they say it's spring

"They say it's spring This feeling light as a feather They say this thing This magic we share together Came with the weather too"

-Blossom Dearie

All day today in the back of my mind I have been secretly wishing I could shrink myself, climb this lilac tree out back and paint watercolors all day. Doesn't that sound divine?

in the pink

Though the magnolia may have come and gone too fast I still have my peach tree blossoms, bleeding hearts, apple and cherry blossoms.

Some photos from our walk we took in Branch Brook Park over the weekend.



And, the finished cowl I made on Friday. I used Debbie Bliss Como for this... merino with a bit of cashmere and it's so wonderfully soft and still wearable on those chilly mornings and evenings.

1940's skirt

This is the first pattern I've knit from my vintage 1940's book by Alice Carroll. The book is called The Complete Guide to Modern Knitting and Crocheting and I first wrote about it here.






I have been wanting to try a skirt for some time now and this one was so sweet. If you haven't knit from vintage patterns before it is a bit different but, not too difficult. I believe there are some online resources if you have difficulty but, I didn't need it with this. I used a sock yarn and followed the directions exactly. Sister's Suit has directions for a coordinating top and there is brother's suit as well. Little knit shorts on a four year old boy would be so retro sweet, no?

I would tell you the yarn I used but I can't remember nor can I find the label but, I'll update here if I do. It worked so well with the pattern and draped nicely.

a tie for matty

This is the Little Boy's Tie from the Purl Bee.
However....I cut it out wrong so I had to invent a new way of sewing it up. It worked out fine but, next time I'll make sure to cut it out properly.
Basically, I cut on the fold opposite where it said to for the front piece so, I figured I should do that for the back piece too.
I had to fold it differently and hand- sew up the side. Luckily, it worked out. Hooray me!
I was so happy to have come up with a solution.

Now he is all ready for a fancy party!

buttons and trims

Here is a sweet little project that I saw on Design Sponge a few weeks ago. It's a great way to remind yourself what you already have in your studio/nook and serves as a great way to inspire new ideas.

An idea can start off with something just this simple...a button or a ribbon and build from there rather then go the other way.
Plus, it was a lot of fun to put together

The templates and article are here. Let me know if you make one so I can take a peek.

Uncle Wiggily Longears

Uncle Wiggily wanted to wish you a Happy Spring Weekend and a basket full of sweets.

(These are my Mom's dolls from the 1940's and I just love them)

sunflower honey

Sunflower Honey. Warm Sunshine.

I admit I'm influenced by the color yellow especially in Spring with the forsythia and daffodils blooming all around.

Another little top. I've made this top four times now and I see many more. Each time I've done it differently. The first time I used a robin egg blue cotton with a floral contrast fabric for the sleeve. The second time I made it into a dress. The third in a pretty floral with a bow and now in a sweet yellow dot organic cotton by Cloud 9 Fabrics and elastic in the sleeve hem.