Happy Dance for a Mousie in a Housie

Just Nan brought out the Haunted Autumn Mouse in a House in 2017 and I just had to have one.  These kits are very limited edition and once they are gone, they are gone.

I started stitching for Dark October last year and completed the mouse, both floor parts and the outline of one wall:

Mouse stitched on 32 count Cognac linen

Carpet Square stitched on 32 count Antique Ivory linen

Base of the House stitched on 32 count Antique Ivory linen

Apart from 30 minutes for the Longest Day SAL in July, that was it until this October.  The project came up several times in the Tiny Decisions app and by WIPocalypse looked like this:

Once Dark October was over I decided to make this my first Focus for a Finish piece and stitched on it every day.  I finished the stitching on 10th November and spent the 11th and 12th fully finishing it.  First I used iron-on interfacing on the backs of all the house pieces and then sewed the two floor pieces together with a card square inbetween to give them stiffness.  After that I cut out and sewed triangles of felt to the back of each of the walls.  The ribbon was sandwiched between and sewed in at the top.  

By the end of Sunday 11th this is what I had:

Each of those triangles had to be stitched to the floor piece using the whip stitch to hold them in place.  Once the four walls are attached you tie the ribbons into bows to hold the whole piece together:

When you untie the ribbons, the walls flatten and you can see the little mousie in the housie!

Close-up of Mouse:

I made a little video film of the whole thing just to show you how it all works, and how tiny the mouse is!  Unfortunately it was too long to upload so we had to break it into two pieces.  The first video shows the house and the second shows the mouse ending with it balanced on my finger so you can see the scale.

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Finally, it's time to sign up for the Advent Calendar  Blog Hop!  For this hop, each participant is allocated a day in December to make their post on.  They will show something they have stitched on a Christmas theme and answer the topic question I set.  I then copy their photo onto my blog post in the style of an Advent Calendar.

So if you'd like to join in, please leave a comment or send me an email.  Let me know if there is a date you would particularly like or one you'd like to avoid.  I will be in touch towards the end of the month!

Here is a link to last year's so you can see how it works:

2017-online-advent-calendar

November TUSAL

It's TUSAL time, the Totally Useless SAL where we all show our ORTS and link-up on Daffycat's blog.

Here is my TUSAL jar with two projects:

Jar filling up nicely as we approach the end of the year

 On the left, I have my focus for a finish piece; Just Nan's Autumn House:

stitched on 32 count Antique Ivory linen

I have nearly done all four walls for the house now.  I need to get some iron-on interfacing and set about putting the dwelling together.

The piece on the right is my new Ten-a-Day choice; another Just Nan - Summer Typography:

stitched on 32 count Pink linen

Regular followers will know that I have been stitching the Seasons in the Square series over the past two years and have just completed Autumn in the Square.  Logically I should have started Winter in the Square BUT Summer Typography is on my "18 in '18" list so I started this one instead.  It's a little bigger than the Squares but I am sure I can finish it within 12 months and start Winter in the Square after that.  Summer Typography is the final Typography design I have to stitch so that will be another series completed.

Here is Autumn in the Square (minus the button for the centre which I need to find!)

Now, the news you have all been waiting for - the answer to the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Mystery Phrase Blog Hop.  Thanks to all the participants; the picture posters and the commenters who hopped around, collected the letters and left nice comments.

I thought the phrase was a little easier this year but apparently some of you need to Brush up your Shakespeare - the quote comes from The Scottish Play AKA Macbeth and is spoken by the witches as part of the ingredients for their Double Double Toil and Trouble spell.

Fillet of a fenny snake

The word "fenny" meaning "of the Fens, swamplike, marshy or boggy".  Anyway, everyone managed to find all the letters and Google the meaning if they didn't already know it.

I used the random number generator to pick a winner.  Each picture poster got one entry and each commenter got one entry, so if you did both, then you got two entries.  The winner is:

Sheryl from Sewing After Seven

Please send me an email with your address and I will put a little parcel together along with the chart for Smiling Jack-O-Lanterns from JBW.

Finally, I am so pleased that everyone is enjoying the new Saturday SAL - The People's Choice.  Don't forget to leave suggestions for the next Poll in the comments on that post.

October WIPocalypse Rotation or OAAT?

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.  For me, this will be my "18 in '18".  Many of them are part of SALs so I will be working on them each month.

This month I worked on 4 of my 18 projects:

Lavender & Lace Enchanted Alphabet.  I have finished all the letters now and am adding the embellishments from various other charts.  I started a wrought iron gate at the bottom of the piece.

stitched on 32 count Tiger Lily Murano by Sparklies

Just Nan Haunted Autumn Mouse in a House.  This was my 10-a-Day project (stitching the frames) and it came up several times in the Tiny Decisions app so I got plenty done this month.

stitched on 32 count Antique Ivory linen

Jardin Prive Happy Hallowe'en Night - a finish!  Happy Dance!

stitched on 32 count Cognac linen

Mrs Peggotty Alice & The Flamingo

stitched over 1 on 25 count blue evenweave

Measi always sets us a discussion topic:

October - Do you prefer to stitch on a rotation or one project at a time?

Well, that should be obvious to anyone who follows the blog!  Rotation all the way.  As follows:

Each day - Ten-a-Day project - currently Just Nan's Autumn House, soon to be Winter in the Square

Each day - Hetti's Temperature SAL (see below for latest photo)

Each day - Mrs Peggotty's Alice & the Flamingo - stitched while supervising the Small Boy in the bath

Each month - one part of a Hallowe'en project (Jardin Prive this year)

Each month - one part of a Christmas project (Just Nan's 12 Days of Christmas this year)

Then I choose a project from my "18 in '18" to focus on.  These are the 18 projects I chose at the beginning of the year to stitch and hopefully finish that year.  This month I stitched on four of them.  You can see the full list and progress here.

Temperatures up to 16th October, 2018

stitched over 1 on 22 count hardanger

Finally, the next post you will see here will be the annual Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop.  Hope you all enjoy the spooky fun, visit some blogs and leave some encouraging comments!

October IHSW

This weekend was the October International Hermit & Stitch Weekend where we all try to get as much stitching time in as we possibly can.  Just like every other weekend of the year but this is Official!

Unfortunately, I didn't get as much stitching as I'd hoped.  I didn't actually sit down to stitch until 3pm on either day and then there were other interruptions too.  But there was some progress and every stitch counts.

The Tiny Decisions app choose the same project for both days which was helpful.  Just Nan's Autumn Mouse House,  I completed most of one of the panels.  There are a couple of stitches of white and yellow as well as the black but I intend to do all four panels and then add the odd stitches at the end to save changing threads too often.

stitched on 32 count Antique Ivory linen

I stitched the grass on this panel:

My evening project this year is Mrs Peggotty's Alice and the Flamingo.  Here's where she was last IHSW:

And here's where she is now, slow progress again:

stitched over 1 on 25 count evenweave

Unfortunately there is some frogging due.  I started a new length of the light green and it's a totally different colour.  I can only assume the original length came from a different skein, maybe a leftover from a kit?  Anyway, it is too obvious to leave so it has to come out.

A few people have said that they don't do Facebook and asked if I could host a link-up for them, so here it is! Just add your name and the link to your actual IHSW post, not just your blog home page.

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The next IHSW will be 16th - 18th 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.

Finally the Harry Potter Quiz Night at work went very well.  A shop full of witches, wizards and Potterhead Muggles all enjoying having their brains tested to the limit.

Hermitting Starts Here!

It's the start of the October International Hermit & Stitch Weekend where we all try to get as much stitching time in as we possibly can.  Just like every other weekend of the year but this is Official!

I have no idea what I'll be stitching as I am using the Tiny Decisions app to choose my project each day.  But here's what it told me to do for the last few days:

Jardin Prive - Happy Hallowe'en Night

Day 14

JBW - Smiling Jack O' Lantern:

Day 17

Just Nan - Autumn Mouse House:

Day 11

Nora Corbett - Raven:

Days 8, 9, 10, 16 and 19

And a finish!  Plum Street Samplers - Brew Ha Ha:

Days 7, 12, 13, 15 and 18 

I stitched this over one on 32 count Platinum linen using some of the called for colours.  I changed the large coffee bean man into DMC 4130 and the coffee cups into the colours used for the leaves.  Because I stitched it over one, it meant I could stitch the border over two and just do a single X instead of 4 smaller xx.  It was charted to have the dark grey inbetween the orange in the border but I thought that would be too heavy and preferred it like this.

Depending on what comes up this weekend, we could see two more finishes!  Or a lot more purple on Raven.

I've also been busy with my rock painting, my second obsession.  This is not taking time away from my stitching but does take time from the computer.  So if I haven't visited your blog lately, I apologise; I was getting rocked!

Here's a batch I have done for a Harry Potter event at the shop where I work:

Just to prove that I am not the only artistic one working there, here are the wands my colleague made:

Look at them!!  Garden canes with hot glue and painted.  There's a YouTube tutorial apparently.  These are seriously incredible.  This is the disclaimer I added to our Facebook page:

"Please note - we are not responsible for the result of using the wands. Your own magical ability will determine whether it works or not. Please do not turn us into toads or complain if you are a Muggle and nothing happens!"

Don't want to get sued for defective wands.

Finally, it's nearly time for the spookiest Hop on the Blog - the annual Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop.  For this one, you send me an email or leave a comment saying you would like to take part.  A few days before the end of October I will send you an email with a letter of the alphabet.  On the 31st you must make a blog post featuring something spooky you have stitched (or crafted) and your letter.

I will list all the participants on my blog and we all hop around collecting the letters to form the spooky phrase - report back to my blog and leave a comment to win a prize!

Gifted Gorgeousness October Link-Up Post

Welcome to the October Gifted Gorgeousness link-up.  The link-up date will continue to be the 15th and I will keep the link-up open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time if you are late posting.

The format remains exactly the same, there is a list of rules on the main sign-up page if you want to check what is required but basically anything connected to the word "gift" is allowed, whether it was a gift TO you or is a gift FROM you.

In the past month I have stitched quite a few gifted pieces and had one epic long-awaited finish!

Raven by Nora Corbett - the chart was a gift from Tiffany:

stitched on 32 count Nebula by Crafty Kitten

Autumn Mouse House by Just Nan - the chart was a Birthday Present:

stitched on 32 count Antique Ivory linen

Brew Ha Ha by Plum Street Sampler - the linen was a gift:

stitched over 1 on 32 count Platinum linen

Smiling Jack O'Lantern by JBW - chart was a gift:

stitched on 32 count Platinum linen

This is the one you've all been asking about and waiting for; the Donna Kooler Tinies!  I've been hiding these in plain sight of the recipient who never guessed they were for her.  Rewind time to a few months ago and the lovely Leonore announced that she was getting married in October and if anyone felt inclined to stitch a decoration she would be very grateful.  What a lovely idea I thought.  But only one decoration?  Oh no, we can do better than that.

Those of you who know me well, know how obsessed with a series I am.  If the design says "1 of a series of 4/6/12/196" then I am in and stitching it.  Witness my collection of 12 Days of Christmas designs!  One tradition I love is the German tradition of The Bride's Tree.  When a German couple get married, their first Christmas Tree should have a series of 12 ornaments each representing a different wish for the happy couple.  This was the obvious thing to stitch the Germanic Leonore and her handsome husband.

Brooke's Books do a stunning series but there was no way I could get them all stitched in the time frame.  So I hit on the idea of using the Donna Kooler 365 Tinies to make the series.  I found 11 of the designs in there and the 12th online.  So for the first time, here are all 12 of the Bride's Tree Ornaments:

Pine Cone - Eternity

Flower Basket - Good Wishes

Rabbit - Hope and Peace

Church - God's Guidance

Fruit Basket - Generosity

House - Protection

Santa - Giving and Sharing

Rose - Affection

Teapot - Hospitality

Fish - Christ's Blessing and Fertility

Heart - True Love

Bird in Nest - Joy and Happiness

I bought the little balsa wood frames from Wilkinsons in a set of 12 (perfect) and simply glued each piece of the 22 count hardanger to the back of the frame, then stuck a piece of white card to the back of the fabric and finally glued a piece of green felt to the frame to finish the backs nicely.

I remembered to sandwich the ribbon between the felt and the paper to make a hanging loop for each one!

Now it is your turn to show us your Gifted Gorgeousness for the month. Please use your name or your blog name in the field and NOT the words "October Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month. And link to the actual post, not just your blog. It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

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Finally, it's nearly time for the spookiest Hop on the Blog - the annual Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop.  For this one, you send me an email or leave a comment saying you would like to take part.  A few days before the end of October I will send you an email with a letter of the alphabet.  On the 31st you must make a blog post featuring something spooky you have stitched (or crafted) and your letter.

I will list all the participants on my blog and we all hop around collecting the letters to form the spooky phrase - report back to my blog and leave a comment to win a prize!