(Now I'm hoping that this post works and things don't look disjointed as it's my first time using the mobile app to do a blog post. Our only Internet is on the phone until the tech comes to set it up.)
It has been a bit over six weeks ago that we arrived in Canada to live and a very full six weeks it has been too! The first few days were spent adjusting to the time difference, purchasing a smart phone (specifically for the GPS feature - Canada's a big country to get lost in!), sorting out driver's licences and finding a vehicle, while dealing with over-tired kids and driving on the wrong side of the road!
Our first weekend here, we drove six hours north to spend a week camping in the forest of Algonquin Park with the family we were staying with. The girls (and the Little Man) had lots of fun meeting the wildlife.
The next two weeks were spent trying to find a suitable (i.e. not a two bedroom apartment, of which there seem plenty) place to rent that was close to both J's work and the girls' school while also sorting out uniforms and school supplies for the girls. Thanks to the help of some friends we found the perfect place out in the country (yet only a 10min drive to the nearest mall!)
Mad buying of necessary furniture, kitchen gear and groceries ensued so we could move in immediately, which was also the day before J had to start work! The girls and I had one week to settle in and set up house before they started school.
They get to ride the classic yellow school bus and they get picked up right at the front gate!
With everyone but me and the Little Man out of the house from 7.30 to 4.30 most days, no vehicle (we only have one which J takes to work) and yarn for only one project (a man-sized sweater, but mostly stocking stitch so a little boring) until the rest of my stash arrives, there was only so much baking and tidying house I could do before I had to buy some yarn online!
I have plenty of yarny plans in store with new designs just waiting for my stash to arrive so I can cast on and ideas for expanding my designing! I'm sure there will be inspiration aplenty as we head into our first Canadian winter. Watch this space for news!
~ Amber ~
Ps. It appears this post never published when I wrote it a few weeks ago...unfortunately I only checked and found out today.
Earlier in the year I vaguely mentioned some major changes that were going to happen in our lives this year. The first one was a big change of job for both J and me with the sale of his parent's business (we both worked for/with them for the past 9+ years).
But now, the real major change is upon us - we're moving to Canada!
This photo was taken by J earlier this year at the local Aerodrome when they had a WWI Air Show/display on. He thought it was very fitting, considering our plans for this year.
This is a big deal for us as it's not just 'across the ditch' (to Australia - the common thing NZers do), it's a complete change of hemispheres and we will be leaving all our extended family behind. We're going on a one-way ticket with a very flexible idea of when we will be coming back home!
We leave New Zealand in just under three weeks at the begining of August which should give us a bit of time to settle in etc before the girls start the new school year there in September.
School's on holiday at the moment and as we leave the week after Term 3 starts, there wasn't much point them going back to school here. This also means I have three very excited and nervous girls to try and keep busy while I trying to pack up our life and sell all our furniture. Things are very busy for us right now!
Hopefully the next post on this blog will be made from the hot and humid Summer going on in Ontario when we're finally settled!
PS: Do you think it's terrible that I'm looking forward to having a 'real' winter where my knits might actually get worn? (The girls love wearing my knits, they just never seem to get really cold enough to get good use out of them. Today, for example, they're outside in shorts and singlets and it's the middle of July!)
Last week I got to have an evening out at the movies, which is a rare occurence for me, but it wasn't just any old evening at the movies - it was a special Lights Up Knitting session!
My (not quite) local theatre, The Embassy, is lucky enough to have a manager who knits and she decided a few months back to gauge interest in a 'lights on low' movie session. There was definitely interest and the first Lights Up Knitting at The Embassy happened in April with such great response that it's shaping up to be a bi-monthly affair!
When I found out that The Great Gatsby was June's movie, I thought I should try and go (I'm rather fond of Leonardo DiCaprio...) Then I was fortunate enough to win a ticket through Red Riding Hood Yarns so booked my sister-in-law in for a girls night out in Wellington!
It was a really enjoyable evening out. Starting with the complimentary wine/mocktail we enjoyed while sitting in the Black Sparrow bar with our knitting and listening to 1920s live music before the movie.
Some of the goodies we received
Then the special knitters goody bag we each received going in (put together by the fantastic Tash of Holland Road Yarn Company - a main sponsor of the event) as well as the spot prizes from other sponsors that were given out.
And ending with being able to say hi to some fellow knitters I'd previoulsy only met on Ravelry (I'm secretly a little jealous of their weekly knit together, there's not much of that going on over this side of the hill that I'm aware of - if only I lived a little closer to Wellington!)
If you're in the Wellington region and feel like a knitting night at the movies, check out the next session happening in August! You can find all the details on the FaceBook page.
What interesting knitting events happen in your neck of the woods? I'd love to hear about it!
I figured it was about time I updated about my latest designs.
First up, the one I mentioned in my previous post being published in a magazine.
Photo copyright Practical Publishing
This is my Tadpole Romper and Booties set and it was published in the January edition of Knit Now magazine. It's a UK-based magazine, though it is available here in most yarn shops.
I was super excited to have a design accepted into a real print magazine and I even had my yarn supplied direct from the company (Artesano Yarns - the superwash DK is very nice yarn to work with!)
My latest pattern I posted about before Christmas.
This tunic/dress is called Kahli and is very different to my normal design process - it is made in 11 different pieces that are sewn together rather than knit all in one piece. This made it quite a challenge to grade for the different sizes and write up into an easy-to-follow pattern!
I released it at the beginning of this month and wanted to run a KAL for it, so I decided to start up a group on Ravelry for my designs!
I'm planning on running regular giveaways over there, the main one being a monthly draw for current WIP or FO (work-in-progress or finished-object) photos of my designs, so if you've knit any of my patterns or are planning to then make sure you join my group!
Somebody's not too impressed with a mobile baby!
And in other news, my Little Man is crawling! Yep, at only 6 months old he's moving around quite well. And at the same time the girls have decided to be really into playing with their Lego which gets left out on the floor for him to break (fortunately he doesn't put it in his mouth otherwise I'd ban them from playing with it!)
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