The Hanami pattern was a breeze to follow with the most sublime lined finished.  E can be seen here in the top with the cross over back variation.  Little tops are brilliant for this independent 6 year old who has just discovered jeans and leggings and prefers them to a dress any day.  I have used a D S Quilts print for the top and the little flutter sleeves give a hint of the white cotton lawn lining.  I would sew this pattern again in a heartbeat.


You can get your own copy of the pattern from the StraightGrain shop or just follow An and her amazing Belgian sewing creations over here.

All this leaves me counting down to this year's Hanami Picnic and wondering if we all need need new outfit for the occasion.

"Amy, crazy ladies have been leaving stuff on our door step again*.  I found this casserole dish.." 



It turns out that crazy lady is me.  Mum had passed this dish onto me, finding it had become too heavy for her wrists.  It was on the front seat of the car and I hastily put it on the step rather than drive it around for the school drop off trip.

In all their speckled glory these are sweet examples of New Zealand made durability.  Every home and bach had one when I was a child.  The brand is boldly imprinted on the base  - "Radiation". 
I am gradually accumulating my mother's enameled cast iron.  This blue dish, joins the elegant oval one that is just right for coq au vin or venison casserole.  The lid sits a little loose so care loving care, or copious wine, is often needed if the casserole is to work out..



*We still cling to the memory of a random bag of china left on our doorstep.  Enough people know I cherish old things that they sometimes just turn up.  The random bag was pure confusion.  I had offered to price items for the church fair and when a bag of beautiful crown lynn turned up on my doorstep I thought that was what it was for.  I admired the pieces, adored the jumbo colour glaze cups, admitted I had no space for any more and then I priced it and took it to the church fair. Of the ladies I asked, no-one could remember dropping a bag of, but remembered that one had been set aside for me.  I remained a little puzzled as to where it had come from.  A year later a friend asked if I ever found the bag of china she left me.  She picked up all the NZ made items at left over from the plunket sale and thought I might like them.  I almost wept.