Hallowe'en and Christmas Stitching and Easter too!

Almost completely unseasonal!

As I mentioned in my interview on the new Blogger of the Week Blog, my current rotation starts with The Enchanted Alphabet, followed by The Stitcher's Alphabet and then the two Ornie Blogs - Hallowe'en and Christmas.  For both of those I am stitching a portion of a larger design with the aim of completing two large WIPs by the end of the year.

The first one is Happy Hallowe'en by Imaginating.  This month's spooky theme is Spiders and Cobwebs so here are the two Es and their creatures:

stitched on 32 count Lime Green Murano

Here is the full piece so far:

Why will the fabric colour not come out right?

I have a second Hallowe'en piece which I am stitching alongside this one if I have time in the month.  It is Witches by Oberlin Samplers:

stitched on the same fabric.

My Christmas design is The 12 Days of Christmas by Joan Elliott and I have reached Block 3, although I haven't quite finished it yet.  I just wanted to get a blog post up today!

I have been diligently working my way round the border every evening.  Most recently I have been stitching the blue snowflakes in the corners.  Then it will be more dark red lines followed by another double row of metallic!  Once I finish those I will start on the vines between the two rows of border.  I have a feeling this border will be my evening stitching for the entire year!

I hope to finish the French Hens and the red in the left-hand angel tomorrow.

🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇

Finally, we are approaching the Easter Holidays which means only one things - Chocolate Eggs!  

NO - Easter Blog Hops!  As usual I will be hosting an Easter Blog Hop with a Treasure Hunt for the Mystery Phrase.  Provide your own eggs!  If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.  On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!

Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2016

February Smalls SAL

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Stitching Lotus

This year I will be showing both my Hallowe'en and Christmas SAL partworks as well as any actual smalls I stitch.

Hallowe'en is Happy Hallowe'en by Imaginating and this month I stitched  a tipsy witch!

stitched on 32 count Lime Green Murano

For Christmas I am stitched Joan Elliott's 12 Days of Christmas and this month I stitched two loved-up turtle doves:

I also stitched a small seasonal freebie which I made into a cube finish for Valentine's Day:

Tiny Heart by Amint Kipatten

Finally, some small daily stitching - my Ten-a-day project.  Now in it's 55th day:

Just Nan - Spring in the Square

My Dearest Darling,

That partridge, in that lovely little pear tree!  What an enchanting, romantic, poetic present!
Bless you and thank you.
Your deeply, loving Emily

12 Days of Christmas (Correspondence) - John Julius Norwich

I completed the First Day of Christmas from the 12 Days of Christmas by Joan Elliott.  I started the borders on 12th December 2016 and I stitched on it every day for the 12 Days of Christmas as part of a Challenge on the Stitch Maynia FB page.  Since then I have been focused on finishing the Partridge for this month.  I did have a little break to fit in my Hallowe'en stitching though.

The plan is to stitch the borders each evening when my son is in the bath and return to Block 2 in February.  You can see where I stitched each block for a decreasing number of days for the challenge!  Block 12 only got stitched on the final 12th Day whereas Block 2 got stitched on every day from the 2nd onwards.

stitched on 32 count white evenweave

I showed the first Hallowe'en design in my GG post and here is the second Hallowe'en design for the year:

stitched on 32 count Lime Green Murano

It's the Moon which forms the O in Hallowe'en for the design Happy Hallowe'en from Imaginating.  That fabric is so much more lime green in real life!

Having finished my SAL stitching for the month I decided to start a little small which I've had for ages.  Antique Christmas Trees by JBW.  This was a gift or giveaway prize from someone at some point.  I know I didn't buy it myself but it got separated from the card which came with it and filed in with Random Charts.

I'm stitching it over one on a scrap of 32 count linen which was tucked in with the chart.  I'm using the DMC conversion.  The suggestion for the border is very pink and not at all like the picture so I decided to make the alphabet darker pink instead of the barely visible white.  I think the idea is that the white is the snow under the tree but it wouldn't show on my white fabric.   I might stitch this again, over 2 on a blue or grey fabric using the white.  It's a nice quick design anyway, that is just 2 afternoon's stitching there.

I have been continuing with my 10 Stitches a Day project which is Just Nan's Spring in the Square.  Here is a collage of the 20 days so far:

You can really see how the piece grows each day.  Some people have said that they would find it difficult to stop after just ten stitches.  That's where my personal challenge comes into it - seeing how early can I get my photo posted!  Every day I try get it posted earlier than the day before. Or not!

Finally, we have the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop coming on Valentine's Day.  If you would like to take part, all you have to do is send me a photo of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend.  It could be a heart, or a pair of cute creatures, or the word "love" or anything which warms your heart.  Really anything you think a fellow stitcher would like to receive in her email Inbox.  I will then email you a photo to post on your blog on Valentine's Day.  Everyone then hops around trying to find out where their photo went and who is the Secret Sweetheart!

Just for inspiration, here are some freebie heart designs from around the internet.  Most of these could be stitched in a week so plenty of time for the Hop.

Lots of Sziv (hearts in Hungarian!) - Amint a fejemből kipattan

Valentines Heart - Anne les petites-croix
Love you to the Moon - Barbara Ana
Heart - Brigitte Dadaux
Un peu d’Amour et d’Amitié - Chalet des Perelles

Valentines - Cyber Stitchers various designers
Coloris Heart - DMC Creative
Keys to my Heart - Erica Michaels via Rainbow Gallery
Mini Floral Heart - Le Grenier de Zoe
My Heart Leaps Up - Hands On Design

Love, Black cat and Heart - Happiness is CrossStitching
Valentine Cat - Happiness is Cross Stitching
Isabella's Blog - Swirly Heart

My Valentine - iStitch Designs

Manydesigns - La Contesse le Point de Croix
Couer by Les Marottes de Nathalie

Valentine - Mindi, Joie de Vivre
Cherub with Heart - Mirabilia
Speciality Heart - Olga Maxden

Heart of Hearts - Miss T
My Happy Memories - You Hold the Key
My Happy Memories - Love Birds
Love Never Fails - The Primitive Hare

Red Heart - Renato Parolin
Be My Valentine - Sandra Longan Designs

VariousDesigns - Stickeule

And of course we must never forget the Patron Saint of Free design - Gazette 94!

22 Couer - Gazette 94

(there are 22 designs labelled Couer or Heart).