Let's go to Ferrymead!

Yesterday was a nice day, not too warm, not too cold and with no appointments so I suggested to the family that we go to Ferrymead.  The boys weren't keen, Thomas wanted to go to the beach, but as it wasn't really warm enough for that he agreed to go to Ferrymead instead.  For those of you not from Christchurch, Ferrymead is a historic township where you get to see what life was like back in Edwardian times, and a little later.
$36 got the four of us in and the first thing we saw was a water pump that the boys had to try

Unfortunately the seals on this one had gone and it no longer worked, but there was one in the main street that still worked well with an application of several pumps.  We went to see the town church, a cob cottage with dirt floor, a couple of normal houses with teeny beds.  Loved the oven, an old wall oven, not electric though!

There were lots of other places we saw too like the fire-department history, communication history etc.

 Ian

George

We got to ride on a tram and see an old tram being done up; that was amazing.  We saw photo's of what it was like when rescued; much of the bottom had rusted away, it was a dingy white colour and looked like a dead duck.  This is what it looks like now

and the tram we were on

The bakery oven; which is being repaired atm after the earthquake.  They lost quite a few chimneys from that little incident.

 We saw a huge butter churn!

The local millinery, I think headwear styles have changed a little since then

 and a relatively flattering photo of us; we're not really that tall and slim unfortunately, but that would be a marvelous mirror to keep at home.

After the boys saying they wouldn't like it, both really enjoyed themselves and wanted to know when they could go back, lol.

After we got back I finished my latest spinning:

This is 100g of 335m of Merino/Silk 2ply yarn.  I have yet to check its weight, but I think it's somewhere between fingering and sport weight and it will be socks.  I'm testing how well silk goes in socks.   Love the colour, it's not as soft as normal, but that's because I overspun and overplied for strength.  I had bought this especially to see how silk/merino blend works for socks, unfortunately I completely forgot to take a photo of the actual fibre before spinning.  Next month will be some fibre from Morag (Vintage Purls).

Today I finished my socks; the pattern is Spiral Bound by Morag MacKenzie (Vintage Purls), the yarn is Handmaiden Casbah Sock in the Hummingbird colourway.  I think it's beautiful

This just leaves me with 3 items on the needles.  My Whisper Cardigan which is what I'm working on atm, my One Sided vest which will be next and my Central Park Hoodie.   I also have a cardigan that Mum did most of, I just have to do the button band and sew it up and that's finished.  I'll do that somewhere in there, it's a mohair cardigan so for winter.
My next cast ons will be Open Windows socks in the above Merino, I've knitted these before, but at the wrong gauge, looking forward to a wearable pair; then the Bug Off mittens that will be based on Morag's Bug Off socks pattern, and a Citron scarf in some my handspun.