Crossing Over?

I've written before about walking the line.

Big Elf, Little Elf, Pug

These elf hats from this book were all over the internet last Christmas, but the middle of summer didn't seem quite the right time to knit them.
In autumn , by the fire, watching the rain and wind, that seemed about right.  I knit the first for a one year old but it was way too big and Grace immediately adopted it.  Now all the girls want one.

Big Elf - puffin 'chantarelle' from Quince & Co.

Grace Elf

Grace Elf and Lily Elf

I think they are adorable.  But be honest, have I crossed the line?

Yikes! - and an apology

I'm very new to this blogging thing.  When I compose a post on my rather old laptop, and up load a photo, I check it all out in the "Preview" screen and, if it seems okay, I hit 'publish'.  Sometimes when I upload a photo it doesn't seem to appear, so I upload it again, and even again, until finally I can view it on my screen.  The only computer I've ever viewed this blog on was the same one I published it from and, formatting-wise, all seemed well. 
Well today I viewed the blog from someone else's computer and discovered that all was not, in fact, quite so well.  So if you have been reading this blog and have been assaulted by GIANT pictures, and multiple pictures of the same thing, my sincere apologies.  I had (and have) no idea.
Luckily for me I have an extraordinary friend and colleague who, as well as being a general genius, extraordinary musician, and a lovely person, is a computer programmer in his spare time (seriously).  He explained, as best he could to someone like me, a few things and so I am going to try to rectify (and not repeat) the errors.  So my apologies, bear with me while I learn.  And thanks for stopping by.

Swings and roundabouts

In the world of non-knitters, I can knit, but, in the world of knitters I am a novice. Maybe this year is the year I branch out from baby blankets in stockinette and garter stitch.  Craig gave me this book several years ago but I found many of the yarns and colours used off-putting.  The patterns that I liked used circular needles and that seemed daunting.

Having decided to jump in I am delighted. The joy of not having to sew up a garment at the end, the avoidance of mattress stitch and bulky seams, having to weave in only the first and last threads, as well as the inordinate satisfaction of watching 'knit one front and back' become a raglan sleeve, and 'knit one make one' become a pattern - well, I'm not sure I'll ever go back to straight needles.

I just love this little swing jacket (in malabrigo bergamota).  The pattern calls for an i-cord tie at the neck which I did away with, preferring a press stud and button.  I also discovered about halfway through the knitting that I had inadvertently used 5.5mm needles instead of the 5mm called for, which means it is rather more 'swingy' than perhaps intended.  Ah well, it's a learning year.

Oh My Darling

Every morning Lily comes into bed for a feed, then rappels down the side of the bed.  She gets her shoes, brings them to me to put on and makes one of her pirate noises of satisfaction - 'arrggh'.  And thus the day begins.
About seven years ago, Craig took one year old Ruby out to buy her first pair of proper shoes.  He came back with these ridiculously adorable and ridiculously expensive shoes.  Four girls later, they are still just as adorable, the price, divided by four, seems most reasonable, and I find my (mostly) unsentimental heart can hardly bear the idea that soon they won't fit any of my babies.

Apartment Therapy

Ruby has an idea of how it would be living in an apartment block.

They'd be things going on all the time.  People leaning out of windows to chat, running into each other, kissing to the embarrassment of their children  'awwww mum and dad'.

Conversations between grown ups go like this apparently:
Hi Hows Nick?
Good, hows Max?
Good
Want to come to my flat porch for lunch?
Yer, what time soots?
2.30's okay what soots you?
2.30's fine, what shall we bring?
Mmm maybe some potato salad?
Cool.  Anything else?
etc.
(actually that is disturbingly accurate...)

Passersby are delighted by the fauna thereabouts:

And even the birds are rather chatty:
Mama Bird "Now watch out for cats, foxes (there will not be foxes thogh) egales, vultures, people, almost anything"
Three baby birds "Yes mama bird"
One baby bird "Thats a lot"

Is it a bird

This evening when I got home from work Nina had made this twig Superman.  He stands about 10cm high.

The "S" badge on his cape conceals two buttons.  When the green light is on, everything is calm, but when the red light flashes he needs to get into gear and do some rescuing.

His fragile twig body and gentle expression made me wish for more Supermen of this type, and fewer Men of Steel.