Welcome May....so glad you have arrived as that means Spring is here!  Hoping everyone had a Blessed Easter...my favorite holiday....life has been busy...head on over to earlywork mercantile and see all the wonderful things crafty folk have been creating...here are some other things the crooked stitcher has been working on...one of the many reasons my posts are few and far between...

my very own happy blanket....inspired by a trip to Pass A Grille Florida...and thanks to lucy at attic 24...I had the perfect pattern...which I tweaked just a little...the pillow cover was inspired by the lavendarwildrose blogspot...I absolutely love how my prairie point pillow cases turned out...leftovers from making the quilt....oh what joy sewing/crafting/needlework brings to my heart... Speaking of Pass A Grille...it has given me LOTS of inspiration here is another piece I made after visiting there the first time which was such fun to make...it was one of those projects that told me what to do...I knew which background fabrics I wanted to use, cut out the sand dollar and birds free hand and then just started stitching the details of the sand dollar with small chain stitches and colonial knots... it hangs in my beachy themed bathroom

Here are a few pics of my things for sale at earlywork mercantile...forgive me as I am still learning how to take good pics...so my lighting and staging is not yet what it should be...

a button/buton box using a pattern found in the Summer 2014 issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects

designed by Liezbeth Gottschall of Thistles....thank you Liezbeth for such a beautiful design...

Honeycomb was designed by me..I love to use Bible verses or inspirational quotes...and there is something about a little counted cross stitch mingled with a little bit of wool....I also love the primitive irregularity of stitching on osnaburg...I like the affordability as well...

Next are two needle cases/sewing kits that I created...all hand stitched...I used some vintage quilt blocks my great grandmother left for me...I think these would make great gifts for young girls going off to college...include some small scissors, needles, pins, safety pins, buttons and a variety of threads so they can do a little mending in a pinch...

Hope you all have a great day and Blessings to you all!

Lots of winter weather here this morning...so things are moving a little slow...but had a finish to share...my crocheted baby snuggler and hat are complete!!! I finished them last night and am eager to gift them...

Now it is time to start another baby gift for a friend of mine who is having number 5 (yeah!!! I love starting new projects) and I need to finish the Farmall quilt I am making for my baby boy who will be 12 years old this month (so hard to believe)...

Enjoy your Wednesday!

As, winter comes, as winters must, we breathe our last, return to dust; still held in Christ, our souls take wing and trust the promise of the spring.

-Susan Palo Cherwien, 1953

Happy Monday!  Just wanted to share a project in the making.... a special blanket for a special baby...over half way complete...can't wait to work on the border....loving the coral pink and grey colors...and there is something about yarn and a crochet hook to calm the soul and ease the mind...

The other project to share is the inspiration for another WIP , a crib size quilt, called Bless the Beasts and the Children...this little bunny pincushion just seemed to need to be included in another project and needed some friends...pics of the quilt to come...anyway here is the pincushion...

super fun and easy to make with just a couple of charm squares and scraps of wool... oh how I love Spring.

O Blessed Spring where Word and sign embrace us into Christ the Vine: here Christ enjoys each one to be a branch of this life giving Tree.

 - Susan Palo Cherwien 1953

Have a Blessed Week!

Melody

Oh my it has been awhile....finally getting more of my ducks in a row in order to follow my creative dreams...The Crooked Stitcher is branching out and now has another blogging home, Cup Creek Valley Designs....I am hoping the Crooked Stitcher becomes more of the blog about my own pattern designs and Cup Creek Valley Designs will be more about my handmade jewelry and finished handiwork items...it is so hard for me to define my style as I enjoy primitive, vintage, traditional and the whimsical...but I guess that is what makes using one's creativity such a blessing...one can express their feelings thru their art....I love anything simple...things that can be made with basic tools of the trade and the 'make do' spirit...my Grandma Ola made so many beautiful quilts and she only had the basic tools and supplies and her God-given talents....although she moved on to heaven several years ago, she is forever an inspiration....My most recent pattern, shown here with my favorite sewing machine ever...I just love my Suzie Singer!!

This pattern design was inspired by a vintage stamped cross stitch wedding sampler....I used a little bit of wool (I love wool!) to make the heart in the center....it is fun to bring wool and counted cross stitch together....it is stitched on onasburg fabric (my 'make do' spirit showing itself)...and I used a little recycled sari silk to trim out the edge....I love recycled sari silk for my stitchy projects as well as my jewelry projects....anyway hoping you all have a blessed weekend and can take time to do what you enjoy....until next time 

Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord.  Jeremiah 17:7

Hoping Spring has Sprung!  It is finally a beautiful day in Indiana!  I am loving it. Thought I would share a peek of our Easter fun...always love coloring eggs and here are some of the results

I had fun making the sheep and my little boy had fun making an
egg in honor of Mr. Potato Head....I thought it turned out really cute.  Betty(as in Crocker) and I got it right this time...the past two years my hard boiled eggs weren't as hard boiled as they should have been but
this year...hurray!  My husband was well pleased....

Today I have been in spring tidying mode...I made a years supply of homemade laundry soap (what a great money saver) which allowed me to clean out my laundry cabinets a little and then I made myself a much needed clothespin holder...I had worn out my grandmother's and my husband's grandmother's and most recently a store bought one...which by the way only lasted one season and barely...so I pulled out some old upholstery material I had inherited from a friend's mom and ta dah! So very excited for the weather to be warm enough to use that clothesline!

I also thought I would take this opportunity to share one of my original designs...I fondly call it 

Farmer McGregor's at Midnight

It hangs in my kitchen in the Spring and early Summer. I have made a set for the different seasons...so much fun...a little bit primitive, a little whimsical and a whole lot farmhouse style!

Enjoy and I hope it is feeling like Spring where you are!

He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed...Alleluia!
Happy Easter and Happy Spring to All.
Just a few pics of Springtime at my house...outside is my favorite flower
of all time...blooming and beautiful....
And in my daughter's room are flowers which will bloom all year covering her new vanity stool...she is pleased...didn't turn out quite like I planned but will work and for my first attempt I am satisfied...now to finish my daughter's quilt and get a wedding shower gift made...always a blessing to have fun projects to plan and do and to have Easter joy in one's heart...

I had to include a picture of my sweet Mittens with a ball of yarn....attempted crocheting an Easter basket of sorts...but Mittens prefers the ball of yarn...imagine that...


Blessings to All!

Happy Tuesday!  Here are a couple of WIPs...I am trying to do a redo in my daughter's bedroom...she will be 14 and her new handmade quilt is almost finished...I have to quilt the border and then sew the binding on...she is going to be getting a much-wished-for vanity for her birthday and needed a neat stool to go with it...found the stool and now I am in process of making a fun cover to go on top...I am new at the crochet thing but am loving every minute of learning new techniques (thanks to fiberfluxblogspot - a really awesome site with great tutorials)...having found some awesome inspiration from Lucy at attic24typepad & woodwoolstoolblogspot...I decided to try my hand at it....we will see how it turns out...
I have to wait for Spring to officially arrive and then I can refinish the vanity and mirror...anyway that is all for now...have a great day! And may you feel God's
peace, never failing love and presence during this Holy Week.

Blessings,
melody, the crooked stitcher


Our day is but a path we tread, a gentle walk among possibilities.
-from Small Graces by Kent Nerburn