Where there is a will there is a way

Saturday, October 14, 2017

A few projects I haven't shared - 2016

There are quite a few knitting projects I haven't posted.   Some labours that helped keep me sane, on the train - commuting to and from work long hours in the city.

Pink dolphins, rainbow horses...  for various rainbow people I know.

I will be knitting at a less rapid rate now - for a good reason.  Not needed as much - so that is good.  I am doing what I am meant to do now - again.

Have a few precious patterns to share at some point as well - designs.


Rainbow horse - for Sariah (Canada)

This too quite a few iterations before I got the design right.  I remember walking through the train station with trailing rainbow wool...listening to podcasts from my brother.

My sister-in-law termed this an "alicorn", as in all.  She has both wings and a horn - made from a shell found on a NZ beach.







Blue dog and blue hat for Elizabeth and Emma (Canada)

Made out of same stretchy blue yarn as the dog, knitted the toque first (to be warm and comfy). So the blue dog that came later matched.








Rainbow dolphin for Mel (NZ)

Interesting - the thing about dolphins.

Love the shape - the first dolphins I knitted were small ones for my daughter.  Then larger ones for her and her friend (orcas, they are actually dolphins).  Then for the first time I used a beautiful rainbow wool for a special person at work named Mel.





Pink dolphin for Phoebe (NZ)

Then the dolphin rampage began.  I was creating the perfect pink dolphin for a lovely friend I worked with's daughter.  Still knitting the dolphin from the tail up.  I wanted a really bright pink.  I gave this lovely pink dolphin to my little longtime pal Phoebe.





Fluoro pink dolphin for Charlotte (Christchurch, NZ)

I knitted the dolphin a huge circle of water as well, the first time I graphed out a circle.  I was covered in the huge circle blanket on the bus!  The first photo is taken at a coffee shop with Shane.  We are feeling strain from me always being absent at work at this time.





Purple dophin for Hannah (South Africa)

For Shane's close friend's daughter Hannah, a few special girl.






Night Star dolphin for Hanool (NZ)

The final iteration I made of a dolphin was for a close colleague's newly born son, Hanool.  This was a design I really worked on, and realised how much better it was to knit it from the nose, and ending at the tail.  The shaping is easier - and the tail could be made more realistically at it is a wide shape with delicate swerves, not a double leaf sort of shape.  The fins are made by leaving large buttonholes (knitting back and forth to create a gap), later I pick up stitches and knit the fin.  I recorded my design as I created it.  Interestingly, I can often feel intuitively some things about a person when I make them something as I am connecting my energy to theirs.  I felt this child would be full of laughter.




The Story Teepee (Christmas 2016)

Then in a moment where I helped my recovery from burnout by creating a "story teepee" intended for storytelling to children, storming around neighbourhood cutting down bamboo poles (although I did not feel well).  Attaching together a huge semicircle in an empty community hall.   Borrowing a sewing machine to sew a teepee (a gift from a friend).  Figuring out the crazy shenanigan of making the calculated top fit.  Dyeing it with the kids,  some of their friends, Shane.  It did get used for a couple of stories, but mostly was a necessary act - rather than a useful teepee to be used in future.

Note:  In the end as it got smaller I realised it's far easier to throw over and sew cloth onto the poles - like the First Nations people in Canada did with their skins...  And was a bit too tender a matter to talk about until now.







Sunday, September 17, 2017

Seal and ocean jumper for Arwyn



Project of love - for a little ocean - forest girl in Canada.


I have been working on this little jumper (sweater) for awhile - jumpers take wayyy longer than toys. And I do find freestyling easier than following patterns.
Many stages I had to reknit a few times until I got it right. After hood and arm tops I had enough of any future direction and just knit straight down, blending towards green from blue.
Ocean to forest. For a 4 year old (so very oversize for the baby I knitted it for but she looks chunky so will grow into it soon!)
For Lena McCuaig's baby Arwyn in Canada. Her people are nature artistic people so thought they would appreciate the meaning though colour-work got a bit stiff!
So Earth hoodie.







Monday, July 17, 2017

A few projects this year - 2017

Purple Dolphin Friend for Troy's Blue Dolphin

Some captions pasted from my fb page Nonnie's Cool Ideas.  (Also enables my record keeping).

I asked Troy if she wanted me to knit her a cool little bag for her device with this wool she had chosen (they take them to school) to give her good energy as she is starting Intermediate at a new school (Grade 7!).
She said No I don't need one, but could you make my little blue dolphin a friend? She had the little dolphin toy in her bag. I made it in one evening -
Then I realised the advantages of making tiny toys - I can make more little friends for kids more quickly.
Then I made her dolphin named Galaxy a little bag out of a cloth sample (they are real easy to lose too!)
Then I tried to make a tiny seal for the firsg time as prey for her Orca toy I had made awhile ago (killer whale, has an opwn mouth and red lining bag inside so it can eat.).
But that my first go turned decidedly turtle like...
Sorry Troy channelling someone else...






I gave the turtle to Mikayla - with her dreamcatcher.



Dreamcatcher for Mikayla (Canada)


Mikayla is studying marine biology in Vancouver, Canada (my friend's daughter).

Metal web (real spiderweb pattern), leather strips holding a glass orb with knitted leaves holding it.

The web holds the Earth...precious life in balance







Seal (prey item) for Troy's Orca


Finally got round to making tiny seals for Troy's Orca to eat.  First attempt at teeny animals.  Learned to use smaller needles!






Earth hoodie for Arwyn - and a little "seal person" (Canada)






Back to school 

The following projects are for new friends of mine, and also old, at my new role working as a teacher aide at a primary school.  I can't post photos of the kids - just the toys / gifts.


Cosy Purple Scarf with Blue Pockets 

For being kind to the boy I work with, ahelping him make friends.  (First friend and social inroad for autistic boy I work with, he has awkward social skills but this angel responded with love.)  Now the lad has many friends (though they don't ALWAYS want to play with him - he is doing as great as possible though).






Purple Bird (small knitted)

For a student - for coming a long way with learning (and because she's a little monkey).  A very cute and precocious little girl at the school I work at.  Also learning how to make small toys - with smaller needles - like the fantail and other native animal finger puppets you can buy at the Auckland Zoo.







Sock Monkey

Made for a sweet, artistic girl (one of the students in the class I am a teacher aide). Nervous to move away to ChCh. Made her a travelling companion.  I also made the monkey a really cute print backpack with a rose ornament attached to zipper as a pull (Troy designed it with me).  

Sewing is wayyyy quicker than knitting!!







Pink cat

To another young pal confidence.  I made this cat during a lovely trip to Tawharanui with my family to find snow and stay in a cabin.




Flying Squirrel 

Very fuzzy - suitable for the young man I work with who is very tactile.  






But my knitting is going to slow down....I have started my journey back into drawing and painting world.



Amazing infographic on carbon impact



from article here:

https://phys.org/news/2017-07-effective-individual-tackle-climate-discussed.html