40. Beehive Needleworks Sunflowers and Acorns

Beehive Needleworks 

Sunflowers and Acorns

Stitched on 35 count linen using

recommended DMC plus GAST

39. Blue Ribbon Designs Hallowe'en Box of Treats

I decided to stitch a combination of designs from Blue Ribbon Designs from JCS Oct 2015 to make this box:

The lid is stitched over one on 32 count blue linen.
I left off the bats and changed the word Bag to Box.

Here are the side views:

You can read all about the process on my blog post here - Serendipitous Stitching

38. Brooke's Books Trixie The Hallowe'en Witch

The design was charted for perforated paper but I decided to use 28 count tan evenweave for the main stitching and paper for the embellishments.

I left off a couple of the bows which just wouldn't sit right!

Scrapbooked on Scrapping The Magic's Twilight collection.

37. Primitive Hare Hallowe'en Cubes

The Hallowe'en Cubes designed by The Primitive Hare.

Stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen.

I stitched one per month throughout the year.

Finished into cubes:

I used the same backing fabric in three different colourways:

36. Glendon Place Friendship Compass

This is for Mouse who will be celebrating a zero themed Birthday at the start of next year.  She has decided to make a quilt using squares stitched by all her friends.

I spotted The Glendon Place SAL on their FB page and thought it would be just right for the quilt.  Especially with the name Friendship and the Compass being Mouse's friends from all points of the globe.  

That is why I put my initials next to the East Point where I live!

I used 32 count white evenweave and various shades of purple because it is Mouse's favourite colour (and one of mine too!).  I substituted the beads for bright pink eyelets just in case beads weren't suitable for the quilt finish.

I only stitched the central compass because I thought the entire square might be a bit overpowering for the project.

35. Just Nan Ghoulies and Ghosties

Just Nan Ghoulies and Ghosties

Stitched on 28 count tan evenweave

34. Satsuma Street Pretty Little London

Scanned picture to show the colours

Close up of the cloud.  

I added the silver metallic because "every cloud has a silver lining"!

Framed for my scrapbook to co-ordinate with Pretty Mini London

Closer photo:

The curved top is to give the effect of a snowglobe.  Rainglobe?

And here is a nice collage of all the iconic sights in the design:

Top - The Rain, Coldstream Guardsman, Houses of Parliament Clock Tower, Tower Bridge

Middle - A Black Taxi, The Gherkin, A Red Bus, The Shard

Bottom - St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Railway Arches, London Eye

I stitched Pretty Little London on 32count antique white linen because it was the only white I had at the time and "Stitch from Stash" but with hindsight, it was not the right fabric for this design.  I have some 32 count white evenweave I will probably use that for the next "Little" design. 

33. Primitive Hare Hallowe'en Town Mail Art

Mii organised a Hallowe'en themed Mail Art exchange this year.

I adapted a Primitive Hare design called Hallowe'en Town to fit the space.

My partner was a French stitcher so I added the phrase "From my haunted house to your haunted house" in French on the reverse of the envelope.

The little stamp came from Cross Stitch Collection magazine  

Rather washed out photo!

The fabric is a 32count linen called Cognac.

Stitched over 1 and a witch charm added.

32. Blue Ribbon Designs Roaming Reindeer

Roaming Reindeer by Blue Ribbon Designs

From JCS Christmas Special 2012

stitched on 32 count Twilight Blue linen.

Companion to Woodsy Winter

31. Witchy Stitches Witchy Brew

stitched over one on 28count light beige evenweave

This is the debut design from 2009 by Tammy who has a blog called Witchy Stitches.

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.

Scrapbooked with Brew HaHa

30. Nutmeg Company Sugared Almond Cottage

Sugared Almond Cottage by The Nutmeg Company

Stitched on 28 count pink evenweave and

36 count white evenweave.

Progress photos found here.

29. Jeanette Douglas Joy

Earlier this year Clare AKA Aimetu told us she is decorating a tree for her church's Christmas Tree Festival and her theme is Joy to the World.  

She invited us to send in Joy ornies.  

The little Jeanette Douglas design came from JCS back in 2010.

I changed the colours to make it a little brighter.  I also made a beaded hanger for it.

28. JBW Hobby Horse

Design by JBW called Hobby Horse 

which is puzzling because it is clearly a Rocking Horse.  

I stitched it using my favourite DMC 115 variegated red on 32 count Antique White linen and framed it in the perfect frame from my frame stash box.

Gift for my cousin's daughter.

27. Knotted Tree NeedleArt Santa Hat

From the JCS Christmas Ornie Special 2012

Knotted Tree NeedleArt - Santa's Hat.

I used the DMC conversion on green linen making a couple of changes.  
The parcel is a brighter green as are the yellow stitches in the border.  
I alternated them with the bright red from the hat (817) to make it look more festive.

I remembered to add the star when I scrapbooked it!

26. Sheena Rogers Violets and M

February Violets and Primroses by Sheena Rogers

Mini and I swapped hints and ideas for our exchange and I could tell quite a lot from her blog too.  She is stitching the EMS Flowers of the Month and likes designs where the stitching is the focus rather than too many beads, metallics and fancification!  This is one of a series of 12 designs which Cross Stitch Collection magazine featured recently.  Mini's Birthday is in February and this is such a pretty design.  I had to cut it down a little to fit in the coaster I had which is why I decided to add a design to the reverse and use the border for that.  (Can you see my tiny initials?)  The big M is from a book of alphabets I have which fitted perfectly.

M is for Mini

25. Knotted Tree NeedleArt A Little Hallowe'en House

Stitched on 32 count Dark Reed Green linen

DMC conversion with two purples blended for the house.

I also stitched the border over 4 and changed the corners to 12-legged eyelets.

24. Joan Elliott Hope

Stitched on 28 count Robin's Egg Opalescent evenweave by Silkweavers

One of a series of four words from Joan Elliott's book Bewitching Cross Stitch.

This is intended as a gift for my younger son's Nursery/Reception teacher.

Believe can be found here.

23. Satsuma Street Pretty Mini London

Stitched on 28 count black evenweave.

The first of three designs in Cross Stitch Crazy magazine issue 202.

Based on these real life landmarks:

The Gherkin

The London Eye

A London Bus

The Houses of Parliament Clock Tower (Big Ben is the bell, not the clock!)

Tower Bridge

St. Paul's Cathedral

Some Trees.

Mounted for my scrapbook.

22. With Thy Needle & Thread January Wordplay

Stitched over 1 on 32 count Star Sapphire linen

January Wordplay by With Thy Needle & Thread's Brenda Gervais.

Once again I changed several of the colours to co-ordinate with the pale blue fabric.  I made the little birds into cardinals too.

April can be seen here.

21. Mill Hill Frosted Heather Rose

Stitched on 28 count evenweave.

This is a Mill Hill beaded sampler called Frosted Heather Rose.  I won it in a giveaway organised by Rosey of Ishkabibble.  

This is a nice quick stitch, provided you can set up your area in such a way that you won't be disturbed for a few hours!  It is easier to bead as you go too.

I even had the perfect frame in my stash too.