Ally Pally is only days away……..and I’m planning on heading to Handmade at the Chelsea town hall in November. Any other Londoners been before? The exhibitor list looks fabulous.

Was watching a Culture Show special the other night on China and saw fashion designer Han Feng for the first time. Her designs are amazing and you can watch the programme here. Get inspired!

I am overjoyed today! My daughter can say ‘knit knit’. She is changing so much…….must stop swearing!

New boots for spring from Pom d’Api!

We’ve had alot of heavy stuff going on with family and friends lately, so I’m taking a blog break (if you hadn’t already noticed).

We did have a superb holiday to Gran Canaria and visit with grandparents and I’m still knitting, but rather slowly.

You can catch me occasionally on Ravelry as castoncastoff.

Wishing you the safest and happiest of Christmasses.

x Kirsty x

Our wee girl is ONE! I can’t believe it. Am a bit melancholy about it, too. Part of me is sad as well, because if we’d not lost Thomas, we wouldn’t have her. Enough said.

On a brighter note, her hair has grown just that bit longer, so I can put clips in it. I bought some gorgeous swedish ones from Igloo on St John’s Wood High street this week. What a great shop and they do mail order too.

She’s a real darling and has already received a number of very generous gifts, even an instrumental tune written by my brother.

Happy Birthday treasure!

I don’t post very much personal stuff here because I started my blog as a distraction and a focus away from losing our son in late May 2005. He was stillborn at 38 weeks. I haven’t been ready until now to share that with the world. It was an incredibly difficult time for us both being away from our families, mine in Australia and my husband’s in the north of England.

Two years on we are healing but the scars will remain. We have 1.5 acres of woodland in Cumbria dedicated in his memory via the Woodland Trust and are so thankful to our family and friends who made that happen. It is such a special place in a beautiful part of the world that we can all visit for years to come.

The path down to the old woollen mill.

Sunlight through the trees by the stream.

We’ve decided to try and do something each year with Coco and so went to London Zoo yesterday. Not sure how much she got out of it apart from having a donkey nibble her fingers, but we had a good day.

1. I had chicken pox twice as a child, which is apparently very unusual.

2. I spend more time planning new projects and faffing around than I actually spend knitting or sewing or doing anything else. I get distracted easily.

3. I can only go to sleep if I have the covers over my ears. I think this stems from lots of mozzies in hot Aussie summers as a child!

4. I now have the same hairstyle that I had when I was 15……..and I’m still digging Morrissey.

5. I love living in the UK and in Australia, but I must choose one over the other. I’ve been very lucky in the 11+ years of being here. I’ve had a job that took me there and back numerous times and have been able to afford trips for Christmasses and weddings.

I have a new baby blanket in the planning, which is a surprise, so I can’t share until babe is born in May, and am knitting up the buttonhole band on Mystical Stripe. I need to hurry up with that or I’ll never wear it!

ETA: I’ve been having quite a few enquiries from people, I just to make it clear to everyone that I have no affiliation with POP. I’m merely a fan. If you have any queries or questions please contact them directly through their website. Thanks folks.

It’s not often I go shopping these days and I rarely get excited about it. However, we went off today to Brent Cross and were steaming through all the other mothers with buggies but was stopped in my tracks when I saw these (see below) snails looking at me. This would have to be the best store and they only opened last Thursday apparently. They have a few other concessions in House of Fraser across the UK but this appears to be the only store in London I could see from their website. They do some adorable clothing for babies and children and some of the maternity wear looked ok as well.

There’s nothing like swedish design, eh?! We love it!! I bought some wee baby gifties as well as this top and legging/pants for Coco. I could have spent some serious money in there………..but go and check it out if you’re local. It’s fantastic.

It’s so hard to find anything other than pink for girls, isn’t it?

From the archives - some woad dyed yarn on display at the fabulous Eden Project, Cornwall.