yay for summer!

it's finally here and life - when we're not getting sick or rushing around like lunatics - is perilously close to my urban ideal. walking hand-in-hand with baby down the alley to the bakery, spontaneous backyard entertaining of out-of-town guests, and knitting with the neighbours (amylovesred from ravelry lives just down the block, as it turns out). last week we had surprise brunch guests, and the women were all in pretty summer dresses, and as i was calling out the kitchen window to see if anyone wanted more coffee, i had a happy 'fifties housewife moment. if only we could have the aesthetics of the 'fifties and the social freedoms of today at the same time! sigh

anyway, i just finished another summer dress to add to the slowly growing collection. i would love to have a dozen! today's dress has a bateau neckline and inverted box pleats at the bust and skirt. the skirt pleats are done in a solid green cotton accent - in part because i should have bought more of the lovely main patterned fabric! - but i think they're a nice touch. the main fabric is "grassy plain" part of the echino collection for kokka. it's a linen/cotton blend with a border print and it is absolutely stupendous. i'm feeling very doris day. yay for summer!