Oh, apple trees! My favorite of the flowering trees. So humble and sweet and pretty. And their scent. My gosh, I love them.
I made a pillow and a pizza and more dresses. Thank you so much for all of the zipper advice! I tried what sounded like the easiest thing, and sewed straight down both sides from top to bottom (instead of going down one size, across the bottom, pivoting and coming up the other side) and it worked perfectly! Yippee. That was nice! Thanks! From left to right I used Simplicity 6713, c. 1966, and added a few inches to the length (fabric from JoAnn's); McCall's 8152, c. 1965 (fabric is Liberty Tana Lawn Mae [D]); and McCall's 9525, c. 1968, and added 12" to width of the front skirt, and 6" to each of the back panels, as well (fabric is from Mill End Store). These are rainy-day dresses, things you would wear at Bloomsbury while pressing flowers gathered in the bluebell woods. I soooooo enjoy sewing for my boo. I can't stop.
It's been raining here a bit, and I have been happy. The gardens are just exploding. Everything is fresh and fragrant and frothing with green. Our walks are filled with rainbursts and wild rambles, just to stay outside for longer. The sky the other night was so dramatic, with layers of cloud and light and dark. When I look out the windows in the early evenings, everything glows with bloom and late light.
Slowly but surely, My Sweetiepie ABCs sampler kits are coming together. The materials are finally starting to come in (it takes forever for this stuff to come in). The fabric has arrived in Wisconsin and is being folded. The embroidery floss is on its way, and then will get pulled (all 79 strands per kit, egads). I'm just finishing up the pattern, then that will go to the printer. More on all of this in a couple of weeks, when we're closer to being finished and ready to put them in the shop. I'm ridiculously excited. Oh I love seeing a plan come together. It's kind of thrilling, honestly.
***Oooops, forgot to link to the pizza — it's here, and I added some fresh mozzarella this time, too. Got a bit soppy, but if you let it stand for a few minutes, it's still very delicious.
Thank you for the sampler kit update....I am so excited about this beauty! Love the dresses you've made for your Mimi. Enjoy these days!
Oh my god, those apple trees!! I'm dying over how beautiful those blossoms are! We are planning a big landscape project and were going to put in cherry trees but now I'm going to have to see about including apple trees, too. Can't wait for the new sampler!!! As excited as I get to purchase and complete these creations of yours, it must even more exciting to be the creator and see the enjoyment the rest of us get from them. <3
Ah, that pizza looks amazing! If you don't mind a suggestion, I've found that if you pre-bake the pizza crust (not completely, but for a few minutes) before you add your pizza toppings the soppiness isn't a problem.
Ah, apple blossom, my favourite too. No sign of it yet, we are little behind you here in SW England, but it won't be too long now. I can never stop taking photographs of it, looking at it, it's gorgeous. Then there will be asparagus too, I'm really looking forward to it. Beautiful dresses, it would be lovely to wear things like that all day. The sampler is fantastic, so beautifully designed and stitched. No doubt the kits will be hugely popular. CJ xx
Blooming! Blooming!
You never cease to delight all the senses!
I'm really excited about this sampler. I just picked up Midsummer Sprigs from the framer this morning and I'm so happy with it. Your apple trees are ahead of mine. I can't wait for the blossoms and the scent.
Love all the pretty dresses. The added trim on the pocket, neck & sleeves are perfect. Miss Mimi is a lucky girl to have a Mom with creative talents. Her wardrobe must be bursting & that is a good thing.
The pizza looks so very yummy. Can't wait to make it. Good thing I read your blog before my trip to the market.
Apple trees and their fragrance - it's all good. The hexagon pillow is beautiful. A real work of art. I love making things that have a purpose.
Fingers crossed for more rain this weekend. Yesterday was so nice - loved every drop.
Love so delicious,my kids really like shrimp
You are such a dress-making diva! And so very inspiring. Yet I admit I am envious of your spring.
The dresses! I love a casual dress with a sash and a floral print. Tell me: did you wait to sew up the back seam until the zipper was attached? I hate pivoting at the bottom of the zipper. It never comes out as neatly as it should. I like the hexie pillow too!
more storybook goodness … so sweet and innocent … no snow here but all is soft dead grass color … waiting for blooms :)
What a lovely fresh spring dress Amelia is wearing. I really love to see all that blossom as we are deepening into autumn here.
I'm not sure there's anything sweeter than a child sleeping, unless its a child sleeping on handmade quilts!
What a joy to see that riot of blooms!
Oh Alicia I keep commenting your post the same way but oh my!!!plenty of different adjectives are coming to my mouth: fresh, delightful, splendid, too cute, etc....I just love all these pictures and all the love you spread around yourself: to your family, to your readers...
Spring in Portland looks divine! We got buried in five inches of snow here in Chicago yesterday, oy vey...
Beautiful dresses, beautiful little girl, and I can't wait to order a sampler.
I was thinking these were such beautiful shots, but then I realized I couldn't find a single honeybee in any of the photos. Now they look kinda like those old-time photos of dead people posing with their families as if they were still alive. Trees should have bees. It's creepy when they don't.
Awww just gorgeous, Spring photos! Miss Amelia is the the prettiest little petal of all.
OK-- the dress, the apple tree, the pizza, the sampler, the cute toddler-- all so lovely. And how can Amelia be just six months older than my little man and have so much more hair? Seriously, he hasn't even needed a haircut yet and is still mostly bald on top, and he's almost two. :)
Love the green fabric and dress, very cute.
oh I do hope that I don't miss the sampler! I try to read your blog each day or every other day. I'm patiently waiting.
LOVE the little dresses!!!
Ok, weird question... Was your little darling at the Washington Square Mall on Sunday?
Your wee one is definitely ready for the Sunday School Easter Egg Hunt ! Her dress reminds me so of the ones my mother lovingly made for my sister and I. I remember feeling so special when I went to church in a new dress that I had watched her make. Mom is gone now but the memories still flood in.
I particularly love the dress your daughter is wearing. It would make a nice Easter dress. It is so much fun to make children's clothing because the possibilities are endless.
I wish I had some flowering trees to look at, but just snow. Soon.....
I couldn't figure out what the V was. I *love* your apple blossom photos! My tree isn't ready but I can't wait to see it's blossoms. But amazingly my lilacs are *almost* in bloom! I adored the image of Mimi asleep.. pure innocent preciousness. Awesome dresses.. you're the best mom ever. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Goodness, your fabric choices are stunning!