Completed items and other things

 I'm busy sewing a couple of little dresses for my granddaughters who have birthdays next month exactly two weeks apart. Once I'm finished, I will take a photo.

In the meanwhile, I took some time to finish a few things that have been hanging around.

This is called Chilly's Gift. It is a small (4" X 4") card-sized cross stitch. It was a free design years ago and I thought it wouldn't take long to make. The original colours were red and pink but I changed to colours to suit me. There is supposed to be a charm in between the penguin's hands - hence the 'gift.' I haven't found one yet but once I put it in a card, I will go hunting for the charm. It's been hanging around for quite a number of years and I am glad that I finally decided to finish it.

I bake sweet bread almost once a week for my grandchildren who usually request it. It's a braided loaf with cardamom as flavouring called pulla in Finnish. 

This is what it looked like before I baked it. As an Easter surprise, I added red food colouring and on the top, I added sprinkles instead of sugar. It was an idea my little grandchildren had. I just made two more loaves today. They weren't as big as these because I think the yeast I used was a tad old. Nevertheless, my son said it will all get eaten. He has three little girls. The other loaf went to my daughter who has a little girl and a boy. 

I also managed to finish this sweater. I started it for my little granddaughter last year and since her birthday was coming up, I decided to get it totally done. I only had to finish off the sleeves (I knitted them together) and then sew it all up. I dislike sewing up knitted parts. That's the main reason my knitted items sometimes take years to finish.

Just a close-up of the yarn. It's a cotton chunky yarn that I bought decades ago. I have it in this pink, some beige, some blue and some gray. It was on sale and so far, this is the second sweater that I have made with this yarn. Years ago I made a pullover for my then, teenaged son with the beige. I still have the sweater. I need to make more sweaters to use it all up.

This is my hyacinth that started out with only three blooms but ended up with five. They are now done and planted outside to bloom next year.

About three years ago, on Easter Sunday, we were visited by a bunny rabbit in our backyard.

This little guy has come back again. There are actually two of them that we sighted yesterday morning but they were so quick, we didn't get any photos of the duo. This one camouflaged well.

Sometimes they do visit our neighbour next door (centre of the photo, on the other side of the fence) but they prefer our backyard.

And yet, again

another quilt started. I suppose this is a sign that I have way too many things to do, too many ideas swirling around and/or way too much fabric to use up. Either way, I am not bored.

This time I can tell you what most of the fabrics are - layer cakes of Amy Butler's Belle. There are, and will be, one or two other fabrics in there to make up the double bed sized quilt I am planning for these. My middle daughter, Maili,  knows that these fabrics are not to my liking but they are something that she likes. So, she will be getting the quilt when it's all done. The Creative Festival is coming next month so I may pick up some border fabric or backing for this since nothing I have is this wild.

And now, an oddity and something not related to fabric. This hyacinth never got planted in my garden after it finished blooming in the spring but it sat outside on the deck all summer. For some reason, it thought that spring was here once again and started growing and then blooming. I think it's quite nice.

I have continued working away at the little curly worm book marks and once they all have eyes, I shall post a photo.

Right now, I will be linking up with The Needle and Thread Network. There is always inspiration to be had at the site.

It's pink and another finish - finally

The lily opened.

 And it appears as if a few more will be open tomorrow. Too bad they aren't fragrant.

This little sweater, made from chunky yarn, has been sitting in pieces for a long time. I made it last year and  it's a size 2 so little Luc can wear it next year. It knit up fast and the main reasons I made it was to try out the pattern, which was easy, and also to use up some of the hoard of chunky yarn that I have. I will make this again but I wish I had someone that liked sewing the pieces together. It's my least favourite task and that's why this took so long to get finished. But now it's done and I am linking up with The Needle and Thread Network. Pop on over to see what other Canadians are up to this week.