Aprons and signs of Spring

My front yard and along my driveway still looks like this ......but I had a walk around the property today, and in the sunny open spaces where the snow didn't get piled up from shovelling, I found these flowers starting to make an appearance ...... and this ... rhubarb buds! Now I know for sure winter is finally on its way out!

It's been a really busy work week with an all-day workshop on Wednesday, and a 9 am to 9 pm day at the Volunteer Fair in the Mall on Friday. I had volunteers to help out this year (last year, I was there 12 hours with no relief), so the task was quite pleasant. I managed to get this much of a sock knit ...

... while sitting at our booth in the Mall. I also had some great conversations with other knitters, many of whom find my "toe up" method of knitting socks quite unusual. And of course, I heard from various older European knitters who wince and shudder at the awkward way I hold and manipulate my knitting needles. Hey, it works for me!

I've been putting in little bits of time at my Celtic Table Topper during the week, and was really looking forward to finishing it this weekend. However, I didn't like the looks of the quilting design I had chosen for the border, and ended up carefully picking it all out.

And what does one do when a project gets frustrating?

Start a different project, of course! I've promised myself a dozen new aprons this year ... some of the "old timers" are going to go in the garbage, they're even worn past usefulness as rags! ... so this weekend, I added another four to the apron drawer. (Six more to go!)

I was a bit short of fabric to make my usual "all along the bottom" pockets for this Asian Cat apron, so I made two circle pockets instead, and then folded back a cuff on each of the circles ...

... and discovered I liked that look, although these little circle pockets are pretty much "frou frou" pockets and not very useful. But what the heck! Sometimes you want an apron just for the looks, right? So, I employed the same technique with this pink and block polka dot fabric ...

... which my neighbour says looks very "Minnie Mouse-ish": I think this apron has a 50s look. However, the object of my aprons is FUN and CHEERFUL COLOUR, so I don't mind a little Minnie Mouse in the house!

All this apron-sewing did exactly what I wanted it to do ... let me go back to my Celtic Table Topper with a refreshed imagination. Here's me hand-stitching the outer binding ...

Stay tuned! The finished product will be revealed next post. Have a great week, y'all!