Knitting projects, finally completed

Today I finished off two projects that have been sitting, almost done, for quite some time. 

They look so cute as a set but are actually destined for two different babies. I'm really quite proud of my first attempt at a cardigan. It was actually really easy and knitted in the round, with the stitches around the sleeves picked up, meaning almost zero sewing. That is my kind of cardigan! It's made from undyed alpaca yarn from Flagstaff Alpacas in Dunedin. So soft! The booties are in fluffy white angora. They're the same pattern I've made a few times now but I did the leg in false cable instead of plain rib. 

Even with a lie in and a lot of faffing about on the computer until two in the afternoon, I managed to get some things done in the kitchen. I made quince paste, date and orange scones, macaroni cheese, quiche and have a vegetable soup bubbling away as I type. 

The quince paste doesn't look exactly like it does in the recipe but it is paste-like and very quincy too so I'm sure it'll be very edible with a hunk of cheese and some crackers. It made a huge mess while it was bubbling away. Somehow there is even quince stuck on the ceiling! 

In amongst that I made it to my first Samoan class of the year. It was a lot of fun and despite not really practicing since last August, I managed to translate a page of instructions about how to make a cup of coffee. When I walked into the classroom the first thing the teacher said to me was "Jessie, I thought you'd be married to a Samoan pastor by now". I replied "I'm still looking". She is really funny, our teacher. It makes trying to get your head around indefinite and definite articles so much more fun. In a class of 10 people there are actually three Jessies/Jesses. I'm the only girl. To differentiate she calls us old Jesse, young Jesse and I'm just Jessie. 

To wrap up here's a picture of the beautiful yarn my flatmate bought me. In real life the colours are more vibrant but my camera doesn't have enough battery to use the flash and I can't find the charger.