bear # 5

My niece will be eleven years old in April. I hope that's not too old to be given a hand-knitted teddy? I enjoyed testing a new bear pattern for this ted - complete with contrast paw pads and a stripey sweater.

Pattern : "Annie and George" from the excellent book "The Knitted Teddy Bear"
Knitted for the first time

Materials: 
Knitting needles: Size n° 3 mm
Yarn: Unknown, recycled yarn, around 100g for the bear, 30g for the sweater
Stuffing: Laine cardée récupérée


Technique : ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Result : ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Overall cost: around 1€50 for the recycled materials

This is the first time knitting a bear from a different pattern, the main difference being each side of the head and body are knitted up in one piece, with a central seam down the body. I'd like to try this pattern again, this time finishing it in stocking stitch (rather than reverse stocking stitch). I'd also like to try using beads for the eyes as once again, I found the embroidery a little difficult. This bear's face ended up being a little on the wonky side for my liking, but he still passed quality control of both Nico and my brother!

big brother

My brother has been visiting for a few days. The men folk went out ski-touring every day. I mostly stayed at home on the balcony, knocked out by a chest infection, but knitting to my heart's content in the sunshine.

It's hard to describe how wonderful it is when a family member or close friend comes out to visit. Walking to the boulangerie to buy the morning croissants. Cooking dinner for him. Flopping on his bed and talking like when he was still living at home. Sharing with them little aspects of my life out here.  

I treasure these intense moments spent together. Even the most mundane task becomes special simply because for a short time, we are doing it together. 


When they go back again, it can be hard. But to know they've been here, walked through these village streets and along these valley paths is enough.
 

hello, sunshine

The past few days have been just glorious. Warm breezes, cloudless skies, sunshine on our faces. Trees, flowers and hedgerows bursting into bloom. White blossoms against swathes of blue sky. Delighted cries of "It feels like spring summer!" when bare legs and bare toes get their first outing of the year.

We're halfway through the new month and I've decided to take a break from work. I need a bit of breathing space. To slow down. To gather my thoughts. To listen to the rythms of my body. To find a place for healing.  

It's not been an easy decision to make, and we certainly haven't taken it lightly. Right now, I'm a little afraid of what this is actually gonna mean for me, for us. But as the anxiety and tension gradually melt away, I'll gradually be able to appreciate the decision. This slower life is exactly what I need right now. Knowing that I have nothing to do but to listen to my body, to pace myself, to finally find balance. I'll have time for siestas. Time to slowly walk around the village, leaning heavily on Nico's arm. I'll have time. Time to sit out in the warming sun and do....absoloutly nothing.

As we step into this newness, as we slow down, I say with a joyful heart: "Hello, sunshine. You are so very welcome."

things that go bump in the night

Step out on to the street tonight and find the world has turned upside down.
The streets pulse with the noise of the samba band. The rhythm chases my feet down the street and a hundred, thousand rain drops are shouting silvery excitement.   

A strange creature  rattles through the village tonight, surrounded by a thronging crowd. A low moan follows us down narrow stone pathways.

Yet even as I’m staring open mouthed at this otherworldly spectacle, bundled up in layers of clothing, in an Arctic defying jumper and a scarf wrapped around my face, strange creatures walk past me: ghosts and ghouls, vampires and witches and a whole host of other-worldy things that go bump in the night. The night seems populated with the abnormal side of humanity...and I'm not along in my wonder. The villagers and tourists look on in disbelief.

We take Monsieur Carnaval to the village square, put him on trial and sentence him to a burning. Before the touch paper is lit, we hurl abuse at him.

Where are all the feral people tonight? Tonight isn’t for sitting in by the fire and drinking tea. It’s a night for howling at the night, at the winter.

Carnival is one of my favourite parts of the Pyrenean calender. It's a reminder that winter is still here...but not getting the better of us.

yarn basket

 
On a recent rummaging trip to the recyclerie, I came back with a basket crammed full of various yarns. The women in charge was so pleased I was making some well needed space in her shop, she let me bag the lot for a mere twenty euros.

I've spent the past week sorting through the muddle of fibres, restoring order and calm to the chaos. It has been both a theraputic and eye-opening task. I was delighted to discover a variety of different yarns, ranging from bog standard acrylics to pure wool, gorgeous summery cotton and linen and even a hemp mix.

It's made me realise how little I actually know about different yarns: about their properties, their composition, where they come from, how they can be used. It's left me feeling eager to learn and even more eager to get something cast on! 

scissors to cloth

The other day, I remembered an article of clothing, something I wore long ago when days were warmer. I have a few of them folded neatly on my bottom shelves, relics of another time. But for some time now, I have also had one in my imagination, wondering when it will be sewn into a reality...

There was only one way to find out. I spent the afternoon over at my sewing friend's house. I took an old pair of blue curtains, pins and a pattern. As snow fell in great swirls outside, I put pins to the pattern and scissors to cloth, getting started on my very first skirt...

hedgehog

The holidays are late this year. Like the first signs of spring, they took their time coming. But today is the start of the holidays, so the fortnight of lesson-free days has begun.

And I'm overwhelmed with a strong urge to get to know my sewing machine. Yesterday, I went to Pau with my sewing buddy in search of fabric for her wedding dress. I ended up coming back with a few metres of fabric myself. All I needed was a pin cushion.

...

I took a few oddments of yarn.
Followed this super easy pattern.

Stuffed it well with some carded wool.
Et voilà...a new pin-cushion knitted up in less than two hours.

mountain views

 

 
This morning is still and cold. I woke early and headed straight out of the French doors onto the balcony to admire the view. 

It's a familiar view, a treasured view. A view that lifts my spirits no matter how low they may have fallen. High above the village, the wind bent bows on the hillsides are silent and still, covered in a dusting of overnight snow. Even when the dawn has broken, the moon lingers on in the still, blue sky. And the surrounding peaks are struck with the golden early morning light.

socks

These fell off my needles a few weeks ago but they lay forgotten until the other day.  I love knitting socks, espeacially when they purposefully turn out all higgledy-piggledy like these ones. The yarn was some more 4-ply unravelled leftovers that I also used for Nico's slippers. I knitted these up on smaller needles which made for a lovely compact, cozy texture. 

Without wanting to sound all showy offy, I don't tend to use a pattern when knitting socks. Mainly because I only ever make them for myself, but also because that was how I was taught. My Danish sister-in-law, the master sock knitter, never uses a pattern, and she showed me how to work out the increases and decreases as well as how to turn the heel and cast off the toe. 

But for the next pair of socks, I'd quite like to use a pattern so I can try out some kind of lacey knit, and who knows, maybe even a picot edge for the cuff?

bear # 4

 

A brown bear knitted for my nephew, who will turn 6 very soon.
I knit him up beside the fire during the week, and finished him sat outside this week-end.

Pattern: Free knitted teddy knitting pattern

Materials: 
Knitting needles: size 4,5 mm
Yarn: Unknown 4 ply 100 % acrylic yarn (around 100g)
Stuffing: Carded wool

Historique : Already knitted 3 times

Technical: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Result : ♥ ♥ ♥ ♡ ♡
Total cost: about 0,50€ (for the stuffing)

This certainly seems to be my current favourite knitting pattern! This time, I used a larger yarn and bigger needles, which gave me a considerably bigger bear. It's also the first time I've knitted a bear using recycled yarn, this brown bear used to be a crochet waistcoat! Teddy bears aren't fussy and so I'm pleased with the overall shape, texture and size. 

I wanted to experiment with a darker yarn than I've previously used. Although I'm happy with the overall look of the bear, the face ended up much darker than expected which made embroidering the face rather tricky. Not exactly how I would have liked, but still handsome enough. Perhaps next time, I'll have a go at knitting with two colours, or even making a pie-bald face...