Finally, I’ve followed a crochet pattern and learned that what I always say about knitting is also true of crochet: you can tackle anything as long as you take it it one step at a time. The trick is not to get overwhelmed or impatient. You don’t have to know everything just to get started!

When this Habu linen paper yarn arrived last week it called to me.

Another fascinating offering from Habu Textiles, it manages to be crunchy, but is also smooth and silky, with a lovely sheen. Quite a miracle. It doesn’t break, in fact you can’t pull it apart. And for those who like a little sound effect with their yarn, it rustles.

Worrying about how to do justice to this lovely yarn with my lack of skill, I  took a deep breath and opened an old favourite, the Readers’ Digest Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches. I must confess I’ve ignored the second half of this wonderful book until now. Silly me. All those stitches, edgings, and motifs and excellent, clear illustrations of how to make them. Now I can single, half double, and double, treble and double treble. Sounds like I’m gearing up for the diving competition at the London Olympics.

There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the motif patterns and the how-to instructions (when you’re teaching yourself it pays to have a few bookmarks nearby) but after a while the techniques came more easily and I didn’t have to consult the pictures.The best part is that both of these motifs were labelled “intermediate”. Is that really me?

I’m partial to doilies and I don’t think they’re at all old fashioned. First I thought I’d use them as coasters, but then my mind ran to a linen purse, an excuse to use these rattan handles. Eventually I’d like to cover the whole thing in crocheted squares, but I’m starting with one on each side, and will add more whenever I have a spare evening and a handy crochet hook.

One of my resolutions for 2010 was to have more fun, and what could possibly be more fun that a week of sewing?

So, with lunch and a bundle of fabric in my basket, I took myself off to summer school to begin the Tivaevae course I’d enrolled in at the Corban’s Estate Arts Centre.

The stars must have be in alignment, because our lovely tutor Mary Ama, had chosen to hold the class in this little church. What better place to camp out for a week?

It sits in a beautiful grassy field that had me wondering if I was in New England. An auspicious beginning.

To inspire us, Mary had decorated the church with her own works in various stages of completion.

My head was already bursting with all the possibilities for what I wanted to achieve in 5 days, but the sight of Mary’s masterful examples prompted a stern chat with myself:

Girl, refrain from being too ambitious and learn as much as you can in the presence of this marvellous artist.

We began with an explanation of Tivaevae:

they are usually made by a group of ladies who choose a pattern and make one quilt for each in turn. The word means “continual sewing”. They are not, as a rule, sold or even displayed in public, but are made for loved ones, mostly for glory boxes, special birthdays and weddings. They are often used to wrap the dead. In other words, they are made with love, for no commercial purpose.

This explains why there are so few for sale in Rarotonga.

It’s important to use suitable fabric. 100% cotton in best. Most tivaevae are dazzling, in bold beautiful colours.

Mary says that that every person’s tivaevae tells a personal story.

We all chose projects that seemed to reflect our personalities. Jude (below) lives next to a stream on a lush property in the Waitakeres.

Her acid green background and bold applique design suited her lively personality.[note the large basting stitches used to keep the design in place on the background while it's embroidered]

Marian, my knitting colleague, chose a lei motif, with leaves and flowers placed in circle. It was a perfect blend of her English roots and the exoticism of her adopted homeland in the South Seas.

Her embroidery is as exquisite as her knitting and each new stitch she learned was executed to perfection.

As for my own tivaevae personality, Mary said my design was very “English”. I wasn’t sure what she meant until I began to embroider an anthurium design and realized that it reminded me of paisley, more Liberty of London than Cook Islands.  But then, James Cook, after whom the islands were named, was an Englishman and here we all are in a colourful blend of cultures and histories.

I arrived at the class with two muted shades of cotton I’d bought in New York. I wanted my tivaevae to remind me of my trip and the wonderful time I’d spent with India.

During the course of the week I came to regret my tame colour choices as I cast an envious eye over at my companions. But then, I am a Gemini after all.

In the course of the week I completed the blind stitching of the perimeter and the embroidery in one corner. Blind stitching isn’t always necessary but for a novice embroiderer like myself, it made for a more secure edging. Besides, my New York fabric frayed easily and would have been hard to fold and embroider simultaneously. Some Tivaevae, notably the ones made in Tahiti, are solely blind stitched. What sets the Cook Island tivaevae apart from other Pacific island quilts is the embroidery. It’s fantastically detailed.

Did I mention our fellow student, Isabella?

She required a very long leash and although she preferred custard pastries to needle and thread, she did have a few tricks up her sleeve, like this “powhiri” [Maori welcome].

I wonder if Tivaevae also means “continual gossip”? As with any group of knitters or quilters, fascinating stories were told as we worked, and we discovered that just like in the Islands, we are all connected by one means or another. Amazingly, all three of my classmates are descended from Spanish Armada sailors shipwrecked on the coast of Wales and Scotland. I felt a little left out. My ancestors must have been too busy knitting.

Here’s the spacious covered verandah where we ate our lunch each day.

Of all the things I expected to miss about life in the USA, fresh corn tortillas weren’t on the list. They’re not available in the supermarkets here. But masa flour is, so I’ve learned how to make them myself. What took me so long? Now I make them so regularly they’re threatening to replace my life-long love, potatoes!

But first things first. If you’re going to make tortillas, you need a pretty cloth to keep them warm. The traditional tortilla warmer is a round pocket, but I thought a double-sided square cloth would be useful for  serving bread, too.

For the lace edging I used one skein of Allhemp3. It’s crisp and hardy and seemed like it would survive the regular washing my cloth will need. I used two 3.25mm double pointed needles. I find short needles easier for such a narrow strip of knitting.

Cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1. K4, yo, k1–6sts

Row 2. K4, yo, k2tog.

Row 3. K5, yo, k1–7sts

Row 4. K5, yo, k2tog.

Row 5. k6, yo, k1–8sts

Row 6. K6, yo, k2tog.

Row 7. K4, ssk, yo, k2tog–7sts

Row 8. K5, yo, k2tog.

Row 9. K3, ssk, yo, k2tog–6sts

Row 10. K4, yo, k2tog.

Row 11. K2, ssk, yo, k2tog–5sts

Row 12. K3, yo, k2tog.

Repeat rows 1-12 until the lace is 160 cm long.

For the cloth, I cut two 40 cm squares of fabric, and sewed them together, right sides facing in, on the sewing machine, leaving a 10 cm gap on one side for turning out. I used blanket stitch and the same hemp yarn to sew the straight edge of the lace to the cloth.

If you don’t have time to knit your own edging, you can use a pretty cotton lace like this one.

and now, the tortillas.

you need:

1. masa flour. I found it at Mexican Specialties, a cafe run by a cute, very exuberant couple from Mexico City. Their food is superb (treat yourself to Saturday lunch) and they sell all kinds of Mexican supplies, from spices to blouses.

When I was in New York I was amazed at how many brands of masa flour there were at the Pioneer market on Lafayette in Brooklyn. So inexpensive too!

2. a tortilla press, also sold at Mexican Specialties. I found an identical one at Sur La Table in New York (India is now making her own tortillas, too. It’s infectious)

3. a little vegetable oil.

4. a griddle or heavy skillet.

and now, to make the tortillas….

Take 2 cups of the flour. Add 1 cup of water and a little oil. This will make approximately 12 tortillas.

Mix it up until it forms a ball. Add more water if it’s too dry. You don’t want your tortillas to be crumbly.

Form the dough into small balls approximately 4-5 cm in diameter. These will make 15 cm diameter tortillas.

Here they are ready to be pressed. Cover them with a damp cloth to keep them moist.

Here’s my magnificent press. It’s made of cast iron, covered with a curious silver paint, which I think is why I was advised not to wash it after use, rather to wipe it clean. It’s heavy, which is a good thing. I’ve tried a lightweight press, but the tortillas weren’t as thin.

Take 2 pieces of plastic wrap. For those who cringe at the use of plastic, I’m with you, except that I’ve tried baking paper, brown paper and foil, and the plastic wrap worked best.

Lay one sheet of plastic on the press then place a ball slightly “above” the centre of the circle toward the handle. I used to place it in the centre until my clever India discovered that slightly above the centre is the best place for achieving a nice round tortilla. Something about the angle when you press down, I think.

Place the second sheet of plastic over the ball.

and now, the fun part. Press down on the lid, and use the lever to press further.

Have a pan ready on the stove, heating. No grease or oil is needed for this part of the cooking.

Peel the top layer of plastic from the tortilla, then take it in your hand and peel away the bottom layer of plastic. Do not attempt to peel the tortilla off the plastic. It will fall apart if you do.

It is possible to press all the tortillas and keep them in a pile, but they tend to stick to each other, which means layers of paper to separate them. here’s where I copy the Tortilla Lady, seen at the stove behind the ordering window at my other favorite Mexican place La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara. She presses each one just before it goes on the griddle.

Place the first tortilla in the moderately heated pan and cook for 30 seconds, one side, 45 seconds the other side, then turn to back for another  20 seconds or until brown specks appear. Cover the tortillas to keep them soft and pliable once they’re cooked.

You’ll end up with a pile of sweet round tortillas like this. Don’t fret about your first few attempts. Expertise comes fast and even the broken or misshapen pieces can be fried into chips, after all.

You can keep your tortillas wrapped in a cloth, plastic wrap of foil, and refrigerated until you need them.

When I’m feeling really indulgent I like to fry them. Mmmmm. Try them with fresh guacamole and salsa.

For the healthier option, cook them briefly (both sides) on the gas flame. Also delicious.

Buen apetito!

ps. thank you to Lisa, aka sundayhotpants, for the idea of how to include my new love, tortilla-making, on a knitting blog.

–Mel

I love the lull between Christmas and New Year. The town is quiet, and time seems to stand still to allow plenty of pondering before January hurtles us forward into a new year and this time, a new decade. Yikes!

Speaking of plenty, I spent time thinking about all that I’m grateful for.

In no particular order:

wonderful customers and readers of my blog, especially those who keep in touch, leave comments and share their stores

my lovely son and daughter (above)

an appreciative husband (below) wearing the shirt I made him for Christmas. It fits perfectly and he was ultra proud and happy.

Good food, at home and in restaurants.

These works of art were part of our New Year’s Eve lunch at Te Whau vineyard cafe on Waiheke Island. What a place. A view over the water that may bring you to your knees, exquisite food, understated, le Corbusier-inspired architecture. If you haven’t been, I recommend that you save your pennies (it will take a few) hop on the ferry to the Island and treat yourself.

citrus scallops

wasabi crab mousse (hiding under the radishes)

things to make

a new year means fresh possibilities for new projects! I’m inspired by the many Habu goodies that arrived just before Christmas.

lace weight linen (XS-55)

spiral slub (A-172)

“Shippo” Tail Scarf kit (paper linen & silk stainless steel)

Kushu Kushu Scarf kit (merino & silk stainless steel )

I’ll be adding them to South Seas Knitting this week.

Happy New year everyone!

–Mel

This is Lucas’s first Christmas and his Mummy has just finished her first knitting project. It’s made from this pattern, in deliciously soft  Blue Sky Dyed Organic Cotton.

I think he likes it.

and I’d like to be him, sitting on the sofa sucking my thumb, leaving all the worrying and panicking and shopping to the grown ups.

But there’s no need to panic about presents when you can knit and sew, right?

Here’s what I’ve been making for those people in my life who are difficult to buy gifts for: the men of the family.

A shirt for David in seersucker bought at a vintage textile show back in September. Considering the leaning tower of Pisa that is my fabric collection, I’m quite pleased with myself for actually using this one. I hope it fits!

I’m always at a loss to know what to give my son Pete. Being a young man in London, site of recent heavy snowfall, he tells me he needs mittens for when he rides his bike, so I’ve made him these, in Jade Sapphire 6 ply cashmere.

Isn’t it helpful when people tell you what they want? It spoils the surprise but at least you know that the thing you laboured over doesn’t end up lining the dog’s basket.

The pattern is from Robyn Melanson’s lovely book Knitting New Mitten and Gloves.

and for a little South Seas Christmas spirit, here’s our native Stitchbird (Maori name Hihi) sitting on a Pohutukawa, which is known in the USA as the New Zealand Christmas Tree.

In California they bloom in June but here in the southern hemisphere they put on a spectacular show for us at Christmas. It sort of makes up for our lack of tinsel and snow.

Happy holidays!

On my first day in Manhattan, dazzled by the splendour of the city, I visited MOMA and then whizzed over to Barney’s for some serious perusing and cultural enrichment. I love Barney’s. Even if you’re on rations, you can’t beat the people-watching in the shoe department, and a cup of tea in the cafe. There’s no harm in looking, and after a few hours of exactly that, you come away feeling almost as good as you would if you’d actually bought all the fabulous things you saw.

At Barney’s, you’re starting at the top. You can see beautiful cutting edge fashions by your favourite designers, and choose to

1. buy a little something

2. go home and make yourself an item inspired by what you saw. Note that I’m in no way condoning ripping off designers. I’m talking inspiration only.

3. wait for the trickle down effect some time later when you’ll see a much cheaper version of the same styles reaching the bargain stores.

It’s your choice.

Thank you Barneys (and other stores like it, in other cities) just for keeping the doors open so we can drift in, waft around, admire the beauty and occasionally buy something.

Here’s what I didn’t buy at Barney’s. It’s the work of Maria La Rosa. Hers are different to most designer bags. I first discovered them a couple of years ago when I thought I finally deserved a grown up hand bag and got confused by all the leather bags dripping buckles and pockets that were fashionable at the time. I looked at them all and just couldn’t relate. When I spotted a discreetly beautiful bag made of fabric amongst the faux lizard LV’s, the Guccis and the Pradas, I bought it and have treasured it ever since.

So there in a display case in Barney’s New York was a sensibility and style I recognized.

Maria La Rosa’s bags are made of fabric, woven by HAND on antique looms. They’re simply gorgeous. There were several, so India and I spent quite some time deciding which one we liked best (it was very hard to choose but much fun trying), and whether it should be my first New York purchase. Regretfully, it was not. I thought I’d find other things on which to spend my holiday dollars, which I did not. Maybe some lucky New Yorker has already taken it home.

Below are a few more of her bags. The range can be seen on her website here.

As I was passing through “security” at LAX on my way home, a young woman behind me was concerned about placing her handbag, which was falling apart, through the X ray machine. On seeing the very obvious JIMMY CHOO label I made a note to myself never to buy one and expressed shock that it was such a wreck given that Jimmy Choo is an expensive label. She laughed. “Oh, it’s not real. It’s a  knock off”. Get what you pay for, I thought.

But seriously, think how damaging it is for designers’ reputations when their work is copied with inferior materials, shoddy workmanship and judging by this one, will fall apart in a short time. Just sayin’.

Back home now, stimulated by my visit to LA and NY.

I’d forgotten how much I love both those cities. The expression “New York minute” refers to the hectic pace of New Yorkers’ lives. A New Yorker does in an instant what the rest of us would take a minute to do. My 10 day visit passed in one of those minutes. It was much too short but packed with inspirational moments and wonderful people.

This new Santa Monica gelato bar is like a Corvette, colourful and cool. So very L.A. Note the “cash only” sign on the counter. I saw these in a surprising number of places, especially cafes. Could it be that businesses and consumers are reacting to the ever increasing charges banks are imposing despite tax payer/government bailouts?

I took the wrong lane on the 10 freeway and had to make a fast exit to get back on track. As luck would have it, I found myself on Grand Street, downtown LA, looking at this curvaceous beauty shimmering in the late afternoon light. Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, home of the LA Philharmonic.

What a different scene in New York, all vertical and horizontal lines. Here’s the magnificent Brooklyn Bridge as seen from the windows of my Thanksgiving dinner hosts’ loft in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

and a peek at the fabled Statue of Liberty beyond the bridge..

I couldn’t visit the US without a visit to Anthropologie, my favourite chain store that doesn’t behave at all like a chain store. It’s more like an artist’s loft that has stuff for sale, and every store is different. The attraction is not so much the merchandise as  the decor and displays which are always highly inventive and spectacular. This season it’s snow drifts made of paper cups.

Habu beckoned. India and I spent some time there, ordering all kinds of goodies for South Seas Knitting: new yarns (linen, linen paper, linen steel, cottons, bamboo lace weight and more) and kits which should arrive here in the next couple of weeks.

Here’s Bruce, a handsome French Bulldog I met outside Pioneer market in Brooklyn. Irresistible in his stylish quilted parka, he’s prepared to tolerate a strange woman taking his picture..

until, harumpf, he’s over it, or is he just basking in the sunshine?

My most beautiful day in NY came at the end of my stay, a sunny and brisk Sunday afternoon spent at

In the far northwest corner of Manhattan, they’re set in Fort Tryon Park, on a rocky hill high above the Hudson River. The Cloisters house a collection of medieval art assembled by John D Rockefeller, including the famous tapestries depicting a unicorn hunt.

The tapestries are huge, intensely colourful and intricate. I cannot do justice to their beauty here. You have to see them. I found them strangely touching. Here’s my favourite: the Unicorn in Captivity

The building housing the collection is itself a work of medieval art. It’s made from several medieval French cloisters which were reassembled in 1938. The gardens are planted according to horticultural information taken from medieval documents and artifacts.

Here’s the terrace outside the Cloisters, overlooking the Hudson River. Across the river in New jersey is another park, also on land donated by Rockefeller for the purpose of preserving the view for the museum.

The inside is serene and beautiful.

and here I am with India, so happy to be in the company of my lovely daughter once again.

Good news  for Tivaevae enthustiasts! As you know, it can be difficult to find anyone to teach you this splendid craft, even in Rarotonga or the other Cook islands.

Well then, our ship has come in. The Corbans Estate Arts Centre in Henderson, Auckland, is holding a week long Tivaevae Workshop, as part of its summer school, Jan 18-22.

Here is the link.

If you love Tivaevae, this book, (the source of the image above), is an inspiration. It contains stories and glorious colour photos of Cook Island woman and their quilts. No how-tos, though. You need to go to the workshop for that.

I’ve signed up. Hope to see you there!

Before I head off to New York, I thought I’d share this wonderful embroidered ship that I found at Salvage on Mt Eden Road.

And by the way, although I’m away for a couple of weeks, South Seas Knitting is fulfilling your orders every day as usual, and attending to any questions or concerns via email.

Even though I think of myself as somewhat minimalist, I do like a touch of frippery here and there. I’ve heard other women confess this dark secret, too. We love lace the way we love patchwork quilts and vintage buttons. Mostly our lace is confined to underwear, but there’s no reason not to indulge your inner frill seeker and use it in the broad light of day. On a pretty homemade Christmas apron, for example, a doll’s dress, a hand-embroidered hanky, or as a ribbon on a bridal gift.

These laces are the beginning of South Seas Knitting’s haberdashery department. What a lovely word. It brings to mind polished wood counters with glass fronted drawers, and a lift attendant to take you up to the ladies lounge for afternoon tea.

They are made in Nottingham, England, one of the homes of the lace making tradition, and they’re 100% cotton.

For a more exotic effect, here are some made in Italy, also from cotton, with a dash of gold metallic thread, perfect for a bridal garter.

Cuteness alert!

Patterns for irresistible knitted friends have just arrived. Among this mischievous group by Rebecca Danger are Wasabi the Gregarious Pug (below), who is incredibly outgoing and will do anything for attention (does that mean he’s insecure? surely not)…..

Penelope the Empathetic Monster, who thinks that all life’s problems can be fixed with one big hug…..

and Greta the Captivating Cat, who adores silent movies. I’m guessing she probably adores lace, too.

Oooops, it looks like Greta has slipped away, as cats will do. She is currently out of stock. I’m sure she will return soon. Please check back from time to time. Meanwhile, there are many other fantastic creatures to be made from Danger Crafts Patterns

The wonderful thing about making toys, is that gauge doesn’t matter, so you can use any yarn, especially scraps from your stash. One suggestion for stuffing: organic wool fibre. It’s the best, and 100% natural.

Happy knitting!

–Mel

Kimono-ish is now ready and can be purchased as a PDF here.

It has a simple crochet edging around the fronts and neck, but for those who don’t crochet, it could be left out. In that case the button loops, which are written as part of the crochet edging, could be made as chains and attached separately. Even the buttons aren’t really necessary. I added them just in case I wanted the option of wearing it closed but for the most part, I wear it unbuttoned.

and now, to food.

David and I went to see Julie & Julia the other day. If you’re going to have your life story made into a movie and you’re a woman, you’re in good hands with Nora Ephron directing the proceedings. What a beautiful film, full of humour and humanity. I’m brimming with love for this movie. Much has been said about Meryl Streep’s genius. What I adore about her is the twinkle in her eye and her lack of vanity. She IS Julia Child.

It’s hard not to view Julie Powell, (whose book on which half of the movie was based I have not read) as a coattail rider. Contrasted with Julia’s good humoured perseverance during ten years of writing her tome on French cooking and being rejected by numerous publishers, the younger woman’s tantrums when things aren’t going her way make her seem shallow and self involved. But thankfully, Amy Adams makes her likable and Julie Powell must be applauded for bringing a new audience to Julia’s life’s work. Even loyal fans of Julia would have to admit that in recent times the fad for “quick and easy” cooking has replaced the long, slow simmer.

I recently watched some of Julia’s shows with a group of foodie girlfriends. My favourite was the “bouillabaisse” episode. Julia made it from scratch, using a whole fish. No pre-chopped chowder pieces for her. Her earthy style is a far cry from the glitz of Gordon Ramsey and the kittenishness of Nigella Lawson. Julia is simply herself, selling a love of food and it’s careful preparation with more than an ounce of wit and charm.

Like cooking, knitting has been through it’s fast fad days. Chunky ten minute knits. Why bother, when the real pleasure is in the knitting, not a race to the finish line?

Even though I enjoy making small, easily completed projects while I’m working on a marathon, I almost never choose a yarn because it will be a fast knit. At some point word got around that it was faster to use huge needles and chunky yarn and new knitters thought that’s what you did. Some would look at a 5mm needle and gasp “how tiny, I can’t knit with that!” I always thought it odd, because the actual knitting, the fun part, is much slower on huge needles.

Julie Powell’s year of cooking and writing her blog has reminded us of Julia’s work and the fact that not everything must be done in a hurry.

Speaking of food, who doesn’t love Blue Sky Alpacas’ Knit Chickens (above) or the knitted cupcakes in Leigh Radford’s  book, One Skein.

Julia would approve, I’m sure.