magic

I'm so pleased to show you this little piece of knitting. It's the first thing I've knitted "top down" and the first time I've used a circular needle. It's the very popular "puerperium" cardigan designed by Kelly Brooker. The pattern is available here - free - in new-born size. The two great things about this cardigan is that it knits up quickly and it has no seams. So nothing to sew up and so comfortable for baby. The downside though is that those tiny sleeves are knitted in the round either on a set of double-pointed needles or using the "magic loop method" with a circular needle. I did the magic loop and, like much of knitting, it is magical. I followed this excellent youtube tutorial.

It's mid winter here so not much is happening in the garden. But I think moss is interesting and I love the earthy mustard and green colours of it so here are some mossy (or lichen covered) twigs photographed on a recent walk on a cold and blustery day.

Reading: Just kids by Patti Smith (biography about when she lived In New York City with Robert Mapplethorpe) and Everywhere I look by Helen Garner (a collection of essays).