Anything to make it easier....

When I am working on a quilt, I keep key fabric pieces clipped together with an office bulldog clip. This makes it easier to find matching/contrasting fabrics to complete the project.
I use this method even for non-quilt related projects.
Sometimes I hang the clips on my bulletin board for quick reference.

Binky Bling, Pacifier Pretties, Soother Strings, Dummy DooDads

What every you call it, it is imperative to keep track of the proverbial pacifier. Liz asked me to make some Binky holders for a shower gift...my talented sister Sarah had made a cute one for Elena, and Liz loved it because the clamp part was little (not like the ones you buy with the ginormous clamp). I purchased these little plastic pacifier clamps with little teeth that grip baby clothes gently without making holes or having metal against the baby.

I used a length of 3/8-1/2 inch ribbon, twice the length I wanted the holder to be plus 1.5 inches. I prefer grosgrain ribbon because I think it looks better, but satin is also fine. I also love printed ribbons, there is such a great selection at my favorite craft store, Hobby Lobby.
Loop it through the hold on the plastic clip and sew both long edges together and make several runs across the cut ends of the ribbon.


Then I sewed Velcro (I like to use the Velcro brand Soft Sew On because it is very soft as the name implies) the width of the ribbon, leaving a little over an inch for the Binky hole or handle.

I used my favorite product--Fray Check--at the very end of the ribbon so it will never fray when washed (hand wash or spot clean only).

Here are the finished products, providing an invaluable service to babies everywhere!

Heartstrings cards

I needed a birthday card today for my niece Liz in a hurry and so I whipped out the sewing machine and sewed one of the heartstrings hearts

I had made in March onto a plain colored greeting card.

It looked so cute....

I used one of the string leaves to make

a thank you card I needed.

I think they look pretty nice, what do you think?

April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain. - T.S. Eliot

My beautiful lilac bush has the most blooms that it has ever had exploding all over...the blooms are beautiful and the leaves are a nice heart shape, but the aromatic fragrance of the lilac is a sure sign of spring.

Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry

OK, I just counldn't resist! I started another pair of socks. This time they will be a bit smaller and made out of a thicker yarn (chunky) so they will go faster (hopefully). Anyway, the colors are beautiful....a soft chocolate brown and pink and cream color...sort of like neopolitan ice cream...mmm ice cream.
Well I gotta go now.
Just wanted to let you know that knitting socks is very addictive. Hopefully these will fit me better than the last pair.

Granny's Spring Flowers

I dug these flowers up at my great grandmother's old home site probably 25 years ago.

They flourished on the hillside where I planted them.

When I moved to my new house 8 years ago, I dug them up from my old yard to move them to the new place and they continue to flourish there in many large clumps.
They remind me of Granny Duryea. When I knew her, she didn't live at that house, but seeing them every spring gives me cause to remember how lucky I was to know my great grandmother.

Knitting Don'ts

Here is a bit of information I thought I would pass along to new knitters....
Don't mix a shrinking yarn (like wool) with a

non-shrinking yarn (like chenille).
Enough said.