A Touch of Spring!

shhhhh...I'm hoping that by posting this I don't scare this lovely season away.  Here in Southwest Missouri, it's never truly safe to count on weather. BUT, there are definite signs around my cottage that the long Winter is losing its grip.

The maple trees are absolutely spectacular! Lean back against the tree's trunk and look up. It almost feels surreal. Then, if you're really still and quiet, listen for the hundreds of honeybees busily gathering pollen from one of the earliest Spring sources. They are so busy in fact that I got just inches away to watch them pack their pollen sacs full of the red grains.  This amazing other-world has existed for hundreds of years. Until I became a beekeeper I never noticed a bit of it!  

A body could get whiplash trying to decide whether to look up at tree buds or down at the heaving Spring ground! Parsnips left in the ground to sweeten over Winter  have sprouted new hairdos. Well okay, in truth the ground froze too hard, too quickly to get the whole harvest in, but they do tend to become sweeter if left in their natural 'root cellar.'  Time to finish the last of the 2014 Harvest!

(Uncle Billy-the cottage's garden help)

 It's about time to shake of the Winter slumber...the work of Spring is about to begin. But until then it's nice to have a few days to just walk around in awe of all that God has created. 

Knitting Handy Hearts

I love knowing the faces behind knitting and crochet patterns-probably one of the reasons I enjoy being a pattern tester! So, when a friend publishes a pattern, I have to give it a try. Recently my friend Linda (half of the Knitworthy Podcast Duo) published her very first Ravelry pattern Handy Hearts.

Now these are cute little useful projects to knit. But, what makes this pattern shine are all the amazing embellishments that 'Mama Linda' creates for each OOAK piece. Really, it's worth downloading this free pattern just for the embroidery inspiration! And, yes, did you catch that this little jewel is a FREE pattern!

So, the perfect project trio: quick and easy to knit, endless possibilities and a great use of 'scrap' materials!

Here's some of Linda's unique hearts:
                                     

                                                     
I had so much fun stitching up my own little Handy Heart! I used several scrap pieces, literally from frogged swatches of an old test piece. the edging is a simple blanket stitch. A lazy daisy floral center finished off with a quick French knot center.

I enjoyed that I had scraps that matched my HiyaHiya Stork scissors fairly well!


Linda's directions have a wonderful crocheted and buttoned scissor leash.  I love the look of all the Vintage buttons she uses! But, my button collection lives in my Craft Cottage which is situated in my back yard where I can watch my chickens as I work. I was stitching on this very late on a very very cold evening.  So, it was time to get inventive. (I knew if I left this simple step undone, it might not get restarted for some time. Can I get an 'amen' on that one?!)

My solution was to start with a crochet flower, then work down the lanyard, including a buttonhole part way down. The floral 'button' slips through the scissors and through the little buttonhole. So far my scissors have stayed nicely contained with this little addition. I would bet this little lanyard could be added to a whole host of knit or crocheted minis. This way any small toy could safely be added to a child's backpack, baby carrier, etc.

Crocheted Flower-ButtonLanyard

Ch 4 and form into a ring with slst, (ch 5, sc into ring) 5 times.
Working into ch5 loops work *sc,hdc,dc,hdc,sc, slst into sc of base. Repeat from * 4 more times.

Ch 40. Join lanyard to item with a slst or two. Ch 1, turn.

Work sc in first 32 chains. Ch 3, skip next 3 sts then dc in remaining 5 chains. Secure with slst to base of flower. Finish off.