Looking for more trouble, I joined the group Super Scary sockshttps://www.ravelry.com/groups/search#view=captioned_thumbs&pp=1&query=super%20scary%20socks&psort=bes on Ravelry. And yes, they are out of my comfort zone, but I have now cast the “Finding the Yellow Brick Road” socks onto the needles. Let’s see how far I get with them.
The other fun things I did today included calling the vet this morning and asking about a charge. It was a double charge. Then I looked at my credit card bill and my utility bill. Both were wrong. Both payments had been credited to the wrong account. I guess it was just my day.
But it ended well as we want to add a loafing shed roof to the barn so the sheep will stay dryer this winter. I went to city planning and they had someone there who took the time to do the drawing for me that I needed, then look over my paperwork so I was able to submit it right then. That was wonderful as it saved a trip and will speed up the process.
This is our latest sheep housing, which will protect about 7-8 sheep from the weather if needed and that thing in the middle is a feeder for winter. We will put a breeding group in this area for two months. We take a cattle panel which is 18′ long, bend it and attach to 4 x 4, railroad ties or whatever on each side of the bottom. By attaching several together we can make the house as long as we need it and covered with plastic or a tarp, it will last 2-3 years before needing a new cover. It makes a great chicken coop or just a storage shed as well.
This one grabbed my eye. The quilter has a marvelous picture of a loved one. Someday, I tell myself, I will do a portrait.
And it’s not a fair unless you see the grange renderings. They are always so beautifully done with the fresh fruits and vegetables.
Chicks moving day finally happened!. They are now in the barn in a safe cage and out of the sewing studio. I know they weren’t in here very long, but they don’t belong in here. They belong in the barn and now that they are feathered, that’s where they are. They also have perches and more room, so win for all.
Many of the apples are ready to pick, so I spent some time picking 5 grocery bags full. I don’t climb ladders, therefore I tried to shake some down. I will pick more tomorrow and then the rains will be back. It seems at this point, I’m running out to do what I can on the days that it doesn’t rain. And it wasn’t that long ago that we were wishing for rain. It would be nice to have alternating days.
The last three days, I worked on this scarf during appointments and free time, but decided there are things, I don’t like about it, so raveled it and will start again. The white is angora rabbit plied to black wool, so it is very soft and warm and I anticipate wearing it during the cold this winter.
and hung to dry hand – it shows beige, but if off white.
– my new website has taken much of my time lately. It is in a simple state and may be for some time. I hope you’ll come visit me at the farm site. As I have time, I will continue to put my sewing/quilting and living posts on this site and my farm life will be on both sites.
then I took two sky photos so that when the rains come, I can remember there was a sunny time.
After some barn cleaning, Bracken and I came back to the house so she could chick sit. She loves that. Just standing there watching their every move.
The 8 kennel quilts are finished. I will wash them and they are ready to donate.
These are small kennel quilts. The photo is the front of one and the back of another to better show the minimal quilting. The people who rescue small animals during a crisis such as floods or fires use many of these in the small kennels. Finished 12 x 18″ is the only size they accept and are so easy to make. Cut two pieces of fabric 12.5 x 18.5″ plus batting. I used an old mattress pad to give it more cushion on these. Put the bottom piece right side up, the top piece upside down, with the batting on top. Pin as needed and sew around the entire sandwich minus 4-6″ to get your hand in to turn. Turn right side out , press, and if you topstitch a bit less than 1/4″, you may be able to catch the opening in the top stitching. On one I did a big x from corner to corner and on the other, just 3 lines on a diagonal. The part that takes the longest is choosing scraps that are large enough, but not so large as to waste fabric, and cutting it out. If you click on the red “kennel quilt”, you will find more information about these. They are extremely easy and if you don’t sew exactly perfect, the small pets won’t complain.
After some other chores, we decided it was time for haircuts. He wants his cut monthly, but it had been a few years since I’d had mine cut. So now it’s considerably shorter.
I can now share this test quilt that I made. Bears was a fabric from mother’s small collection. I really had no idea what to do with the fabric until this “Sparkle in pink and white” pattern by Valerie Le Pont, came along and it worked quite well in this form. The flimsy finished at 46 x 57. and is very easy. It is offered by The Quilt Pattern Magazine this month.