My name is Keiry. I’m from Wellington New Zealand. The picture above is Oriental Bay beach at the heart of Wellington city.
In October 2012 I moved to Paris and began my ” creative sabbatical” – writing this blog, exploring the sights of Paris, learning and practising speaking French in my everyday life here, and indulging my passion for knitting. Paris is full of delights for knitters; pretty yarn boutiques in delightful arcades and quaint neighbourhoods – finding them one by one is an adventure.
Passage du Grand Cerf entrance on Rue Marie Stuart
keirybeesparis 
Thanks for visiting and following me! I look forward to reading more about your adventures… You are in my favourite city.
Haha, well thanks to you too. I haven’t been to Tuscany since I did a Contiki tour that went there 30 years ago. Florence was my favourite stopover on the trip. I hope to go again while we are living in Paris.
Florence is a beautiful city, many gorgeous gardens in Tuscany too. Paris – Pisa is an easy flight….
[…] do miss being able to pop down to the beach at Oriental Bay and dip my toes in to cool off. I’m not surprised that so many people escape from Paris for […]
keiry I will be in Paris in april and would like to know if there are any knitting(Yarn) shope close to the Louve. I will be staying a few blocks from there. I just stumbled across your blog and really am enjoying it. Thanks so much. Debbie
Hi Debbie
Yes, there are two yarns stores close to the Louvre, say about 8 mins walk: la Droguerie in rue du Jour, and then Lil Weasel in passage du Grand Cerf. I’ve visited both these and they are lovely, well worth a visit. You should be able to locate them on Google maps, or a regular map.
Thanks for reading the blog, glad you enjoyed it. Have fun in
Paris.
Hi Keiry:
I bought a baby blanket kit “Le plaid 15 couleurs” when I was at la droguerie in Paris this summer. I am finally ready to start and low and behold the instructions are not that straightforward. Perhaps you can help. I am pretty certain that once I cast on I garter stitch 2 rows in each color. I thought Google translate would be more help but apparently abbreviations confound it. Does “Aig 3.5” refer to the size needle, as in 3.5 mm? And does “Falaise monter 106 m” mean cast on 106 stitches? And does “et tric des rayueres de 2 rg de chaque coloris” mean knit two rows? Any help you can offer is appreciated. Silly me for thinking it couldn’t be that hard–it’s such a simple project.
Thanks, American Julie
Hi Julie, yes I found their instructions a bit brief too! I think you are right 3.5 is 3.5mm needles. Aig is abbreviation for aiguilles (needles). Yes I think that is right re casting on 106 sts, and tric des rayeures de 2 rg de cheque coloris, I think is to knit the stripes of 2 rows of each colour.
I did find a good a-z list of translation for French knitting at http://www.chezplum.com/French-knitting-dictionnary
Hope that helps and Good luck, it sounds an interesting project.
I can’t help feeling your French instructions have definitely been (poorly!) translated from some other language … Bon courage!
Hi Kerry
How lovely to find your blog – after looking for you in Wellington. I read your pages with avid interest and find myself a little envious of the richness of your new adventure but re-living wonderful memories of Paris in each of your blogs
Hello! Lovely to hear from you too. Yes this is a bit of an unexpected adventure. All good fun.
Hi
I am an ex-NZer (Waikato) living in Australia (more grandchildren here) and am coming to Paris for a week in November. It has been wonderful to read your blog and google craft places I can visit on my trip. Best wishes Jan
Hi Jan, thanks for your kind comments. November is a good time to visit, yes a bit cool but a lot less crowded. If you happen to be visiting between 19 – 23 Nov the annual big craft salon “Creations et Savoir-faire” is on at Porte de Versailles. It’s an extravaganza of all sorts of hand crafts, and easy enough to get to on Metro. Also, if you are in
Paris on a Wedensday evening there is knit-night at L’Oisvethe. You would need to register on Ravelry (on the L’oisivethe group page) if you wished to come along. Happy planning, best wishes. KB
Finding myself wandering and happenstance coming across fiber related shops, I am so thankful to see you have a new book. Getting it immediately! Thanks
I hope you enjoy it and have fun planning a visit.
Hi Keiry, thank for the post about the Rosegarden Val-de-Marne. I was searching for some photos about the Malmaison Rose alley. You posted a wonderful photo of it. I’d like ask you if I get your permission to publish your photo. I will write an article about the Josephine’s rose collection for a korean garden magazine. Thanks!
Hi, yes that is okay for you to use the photo with acknowledgement. Thank you for asking and good wishes for the magazine article.
Oh, many Thanks! I surely will name you and your website.