Sunday Musings , Strawberries , Tomatoes and a Freebie

 Sunny Sunday Salutations. How are you doing on this lovely warm day? 

I have been puttering around pulling my plants out of the greenhouse. Not all of my ferns made it, but a few survived the few months that we were gone. I have been clipping and cutting dead leaves, stems and fronds. And giving my surviving plants a good watering and a dash of epsom salt. 

   Over the years I have had great success rooting different plants. This year I decided to pull out my pretty Dollar Tree tea glasses and line the windowsill with little clippings in high hopes that they will take root. More cuttings in pretty glasses will soon join these.  Do you have a favorite plant that you like to root? I usually work with Spiderwort, Spider plants, Coelus,  and Sedum ( I just stick it in the dirt)  . Last year I gave myself a big pat on the back when I rooted an Annabelle Hydrangea and 2 rose bushes. 

Gardening season is fast approaching. I am sure we are in store for more cold days, but I will place my plants in the greenhouse if there is a cold snap. 

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A few years ago when the "strawberry farm " was still in operation , Dad and sometimes us youngins' would be busy in the field cleaning chickweed from the plastic that peeked out from the plastic near the strawberry plants. The first harvest was usually around mid April . If there was a cold snap beforehand, the sprinklers were ran during the night which made for a long day for Dad. By morning time, the strawberry blooms would be covered in ice to protect them from the frigid temps. ( That is funny how that works, but it does. ) 

I have been appliqueing strawberries for my Berries and Butterflies quilt. 

 Such warm memories. I do miss those busy but simple days when the whole family was around. 

The berries are appliqued on 8 1/2" backgrounds. I need to add the berry caps this week. 

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I can tell you "many a stories" of all of us dragging the irrigation pipes through the fields and putting them in place. Whew, you talk about back breaking work.

 But I guess I should be talking about other things shouldn't I? Like today's and this week's stitching plans. I have a lot of slow stitching that I have high hopes to work on . Can I do it? Hmmm... I am not sure , but if I can get half of it done I will be one happy stitcher.  

Now onto the plans for the week. 

Hmm.... What Should I do This Week? 

🌞1.Work on Berries and Butterflies quilt blocks. 

🌞2. FFO Blooms for You. 

🌞3. Quilt Pretty in Peach Quilt.

This has been my 15 minute a day piece this week. Kate at Life in Pieces keeps me motivated  with the 15 minute challenge. 🤗

🌞4. Work on A Sampler for Lois Ann.

I began this little sampler while camping last month. I am stitching it using a palette of pastels on gray Rit dyed Aida. 

🌞5. Work on Little House Needlework's Farm Life.

Progress as of January 30, 2026

🌞6.Work on red four patch mini quilt. 

🌞7. Work on March Roundabout embroidery. 

🌞8.  Plant marigold seeds in pots.

  

Well, I think this list should keep me busy . Don't you? Will you be making a "To Do List for the week? 

A little Sunday quilt stack. The 3 gallon churn was my Christmas present from Mr. Pinker. Swoon.

Oh my, I almost forgot. I do need to add TASK #9 to the list. Continue working on  A Basket of Pincushions. It is just a super simple basket filled with tomato pincushions.  If you are interested in stitching with me, grab the chart below, your favorite floss colors and fabric . You can then go to town on it. 😁 This is a Choose Your Own Color Chart. These are the colors that I am thinking of using-

POSSIBLE FLOSS COLORS  I MAY USE: 

 DMC 924 (border) , 610 (basket), 815 and 3011 ( tomato and strawberries) .

Of course these colors are subject to change. I will certainly update this post as I progress. 

UPDATE: April 10, 2026 A Basket of Pincushions is  all stitched and finished.

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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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Hmmm, I am curious . What floss colors would you use? Would you stitch the tomatoes in different shades of red? 

It is stitching time so I best get to work. Thank you so much for the sweet Sunday visit. You always make the day ever so special.  Have  a blessed day.  🤗 And enjoy your stitching time too! 

As Always, 

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

Thank you for the sweet visit. 

"Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness ."- Frank Tyger

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

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

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 Tale and "Sew Day Basket" - A Sewing Freebie

 Hip Hip Hooray! It's a holiday!

Well it should be! It is National Thread the Needle Day! 

There is multiple meanings for "thread the needle", but for us crafters- well we know ,  it is the perfect excuse to sit back and enjoy a day of slow relaxing stitching!  I look for any excuse to sew. How about you? 😁

For the last two years, I have celebrated this special day with  sneak peeks  of my grandmothers' sewing boxes  and all of the goodies that they stored in their baskets. Great  Grandma Annie had the most unusual things in her basket.  If you would like to take a peek , just click on the colored link above. ⬆

Great Grandma Annie's early 1900's sewing basket

I also shared Grandma Annie's Sewing Basket ,a quick wee stitch, dedicated to my great grandma whom I never met, but who is near and dear to my heart. ❤💖

Last year I shared , warm memories of my Nanny's "Junk Room" which is what she called her sewing room. That was where all of the magic took place . Little Raggedy Anns and Andys would dance their way out of the "Junk Room"  and into the hearts of us youngin's. In memory of Nanny, I shared the Sew Stitch Tomato Pinkeep- a big ripe tomato ripe for the "sewing" . 

Hmmm what should  I share this year?!🤔 

How about another peek into a vintage sewing basket? I am always game to see what is lurking among the needles and threads aren't you? 😀🧵🪡

A few years ago, Mr. Pinker and I was taking a long romantic stroll in the thrift store on our usual date night when I spotted it - a big copper colored sewing basket ! Hallelujah! Eeeeh!

Vintage sewing box bought in 2019 at the Goodwill

With a click of my heels and a rattle of my buggy, I sped across the aisles right to the display case where the basket was showcased. 

As I stood there waiting patiently, another shopper spotted what I saw, and she rushed right behind me.

"Can I  help you ? " asked the cashier' 

" You sure can! I  would like to see the sewing box in the case, please!" 😁

She quickly pulled it out  and sat it on the counter. 

"Are you going to buy that?" asked the other shopper.

" I do believe I will ," I said with glee. 

 She looked it over and said , "You are getting a great deal; I would have liked to had it too.  Enjoy. "   She turned away and continued her shopping .

Meanwhile I took a moment  to open the box to see what was in it. "Eeeh! Wooden Spools and lots of goodies ! Score!", exclaimed to no one in particular. ( Hmmm,  I swear I heard the loud speaker say " Husband of Crazy Lady on aisle 1 needed" )  Hee! Hee!😀😂🤪🤪

Anywhoo,  I proceeded to do a happy dance all the way to the other side of the counter to the  cashier. Mr. Pinker just rolled his eyes and smiled.

 When we got to the car he said , "How much did you pay for that?"  

With a grin a mile long, I  said, "HOLD ON TO YOUR BLOOMERS! $3.99!"

"  Yahoo! "I yelled out the window .

 Mr. Pinker  shook his head and said "Oh my!  Contain yourself,  my crazy little thrifty quilt lady!!!!" 😊😄

Now let's see what is in the sewing box. Shall we? 

Wow! This is a neat and tidy box.  I am going to call  this Miss Tidy's Box. You will not find my sewing box this neat. Hee! Hee! 

This is the 1st tray of vintage sewing items. 

The first tray is filled with lots of spools of thread and zippers all made in the good ole' USA.  

Items from the first tray. Colorful zippers and old wooden spools. 

 

Snaps , buttons and a needle envelopes

Vintage needle envelopes. 

The 2nd tray is even neater. Oh , boy! What goodies will we unearth? 

The 2nd tray is neat as a pin.

Buttons, elastic, Hem tape, buckles, buttons. Hmmm I wonder if Miss Tidy made clothing. 🤔  

Seam binding $.19 - Wow ! Those were the days. 

Goodies in the 2nd tray of the box. 

Oh yes! I believe Miss Tidy was a seamstress. The bottom  section of the box has a Dressmaker's Tracing Paper from Kmart at only $.68 a pop. 

A peek into the bottom compartment of the sewing box. 

Carbon Paper, lace , labels , 

Some of the items in the bottom of the vintage sewing box. 

  Miss Tidy was very tidy -she did  not have any crazy items like Great Grandma Annie had in her sewing basket. 🤣

There are a lot of great vintage items with fantastic packaging . 

While looking through Miss Tidy's sewing basket , I learned a lot of things. She made clothes, used a lot of browns, blues and burnt red threads, enjoyed using snaps in her clothing and purchased most of her items from Kmart. I also learned she was probably a Tennessee gal based on the matches case. Hmm. I wonder if anyone will ever study my sewing basket. Hee! Hee! 

 How about a stitch?

 My newest quick stitch is called "Sew Day Basket" . 

It is a wee stitch that can be stitched up in 2 shakes of a lamb's tail! 

 I finished Sew Day Basket using 2" fabric strips and ribbon from Hobby Lobby. 

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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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Needle and Thread

Oh my, I have been chatty today. I hope I did not talk your ears off. But I sure do appreciate you stopping by to celebrate with me and to listen to my  crazy tales. 

Now tell me. Have you pulled out your needle and thread yet? 😀

As always,

Happy Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

"Gather your threads of life and stitch them into joy!"

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗🧵

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy ,   I miss and love you so much.   ❤👼 Also dedicated to my Nanny , Great Grandma Annie and Miss Tidy for the great sewing basket. .

The vintage sewing box was a thrifty find that I purchased in April in Whitney ,TX

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. 

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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 ❤❤❤