Fishes, Owls, Dogs--OH MY!

It's that time again--first of month and what rolls around but Fat Cat Patterns. 

Our November fish is swimming onward and upward....

How about December fish? 

The January Fish looks really 'uppity'!

Three Little Owls sitting on the branch--Whooooo!

I'm really getting into these owls! 

 

Here is December Owl sitting pretty.................

 

This is the owl of the new year--Viola!  Welcome to the flock-do owls join flocks or are they loners??

FINALLY!!  I found the star fabric for the doggies!  Have you ever looked for something so many times and wonder what you could have done with it? And then you find it right under your nose??!!  There it was--right on the cutting table, in the upper corner, sitting under a box of pencils--honestly, how could I have missed it for so long?  oh, well, it's been found and the dogs can find a resting place instead of being in pieces...................

We will soon round out our dogs and finish up a quilt

I'm learning so many different ways to use I-phone photos--if you are taking a photo and want snow, just rub the photo button several times and you get snow!!  You've got to love technology! 

 

"Woof Woof!"  It has been fun creating all these doggies; just two more to go and I've run out of star fabric as background--I think there will be some young tike who will love cuddling up with this quilt!

ROC DAY!! OR DISTAFF DAY!!

Distaff Day, also called Roc Day, is 7 January, the day after the feast of the Epiphany. It is also known as Saint Distaff's Day, one of the many unofficial holidays in Catholic nations.
Many St. Distaff's Day gatherings were held, large and small, throughout local fiber community. The distaff, or rock, used in spinning was the medieval symbol of women's work.
In many European cultural traditions, women resumed their household work after the twelve days of Christmas. Women of all classes would spend their evenings spinning on the wheel. During the day, they would carry a drop spindle with them. Spinning was the only means of turning raw wool, cotton or flax into thread, which could then be woven into cloth.
Men have their own way of celebrating this occasion; this is done through Plough Monday. It is the first Monday after Epiphany where men are supposed to get back to work.
Every few years, Distaff Day and Plough Monday falls on the same day. Often the men and women would play pranks on each other during this celebration, as was written by Robert Herrick in his poem "Saint Distaffs day, or the Morrow After Twelfth Day" which appears in his Hesperides.
Some modern craft groups have taken up the celebration of Distaff day as part of their new year celebrations.

And since January 7, 2014 falls on midweek day, our Roc Day celebration took place the weekend before--January 4.  We gather our spindles, our wheels, fibers and food (food is always encouraged!) and meet at a central location.  This year we met at Skyloom Weavers studio.

luscious fibers to spin.............

a chance to try a new fiber or spinning technique

an opportunity to see how one spinner uses her wheel

questions answered and topics discussed

Oh, yes, a chance to spin on a flax wheel

and see what exactly a distaff is and how it works

works in progress on the Cricket loom that Skyloom Weavers sell and use

and then there is the large floor loom to see in operation

Always a spindle or two in sight--this one spinning silk hankies

Ah, yes a chance for the spinners and weavers to get back to their wheels and looms after a long holiday sleep--treadle on!

LET'S BUILD A SNOWMAN!



Yes, Let's build that Snowman or Snowmen and Snow-women!!  What fun this pattern has been to comply--I'm sorry I didn't get around to working with it sooner.  I began this January, 2013 and it's about time it was finished for January, 2014.  After Christmas this is always a 'down' feeling--all the Christmas decorations are put away and the house looks so bare--that's where Snowmen and women come.............................why not decorate with them for most of January?!!  So the collection began




This is definitely an 'aged' pattern!  Out of the closet and onto the sewing table.......

Yes, we are building a snowman--without snow!

Every snowman begins as just a scrap of fabric

And here we go..................

 One strip at a time.................

 

come on guys!  We are assembling another snowman!

Oh what fun to see them gather on fabric

Blanket stitch puts the finishing touch

Yes, we built a snowman and some snow women too!  Off to the quilters and we are adding to our January collection!

Happy snowman gathering to you!

 

Happy 2014!! Celebrate a New Beginning!

JOY! JOY! JOY!

PEACE!

Gifts from the Heart!!

Light Show!

Every year we take a short visit to a town around our state to view their Christmas lights and displays.  This year was no exception as we traveled to Marble Falls, a small town in Hill Country, just north of Austin.  How can you not enjoy these local festivities?! 

It was a fairly cold evening for Texans--we decided to wait in our car until the lights were switched on--time for the magic to happen was 6PM.  We waited along with many others and since it was a Monday night we knew it would be a light crowd.

We waited and waited--6:15 came and went; about 6:20 a small car drove up to the entrance, a gentleman dressed in a red sweater hopped out and ran over to the gate--he pushed through with authority and then we saw him--inserting the magic key into the electrical box--he threw a switch and the whole lake front lit up!  Music poured from the trees and walkways!  The Walkway of Lights was officially open!

This is FREE! Donations are accepted and refreshments are sold halfway through your walk.

What an enchanting evening!  A walk through gleaming light displays

It was a full moon night as this photo shows--bright and beautiful on this clear winter night

A stroll through delightful tunnels of lights and near the end is where Santa lets youngsters climb into his lap and be asked "What do you want for Christmas?"  Ahhh, the magic of the time! 

 

 

Traditions!

Traditions...........................a special event or happening--one that keeps on, keeps on!  At our house, we have several traditions during Christmas time.  At all begun when we left college and took our first job, away from our families.  We set up our own traditions--we wanted to make sure our kids had special happenings in their lives, traditions for their childhoods and when they leave the nest, they set up their own traditions.

One tradition that has continued, even though they have flown the coop is making office gifts!  Every year, we go through this and over the years we have learned ways to shorten the process.

Our recipe comes from this book, a gift from a sister-in-law many moons ago--yes, a gift that keeps on giving.  Every year the amount we need has increased.

We have made notes to make sure we have the right amount of ingredients on hand--but, who looks at the recipe before shopping??  It's all from memory now--and the memory is getting weak!

This year, the son says he needs 30 jars for his office staff--off to buy 3 cases of quart jars and all the sugar, flour, chips, nuts, etc.  Certainly don't want to do what we did the first couple of years--run to the store half way through setting up the jars!

all the ingredients are set out and I found these nifty funnels several years ago that really help

Then you need fabric squares to make jars really pretty--usually I have fabric on hand--this fabric had aged nicely so was perfect to top off the jars.

All layered and sealed!  Son and I worked in harmony--it is something he definitely can do!  He even cleaned up the kitchen afterwards! 

And now, all the jars are ready for giving-- first, must print the label with directions on how to mix up--in all the years we have made these jars, never have we had a jar for us to mix up! One year, son decided not to give the jars and he had his staff asking=="where are the brownie jars?  We really like them!"  Now, this has become a tradition for his staff.....

Are you making your own special traditions with your family?

OFF AND ON THE QUILTERS RACK

Back from the quilters.................

I had this one my blog this summer, but here it is back from the quilters long arm--thanks Sandy--

She did a simple star pattern--perfect for this Quilt of Valor

The binding is finished; quilt is folded; pillowcase is ready for presentation to Quilt of Valor recipient--just need to do the label and sew it on

 

Here is another one from Sandy's long arm.  This is the Bonnie Hunter quilt I worked on all summer--

I like the swirly leaves--now to decide on binding fabric--but, it can 'age' as I mull over the fabric

I have been working on this quilt for some time now--maybe, two years..............

First, all the embroidery on the blocks--

The center section was the easy part to do and the border was a snap!!

 

I enjoy doing handwork at times.  This pattern is from Crab-apple Hill

It is #313 Hocuspocusville!  Don't even get me started looking at their patterns!!

Here is my patriotic quilt I made this summer--it was featured on another blog post

Now, it is back from quilters long arm--thanks to Judy M--she used the star pano pattern

Here is one from the stash bin--it had been resting for many years and finally, it was time to finish it and get it quilted--well, it's not actually finished yet.  I want to add prairie points to each end--working out a way the points will stand up and not fold down.

Not your traditional Amish quilt, that's for sure.