koala

I've been keen on koalas since this trip to Australia last year so a koala seemed a good choice to get back into softie making. I'm trying to think up a name for him/her. Alliterations like Kevin and Kylie seem too obvious.

Watching: Re-runs of A touch of Frost and Frasier - still good after all these years

bears and blankies

These cotton baby blankies were inspired by these flannel receiving blankets at Purl Bee and motivated by two pre-Xmas baby showers - first one tomorrow. I modified the pattern to just 1sc, 1 ch all round and I used a #10 cotton with a 1.5mm hook. I'm quite pleased with the simple look but SewChic has several patterns available for some nice fancier edgings. The bears are made from gloves like this one.

Time now to focus on Christmas. How are your preparations going?

Reading Are you my mother? by Alison Bechdel + Eating strawberries fresh from the garden

welcome baby

I've been making baby gifts. I'll be giving the rabbit and this t-shirt to a friend whose baby is due in early December.

Both the rabbit and the bear are made from gloves and are from Miyako Kanamori's book. Should you like to make one for a child in your life, the instructions for the rabbit and a dog are available on the Martha Stewart website.


Watching Pina - dvd celebrating the life and extraordinary work of choreographer Pina Bausch + Viewing Art in the dark + Eating lunch at Cable Bay vineyard, Waiheke

Not a fox

I tried to make the fox but it turned out to be a bear! No, no. What really happened is... the fox just didn't work for me. I'm a beginner at crochet so I'm sure it's my lack of skill rather than the pattern. Maybe my gauge was wrong. (Does crochet even have gauge?) Anyway the head looked like a pumpkin so I knew I was in trouble. So to boost my confidence I made this bear from Ana Paula Rimoli's book 'Amigurumi world: seriously cute crochet'. I feel better now.


Here's a bit more cute - two dog pals waiting patiently outside the Grey Lynn Farmers Market last Sunday. I recommend the market. We bought passionfruit, lemons, bread, delicious yellow plums (actually plums crossed with apricots!) and seedlings for our own vege garden.

And, appropriately called 'Best in show', this object of desire is from Papercup. Isn't it a winner?