Spring! Sewing, Socks and So Forth

What is more beautiful than daffodils after a harsh winter?  Not much.  

Someday, I hope to have thousands of daffodils all over our yard, just like my grandma did.  She had all varieties, from tiny narcissus to jumbo all-yellow King daffodils.  Grandma would always send my mom home with a huge bouquet, and we kids would get smaller ones, wrapped in a wet paper towel and aluminum foil.  

Last October, I wrote "PLANT BULBS" on our kitchen chalkboard.  Then, one evening, our friend Blake came for supper and told us that he always plants his bulbs in "that thaw we always get every January."  So, since he's a smarty about all things horticultural, I thought I would follow his advice.  Guess what?  No January thaw.  No February thaw, either.  So, just a few daffodils in our gardens.  Next year . . . 

Meanwhile, I love the daffodils that are there, even though they might not be too beautiful by Easter:

The yearly photo of the star magnolia tree.  It is beautiful, but delicate, and a strong breeze or rainstorm will send white petals everywhere.

This quilt along I'm participating in really has me itching to sew more.  Since I am knitting socks now, and have plans for more, I thought I needed my own little sock knitting bag like the one I made for Christie a couple of years ago, over there on the left.  

You know I have this thing for matroyshkas and matroyshka fabric -- this bundle is called Little Matryoshka from Riley Blake -- so cute.  Once again, I used this easy-to-follow free pattern from Pink Penguin -- she had designed it originally as a lunch tote, using laminated fabrics.  I want to try that soon, too. 

 Drawstring top:

 Inside:

 And it holds all the sock knitting paraphernalia just right:

Almost to the toe!

I'm finally delivering a wedding present to a sweet couple who were married in November.  So many people helped to make this wedding so special -- all the friends of the MOB pitched in to decorate, cook, sew . . .   The prayer flags decorating the reception space were my contribution:

So I made Annie and Andy a pillow to match:

 It's that same easy applique technique I used on the Disney pillows last fall -- just use the darning foot and sew around and around till you get what you like.

I tried to sew in symbols of a happy marriage -- a home, rings, heart, cross.  Plus their wedding date.

I forgot to take a picture of the back, where there is a little pocket for love notes.