finally - we land in Dunedin

So here I am in Dunedin, 3 days away, a delayed return due to cross winds, and straight back to taking my two to three birthday parties. Yes, 3, another invite came in and was accepted whilst I was away. So while away I wore my Work Hat, my Research co-ordinator hat, my Montessori Parent and committee hat, and My 'I wanna be better at knitting - can you help me' hat. Whoa - what a busy 3 days.

So waiting for me at home was two parcels from Amazon - now can any-one tell me how amazon can ship a heavy hard cover large book from the states to New Zealand for $12 and no one in the states can ship a circular needle for less than $30? Weird. So these two books - I don't know which to introduce first. International Arts and Crafts edited by Karen Livingstone and Linda Pary - beautiful and essential for any one wanting to understand the arts and crafts movement in a wider context than the usual reports of William Morris, Gustav Stickly, furniture, ceramics, and houses. This has clothing, photography, and many other countries not just Britain and the US. The second book is Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail by Lucy Johnston - which joins two others on my book shelf, Historical fashion in detail, and Modern fashion in detail, All published by the Victoria and Albert Museum and again beautiful resources, lots of close up photos and detail drawings of each example, perfect for any one looking at using textiles, not just for fashion. All different editors, and I am collecting these slowely second hand, I think there is one to go ... but couldn't locate it on amazon (Ethnic clothing in detail?).

And I visited Nancy's Needle work
while in wellington, who stocked Noro - yummy and beautiful but only in heavier weights and I pretty much only use sport, or in preference fingering. And 100% Alpaca by Elin Riva (I got the dark teal green and am waiting for 2 balls of bone to be sent down), and this very yummy braid. I am thinking a denim skirt for Poppy with this as trim.
So They don't offer the Knitting city and guilds, only the embroidery now - but will apply to and in a year or so - I hope to begin doing that. My current work related study should be finished by then. They also had the most beautiful wall of embroidery things, yarns, threads, indian gold work things in 20 different types and they mail order. My travelling companian who is working on a masters including indian embroidery was very impressed.

And what did I knit while away - I was boring, and started a silky very green italian cotton wash cloth. Short rowed, garter stitch, the edges have the first stitch slipped purl wise, and one row of knitting worked from centre to corner after the short rows before working the next triangle. No wraps.
I also caught up with Gill, who loved the Baby blanket, and the stipey cotton fleece lining, and we had the most amazing dinner at a wee Italian cafe in Cuba street.

Must go - next party to drop small ones at - my kids seem so much more socially connected than me - or maybe modern kids just are....