Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Fairies & Watermelon

Hi Knitters,
How's that for a summery title on a blog post? 

First off, I have just made a new free pattern available for download on the Spud & Chloë blog. It is going like hot cakes already! 


Have fun making juicy little watermelons! It's a quick and simple summer (or any time of year for that matter) knit.
I have to give you a fairy update since I have talked about my daughter, The Collector's, deep and abiding love for all things fairy. The Collector and her trusty friend scrimped and saved their every last dollar and penny for about a year to save up for their very own fairy house planter for the yard. The girls stored their dollars in a shoe box in The Collector's bedroom and every once in awhile they would pull it out and meticulously count their treasure. The excitement built for months and months. There is something to be said for earning, waiting and wanting. It is a good thing for appreciation building.
Finally, after months and months of chores and saving the amount had gotten close enough where I felt I could chip in a little to help them along with their fairy dream house. I didn't mind adding to their pot because I love the planter as much as they do. It is a beautiful hand-crafted addition to my yard.
Watching the little girls set this up in a back corner of our yard and plant the flowers was about the sweetest thing ever. I happened to have 3 pots in my garage that fit just right. They are so excited about it. They made a pathway out of flat stones and broken mosaic pieces. The Collector painted a bird house to hang from the fairy house.
They carefully sprinkled a few fairies in and about the fairy house. Some are so hidden that it is impossible to see them with the human eye alone:)
The Collector even wove a special rainbow mohair blanket for the fairy house. She leaves the blanket outside rain or shine. It's been a particularly cool summer around here and fairies need a bit of homemade warmth, too. Isn't that twig ladder incredible? 

This was a special once in a lifetime purchase and it is a beauty that was worth the wait. We will cherish this for years to come.


Okay, don't stop reading yet. Along the lines of a fairy related theme today there is an incredibly sweet and wonderful little giveaway going on at a blog I enjoy. All you have to do is leave a comment to enter. I am lowering my odds of winning by telling you all about it but I like to share! Go quick to enter.


Here is another blog I love and I love her book, too. I am definitely going to sew a few items from here.

Now, I've had some emails about my quilt progress. Unfortunately, my life and work have taken over and I haven't found any length of time to get to the quilt shop by my house to buy the backing and the batting. Soon.

I have been reading a whole lot on making quilt sandwiches and all other sorts of quilt-related things here:


Is that a little too strong? Sorry about that. I mean this is a seriously great blog and her tutorials are beyond fantastic. Her entire tutorial offerings are all bookmarked now and I will be referring to them often. I will be linking them specifically as I go on my quilt. One more thing, I absolutely love her reason for the name of her blog. You have to read the information if you are interested.

Enough already, right? I'll be back soon with lots more. Good luck in the giveaway if you enter.
best, susie

13 comments:

barb :0) said...

OH GOODNESS ...... THERE IS SOMETHING SOOOO MAGICAL ABOUT FARIES !!!! AND THE COLLECTOR'S NEW FARIE HOME IS WONDERFUL :0) THEY SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF THEMSELVES !!!!
I AM NUTS FOR THE NEW WATERMELON HAT .... I AM OFF TO ORDER THE YARN TO MAKE ONE RIGHT NOW !!!!
YOU ARE THE VERY BEST AND SO ARE YOU PATTERNS ..... ALWAYS !!!!! :0)

jill said...

Susie - the watermelon hat is too adorable - can hardly wait to knit one even tho I have no babies waiting in the wings - then it will go to charity via St. Thomas in Madison. And the Fairy house is so wonderful - I can hardly wait to show it to my 8 yr old granddaughter - I love it when children have such a passion and so much creativity!!!
Jill

Kate (KnitsInClass) said...

I love the fairie house! I saw that in the Chasing Fireflies catalog and wanted to order it for my own garden (God knows why we get those catalogs with two boys, but who knows?).

The watermelon hat is pretty darn cute, too!

Jaime said...

That watermelon hat is so adorable!! Thank you!

paws said...

Cute hat!

jill said...

I have not been able to get the fairy house out of my mind since reading your blogpost earlier - I have decided it is a must have for our garden or courtyard or even the deck next year - wonderful fun!!!

BeyondStitches said...

I love your watermelon hat! The fairy house is beautiful!! Thank you also for letting us know about the other blogs.

peaknits said...

That fairy house is amazing - what a treasure for sure. I also love Oh, Fransson - she helped me get hrough my first quilt (of the new milennium) and she probably doesn't even know it!!

Anonymous said...

I may be all grown up but I still have a passion for all things little and particularly fairy friendly. Please share with The Collector the fairy garden I made at work: http://myartfullife.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/how-to-make-your-own-fairy-garden/
It was so much fun and I can't wait to make more.
The watermelon hat is too yummy for words! I've forwarded your post on to my knitting group and hope you'll reap a bunch more subscribers with my fan mail!
Thanks for all you do.

adventure knitter said...

I love the new watermelon hat! I knitted one up last night. You can check it out at http://adventureknitter.blogspot.com/

Judi A. said...

Your "Collector" daughter is one special girl! I love the fairy house, but my favorite thing is the blanket she wove to keep the fairies warm. It is beautiful and portrays a caring heart. As usual, your watermelon hat is adorable. :-)

Anonymous said...

Gotta love it. The watermelon hat is on the to-do list for my younger one. The older would prefer something more "girly." ;-)

There's a thought - perhaps the Collector could help you design a fairy-themed hat. One that by color choice could indicate the Fairies who turn the laeves colors in the fall, the Frost or Sugarplum Fairies, or the Fairies the wake up the flowers in the Spring! I'd buy. (Of course, I already own both books, have the 3rd on pre-order, and have bought a fair few single patterns on .pdf. (I do love that. I'm an instant gratification kind of gal).

Poethead said...

The hat is so cute, but the fairy house and the story is just too wonderful. The girls are the best part of the tale, and they will always remember the fairy home. So sweet!