Squirrels' Paradise Blanket

A bit over three years ago I started designing a baby blanket. I found the perfect colour yarn at a Knitworld sale, and started playing with stitch patterns, tweaking until I had exactly what I wanted. When it looked big enough I started playing with ways to finish it off and settled on a cabled i-cord edging. And half way through I ran out of yarn. The reason that it had been on sale was (of course) because it was discontinued, but I eventually found some in a different shop that was being sold off too - but I had to buy the whole pack of (I think) 6 balls, when all I needed was half a ball.

After all that hunting I had to summon up the enthusiasm to pick it up and finish what felt like an endless edging.



Unfortunately, the yarn didn't wear well, so by the time I was ready to tackle writing up the pattern and decided I needed better photos it was looking pretty tatty. So I made a second one, in a completely different yarn (Skeinz Vintage DK, colour Merlot).



And now the pattern has finally been released!

Available on Ravelry, NZ$7.00

Ten Days!

Somehow time is slipping away, and there is so much to sort out (while still fitting in the regular stuff). I keep getting lost trying to choose car seats - I am an extremely tactile person, and I hate not being able to play with them in a shop before buying. I haven't entirely ruled out buying some European seats here to take over, but would be quite happy to not have the extra luggage to deal with. I think we've just about made a decision, just need to attempt to order the ones we want (which ideally means finding a Czech website that has both the ones we want available, and muddling through ordering in a foreign language).

This weekend we bought suitcases - a cabin bag sized one for the monkey (he can just fit into it), and a giant one for us (which I can just squeeze into). We have already paid for seats on the plane though, and I suspect they'll be a bit more comfortable...

We went to music last Friday, in the last couple of months The Monkey has really started enjoying it, and learning actions to songs. It seems a shame to have to leave just when he is really getting into it, but I guess that just means we'll have to try to find a similar group overseas. One more week left, and we will definitely be back in the new year.

Everything seems to be counting down - last visit to the local woolcraft group yesterday, second to last preschool day today, second to last playcentre day on Thursday, last music on Friday.

Three weeks!

Things have started happening, and in 3 weeks we will sitting on an aeroplane, being climbed all over by two small children. Packing hasn't really begun yet, but thinking about what to take has. We will be away for 6 months (to the day), and that is a long time to pack for. There are a lot of decisions about what to take, what we can do without, and what we will replace when we arrive.

(Importantly, I have found a website that appears to list all playgrounds in the Czech republic, with details of play equipment and facilities. I had already found the two closest to where we will be via google maps, but now know where to look for a few more nearby. Also, a wooden hippo.)