January: full moon in Cancer

This is an in-progress shot. The bright red lines are basting, but suggestive of a quilting pattern that I wouldn't have thought of without it. :-)

Dark blue batik with a light blue batik inset. Metallic thread, spiral stitching for the "hollow" moon. There will be beading of some kind. I looked at white and silver bugle beads, but that was before I stitched the moon, so I'll have to look again and see what might do. I think I have -- somewhere -- some clear iridescent square sequins that might serve. It will finish at 9 by 22 inches [22.5 x 56 cm]. I usually like a binding, but maybe not for this one -- or for the series. And, I think, a decorative hanger of some kind rather than a sleeve. Maybe a stout twig and some satiny upholsterer's rope.

According to some general moon lore, the full moon in January is called the wolf moon, the cold moon, the winter moon, and the snow moon, among other evocative things. We did have snow here -- not the 7 to 8 inches threatened by the forecasters, but enough to more than glaze the ground, and certainly enough to demand some shoveling.

Full moon in Cancer -- this was a more poignant beginning than I expected when I decided on this series. The full moon was yesterday, the 10th, which was also my father's birthday. He died of pancreatic cancer in June 2007. Yesterday was hard for my Mom. Her grief seems to expand with time rather than abate. I honestly can't imagine what she feels -- they were married for almost 59 years -- but my heart aches for her.