The Living Lightly collection features a range of practical, beautiful, garments and accessories for adults and children. Each pattern focusses on sustainable knitting, using stash yarns, and creating something wonderful from leftover yarns from older projects.

This is a collection of patterns that are inspired by New Zealand, its weather, its landscapes, its birds, and by the relaxed way of living.

This cowl is so cosy and comfortable to wear. The garter stitch is soft and squashy, and the cables add visual interest without being too tricky to knit.

This pattern is for a snug pair of pyjamas and a log cabin blanket for Bear whose measurements are as follows:

This shawl is the perfect way to use up precious oddments of yarn.

A blanket that you knit in blocks is always my favourite as it means it is portable, and I love having my knitting with me at all times. These blocks are mitred squares, and the stitch count decreases as you work (something that I always find motivating!). There are a total of 12 blocks, one for each month of the year.

This medium sized shawl is designed to help you stand out when you are used to blending in. You are worth being seen!

The name of this cowl came about as it became my go-to knitting whenever social media got overwhelming during the second (third?) year of the pandemic. The soothing garter stitch kept my hands busy while my mind settled. You can be actually anti-social in this cowl if you want (put on a mask and tuck your chin down, nobody will see you in this ...

A little beanie that is worked in the round from the bottom up. A large pompom can be added to the crown for extra cute-factor.

The Stash Sweater has been a firm favourite with my daughter ever since I wove in the last ends and handed it over. It is an oversized, comfortable garment that gives the wearer ease of movement, and the knitter gets the satisfaction of using up lots of partial balls of yarn! The final sweater is a DK weight (toasty warm), and is wonderful for ...

This little mouse is knitted flat and then seamed together. The ears, paws, and tail are worked separately and then attached once the body of mouse is complete. Mouse is only a few inches tall when finished, but is a fierce friend despite its small stature. You have a loyal friend in this Mouse of Bravery!

The humble bumblebee is one of natures most delightful creatures. This pattern is a celebration of Bombus Terrestris, the most common bumblebee found in Europe.

I designed this ear warmer for my daughter who doesn’t like wearing hats, but feels the cold keenly. The ear warmer is knitted in a ‘tube’ by working in stocking stitch in the round until your desired length, then sewing the ends together to create the twist. You can use any 4ply or 5ply yarn to make this, or you can use a strand of lace weight...

Bunny is all set to step up and fulfil the role of Easter Bunny, or small friend, for any children (and adults) who are currently in lockdown. She is small and sleepy, and when completed only measures a few inches long. Her soft ears and sweet expression will help soothe away any worries in this time of anxiety. I have included instructions for...

These wardrobe items will make sure that Bear looks smart for any celebration throughout the year.

My sister moved to Holland in 2017 and I missed her so much. In order to feel connected to her and what she was experiencing, I followed the weather in Amsterdam and compared the temperatures to what I was experiencing each day in Auckland, New Zealand.

Here is a tiny cub for you to make, it is so small that it can be nestled into the palm of your hand without anyone noticing. Keep it with you all day, safe in your hand or in a snug pocket.

This little mouse is perfect for soothing anxiety after a restless, stressful year. Fast asleep, nothing troubles mouse except for when the next snack might appear.

These 3 winter wardrobe items will keep your Bear warm and toasty during winter outings or hibernation. You can of course make these clothes for any Bear, but the sizes have been designed specifically to fit Bear in a Box whose measurements are as follows:

The hardworking honeybee slows down over winter, but with the Honeybee Hat you can have a friendly swarm of bees with you wherever you go. You can make this beanie fitted or slouchy to suit your own taste, simply remove an inch from the height of hat before decreasing for the crown to make a more fitted beanie.

The Beekeeper’s Daughter is a light, soft jumper that makes a perfect layering garment for transitional weather. Worked in the round from the bottom up, the sleeves are worked separately (also in the round) and then joined at the yoke. The pattern calls for fine mohair yarn, of which 2 strands are held together throughout. This helps to create ...

These dishcloths are a simple and effective way to create something practical and reusable for your home. Be kind to our planet with your choice of yarn if you can! If you make these in 100% cotton or bamboo they will be completely compostable when they reach the end of their lifespan. Many companies sell pure cotton or bamboo yarns for very lo...

This fox is all set to be your friend. You can knit your fox over a weekend and tuck it into your pocket for Monday morning. Work will be much more pleasant with a sleepy fox to keep you company.

Everyone needs a favourite bear. One that will be hugged at bedtime, cried into on bad days, have secrets whispered into woollen ears, taken on outings, and, eventually, worn threadbare with love and attention. This bear is just the thing. With jointed limbs that can move, Bear is able to take part in tea parties or picnics, sitting nicely at t...

This little family of hedgehogs is just the right size for tucking into a pocket or bag. Bring one, or all of them out with you for some adventures. This pattern also shows you how to make a large felt leaf to wrap up the hedgehogs for winter. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did.

These mittens are part of the Living Lightly collection. This collection of patterns has a waste-free, use-what-you-have approach to knitting in the hope that we can create beautiful items with a low impact on our planet.

This little hedgehog is nestled into a bed of leaves, ready to sleep away the winter.

This pattern is the first in a small collection of patterns that are inspired by the hard-working bees that my husband keeps in our back garden. This cowl is covered with big bright polka dots that look like the large balls of pollen our honey bees collect on their legs.

In 2018 a huge Summer storm hit Auckland causing widespread damage across the city, closing schools and businesses and forcing people to stay home and keep safe. It was during that storm that I finished working on this dress, and just after the storm I photographed it in our local, and devastated, park. This dress will keep the wearer warm and ...

The Toitoi booties are knitted from the sole up with a completely seamless construction. You will only have 2 ends to weave in for each slipper and with such minimal finishing each slipper only takes a couple of hours to make from start to finish. The lace panel is deceptively simple, just read through the whole section first to familiarise you...

Kerosene Creek is a wonderful hot-water stream near Rotorua where you can bathe under ferns and large trees. The water runs fast through a deep river bed, and is so hot that tendrils of steam rise up off the surface. I chose to create a garment that uses a lace-weight mohair yarn to create the light, cloudy effect of this steamy river.

The beautiful kowhai tree, with it’s tear shaped flowers and bright colour, was the inspiration for this design. It is sized from newborn through to adult large, so you can match your little ones if you want!

This wreath is perfect for those of you who, like me, decide at the very end of the year that you want a holiday wreath. The flowers are of the cheap and cheerful variety, deliberately designed to be quick to make, and not in the least fussy. You can use your button stash to add colour to the middle of each flower. The leaves and vines require ...

This beanie pattern is written with 7 sizes included to fit newborns through to adult large. The main features of this beanie are the extra cozy double brim and the beautiful spiralling decreases on the crown.

This little hood is a great way to use up those partial balls of fingering weight yarn that are lingering in your stash. The hood is worked from the bottom up, and is closed at the top with kitchener stitch. With only one button as a closure, you can use something special. I found a handmade ceramic button shaped as a flower for Molly’s hood.

The Kitekite Coat is a sweet and comfortable garment for babies and children. Each size features a double row of buttons to close the coat, and the back has a small gather that creates a series of soft folds over the lower back. This coat is designed to be worn with an inch of negative ease around the chest, but if you are unsure of which size ...

The South Island of New Zealand has some of the coldest weather in the country, so I thought a scarf would be an appropriate accessory to take it’s name. Although the weather can be severe, the colours are often beautiful and I chose my yarns to recall the wonderful colours of the lupins that spring up late in the year.

Manuka flowers are small, delicate things that bloom on prickly trees, often when nothing else is flowering. These mittens copy the Manuka flowers colouring, and there are little flowers in the middle of the stranded section of these mittens.

These legwarmers were designed to recall the almost glowing blue colour and surface ripples of many South Island rivers. The slouch, or ripples, are built in using Tuck Stitch, a neat way to ensure your legwarmers are always ‘relaxed’ looking. There are instructions for sizes from newborn through to adult included in this pattern.

This warm woollen wrap was created after a family holiday spent in Tongariro National Park. The peak of Tongariro mountain is a looming and everpresent view in the park. The border of this wrap creates the shapes of mountain peaks that are a nod to this cold and striking landscape. Built in i-cord edging helps to stabilise each side of the wrap...

The Pohutukawa is fondly known as New Zealand’s Christmas tree, as it’s large red blossoms appear in December just as Christmas arrives. This little top has a lace edge that mimcs the shape of the Pohutukawa blossom, and is embellished with beads to recall the pollen that bees love and that stud each flower with gold.

Harakeke is the Maori word for flax. Flax grows in smooth strong points and is often a deep, glossy green shot through with gold or red.

The Cardrona Cowl is a heavyduty piece of knitwear designed to keep out mountain-top cold. The texture of the bat stitch pattern adds interest to the fabric of the cowl, and it is a quick knit in 14 ply yarn.

Maranui Surf and Life Saving Club is a large wooden building right on the beach in Wellington’s Lyall Bay. It has been relentlessly battered by wind, has burned down and been rebuilt, and now houses a cafe on it’s top floor where you can get excellent coffee and a view over the sea.

This blanket is knitted in two parts. First the center of the blanket is worked flat (back and forth on 2 needles) then the border is worked by picking up stitches all the way around the the blanket and working in the round. Increases are worked at the corners of the blanket border to stop the edges from pulling in.

Along the walkways and dunes of most New Zealand beaches you will find delicate, fluffy-headed grasses growing at the edge of the path, often in the sand itself.

Punakaiki is the Maori name for Pancake Rocks, which are a strange and wonderful section of rocks along the west coast of New Zealand. The layers of rock are stacked high in flat strips, hence the name, and this cowl was designed with a nod to that oddly beautiful coastline. The Punakaiki cowl is knit in the round from the bottom up. Rounds of ...

This lightweight summer shawl is insprired by the incredible colours and landscape of Tongariro National Park in New Zealand. Mountain peaks form a dramatic backdrop against hard blue skies, and flurries of snow drift about, settling on the stiff alpine grass and delicate flowers that stretch out into the horizon.

This hat has been designed to raise money for the White Helmets in Aleppo. The White Helmets are a courageous group of civilians who work to rescue injured people who have been trapped in rubble in war-torn Aleppo. You can find more information about their invaluable work at https://www.whitehelmets.org/en.

This cowl features a twisting cabled centre column that has leaves branching off to each side. It is richly textured and I have embellished the tweedy yarn with 12 tiny glass beads over each nupp to add a sense of something delicate in the midst of all the cabling.

These slippers are knitted from the sole up. Picked up stitches and knitting in the round means there is no seaming to be done at the end. The ribbing on the cuffs help to keep the slippers on little feet. These are a very quick knit, with each slipper taking around 1.5 hours to complete.

This cowl was designed to make the most of a single skein of worsted weight Misti Alpaca yarn. It is worked flat and either seamed or grafted together at the end so that the braided cables slouch comfortably around your neck in three smooth bands.

This little cardigan is simple and sweet in garter stitch. It is knit from the top down and there is no seaming involved, everything is worked in one piece.

This little cardigan was designed to make the garment fully reversible. The finishing techniques hide all seams within a folded knit edge and the stitches have no right or wrong side (as long as you like the back of stripes as much as I do).

Keep your coffee warm while you are out and about with this easy, quick-to-knit cup sleeve. Mistake rib forms the stitch pattern and the cosy is buttoned snugly closed along one edge.

A knitted tea-cosy is a little bit of domestic hand-made comfort, and this one is very easy to make. The construction means that there are no seams to join at the end, so when you cast-off you are done!

This coffee cosy is worked flat in linen stitch, creating a beautiful woven effect that is deceptively simple to achieve. The cosy wraps around the entire jug, buttoning closed to make sure no heat can escape your coffee.

Be as loud or as subtle as you like with this cowl. You can use cool colours and glassy beads for a sophisticated finish, or you can create a bright and bold accessory with sequins and vivid coloured yarn. It’s up to you!

When my daughter was tiny I was always entranced by her tiny feet and toes, in celebration of this I have made the Baby Steps Blanket.

These wrist warmers knit up fast in dk yarn, making them ideal for gifting. The cables and stitch pattern keep things interesting enough for even experienced knitters, and ensure that these will be a finished pair before you get bored!

This little hat can be knitted in an evening and be ready for tomorrow’s walk in the park. The textured stitch pattern adds interest to an otherwise simple hat, and the stitch pattern continues uninterrupted throughout the decreases for a clean, tidy, and very acorn-ish look!

This cowl is made in sections, each section being knitted flat in garter stitch, then joined with careful seaming or by picking up stitches.

This hat uses a ribbed stitch to create a stretchy, comfortable beanie that will grow with your child. Simple decreases make a tidy, smooth fitting crown and the pompom on top adds an element of fun that any child will love.

The brim of this hat is knitted flat, so there is no purling needed to achieve the garter stitch! A simple stitch pattern and DK yarn mean that even the larger size of this hat knits up quickly.

This little blanket is light and warm, making it perfect for keeping tiny babies snug while they are resting on your lap or in your arms. Because it is delicate and subtle in both the pattern and the design, it also makes a wonderful photography prop. It will add a beautiful textural element to any baby portraits without taking over the photo!

These tiny boots are knitted flat in garter stitch, making them quick, stretchy and very cute.

This pattern includes full written instructions for both the beanie and the booties, making it a go-to pattern for when you want to make something special for a newborn baby.

This hat makes a wonderful last minute gift, or is the perfect project for a beginner knitter who wants to work on a few new skills.