peaches

I have not been good about keeping up with the garden posts here but, I am pretty excited to share news of our good fortune with our peach tree this year. Two nights ago we set to picking in the front yard and filled this large basket up half way and there are still more to be picked! We have never gotten so many before. Some years it was the squirrels that knocked them down before they were ripe and a few years where we just got a small amount. We have not had any problems with squirrels this year in the garden and we have an abundance of organic peaches. I am so pleased. I am giving some to friends and the rest I will bake with this week though for now most of them will need to be cut and frozen for later use and maybe some jam making. I would love if you would link to some of your favorite peach recipes in the comments.

boatneck sweater

A boatneck sweater in size 18-24 months named Binic after the region in France by designer, Solenn Couix-Loarer.

I knit this last week with this yarn in color, plum. The hue is so rich that in some lights in looks navy which I like very much. Also, so close in color to the blackberries I have been picking from the yard each day and baking into crisps for dessert. I chose to sew the buttons down through both layers rather then make buttonholes as the designer did in her sample. I am saving this in the gift box for now but I look forward to seeing it on a child some day.

pink cowl

I like the texture of moss stitch and created this double moss cowl with some leftover yarn from a sweater I made for her. Easy to slip on and wrap for some extra warmth when the time comes. The yarn is Madelinetosh and the color is titled 'Pretty in Pink.'

When does school start for you? Our town goes back September 9th so plenty of summertime days still left. We have been doing a lot of baking, crafts, swimming etc. I love Autumn so I am excited for it but, at the same time staying true to the present and soaking up the 'sort of' slow days we are in now.

autumn sunsuit

A hand knit sunsuit for layering or wearing alone. I like this pattern for boys or girls and really like the vintage style element to it. I think it would look super cute in cooler months with a long sleeve tee and leggings.

It is easily adaptable with two buttonholes for adjusting at the back waist. This one was made for my nephew. Here is the link to the pattern.

laurel

This dress is called Laurel by Colette Patterns and I made my first dress from it over the past few weeks. Sadly,my sewing machine got screwed up towards the end and I had to do some of the last steps by hand. I like hand sewing but, after finishing it and trying it on I spotted a few tweaks I want to alter once the machine is repaired.

So, I know this is a big no-no but I didn't make a muslin! My time is so limited in the summer and I was impatient for a final product. If I had done so I would have cut out a size smaller and I would have used a shorter zipper in the back. A 22" zipper is too long for me.

Honestly, I am not really a yellow person but I really like the mix of colors in this Liberty print called Claire Aude. I was influenced by another one I saw online and am happy for it because it got me thinking outside the box of my typical color scheme. I think it's precisely the shades of coral and green with the yellow that make it work for me.

I lengthened the hem of this dress by an inch but, now I am thinking about taking it up another inch because I can see how the shorter length works so well with the shift style of this dress.

I love this look and once I make the alterations I think it will get good use. I definitely recommend making your own binding in either the same print (as I did) or in a complimentary print or solid. I know I need to branch out from the Liberty prints but, I do love them so.

This pattern was very straightforward and easy to sew with nice clear instructions. It has bust and back darts and the only part I found fiddly was easing in the sleeves. I didn't have the best luck with that.

I am looking forward to making more in the future which is so important. I like to really consider the pattern I am buying and think about if it will be made more then once over the years and this one definitely wins.

marin in blue

Magic....

I was able to finish my Marin due to the lovely community that makes up Ravelry. So many nice, helpful and beautiful people there. After contacting Cephalopod Yarns who I bought the yarn from at the Sheep and Wool festival and trying to get a match I was disappointed to find they no longer carried it. It is the Traveller yarn and the color goes by two names depending on the weight - violet tailed bluet and deception island. Through joining the company group on Ravelry I found a perfect match for sale for even less then the sticker price. I have to say I walked around in such an elated state for a few days saying, "I love Ravelry!" And, I do. It would have been painful to rip it out. It has convinced me to start photographing my stash too so that I can hopefully help someone else someday. I am going to put it on the to do list for September. Oh, that is a long list.