knitting - old projects and new

I am trying to keep to my goal of finishing projects alongside starting new ones.
Last year around this time I began knitting this diamond/lattice scarf
and completed it about a week and a half ago.

Then, I started and finished this hat in Malabrigo Chunky which turned out a little too big but, I sort of like it anyway. I would make this hat again and I love the color the robin's egg blue that hat is named for. I did the decreases a little differently then the patterns says. The color matches the Toast wristwarmers I made a few months back.

Note: The button is vintage and holds back the flap. The button was a big decision for me.

Next up, is finishing this cardigan although there are still problems with color matching but, that is another story for another post.

tea party sundress

Tea Party Sundress in My Folklore-

I have wanted to make this dress for a long time and fabric choices were what was holding me back. I finally settled on one.

My Folklore is a favorite line of mine and I went with two patterns in the same colorway mixed with a deep cherry red.

The pattern is written very well and the different options you can do with the dress make it very versatile.

The fact that the dress patterns come with a paper doll with coordinating outfit is the icing on the cake. There are bloomers to match.

antique teacups and plates jewelry drawer

I'm so happy about my new jewelry drawer.

This is a project I admired in the now no longer Blueprint magazine and have wanted to do for ages.

It is simply velvet fabric (or in this case a velvet blend) cut to fit the size of the drawer and the china pieces. It's hard to see here but the fabric is a deep eggplant shade- very pretty.

All of the antique teacups and plates were found over several years but 2 quite recently in a local shop.

I'm also planning at some point to assemble shadowboxes with jewelry that was part of the same story.

It is certainly nice to have one very pretty and organized drawer in my dresser. I love the romance of dressing up and taking care to spend the time choosing the accessories.

Insecta Fantasia

We visited The Newark Museum today to see Jennifer Angus' Insecta Fantasia at the Ballantine House which is the museums restored 19th century Victorian mansion. The exhibit was stunning and I can't stop thinking about it.

The artist arranged some 5,000 preserved insects which are pinned to the wall in kaleidoscopic patterns all over the wallpaper of two rooms in the victorian home. The insects patterns evoke textiles from the period. She also creates a fictious narrative involving two children of the home as amateur entomologists.

The artist uses the insects as characters to play out fairy tales under glass with beeswax settings such as Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Princess and the Pea...
Insects are under cloches arranged with vintage spools of thread, under convex glass frames against the wall. And, also in a dollhouse on the floor. There are many varieties of insects and the colors are rich and gorgeous.

I was only able to snap this one photo before I was told I couldn't photograph the exhibit. I had not see any sign so I didn't know. I really wish I could have taken more. The museum gift shop only had one book for the artist and it didn't relate to this exhibit.

Here are some photos I found on the artist's webpage and some more details about the show.

I really want to go back again and luckily I can as the exhibit runs through June and is only about a 20 minute drive for me.

the strawberry apron

Come June our front yard will be covered in strawberries. Last year was our first year here and we were astounded by the gorgeous and delicious strawberries. We had to pick twice a day during peak and there were hundreds actually I'm sure we got over a thousand strawberries. This year I plan to have a strawberry party and invite friends over to pick and make strawberry desserts.

Ms. S will be walking then and it will be so exciting for her to pick the strawberries. Little M absolutely loved picking and of course eating the strawberries.

So, in honor of our strawberry patch and as a little present for Ms. S's birthday which is coming up I made her a strawberry apron.

small linen basket

I recently ordered Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household after seeing quite a few projects that I wanted to try.
I started with this small linen basket which is lined in a swiss dot and has batting between the layers. It gave me an excuse (not that I needed one) to try out one of the fancy stitches on my sewing machine which actually is hearts however, I did them upside down.

This basket is small about 4" but quite good for carrying small things like a tiny hand sewing project, finger puppets or clothespins.

One of the pluses for this Japanese book is that the directions are in English.

my heart is filled with hope

what a beautiful speech
what a beautiful poem
looking forward to the future...