Tractors, Butterflies and New Starts

 This weekend, Mr. Pinker and I roamed where the tractors roared and the trucks rumbled. 

There were even fireworks!  Pop! Pop! Pop! 

   

KABOOM!   

By late evening , we had made our way back home. We only veered off course twice when my eagle eye spotted a couple of thrift stores, but we will talk about that on another day. 

 

I purchased a commemorative" America 250" iron skillet from Walmart. 

In celebration of America's Big 250 🎂 , I started 2 new stitches. 

America Pin Keep was my first start by Asbery's Echoes. This chart was a sweet gift from my dear Joan. She loves all things patriotic and country like I do.  Thank you , sweet friend. 😘 Soon I will be stitching the tree.

I also got a wee start on my simple stitch called "America the Beautiful!" 

Oh bummer! I fell short on my quilting goal of hand quilting 5 blocks in the Pretty in Peach Butterfly quilt for the week. 

This is my 15 a minute or more project for each day. 

 

But I will give myself a pat on the back for finishing 1 1/2 blocks. 

I will keep it short and sweet. There is unpacking to do and then a grocery list to make. Tomorrow is an errand day. 😏

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Good days take time. Fold the days gently.  "-  the Colorful Cottage

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

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

🧨🎆🧨🎆🧨🎇🧨🎆🧨🎇🧨🎆🧨🎆🧨

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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 

A Farm Visit and A New Vintage Quilt

 The sun is shining and the birds are singing. It is going to be another beautiful day.  Would you like to go out to the pig barn with me as I go check the bees? Aaw come on. I sure would love the company plus I will bring a new quilt that we can sit on afterwards. 

Let's go! 😀

Eeeh! Look who is here to greet us. Right at the gate! "Scooch over kiddos we are coming through."

These calves are as thick as thieves and are always together. 

"Now don't give us the evil eye, little fellas and gals". Aren't they the cutest? They are as gentle as lambs. 

 

Oooh, before we head up on the hill. Let me show you #49. Her light brown eyes are amazing!

Alright we will visit with the bovines later , lets see what the buzzers are doing. 

It is pretty hot . Isn't it? The bees  think so too. Look they are bearding which  means they are gathering on the outside of the hive in order to keep the hive ventilated. 

Right now we have 9 hives - all have been captured in the wild. 

Now let me show you my newest thrifty find that Mr. Pinker bought for me while we were out camping. 

I am calling it Big Red or Feedsack 81 Patch. Swoon! 🤗❤❤❤You know me and my love affair with the color red. 

It is composed of eighteen-81 patches alternated with large  red square blocks. 

The fabrics are feedsacks and are so colorful and whimsical. Each patch  or square measures around 1 1/2" finished. 

 Some 81 patches contain a modge podge of feedsack and shirting fabrics.

And some 81 patches are simply  composed of 2 different fabrics. 

The quilt is hand pieced and hand  quilted in  1/2 inch to 1 inch rows.  

Oh so pretty! I can just imagine a grandmother sitting on the back porch quilting away on this beauty. 

And look at the backing! Just gorgeous- well at least in my eyes.  

The backing print. 

So what do you think?  A pretty good find. Right?  I think this would be a fun one to reproduce. 

Let's spread it out in the shade , relax and watch the gals graze for a minute. Shall we?

Ooops I see where a little repair work was done. 🤗

I find it endearing. ❤

There is sweet Ginger.  

Don't mind Edna today. She is not a morning gal. Hee! Hee! 

Edna did not want to socialize today. Bless her heart. 

I guess I better stop chatting. It looks like it is nap time for the babes. 

Thank you so much for keeping me company at the farm today and for taking the time to see my latest thrifty find. 

Ginger and many of the calves will be moved to another section of the farm soon. But Edna will still be in this section with a cow or two. Soon it will be time to bale hay here. 

Have a sun shiny day, Sweetness. 

Yesterday's new start is Heart in Hand Needleart's Imprints Love and Heart, in memory of my sis. This darling chart and the gorgeous needleminder was sent to me from my sweet friend, Karen. I will be working on it throughout the week.  Thank you ,  dear Karen. ❤🤗😘

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Live like someone left the gate wide open.  "- unknown

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who loved  the farm  and all of the animals. 

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

🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮

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🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮

 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 needleworkers to meet. 

Jennifer at Inquiring Quilter for Wednesday  Wait Loss- Wednesday

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Rambling Along

 Mr. Pinker hooked up Big Red to the trailer toting  the rusty Ole' Truck Camper. We were back on the road if only for a few days.  It felt good to be back in the little truck camper - snug as a bug in a rug. Of course, I brought a few projects to keep my  nimble fingers . 

As Mr. Pinker puttered on down the bumpy road to our destination which was only a few short hours away, I finished the May Flowers Roundabout .

 I used 2 strands of floss and used the backstitch, lazy daisy stitch for the leaves and French knots for the delicate flowers. 

I  used the following floss colors:

 

🌺DMC 3802 ( coneflower petals),

🌺  DMC 3687( coneflower center) 

🌺 DMC 469( coneflower stem and leaves)

🌺DMC 470 ( Cup shaped flower stems and leaves)  

🌺DMC 961 (Cup flower #1) 

🌺 931 ( Cup flower # 2) 

🌺 DMC 986 ( Delicate vine)  

🌺 DMC 783 ( small flowers on vine ; stitched in French knots  and French knots at end of Cup Flower's  Stamens )

🌺 DMC 312 ( scalloped border)

The Roundabout was stitched on 8 1/2" x 8 1/2"  (unfinished) white fabric. 

It is framed with 20 -  2 1/2" squares (unfinished) 

The Roundabout Block  with Scrappy Borders Measures:  12 1/2" x 12 1/2" ( unfinished)

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

We stopped only twice to get groceries and for a burger at Jack's and then onward we went. 

Once at camp ( well it really wasn't a camp site- we were at a tractor pull so it was a parking space, but anywhooo...)  Once at camp, Mr. Pinker pulled in among the rigs as I bustled about in Ole' Rusty the Truck Camper. 

Soon Mr. Pinker lifted my huge "Harbor Freight " bag filled to the brim with floss and project bags. "Now there is no way you can work on that many projects in just a few  days, " he said smiling as he shook his head. 

"Well, this ole' gal is going to give it a try.  Now heave  hove  that big old bag up here. " 

Mr. Pinker lifted the  monstrous  bag to the truck camper bed where I proceeded to pull out project bags to see what struck my fancy to work on. 

Hmmm... I thought.    "I better start with the Summer Stamp SAL , " I said aloud. Mr. Pinker paid me no attention as he was  lost in his  train of thought  as he set up the camper . He  then went out to mill around and look at the  tractors.   This meant I had plenty of down time to stitch the evening away. 

Stitch . Stitch. Stitch.

Later the tractor engines were roaring and the dirt was flying. 

I left the seclusion of my cozy camper  and joined Mr. Pinker at the track. Soon I was cheering. Rah! Rah! Rah! 

Note to myself: Invest in some ear plugs. 😁😀 Wowzers the pulls are loud!

 

But let's talk about other things. Like my newest finish.🤗

Buttermilk Basin's "Pieced Strawberry Pin Cushion".

This little pin pillow whipped up as quick as a wink. 

And I finished appliqueing another strawberry block. 

Sweet Melody Roundabout is in the works . 

Hmm.... What Should I do This Week? 

🌞1. Post new Summer Stamp

🌞2. Work on Little House Needleworks "Sheep Virtues"

🌞3. Work on Melva's Little House on the Prairie Sew Along. 

🌞4. Share my latest thrifty finds. Yes we went to some thrift stores and I found some goodies. Eeeh!!! 

🌞5.Work on the  Strawberry Sampler

🌞6. Work in the  garden and post a garden update.

Well Sweeties, I will not keep you any longer. Today is Wally World day aka Walmart pickup then I will mosey back home to work on tomorrow's Summer Stamp SAL ( nothing like waiting till the last minute. Hee! Hee! )

I look forward to catching up with all of my friends and seeing what has been going on these last few days in my absence . 

May your Monday be a FUN DAY! Love ya! 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Life is a journey to be experienced not a problem to be solved.  "- Winnie the Pooh

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

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

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

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🌞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. 

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🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓

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