Projects....

Early in December, while looking for Christmas presents for my grand-daughters, I came across a rather expensive doll set depicting "The Princess and the Pea". I examined it carefully and thought, as one does, "I could do that", so with a little inspiration from the book I have taken on the task. As this will be for our grand-daughter Jada, who turns two in May, this is not the book that I will include with the finished set, I have a pop-up version on order at Amazon, this one seems just a little to grown up for a two year old.

My first task was to find a bed, which as you can imagine was fairly fruitless, so I began looking for wood findings that I could turn into a bed. This is what I constructed, it's 5" by 9", just the right size, made from wooden peg legs, a tray and two picket fence pieces, all painted white and then pink. I think I will add little painted flowers and vines to the fence posting. I made a white duck cloth pillow and box spring, padded with pure wool batting, and hand sewn using pink varigated thread.

There are twelve mattresses in the book, so there will be twelve mattress in different coloured pink fabrics, in the set. The first two are above, wool batting in the middle and pinked around the sides.

Five other mattresses, ready for sewing and pinking, with the other fabrics that will be used for the remaining five mattresses. I haven't decided yet whether to knit the doll (which is my first choice) or create a cloth doll - still working on that, I may do one of each and see which I like better. I want the set to be totally hand made, so a store bought doll is out of the question. I will needle felt the pea, actually two peas, one very large one (don't won't a two year old with a mouth full of roving), and a smaller one for when she gets older. I will be sure to post pictures as the project evolves.

Just in case you think I have given up knitting, I finished a pair of Apple Laine socks, in Garden Party. This was my first time knitting with the yarn, and I really enjoy this yarn very much. I have some more in the sock yarn stash so will be using it again soon.

I also have twenty-three of the squares completed for the Lucinda Guy blanket. They look like pink waffles when they are stacked up. I made a bargin with myself, that everytime I have fifteen of them, I will stop and weave in all the ends and block them. That way it won't be to traumatic when all sixty-three are finished.

Over time I have found that I can knit through most television shows, unfortunately with todays intense television that isn't so any more, I have to give my full attention to "24", "Lost" and "Heroes", an hour when I could also be knitting....oh the waste.

After the last few weeks of freezing temperatures, we will reach 41 tomorrow and in the 40's for the rest of the week, the snow and ice will melt and be replaced with muck and suck (that wonderful sound your boots make in squishy mud), and paws will be washed before they enter the house, oh the joys of spring.