Fox Geese and Fences

I love to knit mittens in the winter. So satisfying and I have never had anyone hate getting mittens for a gift, except maybe my sister in California. Doesn't everyone need mittens in the winter time? We are about to get another snow storm and so I am ready with my double knit Fox Geese and Fences mittens from Robin Hanson's book on old Maine and Canadien mitten patterns, Favorite Mittens and Swan Island wool. Aretha's beau, Steve claimed them!

Mary Alice

I have been thinking about my grandmother, Mary Alice while I have been learning to machine quilt. She loved sew and do needlework. She cross stitched an entire quilt in her favorite color red for me to quilt by hand. My conservative Southern grandfather used to complain that it was the color of women of the night. I must have spent ten years on and off again hand quilting this quilt. I take it out every year as we near Valentine's day and think about Mary Alice.

What to do When it is so Cold Outside...

Here is my Heather Ross Unicorn piece. This one is going to school to cover up those God awful beige cinder brick walls!

And here is my Castle Peeps piece for Nora, my dear friend, Beth's daughter-due in March!

Computer Sleeves

Here is my new project for using up leftovers. I use Fred's discarded cotton batting scraps and then my cool Japanese cotton/linen blends, add a zipper and voila! The added benefit is that I get to practice my machine quilting on the inside lining where no one has to see my mistakes! I love these sleeve because then I can just slip my laptop into whatever bag I am toting around from school to school. And the kids love the happiness of the fabric!

Melody Miller

I am loving Melody Miller's Ruby Star Rising...especially on the 50th anniversary of JFK's inaugural address. Brings me right back to the sixties, eavesdropping on my mother's coffee clatches with my aunts, watching my grandmother dye and perm her hair, and helping my father with his business-sorting diodes from transistors! This is my first bag I made from scratch-no pattern.

Katie's Second Thirtieth

My Friend, Katie is having a second thirtieth birthday party! I was trying to think of something befitting to make for her big day and I decided that anyone born in the 50's would love Melody Miller's new fabric. So I made the x-small Origami Bag from Amy Butler's Style Stitches. I thought I might pop a gift card in there to Barne's and Nobles for her next bookclub purchase!

Velveteen

I have been on a bit of a velveteen craze. My daughter teases me because I love velvet and have alot of it-in the attic because there is never anywhere to wear it in Vermont! I love the skirt pattern from Anna Marie Horner. It is called the Proper Attire Skirt. It has pockets and is very complimentary with the lower waistband. Not sure I would go with the contrasting waistband, next time. It is hard to figure out what to wear on top!

And, as usual, Rhea from Alewives didn't let me down! She recommended this Amy Butler Sandlewood jacket pattern-cinchy and reversible. I made it with Anna Marie Horner's velveteen from Nido's on one side and some Shot Cotton (Kaffe Fassett) from Stitched on the inside. Many compliments when I wore it to school on Friday!

Now I am off to work on more practical things like baby quilts for the Spring babies on their way!

Marian Mobius

I made a great gift which takes about 2 hours to complete! Big fat needles + big fat yarn = Fast! Anyway. Josie is kindly modeling the finished product. The pattern is called Marian and it is made with any type of bulky yarn, but I used Twinkle (see it on the Nido website) which is incredibly soft!

Fall 2010 Etsuko Furuya

I am in love with Etsuko Furuya! Her colors and designs are just so cool! I love being able to cut up her fabric collections and have all the colors happy with one another. This quilt is inspired by her Fall 2010 collection. I am hoping to get over to Maine to have the amazing Barbara Commeau quilt this one for me!

Here is my bag. I love those wild animals! It is Anna Marie Horner's pattern.