snow day

The snow started falling around midnight and by dawn we had over a foot.  But it didn't stop there - it snowed all morning and the natural world became quietly muffled.  Harley and I fed the birds repeatedly.  He loves the snow so much that he hardly noticed the avalanche that his heavy coat contained.

He followed me around the house, trailing snow puddles.  They made for good entertainment - he amused himself for the longest time, nibbling on his icy confections.  I tried to assist, but he was having none of it.


A snow day is perfect in all ways, but mostly because it is a gift - pure grace.  What could be better than to be paid to stay home and indulge in one's fiber-y creations?  A knitted baby blanket came off the needles -

It was not my best effort.  My BFF Patty is going to crochet an edge or two in color around this blanket which will make it sing (I hope) and a good soaking and blocking should do the trick.  I had some issues with this project because, from the start, the maritime theme was not to my liking.  Boats?  Boats for babies.  There is no accounting for other people's tastes.  So, just to be on the safe side, I went to my sewing room and did some boat-er-ly paper piecing -

Boats are in order and boats they shall have!

I found a great piece of flannel for the backing of this little quilt - in fact, it was this very fabric which informed the color choices for the individual blocks.  I like to use flannel for baby quilts whenever I can.  Soft = Baby.

The Baby that we are preparing for will be called James.  Sweet Baby James.  His momma was my daughter's closest friend for many years.  I really felt the need to pull out all of the stops for this important arrival.  

Here are the completed bibs and flannel receiving blankets that I made last week.  To them I added this handsome fellow and the juiciest sleeper imaginable.

 This little sleeper is made from the softest cotton knit that I've ever found - baby garments like this one hold an appeal for me that is almost unspeakable.  When I saw this set I almost wept!  I have to get a damn grip!

I love the little attached mitts to prevent scratching from sharp baby nails.  I have to say that preparing for James brought back many precious memories - flooding my sewing room with images that I'd not visited in some time.  Because Hilary was also a Christmas baby, the memories were poignant and vivid.  I remembered what her tiny head smelled like, and how she fit into the crook of my arm - like two pieces of a puzzle finding one other.  Christmas lights never seemed brighter than that year when I brought my first child home.  The exquisite happiness - the astonishing joy.  The memories never pale or diminish.