Featured Etsy Artist: raminthethicket

I don't know how she does it. But somehow, Melissa, of Ram in the Thicket, manages to care for her four children (with another little one on the way!), homeschooling them to boot, and she still finds the time to produce darling little doll quilts and hand-knitted mini ornaments for her Etsy shop.

Melissa makes an assortment of Waldorf-inspired play things, including doll quilts, play aprons, children's gnome hats, and play oven mitts. And on top of that, she actually spins her own yarn!

"Hi, my name is Melissa and I am a happily married, stay-at-home mom of 4. I live in Southern Vermont where I homeschool my children and squeeze as much creative time into my days as I can. I have been sewing since I was a little girl, and have made many different things for my home including curtains, quilts, pillowcases, clothing and play things. I purchased my beloved spinning wheel almost 5 years ago and began spinning. I really love to bounce back and forth between fiber and fabric as they are my 2 creative passions. I have enjoyed making things to sell on etsy for 2 years now, and it really has helped me to realize a dream of sharing my handcrafts with others."

Her doll quilts are absolutely charming, with their fresh, vibrant color palette, offset by crisp white blocks. Her quilts are tied, rather than quilted, which only adds to their vintage appeal. In her listings, she often photographs her doll quilts with Waldorf style dolls, adding to their charm.

This little quilt below showcases a number of delightful Japanese prints.

"This sweet little doll quilt is made with a special selection of fabrics, including Japanese prints, retired Heather Ross prints, and fun polka dot prints! You will find a scattering of gnomes, mushrooms, apples, squirrels, strawberries, tulips, birds, trees, and a generous helping of dots. Fabrics are 100% cotton, as is the cotton flannel lining inside, so it is machine washable should it need it. A perfect size for waldorf dolls, it measures approx. 16 x 19 inches."

 

"This is a pair of little oven mitts for a child to play with. They are perfect for pretend play with a play kitchen, or for helping mom or dad in the kitchen. They will fit any child's hand and measure approximately 5" x 8". I have used some cute Japanese deer and mushrooms fabric on this pair and have made my own quilted fabric. I used a piece of natural cotton batting sandwiched between the print and a layer of muslin, then quilted it at random widths, giving it a unique look. Same design on front and back. It is trimmed with handmade polka dot bias to complete the cuteness."

Melissa also spins and dyes her own yarn. Below is an example of a 250-yard skein of hand dyed and hand spun sport-weight merino/tencel yarn that recently sold in her Etsy shop. Her yarn is super soft and has fabulous sheen and drape. She spins her yarn on a Schacht spinning wheel.

Here are her handspun, hand-knitted mini mitten ornaments. These are available in her Etsy shop in a wide range of yarn colors. This little pair of mittens is hand knit from some of her handspun wool yarn. They are 2-3 inches in length and are strung together so that you can drape them over a branch or a hook, perfect for display!

For more information and images of Melissa's designs, visit her Etsy shop or her flickr site.