Entries Tagged 'Woollen things' ↓

My 8th Xero-coloured knitting for a baby born to a Xero is just finished! Another cardigan for a smiley Sophie who I’ve seen in the office once and hope to again when wearing her new cardie!

Why is it so hard to find buttons in this town? Buttons to close an opening in a garment. I went down to Goldings in the Harbour City Centre yesterday at lunchtime to find some, but they only had a very small range and I wanted some white and orange buttons of the same (or a similar) design. I left work early to go to Knit World in Cuba Street, but didn’t get there by 5pm when they closed. Sigh.

Today I went to Arthur Toye in their new location in The Grand Arcade. The woman at the counter did not make eye contact and barely lifted her head from a magazine when I asked where the buttons were “I’m sorry we don’t carry buttons.” In a fabric store. Huh? She didn’t apologise or offer an alternate location. So I left work even earlier today and made it to Knit World before they closed. They have a reasonable selection but while they had white and every other colour in a similar design, there was nothing similar in orange. And lots of the tubes of white buttons I picked up only had 1 or 2 buttons left in them. I needed 5.

However, I got some in the end, not the most ideal buttons for a knitted baby’s cardigan and very fiddly to sew on but they look good. Next time I buy wool I’m going to get the buttons at the same time.

Just in the nick of time before heading away I finished Aidan’s rather complicated cable and moss stitch vest. It wasn’t the original pattern which called for some kind of v-shaped knobbly bits so I had to get out a bit of paper like Nana used to and work out how many stitches across, less the 8 for the cable and 2 either side of the cable for the reverse track (so that the cable ‘popped’) then work out the knit-2-purl-2 sequence with what was left to create the double moss stitch!

It worked (after unpicking a couple of times) and looks great! It took me so long though so he’ll not get much wear out of it as he’s growing fast.

Great surprise yesterday – Benjamin came into the office wearing his Xero vest so I grabbed him for a photo. What a cutey!!

Just got a pic of the twins Dylan and Kyra in their pink and blue (with orange!) speed-knitted cardies!

Here’s Benjamin modelling his new Xero vest! Fits right now before the weather gets too warm which is great.

Finally got up to Minerva (the textile book store) on Cuba Street at the weekend to see a copy of a friend’s book of knitting patterns that she’s had published. I test-knitted a few things for her along her journey to create the patterns.

It was very cool to see a real book at the end of all her hard work and my quote in the introduction!

I was about to put the book on my list for Santa to bring but have just had word from her that she’s sending me one! It’s called Vintage Knits for Modern Babies.

Haven’t had a Xero baby in a year or so but Benjamin arrived at the weekend. So I’ve done a vest for the summer months almost upon us.

Have finished the set of cardies for Short Dark Friend to give to her friend who’s had twins. Started them on 23 August so that’s a lot of knitting – 2 cardies in a month basically! Snuck some orange in the borders.

Am becoming a bit obsessed with People’s Coffee at ‘The Garage’ i.e. their little walk-in on Garrett St. Popped over this afternoon after going to the wool shop to grab a takeaway. Amusing conversation was had when I put the wool on the counter to get money out of my purse.

Coffee man: Ooooo, what’s that? Is it food? Is it a burger?
Me: Are you starving? I’m sorry but it’s a ball of wool!
Coffee man: Oh. No. [Sigh.] I’m OK. Just thought it looked like an interesting packet.
Me: Well yes it is. Normally I get a little plastic bag, today they gave me this paper packet.
Coffee man: It’s quite cool, I like seeing where different things come from.
Me: Well, I’m sorry it’s just a ball of pink wool.

Almost rushed back with a couple of chocolate chip cookies for him that I made yesterday. But I don’t think The Mister would approve of that.