Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching

Sunday, April 19, 2026

Slow Sunday Porch Stitching

Happy Slow Stitching Sunday. Please do join me on the porch as we enjoy some spicy talk and a bit of stitching. 🤗

There is enough room for us all on the front porch swing. I will just scooch over, and we will have a grand ole' time.

Please forgive me . I forgot to offer you a cup of coffee or perhaps some tea.

So what are you working on today? Me? Well, my needle and thread are weaving in and out of my Tumbleweeds quilt that I began quilting in January.

Do you want to see my progress? I would love to show you.

I have moved down to the 2nd row. One block complete and time to move the hoop to the next one.

Quilting wavy lines in the 1" sashings.

Oh, and let me show you what else I am working on . Bent Creek's freebie Surrounded By Joy. The border is complete and now onto the letters. This is my "Santa Sunday" stitch. I will continue working on it as we sit and chat.

Hmmm... I don't think I showed you my peg rack on the door all dressed for Easter . Did I? Last year, I was inspired to pull out an old peg rack and hang it on the door after seeing a Youtuber do the same. For Easter , I filled it with baskets, vintage children dresses and of course quilted stockings waiting to be filled by the Easter bunny. I even hung up one of my girl's baby shoes. I am still looking for the mate. I have seen several of my favorite Youtube decorators use children's shoes in their decor so I thought I would do the same. Lots of warm memories are hanging from the peg rack.

I certainly wasn't ready to take down my peg rack yet. But I did want to change it for the month. Sooo...down came the stockings and a new bunch of "clutter " took their place. The theme: Strawberries! 🍓🍓🍓🍓

The peg rack has aprons, a bonnet and vintage treasures.

The vintage scale is my newest find.

On Friday, I shared the strawberry themed quilts that I am decorating the small foyer with.

More strawberries are coming out.

The foyer shelf is being filled to the brim with strawberry goodness.

Hmmm ... What else? Well I have a finish! Hip Hip Hooray! I finished Blackbird Designs' "Bird in Hand". This darling chart was sent to me from dear Sonja. Thank you Sonja I have loved every stitch . ❤ I will be making it into a pin pillow similar to the one shown.

Later this evening, I hope to work more on my gardens. Late yesterday , I posted a garden update showing it in transition.

Well, Sweeties, I guess we have some stitching and quilting to do . Don't we? So let's get started. Thank you for joining me on the porch today.

As Always...

Happy Stitching and Quilting,

y'all

Melisa

"I return to my front porch to find a place where the air smells sweeter and the sun feels warmer than at any other bend in life's long road. "- John Sarris

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. You are always on my mind and forever in my heart.

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

I spy "heart " leaves. My redbuds are wakening up.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

A Basket for Lois is in the works.

Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes 2026- Early 2026 parade of home freebies.

🌞2026 Love Parade- A Parade of Previous Valentine Freebies- Valentine themed stitches up to Feb. 4, 2026.

🌞 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.

🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.

🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade for 2025 A parade of sunflower freebies up to July 24, 2025

🌞Pumpkin, Leaves and Autumn Please- A Fall Parade 2025 A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 8, 2025.

🌞 A Parade of Stamps 2025 A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to August 14, 2025

🌞Time to Dye- 2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric.

🌞Pin Pillow Tutorial - 2023 post on how I finish my pin pillows with chenille trim.

🌞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.

🌞Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Parade Of Previous Freebies- 2025- A Parade of Christmas Freebies up to the date of November 15, 2025. More Christmas Freebies followed this date.

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

I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needle workers to meet.

Frederique at Quilting Patchwork Applique for Patchwork & Quilts - Saturday

Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Kate at Life in Pieces for Stitching Stuff ( Sunday)

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap - Sunday

Melva at Melva Loves Scraps for Sew & Tell- Sunday

Brenda at Songbird Designs for Monday Musings

Judy at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Carol at Quilt Schmilt for To Do List Tuesday

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Garden Happenings- The Good , The Bad and The Ugly

Look what's going on in the wild and woolly garden today . Hee! Hee!

Expansion. 😲🤪🌷🌷🌷

"Does Mr. Pinker know?" some of you ask.

Hee! Hee! No. Not yet, but he will soon. 😀😁 Actually, his motto is "Happy wife . Happy life!" Sounds good to me.

So I decided to expand the garden by about a foot on one side . Okay maybe 2. I just simply moved the creek rocks, began scratching in the ground and adding some soil. If I do not like it, I can always move them back.

What's my plans? Well, I have lots and lots to seed to plant, plus I am trying to grow more Annabelle hydrangeas .

I am dreaming of marigolds smiling in the sunshine, zinnias and cosmos dancing with the breeze and perhaps , just perhaps some small surprises from seeds that I am planting like Black eyed Susans, Chinese lanterns and much more.

So what about the English Ivy garden? Hmmm well, it is looking a little woolly too. I have yet to start cleaning it up.

A few lingering daffodils are still in bloom. This garden has been evolving for decades. Not much takes hold here. The English Ivy garden used to bigger and more lush. We did have a huge beautiful boxwood that was part of the original part of the garden. ( It was here along with the ivy when we moved into the holler ). But alas it had to be cut down and much of the ivy removed when we had to have the septic tank pumped a decade ago.

The English Ivy has been growing here for decades.

I am slowly seeing what will grow here. Last year I moved some mondo grass into a small section. It seems quite happy so more will be transplanted into this garden this year.

I think I have told you before that we have poor soil . In fact our soil is chert which means it is mostly rock.

Mondo grass in the ivy garden

I haven't talked about one of the rusty crusty gardens . Have I? Some of you know that I adore rusty crusty farm treasures. Well the small rusty crusty garden is needing a good cleaning too. I am sure there are old rakes, birdhouses, and shovel heads to unearth under all of the leaves and debris.

For all of the garden lovers, I will keep you posted as the gardens evolve and grow. Mr. Pinker and I are working our fingers to the bone.

I will leave you with a few more photos of the early Spring in the holler.

Boo koos of marigolds are coming up. All are volunteers.

Yah! a volunteer redbud tree. I will transplant it in the near future.

Volunteer cosmos are coming up.

This is my 3 year old Annabelle Hydrangea . I am trying to root 3 more.

The tansy and bee balm is growing. Lirope, mondo grass, lilies , mint and burning bushes are in the background. They need to be tackled and tamed.

Thank you for the sweet afternoon visit and for taking a gander at "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. " But I have to remember the gardens are just waking up.

As Always,

Happy Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

May all your weeds be beautiful flowers!

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my baby sister, Amy. Love and miss you, Amo.

Friday, April 17, 2026

Goodbye Easter Quilts , Hello Spring Quilts

It is time to change out the quilts.

I am scooping up all of the bunnies and Easter decor and changing things out. Hippety Hop! Hippety Hop! Off to the totes the bunnies go!

For early Spring, I had a few quilts hanging on vintage shutters in the small foyer.

Front and center was my Easter quilt . Eeeh ! This was it's first year on display.

This is one quilt that I thought I would never finish, but by golly, last year I "quilted across the finishing line". I was happier that an Easter rabbit with a basket full of eggs!

This quilt is made up of 2" squares.

The Easter quilt was quilted with the Baptist Fan pattern.

Another quilt that I had on display was "Garden Blooms" which is a design from Piece o' Cake. It originally was published in 2008 in the "American Patchwork & Quilting" magazine. Becky Goldsmith still has it for sale as a downloadable in her shop.

The 3rd quilt is a top that I will show in the near future. It is made from reproduction Depression Era fabrics.

So what am I changing over to next?

Eeeeh! STRAWBERRIES!

It is Strawberry Season here in my neck of the woods. Many of you know that I have a strong affection for anything "strawberry related" since my family owned a " U-Pick / We Pick Strawberry Farm" years ago.

The foyer is filled with strawberries galore.

Of course, I started decorating by draping quilts over my 3 vintage shutters.

First quilt- Scrapberries

I shared the Scrapberries block in May of 2024.

My Berry Season mini quilt is the 2nd quilt on display. I shared the Berry Season Doodles a few years ago. I stitched the little berry designs in DMC 498. I think it is berry cute- well at least in my eyes.

Because I am decorating the foyer in reds and yellows, I pulled out my Spring Chicks Quilt which I completed in March of 2021.

Those little chicks always make me smile. Plus they remind me of how we used to buy the oldest grandson chickens every year. He loves chickens. I may have told you that Mr. Pinker nicknamed our grandson "Rooster" when he was a babe. LOL.

The 1869 Spring Chick Crock was inspired by the Spring Chick quilt. Like I said I do love chickens. 🐓🐓🐓

Easter foyer shelf

In the coming days, I will share more photos of the strawberry decor and of course stitching and quilt pieces that I am putting on display. I don't know if you are like me , but not only do I love to see quilting and stitching, but I LOVE seeing how they are used and displayed. Seeing displays give me ideas and I need all of the help I can get. Hee! Hee!

As Always...

Happy Stitching and Quilting,y'all Melisa

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy... on building the new. "- Socrates

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

The Easter Tree and foyer