May's Progress

 I'm using my WIPGO Board to decide what to stitch this year.  For May we had Shannon Christine's 3rd Day of Christmas and my focus piece, Fairy Idyll by Mirabilia.  I also had my annual Just Nan-athon where I stitch a different small each evening.

stitched on 28 count Black Jobelan

My Dark 13 project is Witching Hour by Keslyn's, and I added an E:

stitched 1 over 2 on 32 count Cirrus evenweave from Chromatic Alchemy

I'm using a variegated DMC thread - 4240, a mixture of blues and purples.  I decided to use a different colour for the spiders and chose the Victorian Motto Violet-Grey thread I used for the Halloween Bookshelf last year.  It's not as harsh as 310.

We went away for a few days so the Shannon Christine took longer than usual and only left me a short while to work on Fairy Idyll.  I focused on the bottom of her bedlinen and the greenery:

stitched on 32 count Vinyard Murano from Crafty Kitten

Hopefully I can complete the cross stitches and start on the metallics next session!

I did take a small project with me but didn't get much time to stitch it.  This is the Spring Biscornu from Stitchonomy:

stitched on a random hand-dyed 28 count evenweave

This is the 9th year I have done my Just Nan-athon, started as part of Stitch Maynia when that was a big thing.  I'm currently working on 25 projects and completed two this year!

This is one of the finishes - Love & Roses:

stitched on 28 count Black Jobelan.

The other finish needs a charm attaching and then I will share a photo of that one too.

Finally Fully Finishing Fun for February

 

Hosted by Rachel the Ten Hour Stitcher

This SAL is designed to motivate us all to do something with that box of Finished pieces instead of just storing them under the bed.  We will all be linking up on Rachel's blog on or after the 10th of each month (10 Hour Stitcher - 10th of the month).

I've got one little framed piece to share with you this month.

I started the Stitchonomy Christmas Banner SAL in December planning to use a pale grey linen.  Unfortunately the piece I had wasn't cut straight and ended up with very narrow margins.  So I decided to stitch it over one.

Which started off OK but not brilliant.  The more I stitched, the less I liked it.  Added to this, someone in the FB group was stitching it on black which looked amazing!

So I decided to cut my losses, complete the row I was stitching and make a square finish:

I happened to have this tiny gold frame so it was a quick and easy FFO for this month.

Finally, I will be contacting everyone who had agreed to take part in the Secret Stitching Sweetheart SAL over the weekend.  Please send me your photos if you haven't already done so!

December Smalls

           

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

My Small series for the year was Jardin Prive's 12 Days of Christmas.  After stalling on them, I finished the lot in November but have yet to FFO them all.

I didn't really stitch a lot of smalls in 2022, it was the year of the Large Project.  Looking back I included these projects throughout the year:

May - Just Nan-athon

October - Just Nan Miss Stitchy Witchy Mouse

November - Mani di Donna Halloween Sewing Basket

As well as some others which will feature in my End of Year Round-Up tomorrow.

For this month I have my finished Edinburgh House by Amanda Butler from Cross Stitcher magazine:

stitched on 28 count grey evenweave

I'm also stitching the Stitchonomy Christmas Banner to be super-small.   The piece of fabric I had in my stash wasn't cut straight so the margins would have been too tight.  I thought I'd try stitching over one so it will be a quarter of the size of the original design!

stitched over 1 on 32 count grey linen

Finally, here are some photos of my Ornament garland this year:

A Curious Finish

 What could my curious finish be?

None other than my Cabinet of Curiosities, this year's Halloween SAL from Stitchonomy:

stitched on 28 count tan evenweave

I made a few minor adjustments but mostly stitched as charted.

The finials and decorative centrepiece came from another member of the FB group

The font came from Lord Libidan

I added beads to the Eye of Newt and the Mushrooms

The spider web was rotated 180 degrees and a charm added

The chains on the scales are metallic chain stitches

I added beads to the Herbs and the Tooth Necklace

Rotated the Bats by 180 degrees

Recharted the Skeleton Hand to over one

Used Satin Stitch for the Blood and Heart

Stitched the Butterflies over one

Tweaked the colours in the Unicorn's mane

Bead and metallic chain stitch to the Amulet

Changed the Eye to match my own eye colour

The Book pages are straight stitches

Extra swirls added to the Hour Glass

The Cat's body is blended grey/black

Beads added to the Jar of Tears

Ball Feet added as per another member of the FB Group

I was lucky enough to be sent the kit by Alyssa as a Thank You for all the work I do Adminning the group and love my Eye of Newt thread-holder.  If anyone is considering getting a kit, this is how much thread I had left at the end.  There is easily enough to stitch the entire project again (except the black).  Alyssa does not stint on threads!

I also have a partial finish this week.  Another block on my Joan Elliott Faces SAL, the lovely unicorn:

Once again, I stitched the main part with two strands of thread and the background with just one.

Here's the whole piece so far:

stitched on 28 count Snapdragon Jazlyn from Crafty Kitten

I also added the beads to the centre block, just a few swirls of petite gold beads to fill the gaps:

Finally, I am putting my WIPGO Board together for next year.  I have two pieces I want to focus on and also make progress on my larger pieces.  I'm trying to decide whether to have this design on three times to be able to finish it or whether to stick with my original plan to finish Little Snapdragon next year.  Decisions, decisions!

October WIPocalypse Halloween Stitching

        

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 "22 in '22" for this year.  Since my last post I have stitched on 3 of them, although I will get a day on Halloween at Hawk Run Hollow tomorrow.

4. Bothy Threads 12 Days of Christmas

stitched on 32 count grey-blue linen

10. Stitchonomy Cabinet of Curiosities

stitched on 28 count tan evenweave

15. CCN - Main Street Grocery Store

stitched on 32 count Charcoal Slate Murano from Sparklies

The full list can be seen here - WIPocalypse and 22 in 22

Measi always gives us a topic to discuss too.

October - Do you prefer Halloween or Christmas stitching?

Mwah ha hah - what do you think?

According to the Happy Dance Blog, the totals are now:

Christmas - 47
Halloween - 95

Finally, here's another sneak peek of my Halloween stitching decor.  The rocks are ones I painted and can't part with just yet!

October Smalls

         

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

This year my Smalls are supposed to be the Jardin Prive 12 Days of Christmas which I started on Boxing Day 2021 for the 12 Days of Stitchmas.  But it's Dark October and the Stitchonomy Cabinet of Curiosities has been my priority for that time-slot.

And here's my progress:

stitched on 28 count tan evenweave

I have stitched half the last block for Day 31 but now I'm focusing on the frame to get that done.

The Haunted Mansion roof pieces are all stitched now, ready to assemble:

Just Nan's Scream House got FFO'd:

I even managed another day on my Mani di Donna Halloween Sewing Basket:

stitched on 32 count grey linen

I haven't quite got round to FFO'ing Miss Stitchy Witchy Mouse yet, maybe a job for the weekend.

Finally, the Halloween Trick or Treat Blog Hop will take place on Monday 31st October.  Thanks to everyone who signed up.  You should be receiving an email tomorrow, so keep your eyes open!

 

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.

So the big excitement for the weekend was an FFO!  A long awaited FFO too.  This design was my "unicorn" chart for so long and I was lucky enough to nab one in a destash post.  I started stitching for Dark October 2020, continued in 2021 and actually finished the majority of the stitching then.  Just a base left to be completed this year.  Which is why the tombstone says MMXXI.  

Once I completed the stitching, I had to mount 18 pieces onto thin card, whip stitch them in pairs and then attach the roof pieces to the walls and the walls to the base.

This weekend I just got on a roll and finished the lot off:

Front Door

I used a little key to hold the ribbons in place.  

A witch would keep her spare key on the roof, not under her doormat!

Spider charm on the roof

Back

There will be a piece of black ribbon around the top of the walls to stop the gaping once I buy some.

Inside the house

Netty Nightshade

This was a piece of chenille fabric sample stitched in place

This is the needle minder from the Stitchonomy Cabinet of Curiosities.  

I stuck one magnet to the inside of the paper when I mounted this wall.

The other magnet is this side as I can change the needleminder if I want.

I was so excited to get this finished in time for Halloween I got all my other spooky projects out and redid the living room ready for the 31st.  Here's a sneak peek, more photos to follow on my Blog Hop post.

The other two projects I worked on were my Cabinet of Curiosities and my spooky conversion of Main Street by CCN.  

I have built all the shop except for the last two rows of the roof.  Then it will be on to the fun part of stocking the shop.  Any guess what this one might sell?

stitched on 32 count Charcoal Slate Murano from Sparklies

The Cabinet of Curiosities is the latest Stitchonomy SAL and probably my favourite one so far.  I have stitched some of the next block but here is the last photo I took:

stitched on 28 count tan evenweave

There is one larger block in the centre that I am looking forward to, then it's just a case of finishing the framework of the cabintet and deciding how to FFO it.

Pretty successful IHSW this month.

Finally, the next IHSW will be 18th - 20th 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.