Itching to Stitch- Christmas Country Doodles and More

I'm itching for some stitching. How about you?  Welcome, ya'll  and a very Merry Monday  to you. 

Elmer says Hi too!!! This is our 2nd donkey on the farm. Don't let him fool you; he is a happy ole fellow that is ready for a new week. 😀🐴

  Joy at Days Filled with Joy  has been hosting the sweetest Christmas stitch along called Tis the Season. 

  Week Two's and Week Three's embroidery is in the works. Isn't it cute as button?  Joy shared Week Four on Friday.  I better get on the stick and catch up. Thank you , Joy. 

 Not only is Joy hosting a free SAL , but she is also hosting  a Christmas Quilt Along too. 

Progress has been made on the quilt along as well. My fabrics are not very Christmasy but that is ok. 

 

Step 2 completed. 

Woo Hoo! Week 3' s Steps are complete. Easy Peasy , Fun and Cute!!!   

Blocks from Joy's QAL . The stitches in the background are Tree of Life Samplings "Beauty and Grace" and my  freebie Sew Stitch Tomato Pinkeep. 

I finally finished my Country Christmas Doodles from last week. Those little pretties are on the wee tree for Christmas in July . Soooo... that means it is time for week 3's doodles. I meant to share these last Thursday , but the days got away from me. 

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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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My little doodles are hand drawn so they are never perfect. 

Yesterday , I spent the evening finishing these little embroideries.  Click here to see how I finished mine.  They look awfully sweet in Granny's round dough bowl too.  

Behind my dough bowl is Plum Street Sampler's freebie  called 12 Days of Christmas which was posted on Paulette's blog in 2015. Click on the colored text to visit her post. 

If you missed any of the doodles, just click the links below. 

Country Christmas Doodles Week 1  and Country Christmas Doodles Week 2. 

The foyer shelf decked out in watermelon decor. I will be changing this out soon. 

Well that's what's going on in the holler today. I hope your week is off to a very lovely start. Thank you for dropping by and ...

As always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Christmas magic is silent. YOu don't hear it- you feel it.  You know it. YOu believe it. - Kevin Alan Milne

Hugs and Stitches !!!🤗❤🧵

Dedicated to my sweet baby sister, Amy. I love and miss you so much. 

I have been working on Autumn Blooms by Scissor Tail Designs. I am always drawn to stitches with the word "Autumn" in it. 🍂🍁🍂🍁

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.  

Brenda at Songbird Designs for Monday Musings

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Bee Skep 1869 Crock

Sew, Stitch ,Thread the Needle - A Sewing Freebie

 What a lovely day 

To have needle and thread in hand

Weaving tiny stitches across the fabric land. 

What a lovely day

To Stitch the day away

Stitching love and happiness

Needle and thread at play. -   M. V. 

🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵

Hip Hip Hooray!!!!🎉🥳🧵  

Happy Thread the Needle Day! 

Isn't it exciting ? A day dedicated so we can sit back and enjoy needle and thread- Like we need another excuse.  Hee! Hee! 😃😂

 Have you decided how you are going to celebrate?   

Well, last year I celebrated the day with giving you a tour of my Great Grandma Annie's antique sewing basket. 

I even shared a wee stitch called  Grandma Annie's Sewing Basket in memory of her. Though I never met her , she is still near and dear to my heart.🤗

Great Grandma Annie had all kinds of things in her sewing basket . Some of which was unexpected. Hmm I wonder what that could be?  If you would like to revisit that post just click on the  link above the photo. ⬆

What did Grandma Annie like to sew? Well,  I imagine everything, but I do have one of her quilts which I shared last year . Click here to read more about  Grandma Annie's Quilt .

This year I decided to take a tour of my Nanny's sewing box. She was the daughter of Annie. My Nanny was an amazing doll maker. Here are a couple that she made years ago along with her sewing box. 

Nanny's sewing room was an extra bedroom nicknamed "The Junk Room".  Though she named it The Junk Room, it was a glorious room to me and my sister.  

Nanny's  sewing machine sat on an antique dresser. On the dresser was a velvet pincushion that Nanny made; she attached it to a small jar.  She was a thrifty gal. 

Inside the jar are still little  pieces of "cut out felt mittens" and Nanny's pattern that she used to make bookmarks.  These are close to 40 years old.  

Now let's get down to the nitty gritty as to what was in her box. I always like sneaking a peek into sewing boxes. I think only someone who sews would understand. 

Inside Nanny's sewing box was an ash tray, spools of thread, pencils, needle books and such. 

A brown paper bag, needle threaders, bobbins and small pouches...

I got tickled when I saw that Nanny stored her buttons in a  Farm Pride Dinner Roll bag from Red Food. Dinner Rolls were $.59 back then. Wish they were that cheap now. Don't you? 

That's the end of the tour of my Nanny's sewing box. She has  separate box for all her threads. We may tour it some other day. You know I can oooh and aaah over threads any day. Lol. 

My Nanny hung the moon in my eyes. She was a hoot !- Always joking and a constant chatterbox. I miss and love her so. 

Do you know what else today is?   

Yes!!! Tomato Tuesday! 

You want to see my newest stitch?  

This is Sew Stitch Tomato Pinkeep - just a big ole' tomato pincushion. Nothing fancy for this gal. 

Last night, I finished stitching it, and I even got it FFOd.😲😃 

  I added thrifted yarn which I twisted as a trim. 

Sewing on the twisted yarn trim.  Pins help me keep the yarn in place as I whip stitch it down. 

I add 3 buttons to the upper corner. I was going to add the buttons using my gourd pins, but alas I could not find them.  I guarantee they are somewhere  sitting in plain sight staring right at me, and I will find them soon. But for now I am  happy with the buttons as is. 

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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:  I did not chart this, but I added small stitch lines one stitch along the edge of the white stitches. 

I added stitch lines along the edge of the white. 

Other sewing related stitches that I have shared are  Needle and Thread,  Edna Viola's Saltbox , Tommy Toe Snatcher and Grandma Annie's Sewing Basket

Alright, Sweeties. Have you picked up your needle and thread yet ? I sure hope so . Have a wonderful day stitching the day away and ...

As always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

My soul is fed with needle and thread. 

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗❤🧵

Dedicated to Great Grandma Annie, my Nanny  and  to my dear sister, Amy.  Love and miss you., Amo ❤❤❤

Off and Running!

Here we go! Let's start the week running! 

Welcome, ya'll and Happy Monday! 

I am making progress on Darlene's Quilt.  I named it after my sweet friend, Darlene who made a small one and shared it on Instagram. Darlene always has the cutest minis going on . She is such an inspiration to me. ❤🤗

My blocks are 6 1/2".  26 blocks completed .  I am aiming for 42 blocks.  What a fun leader/ ender project this is.  Thank you, dear Darlene! 🤗

Today , Mr. Pinker and I will be going into to the big city. I rarely go to the city  unless we are going to the hospital.😬 But today Mr. Pinker has to go pick up something so I will go along for the ride. I will bring along my Sunflower Mini Sampler  which I shared last week.  I finally started it last night for my Sunflower Sunday stitch. 

When I finish it, I will certainly  list the colors that I am using. Next to it is Sunflower Mason Jar . 

 

Now onto the plans for the week. 

 Did I Get'r Done... Well   -  Last Week's Goals were... 

🌞✅1. Quilt a block in the Summer Days Quilt.

🌞✅2. FFO a new Saltbox cross stitch. 

I started a new saltbox this week with lots of sunflowers.

🌞✅3. Work on new crock cross stitch. 

🌞✅4. Quilt at least 1 block in my Butterflies from Heaven quilt.

🌞✅5. Work on August Doodle Block. 

I will share August's Doodle next week. 

 Hmm.... What Should I do This Week? 

🌞1. Quilt a block in the Summer Days Quilt.

🌞2. Work on Churn Dash Quilt from Little Quilts Patriotic Book.

🌞3. Work on new crock cross stitch. 

🌞4. Quilt at least 1 block in my Butterflies from Heaven quilt.

🌞 5. Work on September's Doodle Block. 

🌞 6. Work on Joy's Tis the Season SAL and QAL.

🌞 7. Oh, bummer, I have to go the dentist tomorrow! 

 

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Well I am off and running with needle and thread in hand! Now you, put on your running shoes and don't forget your sewing supplies! 😀

Have a beautiful day, Sweeties!!!

As always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, ya'll

Melisa 

It's Monday! Don't forget to be awesome! 

Always try to be a little kinder than necessary. - J.M. Barrie

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

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.  

Brenda at Songbird Designs for Monday Musings

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Joy at Days Filled with Joy for This and That

Carol at Quilt Schmilt  for To Do List Tuesday 

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Just a quick look at my little chicken tree. 

Little wooden  chickens made in the 1990's and homespun bows . 

Wooden stars made from sticks found in the yard. 

And a little tin cup. 

Sunday Summertime Quilting

Nothing says summer like freshly picked wild blackberries. The fence rows are covered with unkept blackberries vines with juicy berries  ripe for the picking. 

Happy Sunday , ya'll! Welcome! 

A small bowl will do for Mr. Pinker to make another cobbler. 

This cobbler is different than my mom's but oh so yummy . 

I have  a big old bowl ready for you  with a cold glass of milk . Come on . Join me on this Slow Stitching Sunday as we look over  my Summer Days Quilt. 

But first let me give you the recipe. 

Blackberry Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups of fresh blackberries rinsed and drained

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of self rising flour 

1 cup of milk 

1/4 cup of butter- melted. 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour , sugar and milk . 

3 .Stir in the butter. 

4. Pour into a lightly greased skillet .

5. Add the blackberries on top. 

6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. 

This is a simple 1 cup recipe. You can use any type of fruit. You may want to add a dash of salt or lemon juice. 

Last year over several months, I shared my Summer Days embroidery blocks. By summer ends , I had the blocks all pieced in a double Churn Dash setting.

Summer Days Quilt Top flapping in the breeze along a dock on the Tennessee River. 

I am quilting 1/4 " around the edges of each block and around the embroidered motifs. 

 

Well I am half way there on the hand quilting. So I thought I would show you my blocks that I have quilted already. 

A Jar of Coneflowers

Time to Plant

Summertime Treat 

A Bowl of Berries

Lemonade 

Red , White, and Ewe

This week I worked on Sunflower Basket

Today I will be moving on to 

Buzz Buzz

By summer's end, I hope to have Summer Days completed. I am already dreaming of the next embroidered quilt. Hmmm.- maybe an Autumn Days. Anywhoo... I hope you have a relaxing Sunday and ...

 As always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, ya'll

Melisa 

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining , the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing and the lawnmower is broken. - James Dent.

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. Sunday's are not the same without you. I love and miss you.

A little summer quilt stack on a sunny child's chair. On top of the little quilts is  Honey Jar which I shared last year.

If you are interested in the embroidery patterns , click the colored text for each design. 

Little Blue Birdie  ,Time to Plant  ,   A Bowl of Berries ,  A Basket of Blooms , Buzz Buzz  ,  Red , White, and Ewe , Summertime Treat  , Lemonade  , Sunflower Basket ,A Jar of Coneflowers  , Home Tweet Home  , Bowl of Tomatoes.

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. 

Nina at Creations, Quilts, Art , Whatever by Nina for Off the Wall Friday

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant - Friday

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party - Friday

Sarah at  Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Whoop! Whoop! - Friday

Alycia's of Alycia's Quilts for Finished of Not Friday 

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