tattoo eggs

Aren't these so pretty? You start with blown out eggs and transfer the images onto them using graphics on tattoo paper. The idea hails from Country Living Magazine and the instructions for making your own are here. I had a lot of fun with this project and I think the result is really nice. I also have more tattoo paper and images ready to go so these will make for some fun over the summer.

I am so happy that I finally got to finish this project! I had originally planned for them to be done a few weeks before Easter and it was to be part of the decor. The first derailment in my plan was that the tattoo paper took a while to arrive and then when it did my printer broke and I haven't been able to replace it. This weekend I was at my parents so I used their printer.

I look forward to displaying them next year for the holiday.

swingset skirt

I made the swing set skirt again. It's a good pattern, what can I say...

I had it cut out a few months ago and sometimes I like to sew up what I know. I say this with even more emphasis today as I am currently sewing a dress from a vintage pattern that doesn't have the original pattern pieces just someones copies and one was obviously wrong or damaged so I had to rework it and am at the point of thought where I do hope it fits her after the effort and that it looks nice. Time will tell. Anyway, back to the skirt it's one of those things I like to make again and again because it fits really well and for a few years and it's familiar.

Here are some photos of the other ones I've made. The brown one was just retired.

Looking at these I can easily say my favorites are the Liberty and the yellow linen one. Though I like the fact I did make the top that is part of the set once.

peonies

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. Here in the USA we had a three day weekend and ours was especially nice.

There was a day at the beach. A bike ride/run on a bike trail complete with farm animals on the way - a donkey, goats, horses and chickens... and unfortunately two bridges that went over a highway. Did I ever tell you I am terrified of bridges? So, I kind of had to run over them with my hands over my ears since they went over a highway...thankfully they were short ones but, still I was scared. I suppose it is good to face fears once in a while.

There was a trip to a peony farm (Peonies Envy) that was in this months Martha Stewart and is actually not too far from where I live. As you can see here it is just gorgeous. There is an amazing swing that hangs from a tree and glides the length of a large house that my daughter just loved to pieces. The owner told me that there used to be two and that her kids would pass each other their toes almost touching. Apparently they now sit on the swing together and catch up when they are home visiting from college. So sweet. It smells like heaven there.

On Memorial Day there was the town parade and a photograph was taken for the 90th year celebration in front of Town Hall and then there was the rubber duck races. Yes, our town likes to race ducks. See here. There was some time with friends and lots of strawberry picking because the front yard exploded this weekend. More on that soon.

indigo pillows

Some pieced pillowcases made from the indigo dyeing I did last month. The silk scarf and tablecloth are done. I am still deciding what to make with the rest. I am thinking some pouches might be nice.

garden

Some shots of fruit and veggies growing in the garden.
Great place for a play date especially with strawberries to pick.

cabled hat

Maybe not the weather for a hat like this but, with my frizzy hair in relation to rain, rain and more rain plus humidity maybe not a bad idea.

It's a beautiful pattern, Winter Trails by Alana Dakos and was very addictive to knit. The cables are so fun well, at least they are for me. The yarn is The Fibre Co. Organik: a luscious blend of alpaca, merino and silk in color Arctic Tundra. It's the same yarn the designer used.

orange silk top

I think I mentioned that I bought some fabric at a flea market recently and one of the purchases was this orange silk or silk blend that I got for $1. I knew it would be used for a garment but, wasn't sure what or if it would be for me or the little one and then a few days later I watched Broken English with Parker Posey on one of those nights when I watch movies on my iPad while hand stitching or knitting. Have you seen the movie? It's not bad...a good movie to unwind with at the end of a long day. In one scene she wears a orange silk camisole that I fell for and so I was sold on the idea of making a top for myself. I am told that I don't look too shabby in orange. I like it okay but not sure the gathers in the front are my favorite.

reading nook pillows

These large pillows were sitting in the attic closet waiting for too long so I made some simple pillow covers from sturdy fabric for the kids to use in the sunroom. I try to rotate books from upstairs to down and place them in there where they do a great deal of playing to encourage reading. Well, Matthew reads as of January and Scarlet just a little but, she tries.

I thought these pillows and the little rug would serve as a nice spot to rest and look at a book.

Other times they sit on them to play in the barn, throw in the teepee for pretend sleepovers or to watch a movie.

blue on blue sashiko table runner

I completed the other two sashiko samplers I spoke of last year after finishing the first one in August (shown below) and did decide to make it into a table runner. After some research when it was completed I realized that there is such a thing as a sahiko table runner sampler you can buy as a whole cloth to embroider which I would suggest if you were to try it.

What I did is I sewed the three identical samplers together and put a piece of medium weight cotton batting in between the layers and then sewed around the edges which was a bit tricky since the back cloth is a part of the sampler. I thought of binding it but didn't want to take away from the pattern though I may change my mind still if I found a nice blue linen to use that matched the base. In the past I have made pillows from these and another idea would be framing them.

Edited to add: I've been using this on the kitchen island. It fits on there so nicely.

my gavotte

I had planned for this to be knit in the Autumn but was sidetracked and then picked it up last month. I had a little confusion regarding the neckline but the nice women of Ravelry helped me out with new directions and a diagram and then I restarted it. This was a nice top down raglan to knit and the finishing was simple since it was knit in the round. I really loved the yarn and color that the designer went with so I used the same. The only disappointment came when I realized I wasn't going to have enough yarn and acquiring more wasn't in the cards. How I solved the issue was to make the bottom band a bit shorter and knit it as short sleeves instead of 3/4. I also left off the bands on the sleeves. And, I went down one needle size. It was my first time knitting with Becoming Art Yarns, this is the Suave Sport and it has a nice hand and good stitch definition. Though this sweater is more of an Autumn color I think I will wear it a few times this Spring. I am pretty happy with how it turned out and look forward to knitting more patterns from this designer.

Pattern: Gavotte by Cecily Glowik MacDonald
Yarn: Becoming Art Suave Sport in Nutmeg
Needle: Size 4 circulars and dpn's instead of 5
Alterations: button band smaller, short sleeve rather then 3/4 with no band at sleeves

The gavotte originated as a French folk dance. More info. here

Yes, I am way overdue for a hair dye....:)

family reunion dress

Here is the Oliver + S Family reunion dress. I bought the pattern last year and figured I might as well get to sewing since it is designed up to size 4T which is her size now. I originally planned a floral but I fell in love with this pretty blue linen I found in my stash. The dress was a pleasure to sew though I made a few mistakes along the way I still think it turned out very nicely.

I used a variety of vintage glass buttons down the back placket though she can slip this on without unbuttoning them which is nice for ease and dressing.

I skipped the buttons in front because I didn't like the look of them on this dress but, other then that I didn't make any changes. I liked the feature of sewing six lines at the hem to stiffen it.

instagram photos from the weekend

Some highlights from our weekend. A clematis blooming in the backyard with more blooms then ever before. A trip to a big rummage sale with a nice fabric haul, a ride in the country and a visit to Stone Barns Arts Center to meet up with some family.

weaving

I have been experimenting a little with weaving in a very simple style. I have had a small mini loomette for ages that I bought on ebay and then basically thought about once in a while but never got around to using

I have been trying out different wools with varying weights some of which are crewel wool that is very old and seeing what I like the look of. I bought a handmade loom off etsy recently that is a bit bigger and am now waiting on a weave-it that comes with a longer needle so I don't have to use my short darning needle anymore to move the yarn with.

I met Jaime last month who I found out is my neighbor. She does some very nice weavings amongst other things. It is always so nice to meet up with talented women with shared interests.

Here is my small collection I have made thus far. I am still working out making them look more finished on the edges.