Another No Sew Post

I know it has been a month since I posted but... when I get a call that my sister is in the hospital with pneumonia and sepsis I don't know about you, but I get on a plane. No hand sewing projects or anything but clothes and my Kindle. I was in Connecticut for almost three weeks. After reading 3 books my hands were going stir crazy so I ventured out for knitting needles and yarn. I haven't done any knitting for say, 40 years. It all comes back to you like riding a bike.

March 2013

I didn't have a pattern so I casted on until I got bored then turned around and knitted the next row. Lucky for me it is the perfect width. I used three colors. I stay with a color until I get bored and then change up to the next one. There seems to be a reoccurring theme here. I know, I have the attention span of a gnat sometime. 

4 deer in the backyard. 2013

You know how I like to see wild animals up close and personal. There were 4  adult female deer and a baby one eating in the forest. I was in the house talking to one of my sewing buddies and due to the snow I could see activity in the forest. This is my sisters back yard and I'm looking out the window. I can see 4 in this picture but I think the baby is behind the post. I wish I knew how to draw those circles around an object so you can see the deer clearly.

Another window March 2013

They all ventured around the neighbors house and across the street to the path that leads to a pond.

My sister is on the mend and I am home. I have a three day sew in this weekend and hope to get some work done on my Dancing Stars and other UFO in my room. I was in a panic because I have a Bernina that needed a new hook due to a crack in mine and my Juki that needs a new tension assembly. I bought the hook for the Bernina so I am set to sew this weekend. 

Until next time...quilt happy.

Brown is Blue

Worked on the Island Melody quilt last night until 1 in the morning. Went to a quilt shop today in Vernon, Connecticut called Quilt by the Yard for additional choices of fabric to complete my sisters quilt. We had a great time visiting with the staff and somehow my sister and I ended up singing the oldies with the customers. We went shopping for fabric and a party broke out! 

And another cool and unexpected thing happened today. I met Audrie Bidwell! She has two quilts published in a current book which I bought and she signed.  Brights are her thing! The book is Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe. She has a blog at Blue Is Bleu. Check her out here. Also found out Audrie is not a fan of browns. So there is someone out there besides me who thinks brown is blue! You meet the coolest people in quilt shops.

Hawaiian Melody quilt Dec. 2012

Work table for Hawaiian Melody quilt pieces.   Dec. 2012

There will be three more rows added but they will have to wait until I get home. So fun to do this with my sister. The end result will be a surprise for her even though she is designing the squares. She will have to wait to see it complete with all the rows sewn together.

Louie  Dec.2012

This is Louie, my sisters cat. He is a rescue and they think he is a year old. He, like most cats think that fabric and quilts are theirs and should be shared. My nephew loves playing with Louie.

Nephew and Louie. Is that hoodie a quilt?  Dec. 2012

Louie  Dec. 2012

Louie sleeps on this quilt daily. On cold nights we put a recycled wool sweater on the top of his quilt to keep him warm. This is one of my first quilts circa 2004.

Traveling back home on Saturday, so until then quilt happy.

All photos by Hattie Wilcox.

Let It Snow

I'm having another high production year at my sisters house in Connecticut. Sewing to the max, eating lobster and having lots of laughs. I can't share the first project I finished as it is a Christmas exchange with a Modern Quilt Guild member. We are making mini quilts using an inspiration fabric our person gave to us. I am really pleased with my idea and will share it later.

My sister and I have been working together on a quilt that she designed. She made up the pattern with a little help from me so that is pretty exciting. This is a design as you go pattern so it isn't as fast as I am used to. I work on my own quilt during the design time if she takes too long!

M&W quilt  Dec. 2012

We are making progress, slowly but surely!

M&W progress  Dec. 2012

Bleeding light to dark from the center is her goal. You should see what she is going to use in the border row. She has never designed a quilt except on paper so this is a process she had no idea was so involved. Designing as you go and sewing it by the row is a pain, but it has to be done this way. How many rows? I have no idea. I try not to think about it! I leave here on Saturday so it will be finished as far as design goes. 

Me sewing at Harriet's  Dec. 2012

Stay tuned for more progress on the latest Connecticut quilt.

All photos by Hattie Wilcox.