This week is Te Reo Maori week in New Zealand, so we attempted to share a little Te Reo with you – apologies for dodgy pronunciation!
Gillian has been busy up in Auckland with work this week, and looking forward to getting home for the weekend. Kylie has been busy single parenting this week, and her eldest turned 13 his week. It’s been busy and we’re both looking forward to a bit of a rest this weekend.
WIPs
Kylie has been working on her Comfort Fade Cardi by Andrea Mowry. The yarns she is using gradiate top down from Strawberry Patches, Purple Sprouting, Qing Yarn (Purchased from Little Woollie Makes) and Squiggle Yarn.
Gillian has been working on a pair of long socks with a special set of matching sock yarn from Uneek Yarns. She’s using some BFL from Purple Sprouting Yarns for the contrasting toes/heels/cuffs.
We’ve both got lots of other WIP’s in the works of course, but that’s what’s been getting the most love recently.
FO’s
Kylie has finished a single sock – just a basic sock using some Opal yarn purchased from Loopine. 64 stitches on DPN’s with the Fish Lips Kiss Heel.
Gillian has been very busy finishing all the things!! Firstly, she finished a gorgeous pair of knee high socks using the whole ball of West Yorkshire Spinners Yarn from Christmas 2021. She did a 60 stich circumference and increased as she went up the leg to ensure they fit, and did a nice big section of ribbing at the top so they stay up well.
Kylie has finished her stack of ‘Middle Earth Minis’ Granny Squares using minis from Giddy Yarns. She’s finished January (The Hobbit) and April, May, June (The Fellowship of the Ring). She can’t do any more until the next quarter’s shipment which will also include February and March 😀
Gillian has finished her Rift sweater by Jacqueline Cieslak using some gorgeous handspun yarn made from Fibre2go braids. Alterations needed to be made to make it a bit longer, and short rowing at the back for a bit of shaping.
Another FO for Gill is The Shift cowl by Andrea Mowry made with Purple Sprouting Yarns in the Bertie and In Too Deep colourways. This pattern is written for 3 sportweight yarns, so Gil just knit the whole thing with just 2 colours, and went down in needle size.
Gill has also completed a gorgeous green Huatau (Which is Te Reo Maori for ‘Graceful’) hat by Aroha Knits out of her handspun from Heavenly Wools Silk/Merino. She decreased the number of stitches from what was recommended after reading all of the comments which suggested it was a slouchy fit. Gill has since cast on some mittens in the leftovers from this project.
Gill has also finished some mitts using instructions from Tracey of ThePassioKnitSpinner. Phew!! That’s everything finished in the last couple of weeks!
What we’re wearing
Kylie is wearing her Waterverf top by Alfa Knits which has a really interesting construction on the shoulders giving it lots of structure. It has a lovely flare at the bottom of the shoulders and the bottom of the top using a feather and fan motif. The yarn is from a Circus Tonic fade set, as well as a skein from The Yarnkeeper.
Spinning
Kylie has been able to do some spinning using her ‘good’ ankle on her single tredle Ashford Traditional wheel, spinning some batts from Fibre2go. The plan is to spin one batt in one direction, the second batt in the other direction, the weave them with one as the warp and one as the weft, as per this video from JillianEve.
GIllian spun the other batt she purchased from Fibre2go, and plied them on themself.
Both of us are participating in the “Spin Together” event which is October 1-8. We are in “Team tinyStudio”. It will be great to have inspiration to get spinning!!
Acquisitions
Gillian did an order from Yarn On when they had a sale last week – she’ll be able to show them next podcast!
Kylie has a sock knitting machine heading her way, so watch this space for more news on that when it comes! It’s going to make it’s first appearance at the Socktober ‘crank-in’ at our local group in South Auckland.
Westknits MKAL
It’s that time of year again where knitters all over the world are talking all things Westknits MKAL!! Kylie has participated in every year since the second MKAL, and has since knit the first one as well!! So it’s no surprise that she’s joining in again this year!! Stash diving has produced a gorgeous colour palette:
- MC1 is from MaxiMoo “Coal for Christmas” – a lovely grey based verigate with pops of mustard, green and red
- MC2 is from Bendigo Woollen Mills – a charcoal colour which will be a nice contrast to MC1
- Colour POP is from Fibrespates in a rich red luxuriousness of silk and merino. Kylie originally purchased this at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show, but it can be found at Knit n Stitch here in NZ]
Cup of Tea and a Yarn 