Sunshine and Sweaters

March has arrived and the sun is shining! Love it! I'm actually wearing a shirt rather than a fleece top today and I feel so free.  Spring is definitely on its way and the last lingering piles of snow have disappeared.  Of course, more may come, but still, spring is on its way!

I finished the little sweater I was working on and here's the finished product on its intended wearer:

It turned out just right and I was able to pick up the stitches around the front and neck with no problems. Ditto sewing the pieces together.  And if you don't recognize this little girl, she's Clementine, a Girl for All Time doll.  They are created in England and the various dolls are from different eras in British history.  Clemmie's era is WWII.  I fell in love with her face as I perused doll patterns on the internet.  Every time she was the model, I wanted her.  I finally consulted with Dan and he asked why I hadn't already ordered, so I did.  I call her my Valentine's present.  

Here's a closer look at her sweet face. (Don't you just love how I chopped off the top of her head?  A photographer I'm not.)

I purchased the sweater pattern from Pixie Faire and the designer is Genine Allan of Genniewren Designs.  She is British herself and the pattern includes a wonderful history of wartime clothing in England.  

I am currently knitting another doll sweater for, I think, my Magic Attic Rose.  It's quite an involved pattern and I'm learning tons (in addition to learning how to carefully unknit rows!)  I've decided it's a lesson in patience and skill building.  ♥

The Wall Hanging is Comin' Along. . .

. . . in spite of an error in the instructions and an error on my part.  Although I'm blaming the error in the book for my error!  I kept reading one section over and over and it seemed wrong, so I put off the cutting it involved and after some days, started on another section.  Too bad for me because I cut pieces (again) that I had already cut for the flying geese.  Thankfully I still had enough charm squares left to do all the remaining cutting.  And I mean enough down to the last square.  (Regarding the error in the book:  I finally brought Dan in and explained the problem to him and told him what I thought needed to be done and he agreed.  I ventured forth with the cutting and we were correct.)

So here's the center as it looks on my design wall:

Because the rows are interlocking, the instructions say not to put the star blocks together but to go row by row, so that'll be my next step.  Actually, lots of steps because my design wall is across the room from my machine.  Exercise!  

Meanwhile, I can't believe it's May already.  It snowed here yesterday so needless to say spring is very slow in arriving so far.  The poor trees are trying to leaf out, but it's a very long process this year.  No sign of the moose lately so we do have a few tulips that have started to bloom.  I love tulips.  ♥

And They're Gone!

My sweetie was my hero today.  Remember the apple tree and the shrub I mentioned in a previous post?  They are no more!  I happened to wander into the dining room this afternoon and looked out the window to see this:

The tree was very old, scraggly, and produced five wormy apples a year. It was a pain to mow around, and had no redeeming qualities.

He hauled most of the debris to the recycling center (we gave the big pieces to our neighbor who has a smoker), and later when I went to admire my new view, I saw this just below me:

Oh boy!! He was going to take out the world's ugliest shrub, too!! (Note the area to the left of the front bumper--that's where the apple tree had been--didn't he do a great job?)

And here's the final result of the shrub removal:

The stump and roots are gone and you'd never know that shrub had been there just an hour before. Our yard looks so neat and tidy now--I love it!! And Dan? He's having a nice warm soak in the tub as I type. :-)

Love that man!

A Quick Check-in

I should be dusting, but I'm taking a quick break.  (Everyone in my family knows how much I hate to dust so it's not surprising I'm taking a break!)  After I dust, I need to vacuum, and I readily admit, I'm not that fond of vacuuming, either.  But hey, I'm a great straightener!!  My house always looks neat, it's just not necessarily, um, spotless.

Yesterday Dan did a lot of work on the yard, and I was even lured out to do a little.  What a beautiful day!  The pruners were out, and pruning is one thing I really enjoy doing, so I whacked away at some of the trees and had a great time.  I'd probably be ruthless with a chain saw, but somehow I don't think I'm going to try one.  I did mention to Dan that an old apple tree and a shrub were good candidates for his skills, however.

Meanwhile, in the sewing room I just finished quilting another Yellow Brick Road lap quilt and I'm reading to start binding it.  I so enjoyed the one I made for baby Grant that I decided to make another, just for fun.  I've had the fat quarters for ages, and I actually found some fabric at the shop that would work for the borders.  (Note to self:  when picking up fat quarters for a quilt, think about the borders!  It's not easy to find something to match six years down the road!!)

I should be able to finish it this week and I'll post a picture of the whole quilt when I'm done.

And now, back to work. Niece Kirsten booked a room for tonight here at the resort as she has a wedding to attend this evening. I'd better get busy so she doesn't think her aunt is a complete slacker.