Sprucing up the fairy house...and some knitting

When Violet visited us in mid-April, one important item on our agenda was to give the little fairy house in my flower garden a good sprucing-up. The heavy winter snows had knocked some parts of it askew, and leaves had blanketed the area since last fall.

Violet immediately set to work getting things in order for the fairies.

The lean-to on the back actually belongs on the right side of the house itself, but we decided not to move it because an interesting tree fungus has started growing on one of the slats, and we didn't want to disturb it.

Violet decided to "pretty up" the area with fresh flowers. The only ones to be had at that time were despicable dandelions, but they did add a touch of color to the house. The violet flowers are silk clusters that had been kept under cover all winter; it was time to bring them back to the fairy house.

Soon Violet was collecting acorn caps and tiny red berries to provide food for the fairies. One acorn cap was designated as a water bowl, so she filled that one with water.

We added wood shavings and twigs to the roof, to give it more interest. A small gnome from WalMart holds a "Welcome" sign to let the fairies know they should feel free to make their home inside the establishment.

Violet and I felt we had done a dandy job of getting the house ready for summer fairies in the garden. She gave me one instruction before she headed home the next day: "Be sure to fill the water bowl each day, Aunt Jean, so the fairies will have plenty of water."

On the knitting front, I've just finished an excruciating project. I knit one of these "Bride's Sachets" or bride's purses four years ago and swore I'd never attempt another. We all know what happens years after we'd sworn to "never again," though.

The little purse is knit on size 1 needles with crochet cotton.

That combination in itself is enough to send me to an early grave, but then there are the directions....

Four years ago I couldn't figure out how to follow the instructions for the leafy edging on the top of the purse. I vowed I'd conquer those instructions this time. I was even encouraged when I noticed a sheet of errata had been published since my first attempt at that edging. Alas, even the corrected instructions couldn't make me understand what I was to do, so I gave up in frustration and ad-libbed a simple crocheted edging. I'm sure the bride-to-be will never realize the edging wasn't part of the original pattern.

And once more I've vowed never again to knit that Bride's Sachet.

But on a happier knitting note, I love knitting the Yankee Knitter Aran cardigan. I've made two adult cardigans, two child cardigans, and two child pullovers with this pattern so far.

Now I've started a size 2 child's cardigan for a little girl named Phoebe.

The pattern is a joy to work with, as are all of Yankee Knitter's designs. It's fun to see the various cables and other features emerge from the yarn as I knit along. I'm having fun with this project.

A fairy house and an Aran cardigan. Both work, as far as I'm concerned.