free patterns!

I just found out that Amazon has provided free copies of two patterns from my new book! Let's hear it for free stuff!

The first pattern is the Snow Queen Sweater Coat. This is one of those designs that just rolled and rolled around in my head and would not leave me alone until I finally picked up my knitting needles and got to it. I love the charm of vintage knits, as you might be able to tell from this pattern. I had a lot of fun thinking about and designing this sweater and even more fun knitting it...so much fun that I have knit this one up in different sizes for various family friends. It's has turned out to be a real fav. It's girly without being fussy and is wearable for more years than your average sweater because of the long skirt and the ruffly cuffs.


The other pattern is the Princess Crown. There are two versions of this pattern. One is a hat with lacey details at the top and the other is a basic crown. While this pattern is called the "Princess Crown" the crown version of this pattern is absolutely suitable for both girls and boys. You can whip these little crowns in no time at all, and if your kids are like mine, you can never have too many crowns.


I had so much fun designing and knitting these patterns, I hope that you do too! If you do knit either of these up I'd love to see pics!

Have a great weekend :)

Back to school...

Things have been hot and decidedly summery around here but the calendar tells me that it is time to get ready for the beginning of school. I honestly can't believe that it's that time again...time to inventory everything from socks and pencils to class schedules and aspirations for the new year. When I was a girl, I loved this time of year— I have a real thing for school supplies and books and smell and feel of a new school year. I still love all of those things, but as a mom I have to say that this time of year has a way of sneaking up on me. I am never quite ready to let go of summer and get back into the routine of school schedules, homework and all that good stuff. Maybe it's because school starts in mid-August around these parts and for some reason I am convinced that it's not supposed to begin until after Labor Day. Anyway, this year we are adding a few new projects to make the getting ready more fun. We are just getting started, but here's what we've been up to so far...

A little printing a la maya*made and the freezer paper method. A big shout of thanks to Maya for her amazing and inspirational blog. This was our first attempt at this kind of printing and it was a huge success. I highly recommend this project.

First we found an inspiring image. We chose a bold, graphic design so it would be easier to print. Kids' books are great sources for these images. We especially love Lois Ehlert (this was from an old favorite, Mole's Hill). Love that happy face...

Then we drew our version of the image on the freezer paper and used a craft knife to cut around the image. We placed the freezer paper stencil, waxy side down, on old T-shirt and ironed the freezer paper to the shirt...


Then we put a piece of cardboard inside the T-shirt and painted it with a sponge brush and textile paint. You can use textile paint, silk screen paint or acrylics for this. We used Jaquard's textile paint. This paint is great and is really easy to use. It needs to be heat set. Ironing over the painted section (inside and out, cotton setting, no steam, paper or cloth over the painted section to protect your iron) will do the trick. The painting is easy, easy, just dip the brush into the paint and pounce it onto the shirt...great for kids of all ages.


Now the hard part, waiting until paint is dry. Tick, tock, tick, tock...Two minutes later...Is it ready now?...No?...Five minutes...Still a little tacky)...I'll go get the hair dryer...Yes! It's dry and time to peel the paper off! Note: If you do this step carefully and the paper is dry, you should be able to reuse the stencil once or twice more.

Voila!...My guy couldn't wait to wear this shirt and has only taken it off long enough to go to the pool and get a bath. It is a big hit!


It was fun for all and all for fun with this project. There is definitely more of this in our future. We are finding inspiration for new prints all around. It has definitely become a happy preoccupation. Love that!

Okay, I'd love to stay and chat but I've got to go find more T-shirts!...Happy printing!

Home again, home again, bloggity blog...

It has been far too long since I sat in front of this screen with the express purpose of writing a new post. There have been so many moments over the last couple of weeks when I have thought of this space and the latest new thing that I would like to share here. But alas, I have not figured out how to move my thoughts directly to the computer while my hands are busy elsewhere and so the long lapse in writing. Not to make excuses or anything, but I have been so busy over these past weeks. We went on vacation and I got busy...

Knitting, knitting, knitting on a new project for Petite Purls. Right before we left for vacation, I found out that a design I had submitted was going to be included in this wonderful new on-line magazine. I am really excited about this new magazine and it is a real treat to be included. Needless to say, I am thrilled!

Busy reading and editing the final pages for my book, Fairy Tale Knits. Due out at the end of August...very exciting!

Sharing long country strolls...


Swimming at the pond...


Hiking and exploring...

Learning to cast...


Finding and admiring frogs at the edge of the pond (still can't quite make myself pick those little guys up, but aren't they beautiful? We named this one Paddy after the frog in The Wainscott Weasel. If you've never read this tale, I highly recommend it. It is perfect for reading aloud to younger children and a great "on your own" book for second and third graders. Anyway, back to Paddy...isn't he cute?...


I kept busy shoveling way too much food into my mouth. In addition to being breathtakingly beautiful, Vermont is home to The New England Culinary Institute. Wonderful, fresh, and delicious food is around every corner and, as my now tight jeans can attest, we took full advantage of the bounty around us. Just one bite (right!)...blueberry cobbler with whipped cream at the Farmer's Diner...yum!


Aaahhh...Vermont, I love you...


And when we got home I got busy baking a wedding cake for a wedding the week after our return. Lemon butter cake with lemon curd and raspberry coulis filling...yummy! The design of this was based on a Marimekko fabric. Trying to translate this very fun print into a cake design was a little challenging and a whole lot of fun. Because the newlyweds are friends of ours, I was able to attend the wedding. This wedding was beautiful and thoughtful and dear. Plus, I got to watch the guests eat the cake—love that—and I got to eat too! The dinner, catered by feast catering was positively the best I have ever had a wedding—so delicious!


And if that wasn't enough, my girl turned eighteen. It does not seem remotely possible that it has been eighteen years since this wonderful person came into my life. Can we just do it all over again?...it would be so much fun. What can I say?...I love having this person in my life more than words can express. Fun, smart, funny, generous and kind—if I do say so myself.


Anyway a birthday, of course, necessitates a cake...

All in all a pretty full few weeks! Now it's time to catch my breath and start thinking about the beginning of a new school year (school starts a week from Tuesday here). I have to say that I'm really not quite ready for summer to be over, but I'm planning a few projects to add a little fun and creativity to the back to school prep—so I've got that going for me. More soon...for real this time...

And they're off...

Things have been very busy around these parts lately...lots of organizing (okay I'll be honest, just rearranging of the piles really), swatching for new knitting projects, contemplating my yarn stash, vet visits, bidding a fond farewell to the dear family of dust bunnies living in the corner of my living room, and making sure that all of the laundry is done. This can only mean one thing in our house—it's time for a road trip! The car is packed (embarassingly full as usual) , clean sheets and towels are waiting for our able-bodied house sitter and we're off! Next post from one of my favorite places...happy trails!

Sweet somethings...

I find that many days in our house are so full that there isn't as much time for crafting and creating as I would like. In these busy times, the kitchen seems to be the one place where living by hand continues. I love food, I love preparing it, and eating it. I love baking and love baking with my kids even more. This is one of my favorite ways to start the day.


These scones are regular fare at our house. The recipe is fantastic. It is reliable, quick and easy to adapt.


Basic Scone Recipe
Preheat oven to 425º.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch Kosher salt (optional)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk, plus a Tablespoon more for brushing the tops of the scones
The add ins —1/2 cup dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, cranberries, currants, etc.), nuts, or chocolate chips, lemon or orange zest (optional)

I usually use my food processor to mix all the dry ingredients (excluding the dried fruit) and then add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly, but you could, and I have often, made these scones the old fashioned way by mixing the dry ingredients, and then cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with two table knives. Once the first 5 ingredients are mixed together, add the wet ingredients and pulse (or mix by hand) until the mixture comes together in a ball. Turn the mixture onto a floured board and add the "add ins", kneading the dough as little as possible. Once the "add ins" are incorporated, flatten the dough out into a disc and cut it into wedges (like you would cut a pie). Place the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a pastry brush to brush a little extra buttermilk onto the tops of the scones and then sprinkle sugar (we use Turbinado sugar for this step) on the top of the scones. Place the cookie sheet on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

We usually have these scones with dried cherries, but they are great with a little orange zest and dried cranberries, lemon zest and blueberries and sliced almonds, cinnamon and currants.

Time for cake...Friends of ours are getting married next month and they have asked me to make their wedding cake. Yesterday we met for a cake tasting. This meant a little cake baking at our house—yum! One of the cakes that I made is my absolute favorite cake ever—a lemon butter cake.


It is a basic butter cake, but can be easily made into a lemon or orange cake by adding the zest and juice of the fruit. The texture of this cake is moist and soft, not as dense as a pound cake, but also nothing like any other butter cake I have ever had. The recipe is from Margaret Braun's book Cakewalk. When I first started tiptoeing around the idea of making cakes I was introduced to this wonderful book through my dear friend and cake baker extraordinaire, Jean Marie Moffa. Even if you never intend to make a "fancy" cake, I highly recommend this book. It is beautiful and inspiring, and is full of incredible confectionery designs that are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. She truly elevates cake design to art. In addition, there are few fantastic recipes in the back, hence my yummy cake.

This cake recipe makes two 10" cakes and a little more. Here you can see that I made two 10" cakes and one 4" cake.


For celebration cakes, I fill this cake with lemon curd or a berry coulis and frost it with an Italian meringue buttercream—sublime. I usually cover my celebration cakes in fondant, because it allows for really fun design elements. Here are two cakes that I made early on in my own personal cakewalk, using this recipe and fondant and gumpaste decorations—

I made this one for a friend's bridal shower...


and I made this one for my husband's end of the year departmental party (he's a classics professor)...


But here is how my family loves it best, plain and unadorned. Just serve it with a few fresh berries and it is absolute perfection.



All of a sudden I am quite hungry...I think it must be time for me to avail myself of a little of this handmade goodness.

Until next time, alison

Nice to meet you...

This is it...my first post. I have been dreaming of this blog for a while now, but it is this moment, the first post, that has kept me from getting started. It's a little daunting actually, and the flutter of butterfly wings—that mixture of excitement and nervousness that I feel at the beginning of any new adventure or friendship—is with me now. So, to break the ice I will begin in the old familiar way, just as I would any other friendship, with the simple phrase...nice to meet you. It is, in fact! I am hoping and looking forward to getting to know many new friends out there in the ether.

So without further ado, allow me to introduce myself...I am a mom, a wife, a maker of things and author of the soon to be published Fairy Tale Knits: 32 Project to Knit Happily Ever After (a collection of knit designs for children based on classic fairy tales). I knit, weave, bake, and try to keep up with three busy kids while living a creative, handmade life in a small mid-western town. With this blog, I hope to share my experiences on this journey. I envision lots of knitting, weaving, crafting, cooking, eating and playing along the way.

More to come.