bundle

I try to make a few things each year to donate to Little Sprouts and I gathered them up today ready for delivery. I've dragged my feet a bit on completing some of these things (I started the crochet blanket in September!) so it feels good to finally hand them over.

• the crochet blanket inspiration and tutorial here at meet me at mikes
• merino baby wrap tutorial on the fabric store blog
• the bound wool blanket inspired by "pure + simple" wool blankets on purl soho
• jumper from Panda book #205 Adorable baby knits. 

I learned something binding that blanket. I thought you always had to bind using bias binding. If you choose rounded corners for your blanket or quilt then you should use a bias binding that will curve around the corners. With square corners you can use straight binding. Who knew? So I tried that out for the first time on the pink blanket and it worked out fine. I mitred the corners. There's a great tutorial here for that. And this is my go-to video on how to join the ends of the binding - which you'll need to do with either bias or straight binding.

I have a few new things to get started on now. What are you making?

Reading: Today will be different by Maria Semple.

tiny furniture

- our "new" sofa and chair. Thanks, Mr Bigglesworthy!

- an accidentally memphis style tree made by my granddaughter and me using a toilet roll, a tissue box and washi tape. Inspiration here. Other cute toilet roll creations with instructions for making here.

- two new additions to my Crown Lynn egg cup collection - pale green and pale blue.

A lot of gathering. Not much making and very little reading. But, somehow, busy.

golden bay

I'm just back from holiday - two wonderful weeks at the top of the South Island - swimming, kayaking, walking, reading, eating fresh local produce - sharing with friends. 

If you're ever visiting Golden Bay/Tasman Bay, I'd recommend

• Abel Tasman National Park especially Separation Point and Cleopatra's Pool. We did three separate day trips using water taxi/car/bus combinations.
• Farewell Spit - nothing but birds, seals, birds, dunes, birds, a lighthouse. And some trees.
• Wharariki Beach - stunningly beautiful and more seals 
• Breaker Bay
• Neudorf vineyard
• Te Waikoropupū Springs
• Toto's Café for pizza 
• The Fat Tui for the best burgers

Reading: Stuart: a life backwards by Alexander Masters. The story of Stuart Shorter and how he came to be homeless. Engrossing, sad, tragic.

In gratitude by (one of my favourite authors) Jenny Diski who died in April last year. She writes about being "rescued" from her complicated childhood by Doris Lessing and shares her thoughts about life and death and living with cancer.