Knitting New Zealand Episode 1 || Creabea Knitting Podcast

Hi, I'm Rebecca (She/Her) and to the the Creabea Knitting podcast, a place where I talk about all things knitting.
Where can you find me?
Instagram: / the.creabea
Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/people/Rebecc...
[e-mail]
I'm working on my Sanna cardigan in Cascade 220 and my Myrtle vest in Kinross 4ply held double.

[@garyweybright3227]

Rebecca thank you so much for taking us along ! What a cool trip so far! Lets us know how you enjoyed the book! Best wishes on the rest of your journey, till next time, ClaudiaSJI

[@christianavance9124]

I watched a movie about a woman who owned a yarn shop in NZ and made a boyfriend sweater. I learned a lot about how sheep are raised and the yarn processing from that movie. I also learned that if a relationship isn't strong enough to survive someone making a sweater it was just a stepping stone to bigger and better things anyway. Thanks for sharing this experience with us, especially those who just don't travel no matter how much we sometimes wish we did.

[@EvieO1950]

Oh how wonderful!! Amazing sunrise! Looking forward to next week.

[@noramcdonald2669]

Thank you for taking us on your trip Rebecca! How exciting! Enjoy!

[@geenanyc]

I got quite homesick, I lived for 3 years in AKL and loved it. The forest of the North Island is spectacular. I realized this video is from a week ago, I hope you visited Wanaka , near Queenstown, it has a fabulous wool shop. BTW in NZ they say if you want to save Kiwi Birds consume possum products. Nothing to feel guilty about possum content in the wool. IMO🥝🥝🥝

[@rebecca-72]

Thank you for taking us along on your trip! Beautiful footage, wow! ❤

[@lisette1580]

What a trip! Beautiful. Thank you for sharing (and keep on knitting 😉).

[@jamiethrogmorton2540]

Fun to see all these new-to-me places!!

[@hebulanebula]

NZ is beautiful ❤ Thank you for taking us along ! 🌅🧶💖💫

[@thekindles1183]

So so fun! Love the sunrise!!!

[@StaffJunctionFiberMill]

Thank you for repping our small mill! ❤The Junction Fiber Mill Team

[@catherinethomes2910]

Thanks for taking us along. It looks so beautiful there! I hope you find more knitting shops!!! ❤

[@carlamelton665]

Loving your trip around NZ. I live in Auckland and havent done that ferry trip for a very long time! So glad you are enjoying yourself.

[@kate-emvintage]

Lovely to see your travels, hope you have had the best time. Enjoying the knitting and the scenery.

[@tacistudio]

What a beautiful place and thank you for taking us along with you 💖

[@MoiraFraser]

Thanks for encouraging other visitors to my homeland. Im an indie dyer from Christchurch and i love dyeing on a merino/possum base. I don't think ive ever heard a NZer express concern about how possums are killed. They are such a pest here and responsible for the extinction of so many species. When we eliminate them on island sanctuaries or with possum proof fences our beautiful birds flourish. As an introduced species, they are mot in balance at all. Its a wonderful fibre to mix with wool - so light, soft and warm

[@laurawoodward3046]

Your lack of knowledge around a concern of how possums are killed reflects your values, the people around you, and the conversations you have. I assume Rebecca was referring to the debate around the use of 1080. I'm like Rebecca in that I have uncomfortable mixed feelings around some practices that involve animal fibre. Im vegan. It is however a beautiful soft fibre and so warm.

[@jossywhite3003]

Sorry but 1080 poison has nothing to do with the possum fibre industry. That Is government killing everything. We all hate it. So get your facts right. Did a sheep never get a cut when shorn? Cause they do. This really pissed me off that a KZbinr with big following said that about the possum fur industry.

[@KarinTurner]

There are 70 million possums and they are a big pest. We need to protect our wildlife from them.

[@joyatodd]

Possum fibre is one of the most insulating of fibres and is terrific in hiking socks. And it feels luxurious. And dead possums are better than live possums. Even when hand-reared, a possum will take to the wild when it hits reproductive age, so not tame like rabbits. They are a dire problem on our bush and are wrecking ecosystems. Having said that I'm not keen on poison as a choice because there is too many other critters that get caught as collateral damage.

[@addy5335]

Fabulous! Looks like a great place to visit. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[@thehopefulheliophile]

That sunrise was so beautiful, I want to make something using those colors now!

[@esumphrey]

Amazing video and so happy to see your junction fiber mill hat! I live 10 miles from them! Thanks for taking us along!

[@the.creabea]

I wore it almost every day of the trip!

[@xusblasco5563]

Wow!!! keep enjoying! Thanks for bringing us along 🌊💫💙

[@berylwalker79]

I am so envious. My brother is in Auckland and my daughter was In Timaru, South Island but now lives in New Plymouth. We have been a few times and would love to go back. Enjoy. It’s a glorious country especially the South Island. Xx. Fejoas are yummy. Our favourite park. The Christmas display is amazing. I keep seeing places I’ve been and recognising places. 😮😁😆😀

[@suemiles1564]

Yay 😁. So glad you are having a lovely time in our beautiful country. Take care, Sue

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Awesome!!! You drove right thru my little town ❤

[@franceshalcrow7428]

Hi Rebecca, I'm glad to see that you are having a fabulous holiday . Thank you for taking us with you , its great seeing and hearing about New Zealand. Glad you are getting some knitting in too, enjoy the rest of your holiday Xx

[@ruthswarthout1115]

Thank you fir taking us along i have a half sister that lives in New Zealand and son-in-laws father is from New Zealand but I live in Michigan, USA so uts nice to see the land 😊

[@judyperodeau4945]

How nice of you to bring us along Ty😃👏🏼🧶 and I live in the northeast of U.S. so love the tip of the hat to junction fiber mill!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@VisitWithNanaAndPapa]

what a lovely trip, and now you have video to remember it with.

[@the.creabea]

Exactly! Part of me thought I should just not film and enjoy, but this way I have a nice little video diary to look back on.

[@jessicaolney4900]

So fun to come along! Safe travels on the rest of your journey and good weather!

[@debweiss470]

Love this, Rebecca! Especially because a year ago (almost exactly the same dates) I went to NZ for the first time and so far visited the same places you did including Lupine (plus a few more-we had a month so we stayed on the North island a little longer). I love re-living my experiences and am delighting that your reactions are so similar. Can’t wait to see part 2.

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us, what a change from the 30 cm of snow we had in Montreal this week. 🥰

[@christine3358]

Wow, so beautiful there. Glad you are having a great time.

[@nicolegibb1655]

Dear Rebecca, I enjoyed your NZ episode sooooo much. Thanks for sharing your journey! My twin sister lives in NZ for 3 years (I live in Germany) and it's so special for me to see more of the country. My sister lives on the South island, so I'm even more excited for part two! Greetings, Nicole

[@vysgiyi]

I’m usually not a fan of travel blogs but this was so good!!! I’ve never had feelings about NZ before. But now I feel like I’ve GOT to go. So gorgeous and can’t wait to see part 2! 💜🧶💜

[@BlackcatNZ]

Born and raised in Wellington, always been the windy city!!! now live in a small west coast beach town 1.5 hours north and its paradise here ...unless we have stormy/windy weather, then it knocks you off your perch a bit. Glad youve had a great time 💖

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Foxton? 😎

[@BlackcatNZ]

@@crochetingaroundnewzealand Himatangi Beach :)

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

@@BlackcatNZ not far!! I often take a cruise out there to give my other car a run.

[@this_skipper_knits959]

Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, I spent a month in Australia driving from Sydney to Adelaide and then back to Sydney along the Great Ocean Road... I cried like a baby at the 12 apostles. I have always regretted I didn't go to NZ. PS\ love that you say 'sea state' ...you ARE a proper sailor ⚓

[@joycepastore3860]

Thank you so much Rebecca for your gorgeous travel log. The videos of the sunrise were absolutely breathtaking. I never had much desire to go to New Zealand but now I am rethinking it. I do recall several years ago at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC I received a pair of fingerless mitts made with Zealana a possum fiber. They are so soft and amazing. I learned the story of the overpopulation of possum in NZ, and thought that they were humanely treated. Perhaps the whole story was not told.

[@lyndaannibal8990]

Thanks for bringing us along on your NZ trip. NZ looks amazing. Safe travels and enjoy.

[@egoreknits]

Thank you for sharing. I'd love to visit New Zealand one day.

[@tamaragonzalez708]

Thanks for sharing your NZ trip. I was there for 3 weeks in January so this has been really fun to watch. Such beautiful scenery.

[@pip-woollycwtches]

Windy Wellington. My sister in law lived there for a while. Your adventure looks absolutely fabulous. Possum is a yarn i personally choose not to use. Because of some of the reasons you said. But it is the same as choosing to be vegan isn’t it. It’s up to the individual xx

[@catrave8681]

I get so happy when I see you’ve posted a new video, like when a new episode of your favorite show comes on. 😁 Totes adorbs. ❤

[@KnitsByNayla]

Thanks for sharing your journey Rebecca! So glad you and Sam are enjoying this time traveling and being with family. I also appreciated the add on of the map tracker bc geography is not my best subject! 😅 Hope the second half of the trip is even better!

[@juliacardiff3339]

Thanks for taking us along on your adventures!

[@Arinsydneycb]

Love this video so much. Thank you for sharing.

[@the.creabea]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cherylmorovic110]

Welcome to NZ. Enjoy your trip. ❤

[@carolinehannan3921]

Thank you, Rebecca, for a great trip down memory lane. My late husband and I went to NZ about ten years ago and loved every minute of it. We visited New Plymouth, slightly unusually, just because it was there! Enjoy the rest of your visit.

[@gracec.4399]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I've always wanted to visit New Zealand and Australia. Beautiful video!

[@theknittingbea]

This is the coolest! I am a long time viewing kiwi living in Auckland who grew up in New Plymouth and used to live in a student hall by the Wellington cable car 😂🤯 I hope you had the most wonderful time!!!

[@Danielle_nl]

Thank you for taking us woth you on this trip. NZ looks amazing. Love the book recommendation!

[@mirjam1811]

Wow,that was so nice to watch! Thanks for making this footage, very inspiring ❤

[@trishcostello813]

Lovely to see you enjoying NZ. We have just come back to Australia after three and a half weeks there. Much shorter plane ride so not as much knitting time. The sock tube grew well, but the Amy Palko Coorie In poncho only got started on our trip. My husband is from the North Island and we went regularly there before Covid to see family. Thought this time a visit to the South Island too. We started in Wellington and went the same way to Picton as you, then caught the train in Blenheim, then stopped overnight in Kaikoura before heading to Christchurch. Lovely yarn in NZ but I stayed very disciplined and resisted. I want to get my stash a bit smaller. We are going back in March next year for a wedding so then I shall do more than squish skeins🤣🤣 . Looking forward to see what you think of Queenstown and the amazing stunning scenery. Scotland is beautiful too, but Autumn in New Zealand and the south of Australia is fabulous.

[@knotyourcup0ftea]

I shrieked when I saw you and bought the curse of the boyfriend sweater! It’s such a good book and it was one of my first foray into knitting literature, by the time I finished it, I was desperate cast on a dozen new projects.

[@carolbergson1570]

Enjoy. While we didn't visit yarn shops, NZ is amazing. No room for knitting or yarn in my bike bag. We spent 2 months in NZ, as part of a "gap year" after retiring. We were cycling on the North Island and a camper van - not a lot of accomodations for cyclists - on the South Island. Enjoy your visit to Milford Sound, too.

[@catblues8645]

Funny, the part with the amazing views, mountain ranges and glistening seascapes around every bend is pretty much what I think of Scotland. At least the Highlands 😄

[@the.creabea]

Definitely true! I think NZ has a bit more diversity than Scotland. You drive for 30 minutes and it looks completely different! But I saw a lot of similarities.

[@kyllito]

Loved this episode! Enjoy your trip! ❤

[@jillc720]

What a lovely travel log..thank you for refreshing my memories of travel to New Zealand! I look forward to part two!

[@movingstitches]

Oh Rebecca that KFO Tolsta .. you glow on that colour! NZ suits you well!😉

[@juliestone8302]

Lovely video! How funny, looks like we were in Whanganui at the same time! Hope you're enjoying the South Island. Safe travels x

[@sherryfox1481]

That color looks amazing on you!

[@susanmarshall3709]

That was amazing!! Thanks for showing the scenery as I had no idea of the landscape in New Zealand.

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Lots of hills surrounded by water 😂

[@andrewswan6125]

How gorgeous. Our rescue dog is from Piopio. New Plymouth isn't usually on the tourist trail. I hope you enjoyed it. Yes, possums are pests here, even though very cute and some keep them as pets. They must first be killed for the fur and then the bodies are beaten until then beaten until the fur comes out. It is soft and mostly dark, which is why the yarn tends to have a charcoal base tone. We kiwis don't tend to think much about how the fur is obtained. Interestingly, in Australia, possums are protected. You're the first foreigner I know who likes feijoas - they're a very well loved NZ fruit, but not many others like them, so go you!!

[@the.creabea]

We only went there because it's where Sam's parents are based but we loved it. Such a nice sized town and plenty to see for a couple of days. The Feijoas were amazing!

[@mikelafiddle]

Eeeeeee look at the sun! 😍

[@nancyhughes386]

Have fun!

[@Alaskaventureswithbrodie]

Looks like a great trip! I sure wish we had more vegan options in Alaska! Im an hour outside Anchorage so I dont get much to often living rural. 😊

[@zetsubou1960]

You lucky-lucky girl! Enjoy New Zealand, my favourite country, which I'm never going to see any other way but through someone elses eyes! Thank you for this video, cannot wait for the next one :) So proud of you, becoming one of the most sought after designers in the knitting community! Keep up the good work!!!

[@pickledbeetle]

Great seeing your travels. My Parents lived in New Plymouth for a few years...beneath Mt.Egmont/Taranaki... and where my eldest took his first steps! Interesting debate on possum...huge pests in NZ but controlling them is an issue too. Enjoy the rest of your trip

[@jetv1471]

You Look great there with the sun and ur shirt ! I think NZ suits you !

[@lornajackson5463]

Hi Rebecca, just catching up with your video of your visit to Christchurch & Auckland, New Zealand. Please don't feel bad about buying & using possum yarn. They really are a nuisance here. I think the possums used for their fur are dealt with responsibly. Yarn with possum mixed in is incredibly warm. Friends who trip around on motorcycles swear by it to keep warm and avoid frostbite or being super cold out on the road or camping. I have lived in Dunedin NZ since 1980, coming from East & West Sussex UK with my family and very familiar with the yarns made in our beautiful country. Do try visit down here on another trip as Dunedin has Scottish roots and is a great small city 😊

[@deekay1641]

Wow, what a beautiful area. Thank you for taking us along. Check out an Italian Summer Scarf, it is a free pattern on Ravelry. I had a lot of fun making it. Her name is Francesca and her podcast, An Italian Knitter is very good. She also has also has patterns for An Italian Spring Shawlette, An It's Winter Shawl and An Italian Autumn Cowl, all of them free and fun to make. So glad you are having good weather. Take care

[@sharonburr9880]

Possum fur is incredibly warm . It’s a hollow fur so it traps the warmth.

[@jessicanw]

Each time you mentioned eating out, I told myself "don't forget to post a question about how easy/hard it is to find vegan options there"... then you answered it without me even asking. Yay! Thanks for that. I'm always curious about this, because it's good to know if I'll need to rely on grocery stores or if the restaurants have good options. NZ has been at the top of my wish list for a long time, so I really appreciate that you are sharing all the great footage! :)

[@the.creabea]

Loads of options! We read up about it and definitely didn't expect much, but we were pleasantly surprised almost everywhere. The big cities had some really cool vegan restaurants and plenty of plant based options in the supermarket.

[@helenedujardin3539]

Loved NZ when I visited a few years ago. We were on the North Island and I want to go back and visit the South. Have a great trip! Auckland is a great town!

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

The south island is amazing!! The Southern Alps are so majestic ❤

[@laurawoodward3046]

That was so cool seeing you travel around my country! That beautiful sunrise in Wellington is the same view as from my office except I'm on the 18th floor of a nearby building :) The harbour is stunning and I feel lucky to be from here. Thank you for showing my city in such a good light. Being the capital, often 'Wellington' is used as a euphemism for the government (in a bad way). In Australia it's the same with Canberra. I wonder does this happen in the UK?

[@lavendercottagefibrearts]

lovely vlog, that sunrise in wellington was epic!! i think i saw in one of the yarn stores they had some prosper yarn. they are a really cool NZ indie dyer.

[@the.creabea]

Yes! I saw a LOT of propser!

[@catherinebaybutt8787]

This was so much fun for us. Thank you for sharing.. love the junction fiber mill hat.. they’re in my neck of the woods in VT / NH USA.

[@the.creabea]

I bought my hat at Rhinebeck and I've worn it almost every day of the holiday!

[@WendyBarron14]

Kia ora! So glad you got a nice day for the ferry. The only time I've ever been seasick was on that ferry, sailing into a southeaster (I think it was called) coming right off Antarctica, with massive swells. I didn't actually vomit (because I don't), but holy cow it was unpleasant.

[@the.creabea]

We got very lucky! I've heard wild stories about the journey so we were braced for the worst.

[@verylikecheryl]

I bought some vintage merino possum on ebay and it knit up into a beautiful Lanark. Kind of a glossy, fluffy, warm, fabric with a lot of squish. Possum fibres are hollow so have great insulating qualities. And so far it is showing absolutely zero signs of wear.

[@moiragarner1253]

My brother is in Christchurch somewhere 😮

[@alicehoyle4198]

I have a scarf made of possum and wool that my daughter brought me from NZ: it's amazingly warm

[@MoonyMcMoonykins]

I'm so glad you picked up some merino/possum yarn, I'm so intrigued and I want to try it so bad, though I didn't know about the culling, that makes me sad.

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Possums are a real pest here. Same as rats.

[@MoonyMcMoonykins]

@@crochetingaroundnewzealand I know, I am more concerned about how humanely the culling is being done.

[@Stitchers_Whimsy]

I really enjoyed seeing your trip! And that book looks great. Could you adjust the background music in the next one? It was really loud but your voice was very quiet and I kept having to raise and lower the volume. Thank you!!

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Same. I miss a lot of what she's saying cos I've had to turn the music off.

[@debcigna6732]

love that you're wearing a junction fiber mill hat !!! are you working with making tracks too?

[@the.creabea]

I'm not! But I have a Sweater Quantity of Farm Fresh waiting for me at home.

[@suewright107]

Wow xxx

[@MrsKWheatley]

Taps aff!

[@KnittyCat28]

What an amazing place to experience ❤ Can I ask a question in the hopes to learning something new? Of course you do not need to answer. I noticed you mentioned vegan food a few times. Are you vegan? I was always told vegans don't use anything that comes from an animal including wool, honey etc but I see you using wool. Am I mistaken in my original teaching or is it more of a personal preference? Hope you enjoy the rest of your journey ❤

[@jessicanw]

Rebecca might have a very different answer than I do, but I hope you don't mind me chiming in here with my own experience. Even if you would never consider being vegan yourself, I think it's cool when people are curious and ask questions so they can understand the complexities or nuances of topics like this. People choose to be vegan for different reasons -- environmental, personal health, concerns about animal welfare, or any combination of these things. If someone is vegan only for health reasons, wool wouldn't be a problem since they aren't eating it. Some vegans do not use ANY animal products, including wool, alpaca, etc. But there are sustainable ways to raise these animals -- sometimes they even improve the land they are on. And it is possible to take very good care of the animals and they have good lives, much like pets do. So, depending on the source of the fiber, vegans who are concerned about the environmental impacts of livestock and those who are concerned about animal welfare often still feel good about using certain fibers. I try to learn about each company I purchase yarn from so that I (hopefully) know how the animals are cared for, as well as what path the fiber takes from the sheep to my needles (since obviously I don't want humans to be exploited either). As a side note, I think some people would argue that someone isn't "a vegan" if they use animal products. In that case, maybe it would be more accurate to say that such a person eats a vegan diet. I'm not an expert on this topic, but I eat a vegan diet and use wool and other animal fibers from sources I feel comfortable with, so I thought my experience might (at least partly) answer your question. 🙂

[@KnittyCat28]

@@jessicanw Thank you for your reply. That's so interesting. I hadn't really thought about the complexity of the question. May I ask where you find out accurate information about fibre sources? is it a case of lots of research from multiple sources? Is there a database?

[@junimondify]

Hey there, do you both eat plant-based or was it just by chance that you went to many vegan places while in NZ? I've never been and am curious how prevalent veganism is there.

[@suekilgour5360]

I live in NZ and yes there are lots of people here that are vegan. There are not many cafe/restaurants that are totally vegan but most places cater for vegans on their menus 😀

[@junimondify]

@@suekilgour5360 Oh thanks for replying! Where I live, more and more places get vegan options as well, but just as many people would never consider actually buying the vegan option...