Her Royal Cuteness

Sewing for little girls, especially a sweet grand-daughter, is so much fun.  The projects are quick to do up, fit isn't paramount (unless it's too small of course), and you can dress them in anything you want because you're the grown-up!

The dress is Kwik Sew 3775  and the hat is Butterick 3405 

Roses To Jam

This has got to be the quickest, least messy and yummiest jam ever.  The rose above is a lovely fragrant climber.  I made my first batch from a dark red rugosa which produced a gorgeous coloured jam.  They are both delicious - sweet (of course, with all that sugar), fragrant and delicate. 

Norma from Now Norma Knits introduced me to this recipe and has provided a wonderful tutorial on its preparation.  Thanks Norma!

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This is the rose I planted when my mum died almost 13 years ago.  It is called Perdita, a lovely name.  The one we planted at my dad's house is equally beautiful and is called Juliette (my name - I'm not at all self-centred - ahem).  I don't have a photo of Juliette but she continues to thrive in spite of being dug up from her original plot and moved into a pot on a patio.

Earthly Delights (and some knitting)

 Our summer is finally here after a long wet spring, which I really didn't mind at all.  I don't handle the heat well and raining outside means knitting inside.  The garden is incredibly lush due to no effort on my part at all.  The roses are especially gorgeous this year.

All the hydrangeas in my garden are from clippings that my mother started for me.  The lace-caps are a bit later than the macros so aren't out yet.  The white one is from a clipping she got from the garden of her mother's childhood home in Deal, UK.  She somehow smuggled it back to Victoria in her luggage and got it to root.  When it got to a good size she snipped off a piece for me and it is now (about 15 years later) a fine specimen and a lovely reminder of my mum (and her thieving ways :OD)

~~On the knitting side of life ~~

I finished Slanting Gretel Tee by Petra Manis
in S.R. Kertzer Down To Earth Cotton
 

 

and these for my daughter Spring Socks by Eveli Kaur in Noro Kureyon Sock:

And two hats for my nieces in England.  They love them and so does their mother who says she may "borrow" them sometimes:


Freyja 

Fleur

Happy Summer!