We spent the better part of the week cosied up inside watching rain fall and settling back into our winter rhythm. We ventured outdoors briefly for some river time but I quickly learnt that knitting in gloves is not an option and knitting without them , well... no need to go there. Normally we would be getting out more, even for a quick walk up in the bush for Kaya, but this week we had other business to take care of. Today was William's birthday so some 'making' was in order.
Before Miss Z and I travelled up north I casually spread some beanie pics around the house and casually asked him if he liked any of them. Oblivious to the lovely patterns that I had spread around the house William stumbled upon a pattern book that I had out for some other project, which ordinarily he wouldn't have even noticed and which just happened to have a man on the front with a black, grey and white striped beanie. Now, I have nothing against these colours, in fact I consider them classic and stylish, however, black and white stripes also happen to be the Collingwood team colours and lets get something straight right now ... AFL is not my thing, I'm more of a soccer kinda gal. Besides, a girl has got to like what she knits, right?
I must say that leaving the wool store that day with the appropriate amount of black, grey and white 12 ply, Patons JET alpaca/ wool blend hidden under my arm, I felt like a knitting fraud...isn't buying wool for a project you don't particular like and are certain you're not going to enjoy knitting a knitting crime of one sort or another?
Upon getting home Miss Zahra painted up a 'secret business going on, do not enter' kind of sign and headed to the craft books to get some inspiration for her own project. She came across a sweet image in Meet Me at Mike's and decided that embroidery was going to be her thing for a present. She drew a picture which I then traced onto some linen and with a little help from Mama to get her started she was on her way. Meanwhile, after casting on, brewing some chai and spinning some tunes this Mama was having a teensy bit of trouble with the rib. We'd already listened to Curious George, Little Hopes, Shaka Zulu, Stevie Wonder ( and before you say anything "Isn't She Lovely" is Miss Z's favourite right now, and Superstitious has a good beat to knit to), Angus and Julia Stone, and most of Chinatown, when "It's not Happening" came on and... I ripped and started for the third time. It was a simple K2, P2 rib and it was eluding me. When I quieted my mind of all the not wanting to knit this attitude the rib started to flow and we made some progress.
Then I started noticing the feel of the wool and how easy the 12ply was to work and you know what happened next...I found myself enjoying the process and loving how this beanie was coming together. A few rows here and a few rows there, helping my little one in between with her stitching and before you know it, voila, a beanie and an adorable Miss Z original ( Zahra stitched the cloud, ground and flower. I helped with the rest).
Knitting and embroidery aside, we headed to the store for some small gifts, then it was onto wrapping paper, birthday tags, cards and bunting. I have always wanted to make bunting and with an excuse like a birthday and cold weather outdoors... well, the rest as they say is history.
I was brought up on pancakes and cake for birthday breakfasts but a big cook up was what this birthday boy was looking for. The whole day turned out to be about food and eating, which for those of you who know Will, is just the way he likes it ( Italian genes and all, what can I say). We headed off to Rutherglen for some Parkers Pies, a divine orange almond baby cake and a citrus tart for Miss Z.
After which we returned home to a kitchen full of dishes, a light dinner of leek and potato soup with sourdough, and a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry coulis for dessert. Yum.
I look at the beanie in a new light now, not only has it taught me about letting go...again, which is a really useful tool to have in your belt as a Mama, but it has taught me about compromise. After all, it did have grey stripes in it, which means technically it doesn't qualify as a Collingwood beanie. Well, that's what I'm telling myself anyway.
Happy Week Beginning!
PS: I've had a few requests for tutorials on some of our projects. Let me know what your interested in and I'll post one.
