Cameron and I are now in Christchurch. We've really enjoyed it so far, and this is yet another place we would love to end up, even though the chances are (again) slim. One of our favorite things about it here is the botanical garden. It is incredibly beautiful with absolutely gigantic old trees - so old and large that you basically cannot take pictures of them because they wouldn't fit in the frame. There are lots of mini themed gardens within the botanical gardens, a few examples being a rose garden, a water garden, and azalea garden. There are also some greenhouse areas where they have rainforest species of plants. Cameron and I have taken many walks within it. Beyond the beauty and size of the botanical garden, my favorite thing is how used the park is. There are people everywhere eating lunch, reading books, spending time with friends or family, attending events, etc.
We are currently staying in a nice AirBnb where we have a private room in a house. The other rooms in the house are also rented, the owner does not live here. When we first arrived, we were sharing the house with a couple from New Hampshire named Paul and Kristen. We really lucked out getting to meet them. They spent three months here in New Zealand, and will be heading home in a few days. We enjoyed a great picnic in the botanical garden with them, and they very nicely complimented the cardigan I was wearing. This also reminded me that I have yet to write my blog on this cardigan! So, here we go! If knitting does not interest you, skip down to read more about New Zealand.
I finished knitting this cardigan right at the end of November. It took me about 4 months to knit as I struggled through arm and finger pain (which has since gone away!!), completely emptying out our home in Colorado, and then my car accident. I really enjoyed knitting this cardigan, which was by far the largest project I'd yet attempted. The yarn and the pattern are by an Oregon company called Brooklyn Tweed. I learned a few new techniques including tubular cast on, and more importantly, counting stitches for gauge to ensure that everything would fit together once the garment was done. This was also my first experience using blocking wires and blocking mats!
Here is the schematic from the pattern to give you an idea of how this was constructed. It was basically an extremely large rectangle, knit all as one piece until you get to the arm holes, where the project is divided into three pieces, and then reconnected as one again after the arm holes are complete. The sleeves are knit separately and sewn in later.
As I mentioned, this was my first time doing tubular cast-on and it was something I had to watch a couple YouTube videos, and read a couple articles to figure out. This cast-on method differs from others in that rather than having a ridge at the bottom of the work (like most knitting), you essentially cast on a false starting row using "waste yarn". The project is then begun by knitting straight into the false row of waste yarn. This cast-on takes 6 rows of knitting to be complete, instead of just 1 row like most other cast-ons, and then the waste yarn can be cut away and fully removed. The benefit to this is purely stylistic. As you can see, the stitches appear to just start out of nowhere instead of originating out of a ridge.
Above is the finished body as I am blocking it. I received a very nice set of blocking mats and blocking wires for my last birthday. The sets were plentiful, but this is such a large pattern that I didn't have enough mat squares - this is why you see it caving in the middle there, I had to make do. It's a little hard to see here, but blocking wires (very long, rust-resistant wires) are inserted through the edges of the knitting to keep everything straight and in-place as the pieces dries from it's wet blocking. I also used a hair dryer to speed this along.
Anyway! Back to New Zealand! Cameron and I spend most of our days pretty uneventfully, but we are very much enjoying ourselves and enjoying life. Most days we are reading, walking, grocery shopping, and cooking. Some things we've done lately worth a mention:
1) The ferry down to the South Island from Wellington. Taking the ferry is an extremely common way for people to travel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It was the only way for us to go, as we wanted to have our car with us. Our ferry ride cost us $266 NZD which is on the cheaper side of what the fares can cost. We got this lower rate because we took the 3:30am ferry. It was a rough day!
This above photo is from the end of the 2 hour ferry ride. The sun was just beginning to rise. I absolutely loved it. Approaching the South Island is incredibly beautiful. I love the ferry ride because it has a practical travel component to it, but it ends up feeling like a glamorous cruise because of the views.
This is a quick video I took of our drive from Picton, where the ferry drops you off, down to Christchurch. The ride was almost entirely along the east coast of the South Island. Absolutely beautiful!
2) There always seem to be events going on here in Christchurch. Yesterday, Cameron and I went to a production of Treasure Island that was put on by a local theater troupe. The play was in the botanical garden and free to the public (we gave a donation after). We were so impressed. It was so far beyond what you would expect for a free show in a park. The actors were all multi-talented - they all did singing, dancing, and acrobatics. They also did their own sound effects! The play was incredibly charming and funny. We really enjoyed it.
3) Day trip to Akaroa. I know I keep saying everywhere is beautiful, but Akaroa really is a class of its own. Akaroa is a town about an hour and 20 minutes south of Christchurch. Cameron and I aren't much for celebrating Valentines Day, but we did figure we could excuse a trip down to Akaroa by saying we were celebrating an early Valentines day. We visited a winery that was absolutely magical. The winery was someone's partially converted home. They grew Riesling and Pinot Noir grapes in their yard, and used their deck, living room, and kitchen as a tasting room for visitors. They had an amazing view of the water! The owner also bred Monarch butterflies, so butterflies were flitting around as we enjoyed the wine, the view, the beautiful weather, and a board of cheeses that were also make in Akaroa. We were surprised (as Akaroa is a fairly expensive tourist area), that everything at this winery was incredibly reasonably priced.
As far as jobs and settling down go, we are still TBD. Cameron has been an absolute trooper, contacting company after company, and going to interview after interview. I am really in awe of his dedication and perseverance. I am holding off on doing my job search until we have a location decided. Since Cameron has gone through several bouts of studying to earn certification for his work, and because he is extremely passionate about what he does, we are giving his career the priority, and letting it dictate where we settle down. I am open to trying something new job-wise and this makes me more flexible. I will just see what jobs are available when the time comes and apply to what sounds interesting! While jobs and location are still up in the air, Cameron has a few very good leads (one here in Christchurch and a couple in Wellington), and we hope to be settled soon. However, as I've said, we are still consciously making efforts to be present, and just enjoy each and every day! We are easily succeeding in this :)
Love and miss you all!