Kia ora! I’ve had a MONTH and coffee has been in demand. The weeks seem to run by quickly, and my weekend (Friday and Saturday) even faster. WHY???

Creatively, I’ve been all over the place. I did add on an eight finish for the year, Nora Corbett/Mirabilia’s Christmas Elf Fairy although mine is definitely not a fairy, as I’ve omitted the wings. I have also fussy cut the thread to give her pink-ish cheeks, changed the beads on the tree, changed the trunk on the tree and cursed a lot at the Whisper thread. Situation normal, then.

I have finally started a Jeanette Douglas Design, her Seasons by the Sea, after having the Autumn chart in my stash for years. A fellow NZXS member on facebook finished hers and I jumped at the opportunity to buy her leftovers. There are multiple changes here, so that this reflects the culture I live in, and woop! Jeanette herself said that she loves that I am making it mine.

I am knitting – SHOCK – and the girls (Leith and Nicole) have sorted out my tension issues and I guess I’m about a third of the way into a soft cowl. The wool is from Leith’s stash, an 8ply hand-dyed that is very close to a Malabrigo that we stock at Ribbon Rose, and it’s on 5mm needles. The plan is to finish it like the Rowan freebie Twisted Ridge with big buttons https://knitrowan.com/en/products/twisted-ridge-cowl?taxon_id=1476 and have it with my hoodies etc on the football field. Being raspberry tones, the likelihood of my children stealing it is slim to nil.

I’m also mapping out the main design for the Christchurch Retreat in New Brighton in April next year (I’ve been asked to create a matching biscornu as well as lead a class on construction), and I’m prepping for the World XS Day that I am hosting in a fortnight. Eep! I have so many things to do there, not least wrap some spot prizes and do a Costco bakery shop the night before. Luckily for me Si is very good about helping out with things that float my creative boat.

Stash enhancement included Karla (Orderly Stitching) Pukeko kit. According to my family these are my spirit animals, and I have a few gifts over the last years that show off my family’s sense of humour. Those gifts sadly slowed down since I jumped on board with it tho ☹ I guess it was more fun to be taking the mick? I also brought a needleminder from her – she makes these in acrylic and wood – and this one is the Pattern Hoarder. Karla’s site is www.orderlystitching.co.nz and she specializes in Aotearoa’s animals and birds. Her kits are well prepared and labelled, definitely a chore that some bigger companies could learn. I’ve also re-ordered her Thread Drop Winder as it looks gorgeous and is very practical.

Speaking of family, Lou has chosen her wedding dress. She’s going to look WOW. Also her dad and I will be blubbering messes.

And speaking of having a small cry, I was upset to see the time has come for Teresa to close her sites. Her complex signature designs – no-one else can match her – were such a part of my teen and early stitching years. I have several smalls that were gifts from others in the various exchanges and I’m grateful that I have so many others of hers in my stash pile. Including three copies of The Castle, before I learnt the value of using the Stash Cache app! I guess we all are getting older and there’s a time to slow down and be selfish. I just didn’t want it to be now. Thank you Teresa, and God bless.