A Moose in My Dining Room

Why, yes, it is true . . . there has been a moose in my dining room for the last few weeks. I'm not sure what the attraction is, but simply put, I like moose. Though I have never seen one up close and personal, some day I hope to do so. Perhaps it is their extra large, lumbering presence coupled with those magnificent antlers? Whatever it is, I picked up the pattern, "Moose Socks" by Paris Bottman from the Bigfoot Bay Cotton Company. One glance at the wallhanging on display in the quilt store and out came my credit card. It made me smile. (By the way, this was the four section pattern that I wrote about in an earlier post when I wondered if anyone could guess what it would become.) Were you able to guess correctly?

Here's Emma, my assistant and quality control officer, keeping a close eye on my progress.

The antlers were done in a suede-like fabric. I did make a few changes to the pattern by using striped fabric to simplify the stockings and a great piece of reindeer Nordic fabric for the sweater.  (I liked the idea of a moose wearing a reindeer sweater; yup, that's how my mind works.) A section of pine forest fabric worked beautifully in this piece.  (It may take me a year or two or longer to get to a project, but along the way I pick up fabrics that I think will work well and tuck the pieces in with the pattern until the time is right.)

He's a big fella (27.5x24.5"), so he is now hanging in my kitchen.

I just love his/her big goofy smile and inquisitive eyes. Can't you just imagine him/her galumphing through someone's backyard and getting tangled up in a sock filled clothesline? It makes me smile and . . .

A little nonsense now and then

Is relished by the best of men.*

*The definitive authorship of this very old couplet is not known. It has been attributed to among others Lord Byron and Robert Louis Stevenson and a version of it appeared in Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

One more thing: I made an additional stocking to use as a label on the back of this piece.

Things are a bit bleak in our country right now; find time to enjoy a bit of nonsense this week if only to relieve some of the stress that we are all feeling.