a yellow sweater

I thought about this for a long time and he has been asking for a long time so I decided it was time.

Yellow is Matthew's favorite color and has been for at least 3 years. And, apparently he really wanted a yellow sweater. I had him pick out the yarn online a while ago and though now is not the right season it will be in time for Kindergarten. Yes, he starts in the Fall. I had him try it on right after bath in his pajamas because it is hot.
The pattern is Camilla Kid and I think it's good for a boy or girl. The yarn is Quince and Co. Osprey in Carrie's Yellow. I knit size 4 to fit size 6 with some modifications-longer sleeves and decreases a bit differently around the top. I wish I decreased more in the sleeves.
Though the pattern is cute I didn't really enjoy knitting this sweater. I think I would like it in a lighter yarn like a dk weight and a different color - a pale neutral shade so If I do it again that would be my choice.

stacking the odds quilt

I finished binding the Stacking the Odds quilt the other day and am so happy with it. The piecing was finished in April and I sent the quilt off to Tillie Studio where she used a long arm and the design Knotty to quilt it for me. Amy's mom did a wonderful job. I couldn't be happier with the design I chose and the work she did. Since this is a queen size quilt I didn't think I was up for the challenge of hand quilting it though I would really like to do that some time and it's just too big for my sewing machine. I think a intricate quilting stitch is a nice touch with a modern feeling design such as this one. I talked about the fabrics here.
Now it's time to take the velvet and linen quilt off and display this pretty one. I usually am not one for boldness in color and pattern in the home so this is fun and different.

nani iro dot

I made a dot dots dress.
Run your little finger from one to one... connect the dots.
A bouncing dress. A little too big for now but the sun always seems to make my kids grow....like flowers.
Really.



More nani iro dot to play with - green and natural dots cotton double gauze. I love it.

lark rise

I knit this for a wee one due this August and now that it has arrived to her Mama I can share it with you.
I was drawn into this pattern after seeing a similar sweater that Alicia made. The pattern she used was written in French and though learning French is on the to do list I saw on Ravelry that she mentioned a pattern called Lark Rise which I liked a lot plus it's in English. This yarn which I will mention here once I go find the label looks really nice with the tulle stitch pattern and I thought the look went so nicely with her style.

This was a pleasure to knit for her. Hooray for babies.

strawberry picking romper

Come June when we are picking strawberries in the yard I think this will be a sweet little romper to run around picking and eating in. I made a matching headscarf too.
I also did this pattern last year as a short pant dress so I thoughT it would be fun to make it with the elastic at the bottom this time. It's a size 2 but I changed the seam allowance so it should fit her. She is a size 3.

summer playsuit

It is raining and the forecast shows rain through Saturday. I love Spring and really don't mind the rain but am imagining those sunshine filled days ahead watching her run around in playsuits so I have been sewing sweet summer outfits.

The puppet show shorts came first and then when I realized I had enough to make a top I decided to make a elastic smocked tie top to match. Oh, I really want to see how this looks but she is not trying it on but, really I can't complain. She chose to wear her Ice Cream Dress today with long sleeves underneath and leggings. That dress is so adorable and now of course I want to make another. I just can not help myself with sewing little girl clothes. She has one sweet wardrobe.

Oh, and this floral... the colors are so pretty.

I must run as the children are in the 'waiting room' waiting to put on a parade for me. It involves pots and wooden spoons.

Oops, must fix the topstitching on that pocket there.

japanese street style hat

How was your weekend? Ours was a busy one but, good.
We went to a sing-a-long in the morning at Scarlet's school, followed by a trip to Purl where I had no problem using my birthday gift card and a stop into Once Upon a Tart. We then jetted to a Mayfest celebration at The Stickley Museum at Craftsmans Farms. Scarlet fell asleep on the way there so Matty and I hopped out leaving Mick and S in the car to take advantage of the last half an hour of the festival which they let us into for no charge. He had a pony ride and then the two of us got to dance the Maypole. I have always wanted to do this and it was so lovely. Matty had a permanent grin on his face the whole time. I tried to take photos but it was so hard to dance and photograph. We then made a few crafts and headed back home. On Sunday I went to a yoga class and then we drove out to Brooklyn to visit the pop up shop for Nightwood NY to look at furniture. I didn't know that Caitlin Mociun would be sharing the space and be there to chat so that was a really nice surprise. It was a nice space but, not in the most wonderful section of Brooklyn. The kids had a good time there playing with scrap wood and Caitlin said they could bring their pieces home. They were thrilled. We ended it with a dinner at our local Tinga which is my five year olds favorite restaurant.

I have been busy with sewing, knitting and cutting out patterns but, bad about photographing and showing them and am trying to make up for it today though the weather is overcast and gloomy so not the best conditions.

The hat above I knit up on Saturday night. The yarn I bought the same day at Purl and I had remembered this quick and fun kids hat pattern posted at Purl Bee. I used a natural colored aran yarn for the pom pom. S loves it and I think it will get great use this winter. All those little bright ribbons and trims and the teeny blue flowers are so fun. It reminds me of something I imagine seeing in Japan. Do you remember the magazines always showing Japanese street style?

Some fun images from the weekend

edible estate spring garden 2011

For those of you have been reading for awhile you know that our front yard is a dedicated fruit, vegetable and herb garden initiated by the previous owners less then a year before we bought the house. Now in our third year here we have some constants and also new things growing each year.

Here is a small sampling of some of the lovely things that are growing in our garden this Spring.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom

Chives, Strawberries
Peaches, Currants
Grapes, Iresine, Apples
Beets and Radishes

blue pettipants

Here are some vintage style hand knit child pettipants. The style reminds me of these grown up ones for sale over at Dear Golden's shop.
I think they are adorable and I can't wait to see them worn by S this summer.

I was immediately drawn into the pattern which I found on Knitty and it is called Emma's Unmentionables. There is something so sweet and old fashioned innocent about them. The elastic is threaded through the waist and is covered by a blue ribbon. I changed up the lace pattern a bit (not on purpose) and wound up sewing up the hem to give it some scallop shape.

beautiful dress up wings

I spied this pattern awhile ago and was reminded of it the other day and set to making it. Here is the pattern if you want to try to make some yourself. I sewed this together but, the directions say you can also glue it so this works for all of you who don't sew.

These were really fun to make. It was so fun choosing the fabrics and colors and always good to delve into the scrap pile. Ms. S is a fan and flew around the house for awhile this afternoon. The boy is fond of them as well. Always good to have dress up clothes.

rose garden dress

A new rose floral dress for Scarlet.

She tried it on and declared she loves it which is just the best news.




I love the collar and pocket details in this pattern. She found a perfect use for the pocket right away and stuffed her lamb in there.

I made the size up because I can see this only being worn for a bit over the next few months before it becomes too hot. I wanted to get the most use out if it.

The dress is lined in muslin and zips up the back. The pattern is the School Photo Dress which perhaps I will really have her wear it for come Autumn. I originally planned for the ruffle collar in a pale peach shantung and may still do that someday. Or maybe I will wind up using it on a blouse for me. I need to check the drape.

This dress was really fun to make which is why I am sort of addicted to Oliver + S patterns. There are just so many sweet details and everything is thought out so well. I always feel I've made something really special in the end.

She took it for a ride on her duck rocker.



And then we made some silly faces. This one being my favorite.



Last night I had to replace the zipper after she wore it because the pull just fell off. Oh, I was mad but, I quickly replaced it after finding a vintage zipper in my stash which was so much better made then the one I had purchased. I don't know why this happened. I guess it was just a poorly made zipper. Though the bonus was the zipper sewing turned out out much better the second time around.