Peel Forest is a small community close to Geraldine in New Zealand’s South Island, where I live. It’s a forested area with native Totara, Kahikatea and Matai trees and the town has a lovely homely community feel.

Sumner is a peaceful beachside village cozily nestled between Redcliffs and the Pacific Ocean in Christchurch. A beautiful spot for walking along the water’s edge, sandals in hand, skirt hitched up out of the way of the sea, enjoying the atmosphere.

As we fly over the the vast and ever-changing Canterbury Plains, we pass the myriad of different crops in the arable land near the Rakaia River. I often find myself watching field after field of crops speed by out the plane window. The lace patterns on Barrhill Tee echo the straight rows and ordered fields of those crop paddocks. Barrhill is a ...

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I’ve always loved details on shoulders of garments, and I’m a huge fan of the contiguous sleeve method, so when I saw this delicious Anzula Squishy yarn on The Yarn Queen’s table at Unwind last year, I knew right away what it needed to be. This one’s even been called Epaulette right from the very first swatch!

One of my favourite things is walking along the beach at the tideline, just in that place where the sand is packed and wet and easy to walk on. Along that tideline you’ll often find seaweed, and a common type on New Zealand beaches is Hormosira banksii, also known as Neptune’s necklace.

When I’ve been trading at markets around the country I am often asked if I have a plain, vanilla sock pattern. One that is simple to knit and unembellished by lace or cables or texture. I have had to say no to so many people now that it’s about time I started saying yes.

Evenfall. That time in the day when the sun goes down and the birds are all reading their babies bedtime stories. The temperature drops just a little – enough for you to need just one extra wee layer. What do you reach for? Your Evenfall sweater of course! She’s the perfect weight for that lovely twilight time, or for those between season days ...

When I was a wee girl I dreamed of being able to see wild African animals in their own habitat. Many years ago, I realised this dream by joining a safari from South Africa, across the border to Namibia, through the Caprivi Strip and on to Victoria Falls. It was an unforgettable and varied trip; the scenery was spectacular. You can imagine my de...

Otira Cardigan is so easy to wear. Pop her on with your favourite jeans or dress her up with a gorgeous dress and heels for a night on the town. The waterfall front opening drapes so beautifully that you don’t need to add buttons, but if you like to do your cardigans up, you could easily add a wee button at each corner of the waterfall and wear...

The all-over texture of this sumptuous shrug brings to mind the intricate topography of our local Kakahu Hills which are famous for their impressive limestone escarpments.

The Te Moana River runs out of the foothills of the Southern Alps to the ocean. Moana is the maori word for the ocean. The gorgeous deconstructed cables you will create in this beautiful squishy wrap reflect the ripples of the ocean.

Mr Ware, my much loved Grandad, was a man who grew up in a time when the everyday dress code was smart-casual. And it was quite acceptable to wear socks with your shorts and sandals. Especially if those socks were as gorgeous as these ones! I imagine that he would’ve thoroughly enjoyed wearing a pair of Mr Ware Socks — especially on his annual ...

The first time I drove past Rattletrack Road in Springston, Canterbury, New Zealand, I was knitting the prototype of this pattern and wondering what to call it. A lightbulb went off in my head because, well, it just fits doesn’t it?

I am lucky to have a mountain view from my kitchen window. Among those mountains, which are often covered in snow in the winter, are the Four Peaks. Devils Peak is one of them, standing an impressive 1,587m above sea level.

Beekeeper Beanie is an extension of The Apiarist shawl, so the story is the same. A chilly winter night, great friends, big squishy snuggly shawl, admired by my friend who keeps bees. A special birthday called for a special gift, so The Apiarist was born, and from there, Beekeeper is hot on it’s heels.

Last year I wrote about this magical place called Mesopotamia on my blog. The long drive out to Mesopotamia, South Canterbury sees you taking in the magnificent views while crossing fords and bridges. One of these bridges crosses Forest Creek, which winds its way out of the mountains to the Rangitata River below.

I went out for dinner one winter night with some really good mates. One of the girls admired my great big squishy Four Peaks Shawl that I had recently finished and was snuggling in that night. She said she wanted one, so when I found that it was a special birthday coming up for her (you know, one of the ones with an 0 at the end!), I decided I’...

In North Otago, on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, close to a wee town called Moeraki, there is a beach. On that beach lie a collection of very cool, unusually large, spherical boulders. They have the most magical, ethereal, eerie feel to them.

I am lucky to have a mountain view from my kitchen window. Among those mountains, which are often covered in snow in the winter, are the Four Peaks. It really is the most fantastic kitchen view.

It was a particularly frosty South Canterbury morning and as I sent my kids out to wait for the bus I realised, to my horror, that they had no gloves or hats on. What a neglectful knitting mum! So off I went to design a pair of mitts. I’ve named them after my eldest’s middle name, who was in turn named after his Dad’s Poppa. A good strong Scott...

This beautiful cowl is a delight to knit. Beginning with a provisional cast on, work four sections of varying layouts of a simple pretty lace repeat then finish with a little stocking stitch before picking up your provisional cast on and joining it all together with a lovely smooth kitchener stitch. Once you’ve blocked it you will love wearing ...

The Rangitata River is one of the braided rivers that helped form the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand, where we live. Part of the river is the location for a couple of the Lord of the Rings movies. It flows through Mesopotamia, which is a place close to my family’s hearts as it’s one of the places we explored soon after we ...

Danseys Pass is on a remote, mostly unsealed road in the Kakanui Mountains between Central and North Otago, in the South Island of our beautiful New Zealand. The views of the craggy, tussock covered mountains from the road are breathtaking, and the old coach inn on the way to the Pass is authentically old fashioned with it’s huge couches and to...

The Orari River is not far from my home here in South Canterbury, New Zealand. It flows from it’s source in the Four Peaks mountain range, and past the towns of Geraldine and Orari on it’s way out to sea east of Temuka. When it is in flood, the current is much like the stitch pattern on the instep of this sock, with the mini cables depicting wh...

The Maniototo region of Central Otago, New Zealand is a stunning part of the world. It’s all mountains and arid valleys – icy and freezing in the winter months and dusty and scorching in the summer. A perfect place to grow sheep and an excellent setting for an ex railway line converted to a cycle trail. This cozy cabled scarf is the perfect acc...

The Maniototo region of Central Otago, New Zealand is a stunning part of the world. It’s all mountains and arid valleys – icy and freezing in the winter months and dusty and scorching in the summer. A perfect place to grow sheep and an excellent setting for an ex railway line converted to a cycle trail. This cozy cabled headband is the perfect ...

Peel Forest is a small community close to Geraldine in New Zealand’s South Island, where I live. It’s a forested area with native Totara, Kahikatea and Matai trees and the town has a lovely homely community feel.

Peel Forest is a small community close to Geraldine in New Zealand’s South Island, where I live. It’s a forested area with native Totara, Kahikatea and Matai trees and the town has a lovely homely community feel.

Peel Forest is a small community close to Geraldine in New Zealand’s South Island, where I live. It’s a forested area with native Totara, Kahikatea and Matai trees and the town has a lovely homely community feel.