Flowery

What to do with a small amount of leftover sock yarn? Make a flower garland! This was a fun, slightly mindless (in a good way) project. Lately I've found Stiff Drinks and Movies are not a good combination when crafting. Working on something repetitive and simple is the solution to the problem.

It's a bit off, but hung up over the window it's really cheery. My mom mentioned it would make a fun necklace and I think she's on to something. I'm going to have another go at this with some cotton thread and see what I can whip up.

Drama

Rain, sun, hail, and wind, all in the span of two hours. It was a dramatic weather day, to say the least. I ran out to snap a picture as the front moved on, in love with the contrast between the grey sky and the budding trees.

Violets

I had no idea violets were edible until I read this post on Resurrection Fern (link). Since then, I've been looking at the backyard in a whole new light.

In a similar vein, I watched Food Inc. the other night. It's really had me pondering what I consume and trying to think of ways that I can adjust my own eating patterns. I'm thinking there will be much planting of seeds in a few weeks.

But back to the cupcakes -- the batter and recipe are from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It's nothing fancy, but tasty and perfect for the weekend.

Pieces

The thrifting stars aligned last week and this is what resulted: a vintage quilt top for $15. It was tucked at the back of the store, one of about a dozen in a pile.

What amazes me is that the entire thing has been hand pieced -- no signs of any sewing machine stitching. The combination of fabrics is really fascinating too. There's the typical small, demure floral prints, but they sit next to bold '50's geometric patterns. There's a few squares that I'd suspect are from some worn men's shirts.

I'm planning to back the quilt; hopefully I can make a run for batting this weekend, although my first inclination is to stay put. Seasonal allergies, bah.

When Life Gives You Lemons

I made a dress. The dress did not fit.

Everything was picture perfect, except for armholes that pulled badly and no amount of adjusting was working. A deep breath, scissors and some bias tape saved the day.

So now I have a skirt and I will probably get more use out of this than a dress (truth be told). The fabric is from a bed sheet I found at Goodwill a few years back and love a lot.

So all in all, not a total waste.

Sweaters and Stars

It's almost done -- gasp!

To be fair, I tabled this cardigan because the socks were calling my name. But now I'm getting down to business and I have just one arm to finish up and seam. The pattern I'm using is vintage, but quite easy (link here). I'm heading out of town to visit family soon, so hoping to have this done in time to go.

Right in time for Easter, the Star of Holland are out. The past few nights have been incredibly warm, so I've been sleeping with the windows open. Being lulled to sleep by the sound of peepers in the swamp is pretty nice, especially in the middle of a rather insane work-week.

Fresh Air

Spring's arrival has been heralded by these fellows flitting about the steps. There's probably a few cold, wet days between here and true vernal bliss, but oh the joy that comes with a few glorious days of sun and warmth.