I am blessed with such a generous and talented sister!  After having the last theme for over a year, I thought it might be time to freshen things up a bit, and did she ever!  She was so gracious while I told her about what I wanted, and she created exactly what I had in mind.

You’ll find that I have a few new pages, a brand new subscribe button, and it’s all organized in beauty and simplicity.  I love the Provence palette and feminine feel.  Just my cup of tea.  Thank you, darling Emily Rose, for taking time out if your overwhelming schedule to make your sister such a lovely design!  I love you!

Here’s the dress I made, in all its bright blue glory!  I usually don’t pick such vibrant colors for my clothing, but after not being able to find just-right pink fabric anywhere, and the only alternative was to actually buy a dress, I decided that the blue seersucker would make an excellent spring/summer dress.

{ pattern: B5030 }

The almost-finished garment.  I later added hooks and eyes to replace the pins.  The cuffs have an embroidered white “X” at the base where the corners meet.  (You can see one better in the last photo.)

I was so happy that Mom found this vintage-esque pattern.  I have years’ worth of little sketches and dress designs, and a dress not unlike this one made frequent appearances.

Pattern alterations: Top-stitching, narrowed collar, and shortened sleeves.  The “production” stretched over two weeks, but was finished with plenty of time left to calmly get ready for the long drive to Callaway Gardens.  ;)

Photo credit: Emily Rose

On Saturday afternoon, Dad, Mom, Emily and I went to the Butterfly Garden and walked part of the way there with our friend Miss Rebekah and her father.  We crossed a small stone bridge and took portraits of each other on the way back.

Photo credit: Emily Rose

I can hardly wait to get back to my little Singer with more fabric + patterns!

This little puppy thinks I’m his servant. And really, I am. But I like to think of it as training for when I have my own babies. Most mornings Bentley will wake me up at 2:00 AM to take him outside. Since it has turned cold, he’s been trying to do better.

But even during the day, with winter breezes and snow on the ground, the cold is almost too much for Bentley’s little frame. Poor little guy.

So I’m making him a sweater.

I’ve been collecting wool sweaters from garage sales for the past few years. I felted this $1 bargain by throwing it in a washing machine full of hot water.

Bentley would fall asleep every time I tried to measure him. Good sign, no?

Here are the pieces on the slow journey to being trimmed to the right shapes.

Adding buttons and and a blanket stitch edging.

And some final fittings . . .

. . . Isn’t he a handsome puppy?

I recently stumbled upon the startling discovery that I could knit a shaped object without a pattern! I have only made one of these little guys, but wouldn’t they make lovely gifts for children - and even the young at heart?

Who am I kidding? I love little hand-made critters and dolls!

This is “Bunny.” How did I make ‘im? Well, I don’t have a pattern but I can give you some ideas and tips. First off, I chose chunky, bumpy yarn to hide any mistakes.

Starting at the top of the head, I cast on 6 or 7 stitches. (This is not knit in the round. It should end up looking like a figure eight.) Working in the stockinette stitch (knit front row, purl back, repeat), increase rapidly for a few rows, back off, then decrease rapidly. Your at the neck now.

Now start increasing again, but not as fast - you want the body to be larger than the head. Once the body is looking nice and plump, start decreasing. Once you come to the end with only a few stitches left on your needle, tie off and start stitching up the back of your critter. I filled Bunny with “Organic Cotton Batting” which I also used for the tail.

Bunny’s ears were knit separately and sewn on with the same yarn. His eyes were embroidered, and a scarf was knit with 2 plies from 4 ply yarn with size 2 needles. Bunny’s knitting needles are the tips of tooth picks.

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My sister Emily Rose is hosting “A Homemade Christmas” again! Last year we enjoyed working on making gifts and sharing ideas with each other, and I’m so glad we get to do it again this Christmas season. Be sure to check the schedule so you can follow along and join in the fun!

I expect I’ll enjoy it even more this year, as I’m learning to knit. (Don’t tell Bently, but he’s getting a little sweater!)

This week I’ll show you my latest knitting project.

It’s a pouch for cough drops, or any other little lozenge or candy one would like to tote and not lose to the bottomless crummy depths of a purse.

I also added a crocheted loop and a black button to secure the opening.

While knitting, I realized I should have started with a larger size of needles. The pattern was looking a little cramped, so I added a chipboard insert to stretch it out a little and give it more shape.

For more Homemade Christmas inspiration, visit SimplyVintagegirl.com.

Okay, so y’all probably knew long before I did that knitting cables generally doesn’t take five needles. Saturday evening I finished my first cross-over.

Here it is (snickers):

Saturday night I decided I really needed help. I looked on YouTube and found some very helpful videos I’d like to share with you.

How to Knit : How to Knit a Cable Stitch - All this time I thought learning how to cable was for the knitting elite. Good grief. :)

This is a real cable:

For those who would like to see a lovely post in pictures on how to cable, The Purl Bee has a lovely post. (Scroll down aways.)

Here are some more helpful videos:

How to Knit Basics - The Cable Cast on Method

How to Knit Basics - Rib Cable Cast on Method

Continental Knitting Stitches : How to Knit Cable Stitches

And for Sara, the I-Chord: so über-easy, I can’t believe it! Did anyone ever “Cork” to make these?

And here is my latest knitting project-in-the-works:

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The Studio is coming along nicely with only a few more things to finish up.  Dad has sealed the windows off with plastic to keep out the winter drafts, and I’ve added two more lamps to my collection for extra light.

I’d like to replace the lace curtains if I can find a good bargain on at least 32 yards of fabric (just kidding).  And I need a thingy to cover the light bulbs dangling from the ceiling.  I originally wanted an Italian Tole chandelier, but I can’t find anything less than hundreds of dollars, so I’ve settled on something much more simple.

In the bottom right corner you can see that one of the bookshelves was painted, where I keep more of my books.  I have yet to figure out a better way to store my knitting and sewing supplies, but they can stay under the table as long as they need to.

And here is one of my new favorite spots in the house.  On the opposite side of the room from my table is a comfy chair and stand.  The old easel stored behind the table and chair is for purely compositional and aesthetic reasons, but the little table and chair are just right for my daily quiet time.

This room has been such a blessing to work in.  A northern window, beautiful antique wood trim and floor, and a large table . . . sigh.  Thank you Lord!

I have been so blessed to be able to take up a whole room in our house and use it as a studio. It’s a smallish room with high ceilings like the rest of our old, charming home. It’s the one room we haven’t freshened up since we moved in over seven years ago. (It was previously rented out to unscrupulous people.)

The walls: A dull, flat, pale putty gray with the beginnings of almost-florescent-sky-blue. The Lovely Crown Molding: a thin “wood” trim.

Warning: ‘Before Pictures‘

^ The view through the doorway. (In the top left you can see one of my first, yet unfinished, oil paintings.)

Inside the studio, a bookshelf next to the doorway. Notice the cork board with an odd assortment of paper scraps.

View to the left of doorway: another bookshelf, piano, tread mill . . .

Take note of this shelf as well - binders, boxes and instruments are on the shelves, while all the books are on top!

And the table. Yes, my big ole’ six-footer. Last fall a retiring architect was getting rid of the stuff in his office, and gave me his biggest drafting table for free! It’s been such a blessing - isn’t God good?

We started by just dragging everything (except the table) into the front room. The piano now rests in the front room, and the tread mill is now in my parents’ room.

Stay tuned for more pictures!

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Our website is now open, and we have a blog on it as well! The Grand Opening sale ends on Saturday at midnight.

There’s also a give-away at Sarah Mae’s blog, which ends on Friday night. Hop on over to enter and tell her which one is your favorite!

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Our new home business’s website, Noble Rose Press, will be having a grand opening on October 7th, and we’ll be having an introductory special offer from October 7th-10th. Emily Rose has been working on setting up the site, so be sure to check out the sneak-peek. While you’re there, you can also click on our Facebook and Twitter links!

Everyone, thank you so much for being so supportive and encouraging throughout the journey! We hope you’ll enjoy the site, and the up-and-coming products!

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