In sheeps’ clothing

If you’re a MavisandFrank regular, you’ll know how much I love wool. I love to knit with it, I love anything made from it. What you may not know is that wool clothing is enjoying something of a renaissance, particularly when it comes to babywear. Though it really can’t compare to the magic of a lovingly hand-knitted original, modern wool clothing defies many of the old complaints. Remember that itchy sweater your mother forced you to wear? The modern baby has none of these issues when it comes to wearing wool. The new generation of wool is machine washable, soft and wearable in both summer and winter. For anyone considering their Baby Bonus/Kindergeld spending options, the following are my recommendations:

Mokopuna

For the beautiful colours and lovely designs, it’s hard to beat this brand of 100% merino wool clothing designed and made in New Zealand. I couldn’t be a bigger fan of their footed leggings. Rose lived in them for months and months during the first year. Beware, the sizing is VERY generous.

Disana

This is the go-to brand for wool clothing for children in Germany. Lovely designs and beautiful construction mean they’re a worthy investment for European parents. As I again face the battle of keeping my children warm in sub-zero conditions I’m eager to test out their ribbed leggings and a felted all-in-one suit I recently bought for Theodore.

Nurtured by Nature

A very pricey New Zealand Brand. I bought a matching hat and romper for Rose on eBay. The romper became the victim of a sad incident involving a velcro tab in the washing machine. It was duly repaired and the good news is that both hat and romper are now getting regular wear by number two.

Nature Baby

This one gets my number one vote. I know this brand is Maggie Guillenhaal’s favourite, but don’t let that put you off. This is a family-run company who design and manufacture in New Zealand. I invested in a selection of merino wool bodysuits and long sleeved tops for Rose’s first winter. They survived countless machine washings and over a year of wear before being passed on to a friend. The second lot got us through the wilds of the German winter last year. There’s no sign of pilling, stretching or holes and they’re silky soft. My third lot are now on their way.

There are many others of course, including some beautiful brands made in Germany. People’s main issue with wool clothing for children is usually the cost. There’s no denying it, a bodysuit made in China will always be cheaper than a merino wool bodysuit from any of the above. But as always, there are other things we should consider before taking the path of least expense; the environment, our health and the workers who are routinely exploited in the production of clothing. And of course the true monetary cost of an item is actually the price tag divided by the number of times it is used. I’m thrilled that other babies are now getting wear out of Rose’s woolies. And while most children in the spielplatz are decked out with layer upon layer of polarfleece and polyester, I resolutely tell myself that my babies are just fine wearing at least three layers of the original golden fleece.

From the trenches

With Christmas over and done with, it was tempting to think that winter must surely be losing its momentum, soon to be replaced by the graces of spring. But no. The European winter stumbles on, and I have to admit, it has me completely floored. It leaves me wondering how humanity ever flourished here, or anywhere else in northern Europe, and why the earliest Europeans didn’t all curl up and die, as I feel the urge to do, even with the blessing of central heating. Another thing I’ve wondered is whether hibernation is a viable option, and why it hasn’t been adopted by humans. But, however sluggish and miserable I feel, it’s extraordinary how the even the briefest sunshine leaves me almost euphoric. Remembering the cold excesses of March and April last year, and the many weeks we spent bundled to the eyelids after our arrival, I decided it was not too late to do some winter sewing. A coat, for the girl who’s growing quickly.

This was inspired by something that Margaret Hale wears in the BBC’s North and South. I’ve never been a purple chooser, but this deep plum look won me over. The outer was made from a remnant piece of hand-loomed Scottish tweed that I rescued from a box in Peppergreen. I had to plan my cutting so carefully, there was barely an inch left. The inner is a vintage piece of Liberty bought by my mum from a neighbouring shop. These two were obviously meant to be together. After many hours of research on the subject of underlining (or interlining, it depends who you ask), I added an inner layer of very thick cotton flannel and some ordinary cotton flannel to the arms. Make no mistake, this coat is meant for the German winter. I used an easy-as-pie pattern by HeidiandFinn on etsy. This is the fourth time I’ve made it up, with variations, so I’m confident I’ve gotten my $5.95’s worth.

And look, sunshine!

Is it a sled, sledge or toboggan?

 

#7 Glühwein

The temperature is hovering between -4 and -10 c. There are piles of snow everywhere, and more is falling all the time. The streets are a deathly mix of ice, snow and mud. Is it any wonder Germans have taken to the streets in their masses to drink hot alcoholic beverages? Anytime of the day or night, glühwein is consumed in huddled crowds. It’s pretty potent stuff and everyone loves to joke about the headaches the next day. But if you’re feeling a little chilly, a steaming mug of this medieval mixture is a remarkable cure. The inevitable headaches are usually blamed on the poor quality wine used by Weihnachtsmarkt vendors. However, in my research I uncovered the real reason: the interaction of alcohol with sugar (and of course the cheaper the wine, the more sugar required). Less is apparently more when it comes to sweetening the mix. In my opinion, the essential combination of cold weather and Christmas spices means this drink is unlikely to take off in Australia. If the rumours are true, however, it’s snowing at Thredbo. Happy white Christmas Australia.

#6 Oh Tannenbaum!

Our little Golf battled mountains of snow, but we managed to return with our very first Christmas tree! And we weren’t alone. Over the course of the day we saw dozens of prickly, netted pyramids being hoisted onto shoulders, pulled along on sleds, dragged along streets or otherwise transported to waiting homes. You may think we’ve left this job a bit late, but not by German standards. Most trees will go up around the 23rd, and be left standing in their glory until well into January or later, depending on your views about such things. It’s a political issue, from what I hear.

Our tannenbaum is a Nordmann pine, stout and bushy. Its needles are shorter than those of the many trees I’ve sat under in Australia, but with much the same delicious smell. Being rather short on ornaments, the question now is how to decorate. I feel a bit of crafting is in order.

#3 Weihnachtstmarkt (Christmas Markets)

 

#2 Stollen with Frau Braun

When it comes to things I’m sad to miss this Christmas, baking with my family is high on the list; the yearly repetition of long held rituals. For us, it’s the same splattered fruit cake recipe from Entertaining by Margaret Fulton, the same Christmas album (“Christmas with Kiri”, c 1985), and the tradition that we all stir the mixture and make a wish. When my lovely friend Anne volunteered her mother to teach me a traditional Dresden Stollen a few weeks back, I jumped at the chance to fill this hole in my line up of Christmas rituals. Added to this, Frau Braun is a professional baker. As I stood in her kitchen with notebook and pen, I was comforted by the resemblance to our own Christmas cake rituals. There was the well worn recipe book, the decorations and the favourite Christmas music (in this case, Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium sung with gusto by all family members). Only this time the kitchen didn’t swell with unbearable heat from the oven. Instead, snow lay outside and the oven provided a welcome warmth. I returned home with a swathe of detailed notes, a tired toddler and one fantastically aromatic Stollen. And you know something? Turns out “Christmas with Kiri” is available on iTunes. Isn’t life grand.

 

twelve days, twelve posts

Homesickness is a funny thing. It creeps in without warning and lingers like mist. This Christmas marks many firsts for us; first away from home, first with snow and plunging temperatures, first that we’ve had our very own tree. For all the festive activity sweeping Leipzig, it’s hard to keep the morale going when those moments of longing slip in. Not to worry, I’ve hatched a plan. One post for each of the twelve days until Christmas (incidentally, the twelve days of Christmas begin on December 25th). I mean it as a way to share this new sort of Christmas we’re having, hoping others will share theirs too. To start us off, I’m showing you our Adventskalender, one of Germany’s many contributions to the festive season. There were all manner of tasteful and traditional versions to choose from, but I was rather taken by this garish number with an East German theme. Prize for any one who can name the references!

The week that was cold

 

Purchases made (week beginning November 30th)

one weatherproof pram cover

three pairs of fleece inner soles

one pair of long underwear (mens)

one thermal top (mens)

four pairs of wool socks

one earflap hat

one bottle of anti-freeze windscreen spray

one bottle of anti-freeze lock spray

one aluminium windshield

one ice scraping tool

one pair toddler snow boots (second hand)

one toddler snow suit (second hand)

one raincoat (second hand)

one pair of mittens

four balls of knitting wool

 

Still on wishlist:

thermal underwear (womens)

toboggan

November in a nutshell

Dear readers, have you missed me? I’m going to break my own rule and apologise for my complete silence over the past four weeks. Perhaps you’re beginning to think I’m making a habit of disappearing simply to stage dramatic re-appearances. Perhaps I am. In any case, a combination of things have made November challenging with regards to blogging. I’ll save you the effort of reading a month’s worth of posts in one; here are just a few things that have happened of late:

The departure of Keren

After a few days spent bashing around London together, it was time to say farewell to this most special friend. Her eighteen months in England have come to a close she has safely returned to our shared homeland. It’s a sad loss for the northern hemisphere. I’ll treasure all the memories I have of our adventures together, in Leipzig, Berlin, Stuttgart, London, Paris and good old Chichester. And thankyou, Keren, for being a lifeline for me as well as a constant source of ideas, adventure and empathy.

The arrival of winter

No sooner had a strong wind picked up from the south than the glory of autumn was completely gone. The leaves completed their suicide pact and made a thick brown carpet all around. As I write this, swirls of lacy white crystals are ballooning outside my window, and the streets, cars and rooftops are completely buried in a blanket of white. My knitting output has reached fever pitch as I struggle to keep my handmade/second hand pledge as well as my family from freezing.

The loss of my camera

A sad story with a happy ending. Last weekend we were lucky enough to visit some friends in the tiny village of Wannewitz. The sun made a celebrity appearance making the whole experience incredibly photogenic; I came home eager to share photos of the country’s wintery beauty as well as Rose feeding cows, stomping through mud and generally having a romping good time. Sadly my camera seems to have gone missing sometime during the return journey, we suspect it was stolen out of our car when we stopped en route. With it went a month’s worth of photos (the lesson here – download more often). A camera is just a thing of course, but somehow this is a loss that has hurt. It was an extravagant gift from a loving husband, a way of saying “Thank you for following me half way round the world”. On reflection I realise the camera had become part of my strategy for facing life in Germany; a voice when I couldn’t express myself and a periscope for those at home. In an act of great generosity, some friends have loaned us the money to replace it. The family of God are wondrously kind.

The birth of nephew no. 2

Levi Richard O’Reilly was born healthy and adorable on October 27th. Not being available to share in his first months of life is a sting to say the least, but we’re looking forward to meeting him in person when our paths eventually cross. Welcome, Levi, to the family and the world.