After Noah

Hello everyone,

Thanks so much for your good wishes on my (old) new job.  I'm excited and nervous and still very bemused at this turn of events and am trying to make the most of my last few days before starting work on Monday.  Mr. P. is away at the moment so I am quietly getting ready and doing a bit of writing and trying to reassure myself that my brain won't have turned to mush during my time off.  And I have had a project to work on and now something to show you.

I have been knitting.  You may remember earlier in the year I knit a sweet little cardigan from Debbie Bliss's Knitter's Year.  This was it.

Well, when we discovered a few months back that a little girl had come into the family, I knew just the thing I wanted to make. The pink cardigan was made of cotton yarn, but that felt wrong for this time of year.  But then the shop I went to for inspiration had the exact cardigan knit in baby cashmerino, and I knew that would be perfect.

I was on a deadline because I wanted Mr. P. to take it with him when he went away, so I've been knitting like a demon over the last few weeks.  I had given up all hope of finishing it, but then a stinking cold kept me inside last week, so I managed it with, oh, hours to spare!  (It wasn't helped by having cold induced knitting dyslexia which meant that I cast off the front and back the wrong way around so that the left front piece hung on one side of the back piece but the right side faced the other way - even now I can't explain it properly...).

And I have discovered in the process that I like to do things in twos.  I made a bag.  And then another.  A cushion cover.  And then another.  And I have plans for another wavery ripple scarf.  Oh, and another lampshade.  Okay, so it's hardly mass production.  But there's something satisfying about figuring something out and doing all the swearing and ripping etc. the first time around, and then tackling it the second time knowing roughly what you're doing.

As long as you don't have a cold.

So, here it is.  My Noah cardigan.  

Can't wait to see baby J in it.

C.x

PS Thank you for all your lovely comments and helpful suggestions as to what to do with the granny square blanket.  I suspect that it will remain as it is, at least until after the other second time around projects I have planned.

Please note: this post should be read picturing me skipping around the house.  

I have made something.  An actual article of clothing.  Yes indeed.  LOOK!

I knit that.  Isn't it cute?  It's for a little girl who is 12 weeks old this week.  So it's a good job I finished it, because foolishly I chose the smallest size (3-6 months).  So it was now or never really.

It's from this lovely book.

You can also find the pattern free here on Ravelry.

It was pretty straightforward for the beginner knitter that I am.  I only needed help at the very end.  But I found someone at the crafty group I've joined who showed me what to do.  Such a satisfying feeling.

And I think it really can't be beaten for cuteness.

I've already got plans for my next knitting project.

Will keep you posted.  And thanks everyone for your lovely comments on my growing blanket collection.    I wouldn't be doing any of this without you and I'm chuffed to bits that you take the time to comment on what I get up to.

C.x

Liberty Book of Home Sewing - Giveaway

Last weekend, I realised I'd been blogging a whole year.  Wowee.  I had no idea when I started whether I'd have anything to say.  Or if I'd even maintain my interest in learning how to do things I'd never done before.  But I have loved everything about the whole process.  I've loved learning how to do new things.  I've loved reading about you lovely people that I'd never otherwise come into contact with.  And most of all, I have loved knowing that you are out there cheering me on in my still small creative endeavours.

I know it's traditional on the anniversary of a blog to have a giveaway of a lovely thing made by the blogger.  But I thought you deserved a bit more than that (maybe next year).  So, it hit me that I could give away a book to celebrate.  (Any excuse for a legitimate break in the book diet.) It needed to be a special book.  And a crafty book.  One that would make you oooh and aaah, but that you might not splash out on yourself.  So, I thought this might be just the ticket.

I got a copy with a subscription to Mollie Makes.  And now I want everyone to have one.  This book is beautiful.

If you don't sew, I guarantee that it will make you want to.  If you do sew (and you don't already own the book), you will definitely want to make everything in it.  Immediately.  If you can sew a bit, it will make you want to have a go.  It has beautifully illustrated step-by-step instructions.

And a touch of quirkiness which appeals to me.

And it's clothbound, in hardback, and printed on good thick paper.

I do hope you like it.  If you'd like the chance to own the book, all you need to do is leave me a comment.  It would be nice if you could follow me but you don't have to.  If you'd like to blog about the giveaway, come back and let me know that you have and I'll add your name twice.  I'd love to know what you think works most about NKK and what you'd like to see more of.  If you remember to include that in your comments that would be fab but I won't exclude you if you don't.  In short, I'd love to hear from you.  Oh yes, and I'll choose a winner on  Saturday 11 February so you can leave a comment on this post any time up until then.

Thank you for all your support over the last year.  Not to put too fine a point on it, the last twelve months has been a challenge in ways that I don't write about here, but it had been delightful to have a place to escape to.  That you choose to read what I have to say and comment on my blog is truly amazing to me.

C.x

Yes, but think of the bunions...

A very photo-rich post today.  But before I begin, I just loved your six word memoirs. I just knew you'd get it!  And welcome, welcome, to new followers.  It's lovely to have you here!

 So, a few weeks ago, the glitterati descended on New York for this:

Fashion week is HUGE here. I'd never bothered with it before, but somehow, knowing we're leaving soon, I have the urge to do all sorts of things we haven't already done. Needless to say, we didn't have front row tickets to the Armani show or anything, but we are lucky enough to live near Lincoln Centre, we we wandered up to gawk one afternoon.

Oh my! Even Mr. P was fascinated.  (No, this isn't us....)

It really was the most wonderful mix of the bizarre and the beautiful.

But what fascinated me, and kept me there with my mouth open long after it was dignified, were the shoes.

First an admission:  I have foot envy.  All my life, I have wanted to parade around in strappy sandals and high heels.  But I have long since accepted that this is not to be.  I wear Sensible Shoes.  I have been known to put a whole outfit on and then change because I have no shoes I can walk in that even vaguely go with the first thing I try on.  In short, my feet are the bane of my life.

So, you will understand when I tell you that I am bit obsessed with what other people manage to teeter around the place in.

 Even the men's shoes were, well, stare-worthy...

But my absolute favourite was this combination:

A journalist whose job it was to record what the clackers were wearing on their feet.  Could she be any more contemptuous?!

And isn't this fab?

I just love this.  Pretty sure it's Marc Jacobs.  I would love this dress just to hang on my wall like a piece of art.  I would wear it, but as my mother would say, where would you be going in it?

And, as if all that wasn't enough to tantalise me, I walked past Dylan's Candy Store the other day and these were in the window:

All made of sweets.  Bonkers.

So, there you have it.  Shoes and the City.  Enjoy!

C.x