Some updates.

I thought I should give some updates on project and how they turned out (so far at least.)  My wool took 4 days to completely dry and has a greasy feel still, it actually has more leaves than it did when I started!  4 days drying in the sun will do that.  So I need to wash it again.  My reading has led me to believe that I either did not have the water hot enough to begin with or allowed it to cool too much redepositing the lanolin on the wool as it cooled.  I want improve on this whole process - as even though it did not work right I enjoyed it - so I am cleaning our front porch out.  We never use it as the yard is graded just wrong enough that it floods a bit spring and fall and is too hot in the summer (and moldy) and too cold in the winter.  I am going to scrub it clean and rip up the carpeting (who thought that was a good idea?) and use it for projects like wool washing and dyeing and soap making.  I want to make a table out of and old bathroom cabinet we replaced but did not pitch and scrap wood and attach a folding mesh table area for skirting and drying.  At least the cleaning and digging out of the cabinet will have to happen this weekend. 

 Remember the one lonely jar of red currant jam?  I am holding this over my floor and it did not fall.  It tastes wonderful but is set so hard you have to warm it up for spreading.  Hoping I get more berries next year because this is awesome.

 Left to right Apple Butter, Carrot Jam, and Apple Jelly.  The Jelly has the same set too hard problem but is so pretty and tasty who cares.  The carrot jam is amazing!  Seriously, make some, I have had it by it's self, on cheddar scones (the attack of the scones continues), and on ham slices.  Go now - make some. 

 Little sewing kit I made for Butterfly.  Felted heart for needles and I found these tiny scissors to put into the kit that.

 Dress for Butterfly's birthday, I mostly followed the great inspiration at Tea Rose Home for this but added an extra ruffle and some satin ribbon. 

 This little skirt is also for her birthday, the white is an old t-shirt of my husband's and the bottom is leftover quilt fabric from my stash.

Decided not to wait any longer to show this.  I am thinking about adding an ring of ribbon around the waist band but we shall see. 

I had a little scare while knitting the sweater - the sleeve looked to short & reading the pattern I realized I missed a step, it should have been two inches longer.  Panic.  I called her in to try it on and the sleeve fits perfectly!!!  I might go back later and open the sleeve ends and add a few rows of pink, but the pattern is designed to do that anyway. 

Hope all your projects are going well. - Julia