Mr. Owl

Snowy owl. Burrowing owl. Great horned owl. Barn owl. Screech owl. 

"Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop?" Who remembers this commercial during Saturday morning cartoons? A couple months ago I quoted it to D and he had no recollection of it. He said that it must have only been on the American channels when we were growing up. Regardless, I had a fond memory of it and started to wonder how our society pegged the owl as wise.

A quick google search revealed that historically, the owl is either revered or feared. Owls in Lore and Culture is a good read. Focusing on the positives, the owl has been linked to the Greek goddess Athene, known for her wisdom. The owl's nocturnal nature is associated with the vigilance of a studious scholar. The Sioux First Nations admired the snowy owl, which represented bravery. 

Yesterday I finished Hibou's quilt. The Hooty Hoot Returns fabric is from Riley Blake Designs. The orange "jacks" fabric makes me smile. When I found it at the only quilting store in Montreal, Effiloche, I knew immediately that it would tie the whole quilt together. When I finished the back of the quilt, I realized that it reminded me of the sky and the earth. I hope that Hibou enjoys being out in nature as much as we do.

I am looking forward to meeting our petit hibou. Will Hibou be known for vigilance, bravery, and wisdom? Only time will tell.

Hibou quilt 2013

Mon préféré

There are a few quilted items that I have created over the past several years that I could not bear to give away because I  loved the pattern, the colour, or the finished product so much. This is one of them.

When a friend would have a baby, I would often pull out this receiving blanket and debate whether or not to give it away. Over the past several years, thinking that we would not have a child ourselves, I thought that it would eventually go to one of my nephew's or niece's's first born. That is a bit weird to think about...

Anyway, the blanket will now be hibou's. We may not have a baby room set up or all the essentials put in place yet, but I can swaddle hibou in my favorite blanket.