// little house on the prairie //

 

"As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. they are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness - just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breathe it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool beeze when the day is warm."

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

When I was growing up, there was one night of the week that I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime. Mondays. For that was when Little House on the Prairie aired; the series on television based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read these books cover to cover several times and the show was a great joy to savor. When there was a special 2-hour episode I was beyond giddy. Not only was I able to stay up then 2 hours past my bedtime but I'd have another whole hour of the Ma and Pa and Laura and Mary stories.

One of my favorite parts, if that would be a word to describe it, routine might be better ... was when sisters, Laura and Mary, would get ready for bed. They'd don their gowns (looking much like my little Lanz gowns of the time) put on their night-bonnets and hurry in bed to get warm. For there on their beds were the most beautiful, coziest of patchwork quilts - those blankets captured my eye and ever since, I've been one to hoard/collect quilts and blankets. Pillows too!, but that's another blog post. I wanted a bed like that, in the loft of the little house, and to be covered and warm with all those blankets made by Ma.

In 2009, I designed a cross stitch chart entitled, Laura's House in the Woods .... it's one of the patterns of mine that has gone to Archives but I share it here with you to stitch and bring a piece of Laura Ingalls Wilder to your little house.

LAURA'S HOUSE IN THE WOODS
(click chart to enlarge and print)
Stitch count: 93 x 66
Color Code: DMC cotton floss

M    DMC 3371 +    DMC 831 O    DMC 730 /    DMC 3857 |    DMC 829
W  DMC 645