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 TUSAL and Stitching Library

      

It's TUSAL time!  

Here is my TUSAL jar with my current project:

Those small pieces of blue stitching are all the roof sections for my 3D Haunted Mansion building.  I already completed the building and now I just have to make three roofs and it will be done.

Here's the main building:

What's on my Shelf?

This is a feature I'm going to include on my TUSAL post until I run out of books! I started a Page on my Happy Dance blog for my Stitching Library and realised what a huge task it was so decided to break it down to one book per month. For the next four years...

Title: Cross Stitch Myth and Magic

Author: Various

Publisher: David & Charles
ISBN: 9780715322109

This is a very eclectic collection of subjects and designs!  

The cover is Merlin by Maria Diaz

This one is The Princess and the Unicorn by Susan Penny.  

There's an unusual technique to making the mane and tail which is very effective.

This one is why I bought the book - The Princess and the Dragon by Teresa Wenztler.

This would look great framed with Dragon Rider which I stitched some time ago.

This one is another Susan Penny, called Frost Fairy there are some interesting techniques used here too. Plus a beaded border!

There are a couple of Asian designs, this is Oriental Dragon by Rungrat Puthikul 

The Dolphins come under the Mystic Deep section and are designed by Sue Cook

(like I said - eclectic!)

The final Sue Cook design is fabulous, Celestial Heaven features a very nice Zodiac with a fancy border all around.  You can also finish them as individual ornaments.

As well as the large designs for each chapter there are plenty of smaller charts which haven't been stitched as models so I can't show them!

I did stitch this blackwork castle as a Teacher Gift a few years back:

I must have really liked this teacher as that is all metallic!

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:

2021 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.

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.

Gifted Gorgeousness October Link-up Post

        

Welcome to the October Gifted Gorgeousness link-up. The link-up date continues 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.

My main gifted project is my Halloween at Hawk Run Hollow which is my focus project for the year.  But I haven't stitched on that since last GG.  Hoping to get a day in before the end of the month though.

Scream House has four roof pieces and the base made up:

This is the latest Stitchonomy SAL - The Cabinet of Curiousities.  The kit was a gift from Alyssa for helping admin the group, which now has over 14,000 members!

stitched on 28 count tan evenweave

We are getting close to the end now, although I am a couple of days behind.  I am sure I can finish this before Halloween.

The last piece of GG in September was my Bothy Threads 12 Days of Christmas: 

stitched on 32 count grey-blue linen

I did have a lovely new start for Dark October.  This was a piece I bought with Birthday money back in 2020.  It's by Mani di Donna and is going to be a Halloween Sewing Basket:

stitched on 32 count grey linen

I'm using the DMC conversion but darkening it a little.  e.g. trees are 422 and I'm using 420.

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, 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:

2021 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.

Finally Fully Finishing for October

      

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).

Last month I was wondering if Scream House would be FFO'd by now.  Not a chance!  I did get as far as finishing the four roof pieces and the base but stalled on the walls.

(There is another roof piece not in this photo)

The reason I didn't FFO that one is because I wanted to try focus on my other 3D project which is Fiona Baker's 3D Haunted Mansion.  I did manage to make the building up:

And have been diligently stitching away on the roof pieces.  13 in all!   I have decided to just stitch the darker blue and not the lighter blue which fills the tiles in.  The fabric is pretty much the same colour so it really won't make much difference!

Another project which could have been FFO'd but wasn't, is my latest Just Nan Mouse - Stitchy Witchy Mouse:

stitched on 32 count grey linen

She won't take long to FFO but I have to be in the right mood for fiddly stitching!

Not sure what I get for those pieces?  Half an FFO for the building?

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:

2021 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.

The People Chose Wild Animals

       

This SAL is all about what you want to see on the blog.  I asked for suggestions for themes and then put them up to the members of the IHSW Group on FB to vote for their choice.  Now we are working through the choices.  This is what has been chosen:

October - Wild Animals

November - Travel

December - Glitter

Looking through my Happy Dance blog, it appears that most of my animals are fantastical, mainly dragons!

There is this stately lion from Teresa Wentzler's Fantasy Sampler:

A fabulous Egyptian Hunting Scene from a kit back in 1996:

A lovely stripy zebra from an alphabet sampler I stitched for my son:

A whole Ark full of animals from this Joan Elliott design, also stitched for my son:

A rhino for his teacher, she collected rhino toys, something a little different to stitch!

A cute little armadillo as part of a name sampler:

And my latest piece, another Just Nan mouse.  Mice are wild animals although not very ferocious!

stitched on 32 count grey linen

And now it's over to you.  All you have to do is make a post on the theme of Wild Animals, mention The People's Choice SAL (you can copy the picture I used at the top of this post and in my side bar) and my blog. Please link up using the URL of the actual blog post, not the home page of your blog.   I look forward to seeing what you all post.

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Finally, I need your suggestions for the next poll.  Anything, no matter how obscure, weird or random will go into the poll.  Keep the theme suggestions to a single word or two - so you could have Elephants, or Green, or Holidays, or Warmth etc.   Really anything which could be illustrated in cross stitch.