick of me leaving threads and scissors and papers all over the kitchen table. 

I'm using some pages from an old sketchbook to design the pins- they're paintings made while working on this fabric design. 

pom pom

It was a rainy and cold afternoon, and there was much homework and music practice and house work to be done. So the kids and I spent three hours digging through my basket of wool, making pompoms.

Keira made a finger-knitted chain from some hand-spun wool while Arlo and I became an efficient pompom making duo. It all started when I realised we could make them easily using our hands (like this), instead of the usual cardboard-circle palaver. Much better and happier method. 

We made pompoms in various sizes from pale pink, cream, brown, green and yellow wool. I sewed them onto the fingerknitting and now we have a wintry garland for our living area, strung around the doorway to the kitchen as a reminder of a good afternoon.

let's make bears

I'll be teaching some workshops at HANDMADE again this year, and two will involve making this bear from my book. Want to join us? I've been making up some bears as samples and was reminded how enjoyable it is to work with linen and to make toys. The class is also a 'junior-friendly', which means adults are free to bring along a young person aged between 7-12 to make a teddy too. So bring your son or daughter, nephew, niece or grandchild and make a day of it!

Here are the reasons why I think you should come to this class:

* Making stuff in a group is friendly and fun.

* The design is simple but you'll learn a few technical tricks for future soft toy making.

* The bear can be made up in many different kinds of fabric: I've used soft and cosy jersey as well as recycled velveteen (see those bears here)

* Each student can take home their own copy of my pattern and instructions - so you can make many more bears.

* You'll always have a beautiful handmade gift idea for new babies in your life.

* I'll bring chocolate to share.

HANDMADE takes place in Wellington, from May 31- June 1. For more information about the class, click here (scroll down a bit)

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acrostic poems and pinecones

Hope you had a good Mother's Day yesterday, if you were celebrating.

It was a shiny golden day here, complete with homemade cards (with original acrostic poems) and breakfast in bed (black coffee and white chocolate the kids bought from the corner shop- really) and a forest-walk to gather pinecones for the fireplace, followed by some guinea pig maintenance and afternoon tea with extended family.

Happy Mothers Day, and thank you for everything you do to make the world a better place.

Lovely Leunig for today.

soon we'll be found

Working from home this afternoon, and in the last hour before school pick-up, I decided coffee and knitting was in order. Our resident teenager has requested an 'ear-warmer' type of garment to wear this winter (keeps hair intact and whistling wind out of the ears- at least that's the idea) so I'm knitting her one in some lovely possum/merino yarn. 

Did you know it's NZ Sign Language Week next week? I rediscovered this absolutely beautiful music video, involving sign language, shadow play + my favourite Australian musician, Sia. Brighten up your Friday afternoon and give it a spin. See you next week, dear readers.

jane hat

Knitting is something I love to do but hardly ever make time for- probably in part due to the many disappointments of my past failed projects. But a late-night Ravelry browsing session led me to this hat pattern, and I happened to have all the materials on hand, so I cast on for this hat.

Two other factors that helped me get over knitting frustration (until another failed project, at least) include:

- this great blog post by my friend Felicia: The false economy of not making.

- having my Mum to stay last week to hang out with the kids while I was at work in the school holidays. She is the most experienced knitter I know, and I asked her a lot of puzzling knitting questions.

- this great video that taught me how to do a long-tail cast-on. Hooray!

I'm really happy with the hat, and I'm almost looking forward to the next spell of wild weather so I can wear it. Almost. The hat pattern is Jane by Jane Richmond, found on Ravelry here, along with so many other beautiful patterns- what to knit next?