Category: Report

Well here it is, the knitted gazebo roof with Scottish inspired knitting patterns debuting at the Hororata Highland Games 2018.

It is knitted in 5 vertical strips of 114 stitches wide. The widest measurements are 3 meters wide by 2 meters high. There is just over 3 kgs of yarn. I knitted it on my bulky knitting machine and got strong arms, there was a lot of knitting.

I designed the the shape and patterns on the computer. The patterns are:

Sanquhar, the bottom strip in black and white.

Argyle, in purple, green and white.

Tartan, in black and apricot cream.

Fair Isle, in the centre with all the different colours.

 

Here I am at the Open Our Eyes evening at Lincoln put on by the Lions Club.

The Hororata Highland Games was a busy day. From the stall I could see across to the Heavy area, the caber tossing was impressive.

A highlight of the day for me was a lady came up and said she had one of Mama’s cats as a child and still has it because it was her favorite toy.

The Spring Fling was a rather wet day. It was at the Broadfield Garden in Prebbleton, which is beautiful in any weather if you get a chance to go to the garden I would recommend it.

Ingrid (my sister) suggested I have a basket of cats for children of all ages could to pick up and play with. I did this at the Rangiora A and P Show and it was lovely to see children hugging the cats and did not want to be parted with them.

I had a lovely morning with the ladies from the Glenroy Rural Women. They put on a splendid morning tea. I spoke to them about the Knitted Cats and Salty Creek. Here are a couple of photos that Catherine R. made.

I shared a stall with Julie Sorrell at the Methven and Oxford A & P Shows. She makes jewellery with buttons, very pretty and “Something a little different” as Julie says.

At the Oxford A&P Show I spoke to a lady who has one of the cats my mother Marie made about 30 years ago, it sits on her bed and she has a chat to it every day when she makes the bed. Very cool.

Also at Oxford I was presented with a large rosette for President’s Choice, I was quite surprised and chuffed.

Amberley turned on a beautiful sunny day for the A & P Show. It was very nice to be on the stand with the folks from Black & Coloured Sheep Breeders’ Association. We had many interests in common like spinning, knitting and a concern about the dry winter we have just had.

 

I had a stall at the Oamaru Victorian Fete, where there was great music and unusual competitions like gurning and Oamaru stone cutting as well as many interesting and yummy things to buy, including the Knitted-Cats which were well received.

It was good to see my friend Marie. She dropped by the stall wearing the cape I had sewn for her. The material was hand dyed, spun and woven.