Cheryl's September Spooky Words Ornament

shake, rattle and roll aren't usually spooky words ... but once you apply them to a skeleton, they take on a new meaning and there you have it!

shake them bones!

rattle them bones!

and heads will roll! 

The pattern is Shake, Rattle 'n Roll by Pam Lewis and Susan Rohm of Praiseworthy Stitches.  Featured in Just Cross Stitch magazine in the October 2015 issue.

I stitched this pattern on a wee piece of 32 ct. tea stained fabric of unknown origin.  2over2 for the skeleton & border, and 1over1 for the text - using both magnifying glasses and a hand held magnifying lens (where did I put my good eyes?)

I'm not sure how I will finish it, just yet ... but stay tuned for further developments.

Happy Spooky Stitching!

Noni's September Spooky Words

Eek!! Spooky Words.... wow what a great theme for September.

I had this one planned right from the start of the year!  Even though I knew exactly what I was going to stitch for September I did also have a look at some other "spooky" word designs just in case... after all we can never have too many spooky charts in our stash!!

So what did I stitch for September's theme?  Well, it just had to be Lizzie Kate's "Eek!"

"Eek!" - Lizzie Kate

This chart/kit is a Limited Edition Kit and was given to me a couple of years ago.  It included the fabric, beads and buttons but not the threads, so I stitched it with DMC threads which is why it does look slightly different to the model piece in the chart pack photo.

See you next month!

Happy Spooky Stitching

September - Spooky Words.

I can drive a stick!

Lizzie ★ Kate

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May - Anne S

A quick one today to catch up on May's theme of pumpkins ...

"Eek" freebie by Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Thunderstorm Belfast linen

with recommended GAST threads

August & September - Anne S

I've been in a stitching wasteland since April so I have a lot of catching up to do - the Hallowe'en SAL is helping to get me back into stitching again. My choices for the two months have been as follows:

For September:

"Eek Boo Hiss" by Lizzie*Kate (the Boo part)

Stitched on 32ct Thunderstorm Belfast linen

with a mix of GAST, DMC and Carrie's Creations threads

For August:

"Boo To You" by The Prairie Schooler

Stitched on 30ct Guacemole Weeks Dye Works linen

with recommended DMC threads 

Jo's September Ornament

Like Rita I wasn't sure I would easily be able to find something for this month's theme but as I looked through my issues of JCS I realised there were loads of designs I liked!  Which is probably why I chose this as one of the themes in the first place.

I found a nice design which said Hubble Bubble Toil and Trouble which reminded me of another chart I owned.  When I found that one it was too large for an ornie but in with it was this one which was the perfect size stitched over one.  I do love my over one stitching.

This is the debut design from 2009 by Tammy who has a blog called Witchy Stitches.  It's not easy to see if she has many other designs because there's no page for her own stuff.  But there is a sweet Wynter Witch.

Anyway, I stitched this one using the recommended DMC conversion except for the lettering and mug which I subbed 3799 for plain black.  I thought it was closer to the Gentle Art thread the model stitcher used.  Because I stitched the design over one I was able to cheat on the border and stitch it over two which saved so much time hahaha.  I also added some little starry stitches around the word "hex" just because I wanted to.

I'm not sure whether to scrapbook this with the others or frame it and put it next to the kettle to drop a hint to my family!

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Advance notice of a giveaway.  Kaye has kindly offered to sponsor a giveaway next month.  There will be a number of ways to enter, one of which will involve making a post for your October themed ornie.  So make sure you have one!  The theme is Ghosts, most suitable for Hallowe'en month.

Rita's September Spooky Words

As I was starting to think about what to stitch for this theme, I was thinking it might be difficult to find something.  The difficulty turned out to be narrowing down all the possibilities to just one.

I chose to stitch part of a bigger design found in the JCS 2014 Halloween special issue:

The lighting is poor for the photo...it isn't even dawn yet.  It's stitched with black DMC on antique white linen.

B is for Brimstone, Bats and Brooms - Revisited

When we first started this blog I made a series of posts beginning with each letter of the alphabet starting with A.  Unfortunately, they ground to a halt after L.  So in honour of The Alphabet Club hosted by Chiara I have decided to resurrect the original posts and link up each month with the rest of the Alphabet Club posters.  To learn more about this SAL follow the Alphabet Club link to Chiara's blog.

And B is for Bargello Brimstone from A Dark Alphabet designed by Julie and Becky's Note of Friendship blog.

Bargello has a variety of names; Irish Stitch, Flame Stitch and Florentine to name but three more.  Careful counting is required when using this stitch!

Onto bats.  So why are bats associated with Hallowe'en?  

"Bats have long been associated with Halloween but the connection is by far less ominous than some would suspect. In Halloween's ancient origins people would gather together around giant bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Attracted to the warmth and bright light of these fires were many small flying insects; natural food for hungry bats.  People saw the bats flickering in and out of the firelight during the festivals and they became a feature of Halloween lore.

The link between the bat and Halloween became strengthened with the discovery of the Vampire Bat in the 17th century.  Tales of bats that drank blood had circulated throughout Europe for centuries before but it wasn't till the Spanish exploration of Central and South America that there was physical proof.  It was a natural association for a dark holiday, a creature that lapse the life blood of its prey in the dark of night."

Haunted Bay

There are some great batty designs around, here a couple I found online:

Tantes Zolder - Bats in the Round

White Willow Stitching - Tribal Bat

Freebie from Oakhaven Designs

And moving swiftly onto Brooms or Besoms.  Why are brooms so closely connected to witches?  I suppose a broom is something everyone had in their home, on its own it wouldn't attract attention or suspicion.  It is also an easy piece of evidence for the Witchfinder to use against the local wisewoman.

Besom is another word for a traditionally made broom with a bundle of twigs attached to a sturdy pole, as a result the besom is round rather than flat.  The besom is often used in Wiccan and other Pagan traditions as it represents both genders.  The pole is male and the twigs are female.  You often find brooms used in marriages ceremonies, either in addition to a religious or legal ceremony or in place of when the two people could not marry legally.

In parts of Wales, a broom could be placed at an angle across a doorway.  The groom would jump over followed by his bride.  If the broom stayed where it was the marriage was on, if it fell down the marriage was then called off!  You may have heard the term "living over the brush" meaning living together without being married.  This is where it come from.

Barbara Ana Designs - Halloween (The Moon Laughs)

Sue Hillis Designs - Drive Stick

And to finish, here is an image which popped up on Google when I asked Why do witches ride brooms - 

Ancient Light

Noni's August Black Cat

Oops... a day late posting for August!  But, surprise surprise... I do have a black cat to show you!!

While I had always planned to stitch the Black Cat from the Sneak Peek Halloween design for this month, it didn't stop me looking at all of the other beautiful black cat designs that are out there in the big wide stitching world....

So without further ado... here he is:  Black Cat (Sneak Peek Halloween - designed by The Trilogy).

"Black Cat"
Sneak Peek - Halloween
Designer: The Trilogy

Another square finished on this cute design... next up will be the "ghost" square for October.... just in time for Halloween!

Happy spooky stitching..... see you all soon....

Gwen:August's Black Cat

This month I stitched one of LynnB's Mini Black Cats.

He has a beaded collar and spidey has eyes.

Gwen

August - Black Cats.

I love Black Cats...

...and Black Birds too!

Plum Pudding Needleart

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Jo's August Ornament

Black cats is always a great theme, there are black cats everywhere around the internet.  But do you find sometimes that too much choice makes it harder to choose instead of easier?

I was looking through my Just Nan Hallowe'en chart collection and found one called Ghoulies and Ghosties.  It's bigger than an ornie so I just stitched the bottom part for this month and will do the rest another time.  Hopefully before Hallowe'en this year.

stitched on 28 count tan evenweave.

There's a lot of detail in this for a small piece - cats, pumpkin, toad, ghosts and spiders!  You can see the full design on Just Nan's website here - JN180 Ghoulies and Ghosties

Cheryl's August Black Cat

Yeow!

Designed by Pamela Byrd Smith of The Prairie Schooler.

Featured in the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Halloween Issue.

PS: I thought I would add a photo of the black cat ornament I stitched last year:

Majestic Cat

Designed by Sandra Sullivan of Homespun Elegance.

Featured in the Sept/Oct 2013 Issue of Just Cross Stitch. 

Theresa's April to August Ornies

Hello everyone - I've been absent for a while stitching gifts and larger pieces.  Now I'm back to Halloween ornies.  One of my bigger-than-ornie-size pieces is Last Stitch Cemetery by Hinzeit.  Perhaps this one can pass for my April ornie?!

Stitched on 32ct Legacy lugana by Picture This Plus.  Yet to be framed.  My May pumpkin ornie is Along Came a Spider by Amy Brueckin from the Sept/Oct 2011 JCS.  Stitched on 30ct WDW peoria purple linen (it's really a very bright purple, but looks gray in this pic) with DMC.  I decided to do something out of the ordinary for the shape.  I like how it turned out!

My choice for June is a Lizzie*Kate freebie, All Hallows Eve stitched on 32 ct. olive linen and finished with a pom-pom trim.

My July haunted house is a popular choice as I've seen it a few times.  Called Boo Mansion from Blue Ribbon Designs in the Sept/Oct 2011 JCS Halloween issue.  Finished into a pillow with hand-made cording.

And, finally, my black cat for August is a section of a larger piece called All Boxed Up by Michelle Lutzen in the Sept 2014 issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework Mag.  Stitched with DMC on a 28ct purple linen scrap and finished with fabric, cording, and buttons.

Whew!  I think I'm all caught up.  Yeah!  Hope you enjoy.  Theresa

A is for All Hallow's Eve, Autumn and Apple - Revisited

When we first started this blog I made a series of posts beginning with each letter of the alphabet starting with A.  Unfortunately, they ground to a halt after L.  So in honour of The Alphabet Club hosted by Chiara I have decided to resurrect the original posts and link up each month with the rest of the Alphabet Club posters.  To learn more about this SAL follow the Alphabet Club link to Chiara's blog.

A being for All Hallows' Eve.  Like many of our modern festivals Hallowe'en has become more secular after years of being a Christian celebration built upon a Pagan festival.  Other examples include Easter and Christmas.

Plum Street Samplers

The Celts celebrated the feast of Samhain (the name comes from the Old Irish for Summer's End) as the first and most important of the four quarter days in the Medieval Gaelic calendar.  The other three being Imbolc (1st February), Beltaine (1st May) and Lughnasa (1st August).  Samhain marked the end of the Harvest Season and the start of the darker days of Winter.  It was seen as a time of year when spirits and the fae could cross the borders into our world more easily usual.

Gryphon's Moon

When the Celtic countries became Christian the Church realised that converting the old Pagan festivals into religious days was the best way to get the peasants and common folk to change their ways.  After all, you can't go dancing naked round the hill-tops if you are praying in church all day!

Janet Morningstar

For Christians, 1st November is All Hallows' Day or All Saints' Day which makes 31st October All Hallows' Eve.  Hallows' Eve being shortened to Hallowe'en with e'en meaning "evening".

Waxing Moon Designs

So many of the modern customs have their roots in traditions started by the Celts or the Christians and molded, changed and adapted across the years.  I wonder if the early Pagans or first European Christians would recognise our current celebrations?

If you'd like to read more about the origins of Hallowe'en I started at this Wiki page and wandered around from there!

A is also for Autumn the season when Hallowe'en occurs (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway).  Here is a cute Autumn design I stitched by Erica Michaels on the Rainbow Gallery website

And A is for Apple as the design at the top of this post shows.  This is one block from A Dark Alphabet designed by Julie and Becky's Note of Friendship blog.

Apples are believed to be associated with Hallowe'en via the Roman Fertility Goddess Pomona whose festival was held in November.  When the Romans came to Britain they discovered the Celts' belief that the pentagram was a fertility symbol.  When an apple is sliced in half horizontally rather than vertically, the seeds form a pentagram-like shape, and it is thought that the manifestation of such a symbol meant that the apple could be used to determine marriages during this time of year. From this belief comes the game bobbing for apples.  During the annual celebration, young unmarried people try to bite into an apple floating in water or hanging from a string; the first person to bite into the apple would be the next one to be allowed to marry.

Another superstition involves peeling the apple in one long strand and throwing it over your shoulder, the peel will form the initial of your future husband's name.  This actually worked for me as my hubby's name begins with S and my peel invariably fell in an S shape.  What do you mean, it always falls in an S?

Of course the Christians saw the apple as the downfall of humanity when the Serpent tempted Eve with one in the Garden of Eden, so it is hardly surprising the humble fruit has become associated with the Dark Celebrations of Hallowe'en!

I looked around for some Hallowe'en Apple themed stitching, most of them feature pumpkins rather than apples but I found this one:

Moon and Spider, Apple Cider by Needle Work Press

And this lovely Caramel Apple from Mill Hill:

So how do you like your apples?  Bobbed, baked, cooked in a crumble, covered in toffee or caramel?  Or maybe pressed into cider?

Happy Munching!

Kaye's July and August ornies....

Here is my current Hallowe'en stitching.  I am just scraping in for my July Hallowe'en ornie for the Haunted House theme but I am a day early for my August Hallowe'en ornie for the theme Black Cats, although my cats are not quite black but there is a ghost cat! lol!

July: Haunted House from the Side Panel of  "Halloween Days sewing basket" by Simona Bussiglieri of Mani Di Donna on page 89 from JCS Halloween Ornament Magazine 2015.

August: Halloween Cats - freebie from Kreinik, which you can find here.

I am very pleased with my finishing on both of these cushions.  I think that maybe I am finally getting the hang of creating a nice finish.

TraderVic keeps asking me why there is so much stuff in my sewing room but, of course it is full of my stash so that I can always put my hand on the perfect fabbie or ribbons or buttons or beads for finishing.  For my haunted house I found some gorgeous reproduction fabric in different shades of lilac and the perfect ribbon - do you like the pretty little purple bow underneath the haunted house?

Furio approves....

I love the ghost kitty and do you see how Furio has snuck onto the top of the right column and Milo has crept underneath the ghost cat?

I finished it with little black cats on a ribbon.

And the bottom and backing fabric is black kitties on black!

For both of these designs I used overdyed 28 count fabric from my stash, plus various DMC and specialty threads which I chose myself.

I hope that you like them.  I love them both - I am very pleased with my Halloween stitching this month!

hugs, 

Noni's July Haunted House

Yeah!  I did it... I managed to finish my July "Haunted House" in July!!

My Haunted House is from The Trilogy's Halloween Sneak Peek.

Now I should let you into a secret.... I did start the Halloween Sneak Peek design earlier in the year with the plan that some of the little "sneak peek" designs would fit in perfectly to the monthly stitching themes and then I wouldn't have to think/plan too far ahead!

Sneak Peek Halloween - The Trilogy

With a little bit of luck I will get the Sneak Peek Black Cat finished in time for an August posting.... and my September theme is almost done as well.... oh, does that mean I might be getting organised! Don't believe it!! :o)

Til til next time.... happy Halloween stitching
Hugs xx