The Little Red Hen

Happy Halloween

Pumpkins by P and D.

Thoughtful Sunday

"...from November to March
the winter winds are harsh
on the fields and the marsh
they're covered up with snow
when you trudge to the shed
you have to scratch your head
because the dad-blamed pile's getting low on

wood (hardwood)
firewood (dry wood)
there's not a stove in the world
that's going to do you any good
with out wood (stovewood)
we could (you should)
be out cutting more wood..."

"More Wood", Dillon Bustin, 1983.

(We listen to this on the Voices of Winter cd with Priscilla Herdman, Anne Hills, and Cindy Mangsen)

What I'm Working On

Quilting

Knitting

Wordless Wednesday

Fun Fabric Challenge

Last week I got this stack of fabrics from Jennifer Paganelli.

I was ready for a new project so I eagerly jumped in with my rotary cutter. These large floral prints called for larger pieces than I have been working with.

I paired the prints with a great Robert Kaufman solid. I think it is a Carolina Chambray - the warp is a golden yellow and the weft is a dark chocolate brown. The result is a very pretty solid that goes great with these colorful prints.

I pieced half square triangles and put them around the corner of a 7.5 inch piece of the print. The resulting block is ten and a half inches square.

I finished sewing the top together this afternoon.

Now to baste and quilt.

edit to add:
I spread this out on the floor to pin baste and got another photo of the quilt in different light. I love how it looks like there are two different solid fabrics here.
It gives a lot of movement to the quilt. The solid fabric looks different from different directions. I cut the triangles both ways on the diagonal to give this effect.

It is a subtle thing but I think it adds interest to the finished quilt.

The Playhouse Project

We have just about finshed the outhouse/playhouse renovation. In the last two years we built a foundation in a new location, laid a floor, gave it new shingles, new siding, windows, fresh paint, a front porch.... Just in case you are wondering there are some orginal parts there - just look at that little cresent moon.
The door is original but B took it completely apart and put in a large glass window. It is shorter than it used to be because the bottom of the door had rotted. Actually, the whole outhouse is shorter due to rot. But P is not as tall as the rest of us so that worked out pretty well.
P, of course, chose the paint colors!

B found the windows in our barn and installed them so that they swing open. He also designed and made a clever handle that can allow the window to be held partially open.

The curtain rods are made from some of B's old wood arrows. He carved the holders for them too. The curtains are made from fabric from a friend's sewing room clean out. Thanks Karen!

I love the old knobs.

B fixed the door with a ball and socket latch so you just have to pull it open and shut and there is no danger of getting locked inside.

Yesterday we completed our work by putting a front porch in place. The porch is a big slab of cement that used to be part of a retaining wall by the barn.

It is fun to see the outhouse and lots of found objects have a new life as a fun and functional playhouse.

Her "fairy garden" is next to the playhouse so bringing the flowers up to and around the house is the next step. We'll do that in the spring.

B has said that he will put in a flip up table and a small corner shelf. The old wooden chairs for the playhouse are chairs that the boys used when they went to the coop preschool that all three kids attended. The chairs were replaced before P started school but she has enjoyed using a few of them here.

This is what it looked like a couple of years before we started the renovation.

Milestones

Today is a day to mark some milestones.
First, today is my four year "blogaversary". It is hard to believe that it has been four years since that very first blog post where I shared my recipe for "Little Red Hen Bread". The last four years have been quite a journey.  I have "met" many wonderful people through this blog and have even met some of you in person! Thank you to all of you who continue to visit and leave comments for me. You really help keep me going.

Second, this is my 1000th blog post. One thousand! It's kind of hard to believe.

Third, I am halfway one fourth of the way to my tiny star goal.

Originally, I calculated that I would need about 500 star blocks for the quilt I have in mind. After a month of tiny piecing, I was thrilled to have made 250 stars. Thinking that I was just over half way, I recalculated to see exactly how many more I need.  Well, I found that my original math was WAY off and I will need 1011 stars. So, I have many more to make. I will surely be needing to cut into some bigger pieces of solid fabrics to complete these stars. I've almost used up all of my small pieces.

I'll let you know when I reach 1000 tiny stars - that will be a milestone to celebrate!

I hope you all stick around and come back to see the finished quilt someday.

Teal and Tangerine

Tia sent these lovely tangerine and teal blocks for my quilt.

I especially love this map fabric.
I am thrilled with all of these block so far. This is going to be such a fun quilt!

Wordless Wednesday

New Knitting

I am making good progress on my new knitting project!