Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.

Elizabeth Zimmerman

I have chosen the perfect yarn and colourway for my Pomme de pin Cardigan, Madelinetosh Sport in Amber Trinket – it’s just perfect for a chunky (relatively) lace cardigan. It’s the perfect combination of gentle oranges, pinks, lavenders, and spicy yellows that when knitted up create a gloriously gingery fabric.

I should be a cheerleader for Madelinetosh, it is my go-to brand and I seriously don’t have a bad thing to say about any of their yarns I’ve used so far.

In a dream future where we’re established on a mini farm somewhere and I’m producing my own brand of fibres and textiles I’ll be just as enthusiastic about the colours and quality of my own products :)

Tattly temporary tattoo, instagram by SwissMiss

Deadlines work! Kind of.

The action of setting a date to have this cardigan finished, blocked and buttoned really did help me to push on with it with more … vigour, than I may have normally. My speedy blocking opened up the stitches a little too much for my liking and I don’t have the buttons on there yet (decisions, decisions) but I’m calling this deadline experiment a success :)

Next up: Pomme de pin Cardigan…

I’m looking forward to seeing this!

I would LOVE to have this on my wall, beautiful.

Daily I am having this craving to sew, knit and create things that are touchable, tactile, maybe luxurious, but functional.

I could ask the question – should I be more dedicated to keeping sketch books of ideas, or just start randomly making things and see if they work – but of course the answer should always be to do rather than the plan when it comes to things like this…

Via SwissMiss & Pattern Pulp

If you could see how much citrus we were sent home with yesterday after visiting my parents your eyes would pop! Three big plastic shopping bags of limes, lemons, and mandarins currently sitting downstairs waiting to be used, eaten, preserved…

Yes it’s time for me to attempt preserved lemons again! John is planning a different preserving technique for the limes that is meant to go well with Indian curries, so I’ll give the lemons a shot again. I don’t think I ever mentioned the debacle that was my lemon preserving experience, but it involved forgetting to check them, warm weather and mouldering exposed lemons. Disappointing.

Yesterday was such a pleasant day in so many ways that it’s making this busy Monday that much harder. I’m 26 weeks pregnant now and our little Tigger responded to external stimuli for the first time, and even though she’s usually more quiet when John is around and talking (not sure how that works) she put on a show in the afternoon and finally showed him how hard she’s been kicking. Such a relief, it’s so much nicer to share these things!

I am about to take a work break to do some of the boring house things I’d better get out of the way now before I completely lose track of my day – cleaning the kitchen, washing dishes, preparing the lasagne for tonights dinner ready to be just switched on a little later.

I hope whatever you did over the weekend has left you with enough sweet memories to last the week :)