grey linen

Grey linen pillowcases - standard envelope style. And, inspired by the linen selvage pillowcases in the new 3191 book, A year between friends, I kept the selvedge on the wide hem. I was thinking of maybe embroidering the hem but expediency won. I like the selvedge - lines of orange, red and white threads and a fuzzy edge to it.

And more craft/Crown Lynn matching - two Ponui bowls. The pattern reminds me of the Eiffel Tower. Not sure why this design is called Ponui but there is a Ponui Island far out in Auckland's harbour where New Zealand's only breed of feral donkeys live. These bowls are the last of my recent Crown Lynn purchases. I really am trying to have less stuff. Although, as Rita Konig apparently said, part of the joy of decluttering is to reclutter.

Reading: A year between friends : 3191 miles apart : crafts, recipes, letters, and stories by Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes. Maria lives in Portland, Maine and Stephanie lives in Portland, Oregon which makes them 3,191 miles apart. They started out with a blog and have since published several books documenting their separated lives. Nice books with nice photos of domestic life.

Viewing: the Anne McCahon exhibition and the Portage Ceramic Awards finalists at Te uru.

pink stripes

I don't like knitting in summer but we haven't had our usual hot weather yet so I've just sort of continued on. This little baby sweater is for the Little Sprouts charity. I'm working on gathering a few things together to donate soon. The pattern is in Panda book #205 Adorable baby knits. It seems to have become a go-to pattern for me. I've knitted it twice before - in brown with red buttons for my granddaughter and in blue for my little across-the-road neighbour.

I have added these little "tango" side plates to the Crown Lynn collection - even though I'm madly trying to get rid of things. This could be a regular blog feature - matching Crown Lynn pieces to crafted goods. What do you think?

Reading: The year of living Danishly by Helen Russell. The author decides to find out what makes Denmark the happiest country on Earth. She gives up her job editing a fashion magazine in London and moves with her husband to Denmark when he accepts a job working for Lego.

anew

Happy new year to you.

I look forward to the new start, don't you? And the promise of new adventures. This year instead of making resolutions I've decide to set myself a challenge - to sew one garment per month. I fear I'm asking a lot of myself but let's see how it goes.

I've been busy preparing for long-term house guests. My son, his partner and three-year old daughter will be staying while their house is being renovated. So we've been having a bit of a clean up. I even reorganized the pantry. It looks great (I sometimes just stand in the doorway and gaze into it) - all clean and neat with just about everything labelled. And nothing past its best before date. We've got rid of a lot of stuff and it's a good feeling - liberating. Of course, a big clear out means you can bring in a few new things - like those Crown Lynn color glaze cups.

Reading:  
My father's island by Adam Dudding. Son writes memoir of father, Robin Dudding, one of New Zealand's great editors (most famously of the literary journals Landfall and Islands)

A life discarded by Alexander Masters. 148 diaries are found discarded in a skip in Cambridge, England. The author reads, obsesses and tries to understand then discover who was the diarist. Intriguing and, surprisingly, gripping. Alexander Masters also wrote Stuart: a life backwards (2005) a biography of homeless man Stuart Shorter that I really enjoyed and must read again.