October Stitch From Stash and Pie

 Anyone want a slice of pumpkin pie?

Only my focus pieces show on my pie, not my daily stitch or my bathtime stitching, that's just too complicated!

So the first 4 days were spent stitching and making my little Autumn Mouse from Just Nan and then I spent 14 days making the Scissor Roll to go with it.

Then I moved on to Just Nan's Scream House.  I knew I would not be able to finish this one.  There are 4 internal walls, 4 external walls, 8 roof pieces and 2 floor pieces.  But I was aiming for at least 3 walls.  I managed to stitch all 4 internal walls which I was very pleased with:

stitched on 28 count Wild Violet linen

Next to Netty, we have Boolah and Foolah who will have a little scissor pouch between them, made from wool felt.

The left hand wall will have a wool felt triangle added to make a witch's hat to hold needles.  On the right we have Bootiful the ghost with a lovely garland ready to decorate the house.

Every wall was a delight to stitch and I really enjoyed them.  I am thinking of making this a Dark 13 Project and stitching on it for the 13th of every month from now on.  I don't want to wait until next October to pick it up again.

Stitch from Stash was a bit of a bust this month!  I had ordered the new Just Nan Owls of October II and Pansy Mix to spend the remainder of my Birthday money on and decided to pay a personal visit to the shop to collect it.  Bad idea for the wallet LOL.  

As soon as we got there, she said "I've got your Just Nan charts but I also got an extra copy of this.  No pressure to buy it though".

"This" was Halloween Days Sewing Basket by Mani di Donna:

Because that is just what I need for my spooky displays!  The chartpack comes with the handle  and the bat charm so it just fell into my basket.

October
JN Owls of October     £21.99
JN Pansy Mix                £ 8.99
Mani di Donna chart     £21.99
Wild Violet Linen         £ 8.47
Kreinik 027                   £ 4.99
JN 2 charts                    £ 3.98
JN Spooky Spirits         £23.10
Total                             £93.51

The linen I needed for Scream House and the Kreinik for Beware.  The 2 Just Nan charts were eBay bargains and the Spooky Spirits?  An older chart I happened to find in an online Needlework shop, Create Nostalgia.

Luckily I have almost enough credit from previous no-spend months so I am only minus £6 at the moment with two months to go.

Finally, here are some photos of my Spooky Stitching for Halloween.  I have a few larger samplers on the walls but this is the main area, a corner of my living room:

Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2020

 Welcome to the spooky hallowe’en mystery phrase blog hop!

All you need to do is visit each of the following blogs in order, jot down the letter displayed with their Hallowe'en stitched picture then return here and leave a comment telling me the Mystery Phrase.

It'd be nice if you left a comment on their blog too, especially if it's new to you.

I have "moderate comments before publishing" enabled so no-one can copy anyone else!

So without further ado,

start the blog hop – enter if you dare…

Mary's Thread

The Stitching Grandma

Jocondine

A Patchwork of Crafts

Flashing Scissors

Life Outside the Washing Basket

Books, Crafts and Other Procrastinations

The Alchymyst's Study

Beth's Needlework Stash

Jeremiah's Mom

Needle, Pen & Sword

Sewing After Seven

Dragon Stitches & Stuff by Astrid

Today I Found

Tiffstitches A Blog

Le Coeur Celtique

And then back here to leave a comment.  I do not have a letter this year.  But I do have a nice slideshow of my Spooky Scrapbook for you all to enjoy:

I also have a great fully finished project.  This was "Beware" - my Just Nan Band Sampler for September and October.  I stitched a band every week or two for the larger bands.  

stitched on 32 count tea dyed linen

Close-ups

I did not have the charted bat charm so I used a spider instead

The bottom row of boxes are stitched in 310 and 550 stripes then Kreinik 027 in a spiral pattern.

I had this wonderful sign I bought from Poundland last year which perfectly fits this design. Originally it had 3 skulls. I just cut off the centre one (save that for another project) then I stretched the stitching over a piece of stiff card and stuck it to a piece of scrapbook paper cut to size. Thread the rope through some holes made with a sharp point and you have an FFO:

Finally, don't forget, some of us are on different time zones so if you visit a blog and can't find a letter or picture yet, pop back later in the day.
The phrase will stay a mystery for one week then all comments will be shown from 7th November, 2020.

happy hunting!

        

all from Hyraea

October Smalls

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

Usually, I use the JBW 12 Days of Christmas for my Smalls, but this is October and that means only one thing:

I have a number of spooky smalls, mostly from this year's Just Cross Stitch Halloween Ornament Special.

Mosaic Halloween by Twisted Willow Design

Stitched on 32 count Platinum linen

Autumn Mouse Scissor Roll by Just Nan

stitched on 32 count Cognac linen and 32 count Vintage Country Mocha

Framed Fright by Barefoot Needleart

stitched over 1 on 28 count Moondust evenweave from Crafty Kitten

Happy Halloween by StitchyFish

stitched over 1 on 28 count linen from a Crafty Kitten grab bag

I have left this photo uncropped so you can see the narrowness of this scrap of fabric!  It was just too good to throw away.  The original design had a bat but I decided this was enough, it will make a nice header for a scrapbook page.

I used the same Victoria Motto Sampler Violet Grey for the letters and 310 for the spider and webs.

And now, something not spooky at all, some little Bubbles of Happiness from Lin Pulsion:

stitched over 1 on 25 count white evenweave

Finally, the annual Trick or Treat Hallowe'en Blog Hop starts tomorrow!  My post will go up in the morning (GMT) and the participants will be posting throughout the day depending on their time zone.  So remember to check back if a blog hasn't posted to start with.

October WIPocalypse What to Stitch Next?

  

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

Each month we have to share the projects we want to complete before the End Of The World.

Since 2011 I have chosen a number of projects to focus on that year, starting with my "11 in '11" and increasing to "20 in '20" for this year.  This month I only stitched on 1 of them but I did have a finish!

October was always going to be a weak month for WIPocalypse because it's Dark October where I focus on my Spooky stitching.

Only one piece was on my 20 in '20 list and that was Just Nan's Autumn Mouse Scissor Roll.  I showed the piece rolled up and unrolled before, so here are a couple of close-up photos:

stitched on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

I love each of the little scenes with the cute mice running around.

This photo shows the part which ends up inside the roll.

The phrase says

"Where pumpkins hide, scissors slide"

because the panel at the end becomes the scissor pocket.

The rest of the projects I have been stitching are not on my WIPocalypse list, but it's OK, they are still keeping the End of the World at bay!

The first one is Just Nan's Scream House.  I decided to stitch the internal walls first.  This is Netty Nightshade who is directing the decorating with her faithful cats at her side and her pet spider in her hand.

stitched on 28 count Wood Violet linen from Permin

The fabric is actually this colour:

At bathtime I have been stitching this little small on a scrap of fabric. This is Happy Halloween by StitchyFish Designs:

stitched over one on 28 count linen from a Crafty Kitten grab bag

This is a freebie I have been stitching whenever I have five minutes spare!  The title is  Bubbles of Happiness from Lin Pulsion:

stitched over 1 on 25 count white evenweave

I only have 6 more bubbles and I am caught up.  Then it's just one bubble per week which will be easy.

Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

October – How do you choose what you’re going to stitch on next?

As most people know, I have my rotation which I set at the start of the year to make sure I stitch on my WIPocalypse projects.  This year it has been:

12 Days of Christmas

Scary Apothecary

Alice in Wonderland

Discworld

Project chosen by Tiny Decisions app

Except for Joan Elliott July and Dark October!

One of the things I decided back in 2015 was that I was going to stitch more gifted designs which was the start of the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL.  I was being given so many nice charts that I wanted to make them a priority  When I am planning my WIPocalypse lists I do give precedence to charts which have been a gift to me.

I also try not to have more than one design from each designer, with the exception of Just Nan!  I have been determined to stitch more of the chart collection I have so I have been choosing a different sampler every two months.  The lovely Leonore and I stitched Morning Meadow in the summer and we are about to stitch Snowfire Christmas starting in November.  If anyone would like to join us, please let me know!

I also work through my Just Nan Smalls that I stitch for Maynia, stitching on one until it is finished.

In between that, I see what is calling.  When the Just Cross Stitch Halloween Ornament Special arrived this year there were a lot of designs I really liked in it so I decided to stitch a few of them this October.

Making plans is fun, but sometimes you have to go off plan and stitch what you want!

Finally, last chance to sign up for the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop.  I am sure you all know how it works but for those who need a reminder - here's a link to last year's

2019 Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop

If you want to take part, just leave a comment here or email me if you are a "no reply" person.  I need an email address for you to take part in this hop.
 

October IHSW

 

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

Once again, I worked on Friday so my weekend got off to a late start, bath-time to be exact!  This is Framed Fright by Barefoot Needleart from the Just Cross Stitch Hallowe'en Ornament Special:

stitched over 1 on 28 count Moondust evenweave from Crafty Kitten

I used a Victorian Motto Sampler thread called Violet Grey for the Castle, it is subtly variegated and was a gift from Beth in IL.  The tree and bat are DMC 310.  There is supposed to be an ornate frame all the way around it but I didn't fancy stitching all that yellowgold so I will use a scrapbook frame instead.

I finished that one on Saturday evening so I started a new bath-time stitch, another one of the designs from this year's Just Cross Stitch Hallowe'en Ornament Special.  This is Happy Halloween by StitchyFish Designs:

stitched over 1 on 28 count linen from a Crafty Kitten grab bag

Basically I am using up scraps of fabric and choosing designs that suit the fabric colour.

Saturday and Sunday daytime was dedicated to my Just Nan Autumn Mouse Scissor Roll and we have another finish!

Scissor Roll stitched on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

Here are the four sides of the roll when it is all rolled up.  The lining wool is doubled over at the pumpkin end to make a little pocket for a pair of scissors.  These ones are a little bit too tall.

I am not really a fan of sewing but it didn't take too long to blanket stitch all the way around.  The whole piece is 10 inches long when unrolled.  There was the added incentive of my next new start when I finished it too!

This has been my Unicorn chart for many years (along with Mirabilia's Touching the Autumn Sky).  This was a Limited Edition for Silver Needle and I was lucky enough to be sent this chart by a destashing stitcher earlier this year.  It had to go to the top of the list!

stitched on 28 count Wood Violet linen from Permin

SCREAM HOUSE!!  Yes, I got the Scream House chart and finishing instructions!  The project is charted for 30 count linen from Weeks Dye Works which is incredibly difficult to find here.  I wanted to go slightly larger so you can see all the details so when I went off to the needlework shop to collect my Owls of October II, I had a rummage through the linens to see what I could find.  This is called Wood Violet and is more purple than it is showing.  It's a Permin linen which means it is stiffer than Zweigart but that's OK because stiff is better for 3D creations.  

The charts calls for DMC and some Weeks Dye Works threads.  Four of them have good substitutions in DMC but the 5th is for the borders so I dug out this silk by Stef Francis which appears to be called "49" and was a gift from Mouse.  It is mostly all purple and pink apart from that patch of yellowygreen in the middle.  It is nice to be using gifted threads.  I have 13 days left this month, let's see how much I can stitch by the 31st.

Finally, the next IHSW will be 20th - 22nd November so make sure you note the date in your diary or come and join us in the Facebook Group - IHSW on Facebook. If you don't do Facebook then you can check in here by leaving a comment on my post.

October TUSAL

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL jar with my current projects:

The top one is my Just Nan Autumn Mouse Scissor Roll, you can just see the little mouse next to the jar:

stitched on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha

The one underneath is another Just Nan - Beware!  I only have two rows of this to complete now.

stitched on 32 count tea-dyed linen

Finally, there will be a Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop as usual this year. I am sure you all know how it works but for those who need a reminder - here's a link to last year's

2019 Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop

If you want to take part, just leave a comment here or email me if you are a "no reply" person. I need an email address for you to take part in this hop.