Keeping Company in the Quilt Room

 Cock- A - Doodle  Do! Rise and Shine, Sunshine!

 

We need to head to the quilt room. I have a whole lot of fun going on in there, and I just would love your company as I sit and work. Hmmm ... I even have an extra rotary cutter - maybe I can put ya' to work. Hee! Hee! 

First off the quilt blocks!  Earlier this summer, dear Penny sent me a Blessing box filled with beautiful treasures including  a number of quilt blocks made by her Great Aunt Leona. One set of blocks were a gorgeous grouping of sweet calicoes that were foundation pieced on muslin in the log cabin design.

Each block has the most lovely and unique fabrics. I have been oohing and aahing over the prints. 

Penny's Great Aunt foundation pieced the log cabin blocks. 

Great Aunt Leona  pieced 26 blocks.  One block was already machine quilted-so so pretty , but  way beyond my skill level. ( I never learned to machine quilt.😏 )  So I am going to bind it and use it as a small quilt to display throughout the house. 

Now to the task at hand-  making sure all of the blocks are squared and trimmed. Do you mind giving me a hand?  I will let you use the pretty Pioneer Woman rotary cutter- it is extra special. 

Roll, Snip, Cut

25 more blocks to go! 

Save those trimmings. I will use those later. 

In fact, I used this measuring bowl of scraps the other day to stuff , stuff , stuff my cross stitch berry which I shared with you . Did you see that berry? Well, let me show it to you again. 😀😊

Blooms of the Heart- Amy's 2026 Berry

The basket was stitched in blues . My sweet sis had beautiful gray blue eyes. 

I stuffed the berry very tightly with the scraps. It made the berry heavy . I used my hands to smooth out any lumps and bumps that the scraps created in the stuffing process. It gives the berry a different feel than using sawdust or polyfil. But enough of that - we are quilting! Hee! Hee! 

Eeeh! Stop the presses . Did you notice the scrumptious purple calico as you were trimming? 

Oh my ! How gorgeous! 💜💜💜

Hmmm.... While you are trimming, I will press and then play with some designs on the "design floor" . Or would you rather do that? Either one is fine with me. 

Oh, very interesting. 

Playing with arranging the blocks.

Still moving and grooving the blocks around. 

Hmmm... I think a block is out of order. 

Oh how about this?! Oooh, I like it!  How about you? 

Well, let's stew on it for a spell, and then I will get to work sewing the blocks.

 Meanwhile, how about we head to the kitchen and whip up a little bit of egg salad for dinner. You just sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of iced tea, and I will get our lunch together. 

Dilly Egg Salad Recipe

8 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped

1/4 cups of mayonnaise

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard

1/4 cup of celery, minced.

2 Tablespoons of green onion, minced

2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh dill

2 teaspoons of white vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients; mix well and chill until serving time. Spread egg salad evenly on your favorite sliced breaded add lettuce and enjoy! 

I am so very grateful, that you dropped by to help me in the quilting room today. It made the task light and extra special to know that I was not alone. And sweet Penny, thank you for blessing me with such  beautiful treasures from your Great Aunt Leona.  I look forward to moving this quilt along. I just hope I can do it justice for your Great Aunt Leona did such beautiful work. I am ever so grateful. 

Thank you for the sweet Saturday  visit, Sweeties! Love ya'! 😘

Now let's fill our bellies full! 

May your day be filled with beautiful scraps of fabric to wrap you in love and happiness! 😁💙💚💛💜❤

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all of the world.  "- John Evelyn

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

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A beautiful card sent by Penny. 

UPDATE ON APPLE JAM JAR: 

Yesterday, I shared a CHOOSE YOUR OWN COLOR chart for the Apple Jam Jar. Well after much debate, I decided to stitch mine in muted colors and settled on 3 red apples rather than a variety of colors. BUT I am stitching each apple in a different red. So here are my floss colors thus far. I will keep you posted on what other colors I choose as I come to them. 

DMC 414 (O) Mason Jar lid 

DMC 3371 ( • )  Jar     

DMC 3721 ( R) 1st apple on the bottom      

DMC 355 (R) 2nd apple on the bottom

DMC 610 (V) Apple stem

DMC  640 (P)  Quilt star in the apples

It's All About Apples and a Mason Jar Freebie

 Y'all it's just about that time of the year! Apple Pickin' Season!  Oh, I cannot wait.

How about you? 

STAMP 1 - A BASKET OF APPLES

Up on the mountain a few counties away, are some delightful apple orchards where apples galore are sold by the box.

 Perhaps Mr. Pinker and I will take a day trip and snatch us a box or two. Maybe stop by the pepper patch and pick up a 5 gallon bucket of bell peppers for just $5.00 too. Oh, that would be wonderful.  

Apple Crate  

I am pulling out more of my apple decor. Yesterday I went thrift shopping and found this fabulous apple spongeware canister. 

"Oooh that will be perfect!" I squealed in delight . "Not only can I pair it  with my blue enamelware but  also with the gorgeous cross stitch that sweet Donna sent me a few weeks ago in a Blessing Box, " I told myself. 

 Aaaw don't you think they make a good pair?  I am smitten. 

She also sent  this beautiful hand stitched and appliqued quilt. Swoon!  Isn't it darling? 🤗 Or should I say apple-icious! 🍎🍏

Apples, quilts and a pie- now what is not to love. Hee! Hee! Thank you sweet Donna.❤😘  I will cherish these. 

 I may be moving the apple quilt in the near future to my hutch when I pull out more apple-icous goodies to display.

Speaking of apple goodies. I hope you do not mind if I sprinkle links to previous apple themed posts that I have shared in the past. There are recipes, mini quilt instructions, doodles , cross stitch and of course loads of country clutter or as some call it  good ole' fashioned junk  treasures😁. If you are interested, just click on the colored links, Sweet peas and you will be magically transported back to the post.  

Apple-icious Country Christmas Hutch Tour.

Apples, Apples, and More Apples Fall Hutch Tour - 2024

An Apple A Day Hutch Tour 2023 Fall Hutch display

September Apple Basket Doodle

Green Apple Butter Mini Quilt Instructions

Slow Cooker Apple Butter Recipe

Hot Apple Pie Dip Recipe

Nanny's Applesauce Cake Recipe - A 1940's recipe

Apple Mini Sampler  No photo for this little cross stitch freebie. Even after all these years I am still working on it. LOL Slow as molasses 

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Have I told you that I eat an apple every single day? I think I have . Anywhooo... I keep unsweetened applesauce in my pantry just in case I run out of apples before I can get to the grocery store. 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away or so they say. 

Behind my Granny's old log cabin were massive apple trees along a fence line. If we were  lucky and if Granny was up to the trip, she would  take us youngins' into the woods, past the small grape lined trellises to the apple trees with limbs drooping to the ground with ever so heavy apples. We would fill our little basket up with green apples . Of course , we could not resist eating an apple or two before we traipsed back through the weeds to the old log cabin. 

Apple Picking- A Heart Doodle Freebie

Meanwhile back at Nanny's on the farm, there was cooking going on.  She would be busy in the kitchen cooking a batch of her fresh fried apple fritters. Yum! Yum! They were always a treat to enjoy especially when they came out of the old, deep iron skillet piping hot. 

Nowadays, I settle for eating apples sliced with a dash of cinnamon, but every now and then I will treat myself to something special. 

Cinnamon- Sugar Apples Recipe

Combine 1/4 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Set Aside. Core, peel and slice 2 -3 apples into wedges and sprinkle with cinnamon- Sugar mixture. Microwave in a microwavable safe dish on high setting until tender. Serve. 

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Before you leave, may I show you the new apple design I am working on? 

It is called Apple Jam Jar from the Mason Jar Series.  Three large apples jammed into a jar. 

I have just begun it and have not decided on the colors that I will use. 

So I thought I would share it as a CHOOSE YOUR OWN COLORS CHART. Use as many or as few colors as you want. In fact you might want to add some colors. 

Hmmm... Should I have 3 red apples or mix it up with red, yellow, and green apples? I am not sure, but I will keep you posted on my progress and I will update this post once it is completed.

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If you are interested in stitching this piece,  just grab , the images. For printing tips, refer to the post Tips for Printing which has loads of tips from my sweet friends. 

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🧵FREEBIE ALERT!  FREEBIE ALERT 🧵

Herrschners just posted four Country Charm Ornaments freebie charts. OH MY GOSH ! They are as cute as a country button! I hope you will pop over to visit them. 

I guess, I have rambled long enough. 

Have a sweet day! 

And...

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb, that is where the fruit is.  "- 

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏

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Blessings and Berries- Blooms of the Heart 2026 Berry Freebie

Hey, there Sunshine! How are you doing on this lovely Summer's Day?  I sure hope you are feeling as fit as a fiddle and as fine as dandy!

It has been a good week in the holler thus far. As my Nanny would say- "I've been keeping the roads hot "which means I have been out and about for the last few days.  Not doing anything special but visiting family and dipping in and out of thrift stores. So you know I am one happy gal! 😀

This bright sunshiny yellow afghan is my latest thrifty find for only $1.99. 😲 Eeeh what a steal! I have already draped it onto my stitching chair . It will be nice to throw over my legs during the chilly evenings. 

 I will show you some of my other  finds in the next coming days. 

Sweet Gail, sent me a Blessing Box with a couple of advertising tins to add to my collection. 💛💙

But wait. What makes them extra special is they were from her collection . AND...

They are musical tins. 😀 Just turn the little key and sweet melodies delight the ears. 

The Morton's Salt tin plays "Singin' in the Rain." If you would like to enjoy a little "ear worm" just click the colored link to listen to Gene Kelly singing "Singin' in the Rain" on Youtube. Such a delight. 

Right now I have the sweet musical tins sitting on my "mitten table" ( The table where I store the boy's winter mittens and tobaggans). But I am already dreaming of moving the Morton's Salt to the blue hutch and the Old Dutch Cleaner will be incorporated into my fall display with my brown crocks. 

Oh, what fun I will have weaving them in and out of displays throughout the year. Thank you so much, Gail for blessing me with your treasures and kindness. 🤗 You brought me such joy. 

Hmmm... what  else is going on?🤔 

Well, I have a special berry stitch to share with you. It is hot off the presses. In fact, I just finished it last night.  It is called "Blooms of the Heart" and is in memory of my sweet sis, Amy. ❤

Of course, if you decided to stitch this simple stitch, you do not have to finish it as a berry. You could finish it any way your sweet heart desires.  I just have an affection for berries. 

Blooms of the Heart was stitched on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed Aida. 

Have you ever made a berry? A couple of  years ago, I posted a Berry Making Tutorial. My advice when making a berry is to cut your fabrics large. You can trim down as you go if you decide the berry or cap needs to be smaller. 

The Berry Sampler (Amy's 2026 berry sampler) which I have not shared, Blooms of the Heart Berry and Berry Bouquet- A Sampler for Amy

Usually , I stuff my berries with a combination of polyfil and  sawdust from Mr. Pinker's workshop . But this year, I decided to fill it with something different- oodles and oodles of fabric scraps that I have collected.  I will show you the project that these scraps are from later this week. I simply cut the little scraps to wee pieces and stuffed them into the berry. 

Scraps from a quilting project were used to fill "Blooms of Heart" 

I made my berry oversized and stitched wonky "X's" along the seam line . I always do this on my berries. 

 Usually, I like to add bits of lace and all kinds of things to my strawberry caps. But I really did not frou-frou the strawberry cap up much this year; I just kept it simple. 

 I cut a strawberry cap from a gray wool skirt. I tacked it down over the top of the strawberry using blanket stitches. I then cut strips of silk from a jacket . I created loops from the strips and secured them with 2 overlapping buttons on top! Wahlah! My strawberry cap was complete! Easy Peasy! 

Amy's 2023 berry which I have not shared, In My Heart She Blooms 2024 berry, and Berries for Amy the 2025 berry

FLOSS  : SYMBOL  MOTIF:

       DMC 221 ( X) Flowers

DMC  223 ( C) Flowers

DMC 730 ( G) Stem , Leaves

DMC 830 ( • )  Date and center of flowers

DMC 869 ( V) Doohickeys and small heart

DMC 924 (H) Basket

DMC  926 ( U) Basket

The basket was stitched in blues . My sweet sis had beautiful gray blue eyes. 

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If you are interested in stitching this piece,  just grab , the images. For printing tips, refer to the post Tips for Printing which has loads of tips from my sweet friends.

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NOTE:The drawn berry outline on the chart is NOT a stitching or cutting line,but I used it as a reference line  to visualize the berry while stitching.

NOTE: I use the  berry template as a loose guideline for constructing my berry. I add a generous seam allowance . So my berry is a lot bigger than the template. If you find your berry is too big to your liking , you can always trim the fabric. 

It brings me so much comfort to create the little samplers and berries in memory of Amo. I think she would smile from ear to ear if she saw them. 

The Berry Sampler, Amy's Strawberry Basket Sampler, Berry Bouquet- A Sampler for Amy and Amy's Berry collection. 

Gosh, I do think I have talked your ears off.😁 

I do apologize for being so long winded today. Please, do forgive me. But I am ever so grateful that you joined me.

May your day be a filled with joy and...

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Friendship is a blessing that warms the heart and soothes the soul.  "

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister  thrifting buddy, and best friend, Amy 

 I love and miss you even more with each passing day. You are my blessing.  Love you , Amo. 

🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓

 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

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🌞 Root A Toot Toot Patriotic Parade Early 2024 patriotic freebies. 

🌞A Berry Nice Parade- A Look at Past Berry Freebies 2025- Early 2025 berry Freebies. 

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🌞A Spooky Parade - Halloween freebies up to October  4, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.

🌞Turkey Struttin' Thanksgiving Parade 2025- Thanksgiving freebies up to the date of November 3, 2025. More Thanksgiving freebies followed  this date. 

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🌞A Chilly Parade of Winter Stitches 2025- A parade of Winter themed freebies up to the date of Dec. 21, 2025

🌞Let's Dye Some Fabric- A tutorial on my process of dyeing Aida 🐔

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Please forgive me on being way behind on answering sweet messages and visiting. I am like a chicken with her head cut off right now. LOL. But I will get it together soon.  Do you ever feel like that? LOL