Toasties.

Me and my big girl.

Its a fascinating, exciting and challenging thing to watch your first born grow up. To watch her push through developmental stages. To see what excites her, what challenges her, what inspires her and what upsets her. To celebrate her achievements and to struggle with her difficulties. To watch her slowly become who she is going to be.

Lately I've been watching her flit between wanting the independence and freedom of a teenager to being really childlike. I guess that's what being 10 is all about.

With her friends here for a few days over the weekend I watched her act too cool for school at times pushing boundaries and showing us and her sisters attitude and then other times she reverted back to being my baby needing cuddles when she fell over and hurt herself and thanking me profusely for feeding and looking after her and her friends.

I'm excited for her as her big wide world opens up gradually, but I am also mourning my baby, our first born.

When she asked me recently to knit her some arm warmers I was thrilled. I haven't turned into her embarrassing Mum who knits just yet. She and her particular style of dressing wanted me to make her something and let me tell you it has been a very long time since she's worn anything I've made.

I knitted the first one a few days ago and she wore it immediately.When the second one was looking too brown, I knitted it longer for myself. Then I knitted another long and one more short and we have two pairs. One for me and one for my girl.

We wont wear them at the same time, but I like that it still does kinda tie us together. We both have the same. Me and my girl.

It also felt quite emotional to be knitting with Japanese, Noro wool as the horrific events of the past few days unfolded. Our hearts and thoughts are with all those affected.

All toasty pattern details are here.

Maybe I'll have something else to talk about one of these days. I'm a bit obsessed at the moment.

Have a safe and happy week.

Love Kate X

Makings.

In my creative space this week I am stitching together a cushion sandwich.

I am making a mad dash at a dress for Miss Indi.

When a ten year old jeans only wearing girl says she might contemplate wearing a dress now and then, you don't dilly dally.

And I am slowly knitting away at my charcoal cardi.

I divided the sleeves last night (that's them on the red cotton), only to find I have about 13 too many stitches. I have no idea how far back that happened, but I do know that this is the sort of pattern that you do not pull apart one or two rows, waaaaaaay too many yarn overs and stitches knitted together. I might try and decrease a few under the arms, or I might leave it and deal with it when its finished. I have already pulled the whole thing off and started again once, and know that I don't have it in me to do it again.

And then there's these three balls of Noro sitting across from me taunting me. We picked them up the other day at the Purl's Palace closing party. The last three balls of Noro they will ever sell. Indi says they should become a pair of arm warmers. I like the idea although I have yet to master the skill of knitting on double pointed needles. We'll see.

So what's going on in your creative space today?

Have a happy Thursday.

Bye for now.

PS. Maddy and Ali, Pepper says thanks so much for her postcard, she loved it so much. She wants to reply but I've lost the bit of paper with all your new details on it. When you get a chance please ask your Mum to email me your address and birthdays. Miss you loads. XX

Pepper's Eve.

Hey! I hope you are having a great weekend.

Bren is in Melbourne and we're having a girls' day here. So far we've been up to the Sunday market, to Cliffy's for coffee and to the skate park. Now we're home for a bit of playing schools and hopefully some knitting by the fire.

I hope the sun is shining where you are. That you have interesting things to read/watch/look/listen to.

I hope you can see the bottom of the washing basket and that your laundry is sweet smelling and folded and put away.

I hope you have lots of ideas for delicious meals to make and have all the ingredients already in your pantry and fridge.

I hope your children are behaving gorgeously and are funny and helpful.

I hope your tea/coffee is hot when you get a chance to drink it.

I hope you find a bit of time in your day to lie on the couch and close your eyes and daydream.

I hope you are feeling inspired and excited and satisfied.

I hope someone reminds you of how ace you are.

I hope you are not intimidated by the craft you want to make. Just go for it I say. Don't expect it to be perfect straight away. Ask Mr Google lots of questions. Email the designer. Ask your Nana. Undo it and redo it. Enjoy the process.

I hope you are proud.

I hope you are having fun.

Pepper's is wearing her Eve dress that I cast off last night.

Huge thanks to Kylie for sending me the pattern. I won it in her giveaway recently.

Details here.

See ya! X