Monday, March 22, 2010

Poppy Hat


This delightful flapper-style hat is the perfect accessory to the Roaring Meg cardigan.

As it's design is similar to the Aviatrix Hat, it can be worn by both girls and boys (knit in a beanie style minus the flap and buttons)

Designed by New Zealand designer - Justine Turner (otherwise known as Just Jussi) and available for me to knit for you with her permission.

Available in sizes newborn to approximately 12 years


Please contact me if you'd like more information or to order one knit especially for you - they're available in a range of colours and yarns.

Roaring Meg

This is the perfect cardigan for spring, autumn and winter. Cute and cosy with short sleeves so your little girl can play without long sleeves hindering her movement. Designed by New Zealand designer - Justine Turner (otherwise known as Just Jussi) and available for me to knit for you with her permission.

Available in sizes newborn, 6mths, 12mths, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 years



Please contact me if you'd like more information or to order one knit especially for you - they're available in a range of colours and yarns.


The perfect accessory to match is the Poppy hat, which I can also knit for you

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Julia's Custom Knitting Schedule and Status

This list will show my availabilty each month for custom knitting orders.

November 2010
Medium boy coloured soaker - knitted.

December 2010
Custom knitting slot closed

January 2011
1 small custom knitting slot possibly available

February 2011
No custom knitting available - baby boy due in Feb!

March 2011
No custom knitting available.




Cute Wee Model



Oooh, look! A different model this time!

This is just one of my gorgeous wee neices - Abi. I knit this for her before she was born in approx a 6 month size and my sister Anna emailed me through the pics yesterday. She's just too delicious not to share.

These photos really seem to match the name I gave the set 'Joyous'!

While I'm sharing - I popped to Spotlight on the weekend with my $10 off voucher to buy some stitch marker making supplies. I've wanted to have a go for ages but wasn't sure what I'd need, but after being inspired by some my little sister Sarah made, as well as some helpful advice from some friends I had a go.

(I'll have to learn how to take better stitch marker photos, they are actually all the same length)

Man, I can't believe how easy and quick these were to make! Ok, so they're not the prettiest ones ever, but I was just having a bit of a play for my first ones. Actually, one of these sets is off to Aussie soon with a set of sock blockers and some yummy Whittakers chocolate for a winner of the JDR auctions I mentioned here

Murphy's law, the tool set that I picked up is on special at Spotty this week if any else in NZ is interested in picking up a set

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Snakes and Adders - Competition Winners!

Ah yes, it's time to announce the winners of my wee competition. I know you've all been checking my blog lots over the last 24 hours in anticipation that the winners might be announced (yeah right!)

There were to be 2 winners, one that was the favourite and another that was chosen at random (I know that fellow bloggers use some fancy online selector, but the pulling the name out of the ice-cream container was as fancy as it got here).

There were 7 separate entries entered into Rav.

Krissie's 'Bruce'

Bob's 'Steve'

Gen's Slithery Snakes
(Gen's entry was hilarious - you should so go and check out her blog about them)

Odette's Rainbow

Sam's Rocky

Rachel's Sanks and Wiggy Werns

Sam's Woody

Janis' Modified Crochet Version

Thanks to everyone for entering! They look great!

Right - The Winners

Penny's Favourite
I had to leave it up to Penny to choose a winner - it was too hard for me to pick from so many lovely online friends. But the after looking at loads and loads of photos on Rav, the one of George eating the 'Sanks and Wiggy Werns' was her fav.

The Random Draw
For each snake that was made, people got an entry into the draw. The winner - Bob (Bob, are you Krissie's fabulously clever knitting hubby?!)


The prizes consisted of some still undecided goodies as well as a choice of one of the 3 prizes listed below:

1) 2 sock blockers made to your choice of sizes

OR

2) Your choice of something knit from my custom knitting selection to the maximum value of $25 (I've got more not pictured yet too so if you like this option we can talk about the more extensive list I actually have permission to knit)

OR

3) A 'Coco Kids' voucher (specifying me as the knitter) to the value of $25. You can use this yourself on anything I can make or sell (a nice discount off a swift) or this could be gifted to someone else if you don't like either of the options above for yourself.


But wait! There's still more!

I know that I never announced a winner of the name the snakes competition. So, I'll pop it in here while I'm at it. I didn't announce it at the time as we went with Blair's suggestion - but we've picked a commenter from all the comments completely at random who is also able to pick from the 3 prizes listed above.

The winner - Mary

My intentions are to contact everyone through Rav in the morning to talk about addresses and prizes - thanks again for changing the project count for the pattern from my sad little 1!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

With Pockets

I can't say I've knit pockets before - but I wanted to knit another of tiKKi's soon to be released patterns, this time just for time to wear to playcentre or in the backyard (so something that would keep him warm but it wouldn't matter if it got paint splattered or grubby)

I whipped up this baby in a couple of days, but wanted to try out the patch pocket idea in the pattern.

Voila - a vest for Tim!


Or...is it?

I wondered if where I placed the pockets was a little girly, so tried it on Penny


And it looks fabulous on her! Ah well, I'll just have to whip up another one when I get the chance.

As a complete aside, the kids had so much fun pushing each other in the trolley today. Ok, so Tim can only push it in straight lines, but Penny was taking Tim on a trip around and around and around the backyard (under the tramp was part of the circuit)

Monday, March 8, 2010

Once Upon A Time...

There was once a knitter, who worked very hard but just didn't have enough hours in the day to knit all the orders she was getting - in particular the twin lsets that had been ordered by her good friend Putri which she promised to have completed in just over a week.

She worked as late as her eyes would stay open, and as long as she could before her husband protested, but she had to sleep - so she left her needles and yarn out, all ready to start with again the next day (when the children were sleeping). The next lunchtime when the children were tucked up asleep in their beds she sat herself down to her work; when, to her great wonder, there in her knitting bag was a shrug all ready made. The knitter knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening.

That evening, after working until her knitpicks poked holes in her fingers she again left out her work - this time an Aviatrix hat and went to bed early, that she might get up and begin early the next day; but she was saved all the trouble, for when she got up in the morning the work was done already.

This continued for the week until the knitter decided to see exactly what was happening. The knitter and her husband decided that they would stay up and see who it was that was coming and completing the knitting. The husband liked the thought; so they left the light on and hid themselves behind the couch, and watched what would happen.

As soon as it was midnight, there came in a little dwarf; and it sat upon the couch, took up all the work that was out, and began to knit it, stitching and purling away at such a rate, that the couple watched on in wonder, and could not take their eyes off him. And on he went, till the job was quite done, and the knit lay ready for blocking upon the knitting bag. Just as he was about to leave, the knitter slowly came out of her spot (for she was starting to get pins and needles and her husband was busting to use the toilet) and thanked him. 'It's been no trouble' the dwarf replied 'I've been a bit tired of making shoes in the evening'. 'How can I repay you?' the knitter asked. 'Truly, I've enjoyed it. But as the sets are completed now it's time I moved on to the next place that needs me' and with a little skip and a hop he flung open the fireplace door and vanished. Never to be seen again

And the results of the week equalled a twin set of layettes - 2 Confection Shrugs, 2 Aviatrix Hats and 2 sets of Mary Jane booties (with the permission of the designer ;) more info to follow), ready to be delivered to their orderer once blocked so they could be sent on to their new owner in Singapore (born today!)

 
 
 

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Juvenille Diabetes Auctions

There are some wonderful auctions taking place at MamaSue's Woolly Butts store , organised via a group on Rav.




 Just a heads up any kiwis interested, the store is in Australia, so all prices are in AUD and there would be shipping to NZ to factor in, but man are there some stunning items up for sale!

Auctions close next week, they're staggered over the week so that the times don't conflict with each other

Have a look, and see if you can see our donation ;)

Monday, March 1, 2010

Watch Out for the Radioactive Cat!

I kid you not

Today my beloved old boy had to be dropped off at Wadestown Veterinary Clinic for his Radioactive Iodine treatment.

Moose has hyperthyroidism, an overative thyroid which has caused him to lose a lot of weight over the years. We've been medicating him, but it's got very expensive (try about $200 a month...hence the need for custom knitting!) and it hasn't been the most effective or easy so we've ended up going for this option


Moose has to be in the vets boarding clinic for the next week, and then when he comes home we're not allowed to touch him for long periods of time or let him dribble radioactive saliva on us - that's going to be a whole new kettle of fish.


Why bother you ask? It's just a cat?

Well, this old boy is a beautiful cat with the most lovely temperament. I got him when I lived in the hostels in 1st year Uni way back in 1996 and I've had him ever since. He's lived in upteen flats and with a quadrillion people and he's always been so easy going and friendly. I could say he's one of the reasons why we never went on an O.E


In fact, I always knew Blair would be a doting father, he's loved that cat since they met.

He's also the world's best mouse and rat catcher. There's not a trace of rodents in this place, in fact he's also tracked down a stoat and eeek, the people across the roads HUGE guinea pig.



We live next to a school and without fail at 8:30 and 3:00 each day he is out there at the gate lying by the letterbox waiting for the school kids to come out and lavish attention on him


And today, when I took him to the vet, all you could hear when I was handing him over was him purring.


Boy oh boy do we love that cat. I just hope he doesn't get too depressed being untouched for the next 7 days (and how am I going to keep him out of the sink when he comes home!)


Now go on, tell me how much you love one of your furry friends

When I Can't Sleep

When I woke early the other morning I found myself lying in bed trying to go back to sleep. But instead in my head I found myself composing a blog entry. Goodness knows what it was meant to be about, I just remember being frustrated with myself because I had this important entry flowing through my head instead of nothing so I could go sleep again

So, it must be time for another blog entry

This time, I've got a lot of F.O's to share. Years ago if you'd said to me 'I've got some F.O's to share' I would've been very confused as F.O stood for something quite different.

Anywho

I made a stack of dishcloths for my friend who was going to babysit. I actually think it may have been only the second time we would've left the kids since having Tim (the first time being my G'ma's 90th back in Hastings in August) but Tim was a bit under the weather so we didn't end up going out anyway
These are knit in Anchor Magicline, a self striping 10ply cotton

This is a test knit for tiKKi of a new pattern she'll be releasing shortly (I know SQUEEEE, lucky me!). I have plans to test knit another (in the next week hopefully) and it's an incredibly versatile pattern...but I'm sure I'll blog more about that soon
(The beads were Penny's idea - not mine!)

I also knit a little soaker and hat set  - I know the hat is in here already under the Aviatrix info, but I love it, I've got 2 more on the needles at the moment for a twin order) The soaker is Kelly's Vanilla pattern - of course, and the little heart embellishment is designed by Watermellish Designs - something else I'm testing. Again, I'll post more info another day :)


A little pink shrug I knit for a little girls birthday party yesterday. I must admit, I'm always a little nervous knitting things for other people (who haven't proclaimed a love of all things yarny) as I'm not sure what people think when they open their presents. I do love this pattern designed by Stitchy Mama/Katherine though and think it's both practical and pretty so I do hope others see the same as I do



And then there's the pair of cabled hats I made for an order recently. I do love this pattern, and I love that the person who ordered has 2 children about the same size as mine so I can check the fit is ok. What will I do when my children no longer fit the orders?!


And lastly, another order for a Vanilla in girly colours. I popped the little heart on the bottom both because I love this Watermellish design, as well as an extra surprise for the customer (I do hope that she doesn't mind it!). It is a size bigger than what my model would wear normally, hence why it might not look like a good fit :)

 

And last, but hopefully not least - my little competition for the Snakes & Adders pattern closes on the 12th of March - there've only been a few knit at the moment so you're in with a good chance to win if you get a chance to whip some up