Some people have a living room, but we have a schoolwork/office/sewing room and today it looks like complete chaos. Still, it is my favorite room because it has fantastic light and is used for so many things. Although it is only about 10% of the house it is where we spend 90% of our time. Can you tell?
Today it reflects the state of my mind…

Sewing things piled up in a corner.

Kids’ computers.

Our son’s “Office” i.e. the floor. (Caitrin and I are usually at the table but Eamon scoffs at traditional forms of seating.)

Even the ironing board made an appearance. (Catch a glimpse of my next free pattern, “Twirly Skirt”, ready for pressing.)

Our daughter and I are traveling to Raleigh this weekend for the State Science Olympiad and I want to finish some things before leaving – wishful thinking, but we all must have goals, however unrealistic.

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend!
Amanda

I’m so excited to present my newest free pattern – Springtime Coasters! This project is especially fun because the largest required cuts of fabric are 5″ squares (fourteen 5″ squares, to be exact, to make four coasters), so you can use all your colorful scraps!

Tie it up with a ribbon for a lovely hostess gift… or Mother’s Day gift. (Mom, if you are reading this, this doesn’t NECESSARILY refer to your gift – so you will have to wait and see!)

While I’m at it, I’d like to share a recipe for Raspberry Lemonade, which we made especially for these photos, because it is so pretty and it’s delicious too.

Rasberry Lemonade
This lemonade is very tart. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweet taste!

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 8 large lemons
• 2/4 cup sugar
• 8 cups water

Directions Pour frozen raspberries into the bottom of a big pitcher. Cut 6 of your lemons in half and squeeze out the juice with a lemon squeezer. Combine lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Pour the lemon/sugar mixture into your pitcher. Add water and stir. Chill overnight or until cold. Slice the remaining lemons for garnish. Serve your beautiful raspberry lemonade over ice with a slice of lemon!
And now for some close-ups of the coasters. I chose to quilt around the flowers by hand, with really thick Pearl Cotton, but you can also do it by machine.

Happy sewing!
Amanda

This past week we visted Old Salem, a restored Moravian village right in the heart of Winston Salem, North Carolina. (It has a fabulous Decorative Arts Museum and Toy Museum as well.) The weather was beautiful and the colors were amazing. I thought I would share…

Top row: door knob, cookie cutters, flowering vines
Middle row: merchant’s house, clock/portico, coffee-making equipment
Bottom row: more flowers, town water supply, yellow house that I loved!

Hope everyone is enjoying spring!