It is my final post on the Autumn Bucket List 2023. Although I finished this project before the deadline I did not get a chance to photograph it.

Again, this is another Primrose Cottage design called Autumn Rules. My sister also did this design as well as the Christmas Rules design. She even managed to mount them on long boards with ribbons and Autumn picks. She did a wonderful job. Ahh to be retired and have some extra time.

It is a little hard to see the design so here are some closeups. I used a Lugana fabric which is so easy to stitch on.

I just need to finish this project. I have the board but I need to choose a background fabric and use some autumn picks and ribbon. But no rush since Autumn is officially over. Hopefully I can do the Christmas Rules next year. So much to stitch, so little time. But now I am all about Christmas activities now so I closing out my Autumn Bucket list for 2023.

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Halloween is my favorite holiday, all the pumpkins and bats are exciting to me. So it comes as no surprise that I cross stitch Halloween designs.

I decided to do a couple of Primrose cottage designs. The first is the Salem Sisters Apothecary on linen. I was hoping to get the frame from Etsy but it sells out before I even have a chance to see it on sale.

Then I decided to do a bunch of smalls from Primrose Cottage book called 13 Halloween Smalls. I just did 6 of them. Not sure if I am going to make ornaments, small pillows for a dough bowl or frame them.

These were quick and easy to stitch up. Maybe next year I can do the other ones in the book.

Now I am off stitching up Christmas designs.

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I enjoy cross stitching. I remember doing kits (like dimensions) with my Mom way back when when most cross stitch kits and patterns were kinda ugly. Aida came only in white or beige and your only option was to just stitch it up and hang on the wall. Now people are making project bags, cute decorative pieces, and tiered tray pieces or even a dough bowl filled with little stitched pillows. To be honest I do not remember actually finishing anything back then or maybe I just blocked it out. But cross-stitch has come a long way since then. The patterns are really cute with something for every season or occasion in many different sizes. Aida comes in beautiful colors and most are hand dyed to get the beautiful shades. The options are endless.

I rarely buy kits anymore instead I get patterns and my own floss and fabric. I am still a fan of DMC which is classic and very reasonable in cost. But now there is hand dyed floss which comes in beautiful rich tones. Now there are so many vendors who sell on Etsy that sell their custom colors. The choices are endless. I bought some that are Halloween and Autumn tones.

I am not sure what I will make with these floss colors but I am thinking a simple shaker design that will bring out the colors of the floss.

The Halloween ones have fun names like Werewolf, Sweater Weather and Moonlight. I thought this simple pattern would look good in one of these flossesj

The autumn colors are just luscious, so rich in golds, browns and oranges.

With names like Embers, Autumn Harvest and Golden Rule I can pictures leaves and pumpkins. Maybe I can do this pattern.

Or maybe some fall leaves 🍁

Or maybe I will hold onto them until the perfect pattern comes along.

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I finished finished the Fat Quarter Shop Halloween Mystery Stitch Along. I am definitely behind the curve so I struggle to keep up with other stitchers. I can only stitch after work and on the weekends and time does not always permit. But I do enjoy this stitch alongs and applaud all who participate.

That moon took quite a while to stitch but was enjoyable because I could stitch without counting. There are a few mistakes (I won’t point them out) but overall I am pleased. I need to find a backing I like or a frame.

Now onto the Christmas Mystery Stitch Along!

#hauntedhalloweensal

It is time again for the annual halloween mystery quilt along and stitch along that Fat Quarter Shop hosts. They generously post a new part of the pattern every week in June to make a cute wall quilt and a cute cross stitch design.

I received in the mail the fabric for the quilt. This year they are using Urban Chiks Owl-O-Ween fabrics from Moda.

From what I can tell, it appears to be a castle, haunted of course.

The cross stitch seems to have a pumpkin and a bat.

I thought about using DMC but went for the fancy floss because it looks like the pumpkin is a large enough piece that the variation would look good.

I decided to make a grime guard for my QSnap in the same fabric line. It makes it all the more festive. See you in June.

Since 4th of July is around the corner I decided to stitch up a few small patriotic pieces. To motivate me I jumped on the Primrose Cottage Stitching challenge.

I have done of a few of their ”kisses” patterns. Not only are they cute, they are fast to stitch.

Now for the million dollar question. How do I plan to finish them? I am thinking the small decorative pillows to put in the dough bowl. But we shall see.

To see other great projects from fellow stitches on the challenge use this hashtag #starspangledstitching

I finished part three of the Little Women SAL. I was hoping to catch up on the book but I have been kinda dragging lately.

This part has the dates and names down on the bottom. In an effort to catch up I immediately started Part Four so I can catch up.

I saw someone on Instagram who made a project bag out of the finished project. I am not sure what I want to do with this sampler. I am leaning towards frame art, but framing is so expensive. I can try to frame this myself, but I doubt I can do it justice.

What do you think? What should I do with it.

I was not expecting a new SAL so soon. We have not even finished the Bats and Boos Mystery SAL.

But I am game. My sister Janice is even participating. As soon as I saw the items on the New Items page I snatched it up. I am always concerned about the items running out. My sister told me the cloth was already gone.

I was able to snag the Red Project Bag, the Fancy Floss package, the needle minder and the Aida cloth.

Of course this picture shows DMC, but I got the other thread pack.

This time the project goes over 5 weeks. I already went and bought the chalkboard easel from Hobby Lobby so I am prepared. My sister said that her store did not have it. I personally think they do not know their inventory as I have been able to find every item and she never can. But maybe they really dont have it. Who knows.

Again I was tempted to do the quilt but decided not too do it. It will be too much pressure on me.

Besides September is Sunflower September Stitch-a-long where we focus on Sunflower cross stitch projects. I only have two but that is just enough. I cannot do what these professionals accomplish.

So at least count me in for the All The Trimmings Stitch-a-Long.

Part three was a breeze and I finished it on Sunday! It was the star in the middle and took no time at all to finish. Now that allows me a whole week to finish the Little Women SAL. Or at least get a lot done on the sampler.

OK so I am weak. I bought two more cute patterns on Etsy.

I saw this one made up by Kimberly at the Fat Quarter Shop. It was a video from last year and was sadden to see she no longer sells it. But I checked Etsy and there it was. I think this cutie will be framed.

And one little one from Real Housewives of Stitching. This one is called Hello Fall. Very cute fox in a mug. I think I will make it into a small decoration that I can either put on a tiered tray or on an autumn decorative piece if I can find one I like.

Well I need to get back to my chores as no one else will do them for me. Darn it!

I strted to watch Floss Tube on youtube to learn more about cross stitching when I stumbled across videos from The Fat Quarter Shop. This is a great quilting shop that I have bought tons of fabric from. Well I guess they do cross-stitch too. Oh the glory!

They provide project bags, fancy floss, great patterns and a ton of inspiration

Fat Quarter Shop, who is known for thier generosity (Once they sent me a $100 gift certificate because I was such a good customer) decided to do a free stitch-a-long with a Halloween theme. WHHHHHHAAAAAAAATTTTTTT

Halloween, be still my heart.

This time I was able to convince my sister Janice to do it with me. We both bought the fancy threads.

They are also doing a quilt kit but I decided to skip it. I am downloading the pattern should I decide later to do the quilt.

Because they are so cool, I bought the halloween project bag, the ghost zipper pull and a needle minder.

These people think like me, do stuff with cute accessories

and anyone who knows me, knows I love Halloween. How fun! I think I can show this without getting in trouble. I am not sure how long the stitch a long pattern will be free, so go now and get the different parts (click on picture)

Part One was hard as I stitched the bat wing wrong and had to pull out the stitches. The webbing in the background was a bit meandering. But otherwise an easy pattern.

Part two was much easier!

I have started part three so I will have more to post later!