Joy Blooms Here

I’m excited to be taking part in my third Yarnstorming at Adkins Arboretum.

This year I tried a new style of installation on a new tree with the forest itself as the inspiration. While the arboretum grounds may be wrapped in winter, joy still blooms here. This installation makes visible sparks of joy in an otherwise muted landscape, with soft, colorful flower blossoms, leaves and stems wrapping around the tree.

With “Forest of Friends” and “Hope Grows Here,” I stitched crocheted letters and imagery to a full wrap of granny squares. For “Joy Blooms Here,” I used a thicker, softer yarn to crochet 87 flowers, 94 leaves and seven vines.

I stitched the flowers and leaves to vines and wound each around the contours of the tree

Mine is just one of at least a dozen trees on display at the Arboretum for this year’s Yarnstorming. The creativity of my fellow craftspeople could not be more inspiring. I encourage you to check them out for yourself and enjoy a peaceful walk along the trails while you’re there.

On display March 2-31, 2026.

A Forest of Friends

My tree wrap returned to Adkins Aboretum in 2025, this time as “A Forest of Friends.”

I wrapped this same tree on the arboretum grounds in 2023. This year, I took the same base of 44 granny squares and one double crochet block and stitched elements to represent the various things you might find along a forest path at Adkins. This included a rabbit, owl, caterpillar, flowers, butterflies and mushrooms.

I also included a goat, giving a nod to some of the former arboretum inhabitants.

“A Forest of Friends” is a celebration of the animals and plants you might find in the forest around us and encourages visitors to search out their woodland friends. On display March 2-April 6.

The Future of Orchids

The Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is a lovely place to be on a winter day, especially when the orchids are on display.

“The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration” features orchids from the Smithsonian and Botanic Garden collections alongside the work of Phaan Howng.

Hope Grows Here

My husband gave me a yarn bombing book by London Kaye for my birthday last year. The next day I saw a call for yarn creations for Adkins Arboretum’s Yarnstorming 2023. I raised my hand and picked a tree. I starting crocheting in January and installed with snow coming down yesterday. 44 granny squares. 1 double crochet block. 13 letters. 3 butterflies. 12 flowers. 14 leaves. 2 vines. Many stitches holding it all together. Excited to see the other trees on display March 5-April 2 at Adkins Arboretum. The grounds and trails are beautiful—you should definitely stop by! Yarnstorming reception March 12, 2:00-4:00 pm.

First Quilt

Back in February I picked up Palmiers Kiss, Icelandic Poppies Bluebell Metallic and Climbing Branches Kiss from Jen Hewett’s Unruly Nature collection from Gather Here. No real plan for them, they were just too lovely to resist.

I liked the notion of trying a quilt/throw, but didn't want to cut those yummy patterns into tiny pieces. Several searches of big block quilts later, I had some ideas, but no real pattern. Then I picked up a fourth print from the collection, Metallic Bluebell Cup And Saucer Vine, from Three Little Birds along with some speckled backing fabric.

Some more thinking had me finally cutting into the fabric, using my ruler as the size guide.

I arranged the pieces, mixing and matching as I went. I have pieces and fabric left, but like where it landed size-wise after a day of sewing.

I'm my mother's daughter, so this one was destined for hand quilting.

Stitch, stitch, stitch, then it was time to give self binding a try.