Swirls and twirls

What patience you have. My work-life balance has completely gone to pot recently so I'm rather chuffed to have finally found a quick half hour for my show and tell.

Lots and lots of friends have had little ones over the last couple of months and whilst I had marvellous intentions to knit little presents for every single one, my evenings are now horribly short and I haven't had a chance to even cast on. My sewing machine has been calling to me, as has the ridiculously large pile of fabric that is taking up precious storage space in our chest of drawers. So I was rather pleased to discover this sweet book whilst I was shopping on Amazon last week (Is it just me or can one never just buy one book on Amazon?). There's a nice Scandi feel to Lotta's books - I guess the clue is in the name...

The photography is charming just like her designs and I have to confess to a slight addiction to this style of book that come with the patterns in the separate pocket - love it!

This little simple dress took far longer to make than it probably should have done and despite the number of colourful words and pin-pricked fingers that filled Sunday afternoon, I'm rather pleased with the result. (Do excuse the quality of the photos - the joy of photography in early morning light.)It was only after I'd sewn the arm hole together for the second time and run out of thread half way through a seam (cue bright pink thread) that I realised that this was the first dress, be it for a little person or a big person, that I've ever made. I'm a dreadful perfectionist so there was rather a lot of unpicking particularly when it came to bias binding the arm holes and neck. Oh, and the hem is a tad wonky...That said, it was great fun to make and the sewing bug has been unleashed. There are so many other projects in the book that I want to make. This little number will be winging its way to my niece - having no idea about the size of little ones it will most likely swamp her as she is just 4 months old. But you never know!! I might just make some bright pink bloomers to match!