Last year I sent Craig out in the canoe to get me a bunch of lily pads at the cabin. When we got home life happened and I didn't have time to use them right away so I decided to freeze them. This weekend I pulled them out and learned that while freezing works short term (like 1-2 months) it does not work longer term (almost a year). The leaves had all dried out and were papery.

However, I also found this small back of a few strands of lavender and did freeze well. They were in there for less time, I vaguely remember freezing these the end of last growing season. So even though my lavender bushes haven't started flowering yet, I was able to start making lavender things.

I made spoon rests and appetizer plates, but have plans to make more. I'm going to keep using these 5 strands of lavender as long as they hold up, then I'll wait for fresh growth.

I made the bulk of this jacket while at the Cloisters Spring Tea and Bazaar. The first day I went through two skeins of Kim Dyes Yarn Starless Night. I grabbed two more skeins thinking they were the same and in the dark light in the Cloisters they looked the same. It wasn't until I was back at work and the sun was shining on it that I realized it was different. It was actually yarn from Into the Whirled that I had leftover from another project.


So the blues in this sweater are actually slightly different. They feel slightly different, but I'm probably the only one who will ever notice. You have to look at it in the sun and then really look closely. this pattern looks awesome, but its actually just one repeating row so it's pretty easy.

I used a 4.5 mm hook for this. Since I switched yarns I'm not entirely sure how much of the dark blue I used. I think it was close to 1200 yards for the dark blue and then it was about 600 yards of the light blue.

Stitches:
ch - chain
sk st - skip stitch
dc - double crochet
half shell - 4 dc then ch 2 then dc in the same stitch
shell - 5 dc in the same stitch
For the main wavy lace pattern you want to cast on in multiples of 6 + 6.

For the back cast on 60.
Row 1: Dc in the 6th chain from the hook, *ch 2, sk st 5 times, half shell. In the last stitch just do the 4 dc (no ch 2 dc).
Row 2: ch 5, dc in the same stitch, *ch2, skip the first ch 2 space, half shell in the ch 2 space of the half shell in the previous row. In the last stitch just do the 4 dc (no ch 2 dc).
Repeat until desired length, I had 30 rows

Front Panel (make 2): Cast on 24
Follow the instructions above. Make the front panels the same length as the back.

Sew the panels together. Leave about 8 inches for the arm.

Add the sleeves. I picked up 7 half shells. The sleeves are 11 rows and in rows 5 and 6 I tapered by crocheting together 2 of the half shells.




Lay the sweater flat in front of you and start at the bottom right. Row 1: sc all the way up the side, across the top, and down the other side
Row 2: ch 1, *sc in the same stitch, sk st, shell. End with sk st and sc. If you don't have exactly the right number of stitches make it work. Row 3: ch 3, 2 dc in the same stitch, *sc in the 3rd dc in the shell in the previous row, shell in the sc of the previous row. End with 3 dc in the sc.
Row 4: repeat row 2
Row 5: repeat row 3
Row 6: Repeat row 2

Do the same for the end of the sleeves, but only do rows 1-4.

Pockets (make 2)

Cast on 18
Row 1: sc all the way up the side, across the top, and down the other side
Row 2: ch 1, *sc in the same stitch, sk st, shell. End with sk st and sc. If you don't have exactly the right number of stitches make it work. Row 3: ch 3, 2 dc in the same stitch, *sc in the 3rd dc in the shell in the previous row, shell in the sc of the previous row. End with 3 dc in the sc.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you have 11 rows.
Sew on the pockets where the arms meet.

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Finally getting around to making my garden flowers just in time for Mother's Day! I will have these at the Belle Aire Market this Sunday May 14 from 9-2.


These are what they look like in process. I use a 2 part epoxy that I put into the stem and then add a garden stake that I get at the hardware store. My husband had the brilliant idea of the clamp to hold it in place while it cures. While it says it cures in an hour, I usually leave it for 6-8 hours to just make sure.




This is what the flowers look like right side up. I have a bunch in my own garden and they are little bright spots for the butterflies and bees to drink out of.




I think these will make a great mother's day gift!

Last year at the Maryland Sheep and Wool I accidentally bought two fingering weight and one DK weight of the show color Monet's Pond from Kim Dyes Yarn. I contacted Kim and was able to get 2 more of the DK weight which I made into my Shell Dome Top.

I was looking for a light summer sweater and I still had the 2 skeins of the fingering weight which turned into this beautiful sweater. It's really light an airy, but also keeps the chill off.


No pattern for this one, but what I did was pretty simple. The bulk of the sweater is half double crochet and a chain in alternating stitches. The edging on the sleeves and the collar are three chains in alternating stitches.




I think I appreciate this yarn more than I've ever actually appreciated Monet's Pond.

I swear I didn't buy it ALL. I did leave yarn for others, but I did buy a lot.


I bought a lot from my favorites - Miss Babs, Briar Rose, A Hundred Ravens, but also from others as well.




Now comes the winding. This skein is 5250 yards - that's almost 3 miles!!!

Can't wait to get inside and start buying yarn. Stay tuned....