About to Pop!

 Good evening, dear friends and  Merry Christmas.Did you have a blessed and joyous day? I sure hope so.

 Ok question: Are you sitting on the couch feeling as though you are going to pop?  Lol I do  ! 

The family gathered at my home for Christmas Eve. 

Lots of finger foods for hungry little bellies though the kiddos gravitated to the chicken nuggets and cookies. (Lol😃 those army men on the counter are not appetizers  Just a sign the little one has been through🧒).

 Today, we were off to mom's  where we stuffed our bellies with turkey and mom's good ole'country dressing. Of course  we had all of the traditional sides too like mashed taters, candied yams, mac and cheese and green bean casserole. Oh boy, what a feast!   

 So let's talk about crafting . Shall we?  For the last couple of weeks, I have been  trying to do a little crocheting. I say trying because I do not know what I am doing? lol , But I was inspired by my friend ,Connie . Sooo I jumped in with both feet and have been "trying" to crochet super cute dishclothes.

             

 Now I do not know if they withhold to being used, but I can decorate with them. I plan to finish my 2nd one tonight. 

 It has warmed up, and for the last couple of days,  it has been beautiful. 

I pulled out my Rudolph quilt and decided to do some porch quilting. Did I finish? Nope.

 I guess ole' Rudolph will be hanging in the hoop into 2022, but he may get some more stitches in this weekend.  

 I   have been working on Mary's Sampler  a freebie from Plum Street Sampler. 

In the background is one version of Mary's Sampler. 

My friend Patricia and I started this after Thanksgiving. I have been stitching this on Sundays and when I watch Days of Our Lives .  

You would think I would have stitched a lot more , but I am as slow as molasses when stitching on dark fabric. I won't point out all of the boos boos I have made, I do love how my blooms look . I blended DMC 304 with 355. 

Last night I tossed and turned. I was not able to sleep  a wink because every time I drifted into a quiet slumber I would start "dream quilting" . Do you do that -quilt in your sleep? There was nothing more to do than to sit up and make some quilting plans.  

I have been  thinking about 2022 's Rainbow Scrap Challenge with Angela at So Scrappy. I did not finish any of my 2021 RSC projects so they will continue on. They include my Chicken quilt

 and my Strawberry blocks.  

This was the 1st year I participated so I was not very focused. I am making a plan for 2022. I think I will be working on at least 2 applique projects and use some of my Depression era fabrics. Fingers crossed all will go well. 

Soon all of my Christmas decor will be coming down and snowmen will be taking Santa's place. 

            

Now I have a question or two  for you . 

When do you take down your Christmas tree? Do you change it up to a winter theme? 

                  

 By 4:30 today, Mom had her tree down and in the attic. 🎄😀😲

 I have to admit I do love all of the lights. So mine will stay up a little longer

The rest of the evening is going to be spent watching Christmas movies and working on some stitching. Have a wonderful and blessed weekend and thank you so much for the sweet visit, dears. As always...

Happy stitching and quilting and Merry Christmas. 

Melisa

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.  

      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 

Angela So Scrappy  Scrap Happy Saturday ( Saturday)

Frederique at  Applique Patchwork Quilting for Patchwork & Quilts on Saturday

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Lynette at What a Hoot!  for BOMs Away Monday

Linda at Texas Quilt Gal for To Do List Tuesday - Tuesday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop-Friday

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party - Friday 

May the spirit of Christmas bring your family hope, love and happiness. 

Hugs and Stitches!!!

Here Chick , Chick!

Good afternoon, sweet peeps!  It is all about chickens today! 🐔

That means  it is time to pull out my chicken mug!  No coffee in it. I like my sweet iced tea. 😀

Many of ya'll have been with me for awhile on my journey with my chicken quilt.  From the piecing, to the applique ... 

all the way to the quilting. 

Well guess what? I am so excited to announce that  it is complete!!!!

 I am doing a chicken dance right now!🐔🐔🐥🐥💃💃

I had to take it out to the farm for some photos. 

 Proudly displayed on the corncrib which is filled with hay bales. 

Then I hung it with my Beehive quilt on the fence. 

I am over the moon!!!

 I know where it is going to be displayed in the house, but it will have to wait for next year because Fall quilts are going up now. 🍂🎃

I shared the applique pattern and a little more information about this quilt in a previous post. Click here to get the applique pattern.  

Well now to my 2nd chicken quilt.

Here are nine little chickens with a bunch of nine patches which may be used in the finished quilt. 

 I am working on Little Hens for the Rainbow Scraps Challenge with Angela at So Scrappy. I am appliqueing them on 6 1/2" unfinished  background fabric.

 An orange chicken has joined the brood. 

    If you are interested in the Little Hen's applique pattern, just check out the pdf below. 

Click here for Little Hen. 

  A few orange and one teal nine patches were also completed today. They will be added to the RSC quilt. 

With one chicken quilt complete and  one well on its way , I think it is in order to start thinking of another. What do you think? lol. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and seeing what is coming out of my Quilt Nest. It may be slow going ,but I am trying to be productive. Have a fantabulous weekend, my dears, and as always...

Happy quilting, ya'll

Melisa

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. 

Alycia's of Alycia Quilts for Finished of Not Friday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop-Friday

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant 144   - Friday

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party - Friday 

Frederique at  Applique Patchwork Quilting for Patchwork & Quilts #69    - Saturday

Angela of  So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

I never dreamed I would be a chicken lady , but here I am killing it!!!

Hugs and Stitches!!!

Dedicated to my sweet baby sister , Amy who also was a Chicken Lady.  

 

A Sun Shiny Day!

 Good evening, ya'll! It's another Fabulous Friday and that means it is  Finish it or Not Friday with Alycia at Alycia's Quilts. This week's little quilt is a sunflower/ summer themed quilt .

 It all started with 2  strips of fabric sewn together in my scrap bin. Time to use them in something. I was able to construct 7 four patches. 

  I decided to take four of them and make a little quilt using what I had on hand.  Three four patches are left over . I think they would look cute in a teeny table mat or rug mugs. Hmmm! My  mind is " a brewing" .

 As an afterthought, I think a basket needs to be appliqued in the center of this quilt. What do you think?

                   

I was able to add some blue scraps in this quilt for the RSC challenge and ...

  I have been working on a little blue chicken to add my RSC brood of chickens.

 I am piecing little nine patches to go with them, but have yet determine where this quilt is going as far as layout. 

I thought I would leave you with a little Sunflower freebie. This is a small simply called " Sunflowers " and only uses 3 flosses. I used DMC 3371, 898, and 972. 

I stitched mine on 14 count aida. It has a design size of 26 x 100 which on 14 count that brought it to about 1 7/8" x 7 1/8". 

I found this arrow  on an easel at the Dollar Tree in the frame section. I knew immediately that I wanted to stitch Sunflowers for it. The little bow is just pinned on. I have this piece attached by magnets so I can remove it and put another design on it. 

 

If you would like to stitch it, please check out the pdfs below. 

Many of you know , but I always like to leave this little disclaimer.  

I stitch my little designs for fun and to decorate my home. I feel very blessed by this community and love sharing my little charts, but I am not a professional designer. And I do not have professional software. Thank you for understanding that I  have to put each page on separate pdf downloads because of the devices I use. I apologize for that.  And I am always grateful for your kind encouragement , your visits, and stitching my little designs. 

Click here for the instruction page. 

Click here for the colored chart. 

Click here for the black and white chart. 

Today is a bright sun shiny day with the temperature hovering around 100; so no outside stitching until maybe this evening. It is a perfect time to head to the Quilt Nest ,turn on the AC ,and  work on some piecing. I hope you are staying cool and enjoying your day and thank you so much for visiting me today. 

As always...

Happy Quilting and Stitching, ya'll

Melisa

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. 

Angela of  So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Alycia's of Alycia Quilts for Finished of Not Friday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant 139

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party 

Frederique at  Applique Patchwork Quilting for Patchwork & Quilts #61

There is sunshine in my soul today!

Hugs and Stitches! 

The Color Purple and Bees

 Happy, happy Saturday, 

May I greet you with a little nursery rhyme? 

        I never saw  purple cow

        I never hope to be one

        But I can tell you anyhow,

        I would rather see than be one      -  Gelett Burgess

Lol isn't that the cutest? I always loved that rhyme. Why the Purple Cow rhyme you ask ?  Well this month's color is Purple in the  RSC or Rainbow Scraps Challenge with Angela at So Scrappy.

 So I have trucked in a few purples from the Quilt Nest to come up with something in order to stay in the game. 💜😀 Perhaps a Purple Cow applique? Who knows. Lol

No, purple cow in my collection.

 Hmmm  Maybe I do need a purple cow! Oh goodness !😆🐄💜🐮

Speaking of Purple Cows -  Doesn't this sound yummy!

I did pull out on old UFO to quilt on .This was a small quilt that I made in 2004 when I was in mourning over the passing of my grandmother.

 It will  be a hard one to work on, but it does need to be finished. 

To tell you the truth, there is not much excitement going on in the Quilt Nest. I have churned out a few rail fence blocks from 1 1/2" scraps but that is about all.  

No plans for these yet. 

I do have a little cross stitch to share with you today. It is another bee stitch and of course is a small. 

This one is called "Home" . It measures 53 W x 20H. A great one to stitch on scraps. I stitched mine on 14 count aida which brings it to measure about 3 3/4" x 1 3/8". 

 I finished mine on a Dollar Tree crate that I found in the craft section ( I got these buttons too, but I will use those on other projects) .

 It was unfinished so I painted mine white.  I mounted my stitch to a batting covered cardboard . I think it turned out pretty cute. If you would like to stitch this little please, just check out the pdf. 

Click here for pdf. 

If you check out my last post, you will find links to other bee stitches that I have offered, and yep, there is more quick stitches  to come. 

Well I am going to buzz off here. I am tickled pink that you visited me today or should I say "tickled purple" since that is this month's color. 😀 Have a beautiful day and as always...

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa

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. 

Angela of  So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant 132

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party 

Life in the Scrappatch  for Stitch Sew & Show  No. 21

Frederique at  Applique Patchwork Quilting for Patchwork & Quilts #55

I'll love you till the cows come home. 

Hugs and Stitches