summer vibes

We are in full summer mode here and the kids are dancing and jumping all around. I am keeping up the pace. I stole away 45 minutes at some point this week to make another summer top because I love it for it's simple beauty.
This print is Liberty of London, Edenham Brights.
She puts it on gets out the bells and starts dancing around. When
she finally stops she starts practicing yoga. My little flower child.

welcome summer

A new cushion cover in the Liberty print, hot pink wiltshire for the couch.

Fresh flowers for bouquets from the garden.

Welcome summer!

nautical stripes blanket

So, if you are my Mom stop reading.

There is a 99% chance unless my Dad shows her this I am safe.

I saw this project on the Purl Bee and thought it would be a good way to use up some stash and leftover yarn for a birthday or holiday gift for my Mom. Though I love the yarn choices they used for this project mine are a different mix of materials and my weights range a bit. My Mother has a thing for red, white and blue and with the name Betsy, I used to jokingly call her 'Betsy Ross' sometimes. The use of some greys thrown in sets off the theme a bit and the red and soft red play off each other nicely on the ends. This size is perfect for a lap blanket and its knit in garter stitch so is fairly easy with increases and decreases on the ends so the stripes land on the bias. The color blocking can be imagined in so many good ways.

coral meadow summer top

Summmer is almost here! When I saw this pattern on the Purl Bee I knew I would make it as soon as I could get to the sewing room since I had the perfect Liberty print in mind for it. This top made with tana lawn can be worn so easily with skirts or shorts this summer and the colors in it are amazing. It is a little bit like this top in style but this one uses elastic in a channel on the top rather then rows of elastic thread. This is also more loose and the fabric is so lightweight for those hot days right around the corner.

I love how she styled her hair in pigtail bands with Liberty bows and a red skirt.

flying geese mini quilt

This is a mini quilt (24"x24") using the flying geese block. The theme was red white and blue and I used a mix of cotton, muslin, feedback, chambray and linen.  There are 72 'geese' sewn into 9 blocks. I think my favorite fabric in here has got to be the blue with white daisies which is the one made out of the vintage feedsack material. Though Denyse Schmidt's Katie Jump Rope is so vibrant and fun to use as well.

a beautiful hike in nj

This is a bit off topic from what I normally discuss on my blog but, I wanted to share these photos from a really beautiful place to go hiking in NJ. Lately, I have been on the lookout for new places to go that are within an hours drive that are family friendly and free. While browsing instagram I came accross photos that a woman posted of their hike and was immediately drawn to the location. I found out that the location was Wawayanda State Park and the trail is called Stairway to Heaven. This trail has some really beautiful terrain and narrow boardwalks about 3 times the size of a balance beam in some areas as you cross over fields of wildflowers, cow pastures, accross train tracks, grassy areas (I comtemplated whether some of the groupings of sticks and straw were deer beds) and wooded areas. If you want you can also hike some of the Appalachian trail while you are there.

































The photo of the wildflowers below were a mix of flowers that I picked and ones left behind by someone else that I found on a bridge. I found the sentiment so lovely and I carried them for some time before leaving them behind with the ones I had in hopes of them reseeding and continuing. Fast forward 4 days later and the same beautiful family who hiked there the week before me and I were wondering if it was her bouquet. It turned out not to be but, I so love the idea of people picking the wildflowers and then leaving them behind. I realize more and more that what is natural and spiritual to me is finding, creating and making beauty. It's when I feel the most in tune with myself.