Snow and maybe snow again

In eastern North Carolina we've had snow a startling four times this winter! People are moaning about how spring should be around the corner and "...enough already!" The weatherman has even predicted a snow sprinkle for this weekend. My household is not particularly happy about the prospect of cold white stuff.

The last time it happened, Henry Lee (in yellow stripes and white boots) charged out and then stopped dead...snow was cold! He retreated to the porch steps and complained loudly.


Bamboo (in tortoiseshell coat) went outside maybe twice and then spent two days under the light on the dining room table where she got very bored and decided to 'help' me with sashiko.

The ball of perle cotton she beat up has never recovered
and I have simply surrendered it to her.

If the cats have to endure snow again, I am buying a supply of catnip so they can zone out and stay out of my quilting!

Headed South

This weekend I'm going to Venice FL to teach at a quilters retreat. Hopefully the weather will be a good deal warmer than here! Last night the furnace kept coming on and there's nada humidity in the air. Good for drying clothes on the line but hard on your skin and hair. Both cats are shying away from being petted since a static touch produces a little "zap!"

The Venice group chose one of my 'sweet potato ' quilts as their retreat project. (The sweet potato quilts are my collection of orange and gold color quilts.) The group has three days to work on it and we'll go from design to quilting and binding.
Easy String Star is based on a vintage quilt from Georgia picture (the brown and gold picture) and is foundation-pieced in big (18") blocks. Here's also a small piece I made (yellow and gray) in tribute.
Both are fan-quilted in black thread, a very down-home way to quilt your quilt.
Inspired by the upcoming Florida class, I made another String Star quilt in modern black and white plus favorite colors. Seems everyone's been collecting black and white prints in anticipation of one day making a quilt in that color scheme. I found it easy to do (no angst about choosing) and finished the large piece (72" x 90") in less than a week of intermittent work. Guess it's not a 'sweet potato' quilt any more!