Beautiful Yarns

Australian Country Spinners are currently creating beautiful publications and designs for their yarns. Their designer Ann, is creating some magic with this styling. I have just worked with her on a exciting pattern publication to be released in Winter 2013, a long way off, but worth the wait, as it includes designers Romance Was Born and First Born, and some construction designs from myself using their yarns. But right now in store I have some of their gorgeous yarns and patterns. I've never been tempted to work on other knitting patterns, but I'll certainly be knitting a few of these up for myself. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Merino/Angora/Silk blend - ooohhhh this is a stunning yarn, and I have the whole colour range in store. I quote from my Handknitters Yarn Guide that when angora is added to wool "The wool adds just enough drape to the fabric to be beneficial, while the presence of angora maintains a lightness and loft in the blend", and then of course the addition of silk adds a lovely lustre.

Crochet: I'm no expert with crochet, but you don't need to be for this publication; and it's encouraged me to make every design in here as each piece is gorgeous; from nanna squares to ponchos as pictured, to sweet little dresses, shorts and slippers. Keep a look out for Gather's crochet workshops of granny squares and basic stitches in June. The cotton yarn range for these patterns are in store. The yarn handles and drapes beautifully.

Mohiar, in chunky 12ply. Great patterns in this book, and as its a chunky yarn its quick, and easy beginner knitting. It's a great off-shoot from the construction knitting into the world of other knitting patterns. Nice colour range; I'm currently knitting the piece on the cover in the sage green.

Sock's are my next winter challenge. I have a range of this German sock yarn in store in 17 self-striping colour combinations and I plan to knit up every colour myself as its impossible to choose one colour over another. Keep a look out also for sock knitting workshops at Gather over June.

Mr D

An exciting addition to my street is Mr D, a great new restaurant and bar. The danger is it's only a few doors away from the shop; I'll have to resist the temptation of daily breakfast,lunch and dinner there. It's pretty hard to because a morning coffee accompanied by the Mr D doughnut served with a syringe of foamy vanilla custard which you inject into the doghnut is pretty awesome. The lunch/dinner menu is also provocative enough to lure you back in there again; my favourite dishes so far are the Pulled pork, white polenta, apple salad, fennel pollen salt; and Risotto of braised duck, cavalo nero & pine nuts. The kitchen is open to the restaurant, so you see the roast ducks stacked on racks as they come out of the oven (and the doughnuts). Nice wine list with a mix of Hawkes Bay, Spanish and Italian. Great interior and graphic design; same design team as The Depot in Auckland. This place is making me miss Melbourne less.

The Shop Bike

A new addition to the signage of Gather.

Thread Magazine

Lovely Willow Sharp is a Textile Designer and talented Weaver now residing in Hawke's Bay; fresh out of RMIT, Melbourne. She's also a regular contributor to NZ's Thread Magazine, and is the creator of this blog feature on Gather.

Bloggers

Working so intensely on one's own projects and being so close to it everyday can be a bit introspective, so its really great to read other people's perspective on what I'm doing. A beautiful Napier based blog called Cush and Nooks, has written a lovely story on her experience of Gather.

Amusing Yarns, has really nailed it here in her description of the Construction Knitting Projects, suggesting they work on a conceptual and practical level; where the serialized nature of the patterns are reminiscent of Conceptual Art of the 60's and 70's; and which one can experience without the price tag of the art-world.

WORKSHOPS

The next workshops at Gather for Construction Knittingr are 20 May which is full, but there are a few places for the 3 June. Last weeks group was very quietly focused. There was not a lot of chatting, but plenty of knitting and eating; Hawkes Bay figs, brie from local cheesemaker Origin Earth, and bread and cakes from Entice Bakery.

Balmy Autumn Nights & Fishing

We're still hanging on to the last remnants of warmth on our balmy autumn nights in Hawke's Bay. We often head to the beach on dusk, throw a fishing line in, light a fire, open a bottle of red, & watch the sun disappear, after foraging the beach for good driftwood pieces. Unfortunately I lost the light before I got a photo of some mussels being cooked on the fire. And we are now convinced - yes, NZ mussels are the best!!

Frankie Blog & Giveaway

My handpainted knitting needles from Gather are a give-away special on the Frankie blog this week. Drop them a line to win a pair.

New Costume Commission

Just completed another exciting costume commission for Jenny Irwin for a new Bangarra Dance Theatre production coming up, called Terrain. The costume design is to reflect 'scarification of the land'. Drawing of Costume Brief by Jenny Irwin

The Australian Ballet

Backstage view of previous Australian Ballet and Bangarra Dance Theatre collaboration; featuring some of my costume design for Jenny Irwin, the knitted linen pieces with all the fringing etc..