Friday Happenings

It's Friday! It's Friday Yeee Haw! It's Friday!

 Good morning, Sweet friends . How are you on this lovely fall day? 

I have had a long week of cleaning and organizing in the quilt room. Slowly but surely, I am making progress, but I will spare you the photos of the room bulging of stacks of fabrics and UFO's galore. 

QUILT ALONG ALERT! QUILT ALONG ALERT!

Kathleen Tracy of Sentimental Stitcher is hosting a Scraps Stars QAL. She posted the introduction information and tips on making star points in her October, 2, 2026 post. 

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

This week, I have been working on Little House Needlework's Sheep Virtues. A sweet gift from dear Donna.  ( Thank you Donna. I am loving every stitch. 🤗)

Sheep Trifle

Today , I will work on the sheep and the border.  I am stitching the Sheep Virtues as one large piece. There are 5 stitch spaces between each design. 

Time to move onto the sawtooth borders in "Oh My Stars and Pumpkins" , a sweet gift from Cheryle.💗 Thank you , Cheryle ; this is bringing me so much joy. 

 

A wavy line was handstitched in the tan border using an off white thread. 

Soon it will be time to turn down the black binding and whip it into place. 

Oooh Let me show you a couple of my thrifty finds from a couple of weeks ago. 

While in Texas, I picked up a vintage pottery pitcher from the 1990's and the darling crocheted pumpkin. 

The pitcher was made by Ellis Pottery from Marshall , Texas. The family began their business in the late 1800's.

Ok Sweeties, that is my update this week - cleaning, stitching and quilting. Now I best put on my apron and head back to that quilt room. There is more cleaning to be done. 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"I can't get finished cleaning up my room because I get distracted by all of the cool stuff I find.  "- unknown

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

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

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

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🌞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. 

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🌞Autumn Parade March- 2026 Fall Parade A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 10, 2026.

🌞 A Stomping Stamp Parade 2026  A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to June 2, 2026

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

🌞Ghosts, Goblins and Jacks Galore - 2026 Halloween Parade - Halloween freebies up to September 16, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.

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Buzzin' Bees in the Foyer

 Since the quilts were changed. It was time to change the country clutter on the shelf in the small foyer. 

I posted a closer look at the late summer quilts yesterday in my Changing of the Quilts.

But first I tackled the year round tree which is nestled in an old enamelware pot.  Sunflowers and floral pics were gingerly tucked in the tree for the summer season. 

  Sunflowers  which I finished on a Dollar Tree wooden arrow serves as a sunny tree topper. 

The little curly-q pics were a gift from dear Sonja. Thank you, dear.😘 ❤

Above the tree, I shooed away the Mr. and Mrs. Goose stitch  which had hung all summer long. It was a thrifty find from last year.  Do you know who was the designer?  

HONK ! HONK!🪿🪿 I just love that geese are back in style. I am sure this is from the 1980's-90's . 

 Goode Huswife's "Ida Mae Crow" flew into it's place . Isn't she the sweetest? She is finished on a wooden plaque. 

The vintage shelf is filled to the brim with vintage items and  clutter galore!  

Old green enamelware with a sweet stitch from  Notforgotten Farm . It is a freebie called June .

Jars of honey and old pitchers. 

Of course there are crocheted pieces tucked in crocks with stitched pieces gingerly displayed on top. 

Be Blessed is a freebie from my sweet friend  Vicki at , Stitchy McFloss blogspot

There are stacks of brown, green and yellow bowls. 

Old utensils and More stitched pieces. 

Plates, bowls, pitchers and stitching galore! 

 Love Bees" by Hinzeit , "Bee" a freebie from From the Heart Needleart  and  my  Summer Ewe freebie shared years ago. 

Corny little salt and pepper shakers nestled into vintage green pieces of pottery make me smile. 

The dough bowl is filled with more kitchen utensils and stitched pieces including....

Queen Bee , a Little House Needleworks design, and  "The Bee Happy, Bee Kind" , an old Prairie Grove Peddler freebie which I can no longer locate on their website. 

And I must not forget to add a advertising tin. 

There are even a few chickens. 

A chicken in a crock pitcher.  Cluck! Cluck! 

Yep, every nook and cranny was filled. 

Soon the bees will buzz away and crows will roost in their  place along with roly poly pumpkins. 

2020's Crow Display

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Every flower that ever bloomed had a bee that believed in it.  "- Unknown

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. 

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

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Have a Honey of a Day! Love ya! 

Peaceful Days

Good Monday Morning, Sunshine! Rise and Shine!  How are you doing on this lovely day? I do hope you the winter days are treating you well. 

Mr. Pinker and I have been enjoying some quiet , peaceful days at camp. 

Ever so often we take the side by side and head up into the hills or maybe to town in order to fetch water, but otherwise we are taking it slow and easy. 

I am slowly but surely making progress on my "Pretty in Peach" Butterfly quilt. This is the 3rd mourning quilt that I am making in memory of my sweet baby sis. 

 I thought I had a larger hoop stashed in the old truck camper, but when I pulled it out from behind the fridge, I realized it was my small one. Oh well, it will do until I get home. 😏

 

 I finished quilting the 1st butterfly.  I am moving on to the "nine patch variation "  block. 

This block is 15 " squared ( finished). 

 I am going to quilt a flower motif in these blocks. It did not take long to pull out some cracker boxes and make cardboard templates to aid in drawing the quilting lines.  I imagine that is what my Great Grandma Annie did. Do you do the same? 

 What else have I been working on? Hmmm, Well I started the border for "Winter's Welcome"  which is one of my creations. Fingers crossed the borders will meet. Hee! Hee!

The beginnings of "Winter's Welcome " using 14 count Aida which has been dyed with Rit Charcoal Gray Dye.

  And... I  dusted off "Gathering Love" and pulled it out of the long forgotten WIP basket.  Maybe it will be finished this year. We shall see.  

Working on a lovely lass in "Gathering Love" ( one of my designs).

Oooh I almost forgot! I have been on a roll crocheting little hearts. 😀❤ I am an absolute beginner so they are not perfect, but goodness, they are so much fun. 

I have been referring to 2 lovely ladies who have posted  wonderful tutorials on Youtube-  GS Crochet - How to Crochet a Heart- Beginner's Tutorial    and  Retired Happy- Valentine Ready...

Well , Sweeties.. I am off to get my morning coffee and then sit back and quilt for a spell. 

Now let's go and rock this day! 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting,

y'all

Melisa 

"You make the world a better place. " 

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

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

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

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❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ 

Make today so awesome that yesterday is jealous.

 

Country Christmas Redwork Ornament Tutorial

Hello there, Precious! I am so thrilled that you stopped in for an afternoon visit. I won't  keep you too long since I jabbered away showing you my redwork and enamelware display early this morning. 

If you missed it, I do invite you to hop back over where I shared  a new set of Country Christmas Doodles- that you can use in any way that your sweet heart desires. Hmmm like Christmas tags , make a Christmas quilt, or punch needle. Such grand ideas , but I just made mine into super simple ornaments that I can hang on a tree or display anywhere. 

 Country Christmas Doodles Set 5

 

So let's get into it. Shall we? 

Ooops ! Hold the phone! Before we began, I beg of you . Hee! Hee! Please do not call the quilt or Finishing police on me. I am not a professional; this is just how this ole'  country gal is finishing her Christmas ornies. 

I traced each design on a piece of  white cotton fabric  measuring about 5". I embroidered the design using DMC 498 using 2 strands and the stem stitch. I then trimmed the block to 3 1/2". 

NOTE: My ornament has raw edge finish. You may want to use zig zag scissors to cut your edges or finish yours with a clean edge.  You may also want to add fusible webbing. I did not use it on mine just because I was in a stitching frenzy. Hee! Hee! 

SUPPLIES:

* scissors

* DMC # 498 red floss or favorite floss-  2 strands

* embroidered piece

* 3 1/2" square batting

* 3 1/2" square backing

* embroidery needle

DIRECTIONS:

🧵1. Trim embroidery to 3 1/2" squared or desired finishing size. 

Redwork, backing, and batting measures about 3 1/2".

🧵2. Cut a piece of batting and backing the same size. 

🧵3. Layer the 3 pieces together with stitching right side up. 

Getting ready to stitch. Layer the 3 pieces together. 

🧵4. Tie a knot in the end of the 2 strands of DMC floss . Sink the knot in the batting at the center top of the embroidered piece by going between the embroidery and batting so the knot does not show. 

Starting the needle on the inside in the batting in top center and pulling thread to front of stitch. 

🧵5. Bring needle up into the embroidered piece about 1/4" from the edge and sew using a large running stitch. 

Stitching around edges using large running stitches about 1/4" away from edging. 

🧵6. Continue around all of the sides. 

Make your way around all of the edges back to the where you began. 

🧵7. Once you reach the top of your embroidery, bring your needle back into the batting where you started.  Keep your embroidery floss attached. 

On your last stitch, bring your needle back into the batting . Keep floss attached. 

🧵8. Using your floss, create a hoop and tie the loop off as a hanger in the seam/ batting. 

Using your attached floss, create a loop for hanging and tie off with batting. 

🧵9. Once the hanging loop is secured, trim off the excess floss and any threads that have raveled. 

Once the loop is secured, trim floss, raveled threads and excess batting and fabric. 

🧵10. Now hang that cutie on the tree! Hee! Hee! 

This is what the backing looks like. 

Isn't it a cutie patootie hanging on the tree? I love it! 

What do ya' think, Sweeties? Super simple or what? If you have any suggestions for more simple doodles, just let me know. I would love to hear what you come up with. 

Just a thought! 

Wouldn't it be darling to get your children or grandchildren to draw out some designs and stitch them? Aaaw such sweet memories. 

See ya' later, Sweet Peas!  

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting,

 y'all

Melisa 

"Sprinkle a bit of happiness throughout your day. " 

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

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

🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃 

 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes- Early 2025 parade of home freebies.

🌞 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.