familiar sewing

I don't quite know where my sewing mojo has been hiding these past few months. But what I do know is that the months of sewing machine hibernation have fuelled a passion for knitting so strong that it's been difficult combining the two. In the 'olden' days I could have had this dress made in a couple of days but this time I think it may have taken me, oh .. let's see, well over a month to complete. Your eagle eyes may perhaps remember this pattern in a variety of incarnations from here, here and yes, even here and I'm guessing I don't need to say how much I love this one. The Merchant and Mills dress shirt most surely is a winner. I delved into one of many fabric boxes that currently clutter up the house, to retrieve one of my favourite linens, one I used for my Iona dress, which shipped out to Italy last summer. It's a tricky one to capture, this fabric, but I love these earthy plum and sand tones that just happen to blend so well with one of my yarny works in progress!

The bib section of this pattern comes in two equal parts which are sewn together down the front. However I cut this section out on the fold, allowing an extra 1.5cm either side so I had one bib piece only and it would still marry up once I came to stitch. With horizontal stripes I didn't really see the need to cut them up and this method works so well. Aside from the bib, the only other change I made was to dispense of the traditional dress shirt style hem, in favour of a straight hem so I guess you could say this version is more dress than shirt.

Now then, what else to tell .. the season is romping away, honeysuckle is the latest flower to brighten the garden and unbelievably the children finish school for the Summer in less than three weeks. It's crazy to think we have been here for six and a half months now, can you believe it? This house has been good to us but it's time to move on once again soon. Time to think about retrieving our belongings. Time for a holiday, or two, first. Which reminds me, does anyone know the rules on taking knitting needles in the air and does it matter whether they're straight or circular, wood or metal? I'd love to know.

Thank you for all your kind comments on the Model's rainbow cardigan, we both loved reading them. And a big hello to those lovely new faces who pop by to investigate my little space here. You are all so very welcome!

rainbow girl

I try very hard not to be extravagant, you know. But sometimes it has to be done and most certainly in the case of Little Miss Rainbow. When I saw these adorable little French girls in their Demoiselle Arc-en-Ciel cardigans on Ravelry, I just had to join in. But, you know, on reflection perhaps it wasn't so very out of order. The kit comes with all the yarns you need, as well as the pattern of course. Had I bought a skein for each strand of rainbow colour, plus the yarn needed for the larger part, the price would doubtless have been higher still, no? Justified!

I made this cardi up on the quiet, as I wanted to surprise my girl. I knew there was a risk attached to it though. Firstly it isn't pink or purple but I figured the rainbow would see me through that issue. And secondly because a while back the girl shattered my dreams of churning out pretty knits for her when she announced she didn't want me to do so. She said the same about my sewing for her too, come to think of it, until her friends began admiring her clothing and her best buddy asked her mother to make pretty dresses for her. Suddenly it was acceptable!

The drawback of making a surprise is that it isn't made to measure and since giving her the cardi I've had to go back and take some rows out of the sleeves. Aside from that it is a great fit, a little bit of room is no bad thing, particularly since it won't really come into its own till Autumn. But it's good for the cooler days we have from time to time now and Vancouver evenings, I've been told, can be a little chilly.

The sweet little buttons, from Maiwa in Vancouver, have been hand carved by Nepalese craftsmen out of buffalo horn which died of natural causes. An ethical cardigan through and through .. I like that!

By the way, my daughter LOVES it .. and of course, so do I. More details and photos are over here on Ravelry.

Can you see that sad looking bean in the photos? Poor, long suffering thing has been repotted twice and moved from one place to another during its short life. It was part of the Model's environmental club project at school and didn't take kindly to all the fuss it's had to endure. I think it's starting to pick up now happily, there are teeny tiny little beans and new fresh, healthy looking leaves thank goodness. Long may it reign!

Happy weekend everyone. What are you up to, I wonder?

cookies and fajance

Thank you for your generous comments about Marin. I have to tell you my list of Ravelry favourites is now filling fast with yet more possibilities of shawls, shawlettes, scarves. I do believe they may be the new hats (although having said that, I have just had a disaster with my latest one .. don't ask, you'll not be seeing it for a long while to come!)

Since I last posted we have seen a riot of colour here in our little part of this world. We were sorry to see the apple blossom leave, its petals eventually scattering the ground like wedding confetti but the lilac trees made up for it, bursting into life with beautiful scent kindly pervading the air outside the front door. Each time I passed by, I would press my nose into the delicious offerings. Alas they, too, are no longer but the rhododendrons are just managing to hang on and I constantly remind myself I should be photographing before they, too, are gone for the year. But truth be told I am as busy as a bee at the moment and any photography is way down the list that is my To-Do organisation. Sorry!

I finally started a sewing project a week or so ago, the weather was particularly warm and we all know how few clothes I have right now. But just like that the rain and cold returned, sending me back to my knitting needles and now I am left juggling several projects that make me think I am going nowhere, fast.

I'm rather pleased with a couple of goodies I recently scooped from my favourite thrift shop. I love old jars and this large 'cookie' jar is making me happy. And I grabbed the 1970s Royal Copenhagen 'Fajance' dish faster than the speed of light, almost (but not quite) from the clutches of another thrifter who made the grave error of setting it back down on the table, because my hand shot out and back like a cobra lest he should change his mind. I did at least manage the courtesy of asking if he intended to buy before I marched off to the till!

So that's my news for this week and now I'm going to retreat to the sewing machine, see if I can finish my latest dress before the Winter sets in. What are you up to? Only good things, I hope.

marin

Well, as you can see, the apple blossom is in full bloom. The bees are taking full advantage and so are we, its scent is heavenly and I'm feeling the need to open up the garden door and let it waft through the house.

It's been yet another eventful week here, though in a rather different way. Our boy went off on his school camp last week only to be retrieved a day early after a tumble resulted in a broken wrist. He's out of pain now, however the near heatwave that everyone else is relishing is decidedly not what he needs right now. The itching has begun!

The warmth means my latest knit was soaked, blocked, dried and even photographed within a matter of hours today. My one skein, quickie whilst awaiting a shipment of yarn, knit is Marin, by Ysolda Teague. It is my first shawl, I am loving it and now I truly understand the reason why so many knitters delight in them! More details and pics, as ever, are over here on wonderful Ravelry.

Now, before I go I need to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It appears your fingers must have been well and truly crossed because our housing worries are over. Our dreams have come true and we shall be moving into a more permanent house in July. Somewhere we are going to be able to call 'home' and, after eight whole months we shall be reunited with our own beds once again. Hurray!

Have a great week everyone!

flora and fauna

Thank you so much, wonderful bloggy buddies, for all the Soay love. My head was swelling more and more with each and every comment!

We are currently enjoying day after day of beautiful, bright sunshine which is lifting the spirits no end, I have almost forgotten about those countless weeks of rain that we've endured since last December. Watching this season develop is so exciting because it is all so new to us. This is our first Spring, then it will be our first Summer followed by, of course, the first Autumn.

Weekends are still packed with action and we remain in our adopted 'carpe diem' mode. Last weekend we drove over the border for the first time since our arrival. It was La Conner's annual Tulip Festival that drew us southwards and its vibrant blooms, together with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains did not disappoint. The city here is blooming too. Cherry trees line so many of Vancouver's streets and they are treating us to a magnificent display. Huge magnolia trees are ever present too and, pictured in front of an azure blue sky, present a visual feast for our eyes. Next up we are promised azaleas and rhododendrons which, our neighbour tells, will carry on the colour. Now I understand .. there are plus points for all that rain!

We went back to Reifel at the weekend, too. Sadly the owls have gone to pastures new but the ducks were obliging and came strolling along side us, as before. They are pairing up now and it's so sweet seeing them fuss about each other and watching the drakes chase off any opposition. The Model could barely contain her excitement that the cute little chickadees were brave enough to eat from her hand. We upturned logs to discover beetles' eggs and watched furry caterpillars scurrying across the paths. They move surprisingly quickly, funny little things! Don't you just love Spring?

More and more I find myself relying on my phone for day to day point and shoots and all these photos were taken on Instagram. Do, please come and find me there if you're on it too. It would be fun to see you.

Finally, your crossed fingers would be much appreciated this week. We have been house hunting and saw something yesterday that would be perfect for us. I so desperately want to be able to set up somewhere we can all call home. This semi nomadic lifestyle has been quite unsettling for the children and they can't wait to get into their own beds in July!

Happy weekend to everyone.

soay

Spring has well and truly sprung in Vancouver now and it is welcome beyond belief. We are currently being treated to road upon road of blooming cherry blossoms, a breathtaking sight and really I should be out snapping away with the camera before it disappears just as quickly as it began. However, given we arrived late last year with only a handful of suitcases, and most of our house contents still lying in storage till July, my clothing rail is becoming ever more inappropriate for this milder weather. The time has undoubtedly come to ressurrect the sewing machine, particularly now my new Spring knit is complete.

This is Soay, a second pattern by Gudrun Johnston and certainly not to be the last, as you will see. Gudrun's patterns are fantastic to knit from, she explains everything so thoroughly and it's almost as though she is right next to you as each stitch is created. I love that my knitting journey teaches something new with each pattern I've tackled so far and Soay is no exception. The i-cord trim was the challenge this time and it is so effective, such a pretty and neat way to finish off an edge. Interested in the unusual name? Soay (pronounced so-ay) is the name of an island just off the coast of Skye. It's also a breed of primitive sheep, from that same island, of course! (You should click the link for a look, they are cute little things.)

Madelinetosh is a beautiful yarn and I adore this colour too. I always have a hard time fighting off the urge to buy grey but when I saw 'well water' I knew it was the one .. it's a subtle turquoise/blue which just happens to look beautiful with grey too. Ha! Equally perfect was the fact my vintage buttons were already in the tin, and just the right size. My, that is so satisfying.

As ever, my Ravelry notes are here.

Are you having a good week? I do hope so, won't you let me know what you're up to?

whistler

Why aren't there more hours in the day? I've been meaning to get these photos posted for so long but never seemed to be able to grasp the time. These will have to do, and as for words .. gah, there's that lack of time again. Life is turning hectic once more. We are on the move yet again in a matter of months only this time, I'm hoping, to a house we can hopefully call a home. A semi nomadic lifestyle is not good for children, it seems. And as if that isn't enough, my boy takes his big test in a couple of days and there's a special birthday coming up soon, too. Well, you can't say life's boring!

There was a recent fresh dumping of snow up in the Vancouver mountains, resurrecting a ski season we had thought to be all but over. Prices are low now, so we headed up to Cypress Mountain for an afternoon on the snow. It was good to get back up above the clouds once again and it also made me realise I still had Spring Break photos of our trip to Whistler to post.

Whistler. What a place. Not too many photos for you I hope, and fewer words suffice to say we had a fantastic week up there. The scale of it all is astonishing and we were so lucky to see it in all its sun-rayed glory. We returned home feeling exercised, energised, exhilarated, nourished and completely and utterly blessed to have such a magical place on our doorstep. Oh, and totally exhausted too! Whistler Blackcomb .. what a place indeed!

Happy week to you .. come rain or come shine!