• 11Aug


    This a peach dessert サプリ…umm, that’s meant to be an English word, or from another European language, but like many Katakana words, I totally can’t guess it … supper, perhaps?

    Anyway, it’s peach pieces (nice) with, umm, well, likely peach sorbet or some other fruit sorbet. A little grainy and icy, but pretty normal so far. Then we get to the unusual aspect: natural unsweetened yoghurt matched with colourless very sweet jelly and sweet green goo … A rather odd combination, in this Westerner’s opinion, but quite edible (unless you don’t like the texture of the jelly).

    From Denny’s, which fast became our favourite restaurant here. Who’d have thought I’d have bread cravings? (I hate sandwiches, toast, cereals … spent my life looking for alternatives). Oh, and importantly in Japan, Denny’s serves of meat are at least ok sized. I’ve never been to Denny’s USA, I thought it was only junk food like MacDonald’s, but I really like Denny’s Japan.

  • 10Aug
    Categories: sewn Comments: 0


    This is a work in progress … except it’s kinda stalled. My stuff always stalls for the same reason: I have to make a decision about what to do next, and it requires more thinking than I can do in between nappy changes/toilet help; meals; screams/comforting; and stampedes of little ones off to their next adventure in the corridor/ bedroom/ kitchen.

    With knitting, I usually stall when I have to re-calculate the pattern because my row gauge is off or something. Here it’s because the bodice is looking like it will actually fit really well (yay!), so I’m trying to decide what to with the bottom half: it was going to have simple straight sides, but maybe I should go for something better fitted to match the top … I contemplated more gathers in the bottom, but I reckon that’d be too many gathers …

    So I’ve gone off on another tangent, started thinking about toys in organic fabrics (seen some nice ones) … I don’t lack time to dream up ideas, just to complete them properly!!!


    This is… was brought to you by
    debbie hill and Three Buttons.

  • 06Aug
    Categories: knit Comments: 0


    I wonder how I’m meant to make pictures of knitting in progress interesting?

    I mean, adult garments usually involve quite a bit of stocking stitch, unless you’re doing fancy colour-work or cables all over … perhaps I should just not blog the boring bits … but then I was trying to change this blog to a blow-by-blow, mistakes and all type blog … hmm.

    Anyhow, have some plastic fruit (persimmons, fun realistic seeds inside) with your photo of Come Together by Pam Allen: 2/16 balls or about 60 rows complete. Glad I’ve got a row counter, I’m knitting more than I expected.

    Oh, and I kinda solved the why is Anny Blatt wool so cheap here question … I hadn’t read every detail of the label: it says “Made in Japan”, under licence presumably.

  • 05Aug
    Categories: random Comments: 0

    Inokashira Koi

    Which was totally worth it. I’ve learnt to lower my expectations of Japanese parks: they’re usually tiny by Australian standards (even the Botanic Gardens at Kyoto was a disappointment) and they’re mud/dirt … what is it with Australians and lawns? But Inokashira Park was totally worth the visit. It’s big, even for an Australian, with a huge lake with boats in the shape of ducks (next time); giant Koi (75cm or more); a small zoo (next time, again); lots of shady paths under trees for walking; foresty areas for the kids to play in; snack foods and restaurants; and interesting road of shops leading up to the park (if touristy in a hippy/goth kinda way) … and we didn’t explore the half of it;)

    Inokashira Lake

    Oh, and the sound of lots of insects: some I know, like cicadas, and some I don’t … I really miss having wildlife in the city, other than those huge black crows.

  • 02Aug
    Categories: knit Comments: 0


    Yes, I’m back knitting again, back planning projects, back dreaming of wools, back imagining designs;) It’s been so hot, I totally haven’t felt like knitting, I’ve focussed on sewing and … other stuff.

    And also, somehow, Summer knits just don’t grab me. It’s not that I think knitting is a Winter-only activity, it’s just I look at the designs, they really don’t seem appropriate, don’t seem to capture the essence of Summer … speaking, of course, as someone from a rather hot country ;P I guess often Summer knits don’t inspire me, they seem to be just a Winter or Autumn knit done in cotton, not a whole new genre …
    Might have to sit down and start designing if I want Summer knits I like, hey?

    SO anyway, what sparked this newest knitting frenzy? Well, Interweave released it’s Fall Preview, and I very much liked the Tweedy Waistcoat, although I’m a little unsure how it would look on me. I like the Little Blue Sweater, but longer, and I find the Afterthought Darts Cardigan rather witty … perhaps only other sewists/knitters would find it cool, people in the street might just think it’s weird… I also think the Sidelines Top would look excellent on … does having a larger / plus size model make you want to knit it less? I try to avoid thinking like that, but, you know, even knitting magazines are kinda about dreams …

    But mostly, I credit twist collective with my renewed interest in knitting – thanks, meant sincerely! Any launch of a new online magazine is exciting, especially one that tries so hard to do its best by designers. I’d kinda forgotten about the twist collective, I hadn’t been counting the days, but, wow, I’m impressed;) Apart from the really nice site design, there were 3 jumpers (sweaters for North Americans) I really wanted to knit immediately. I mean, I like the stuff from Interweave (above), but I’m not sure I’d actually knit any of them immediately … more I think the designs are good, I’ll let them simmer until I see the perfect wool … But after looking at the twist collective I’ve bought my wool, downloaded my pattern and I’m about to start, all in one day.

    Oh, the twist collective patterns I adore? Funny, other bloggers don’t seem to have highlighted them: I’m knitting Come Together, very flattering I reckon, and I adore Jaali and Victoria, I also like Lily, Bonnie and Through The Keyhole, not to start on the socks …

    And yes, I totally couldn’t afford Anny Blatt in Australia, either. But it’s very reasonable here, not sure why. I mean, Anny Blatt, the iconic brand from the eighties, the one that introduced (gasp) decent colours to Aussie knitters, the brand my Mother adored?