The last halloween ornaments of 2010

Last week it was the half term holiday so no work for me, of the payed variety.  We did, however, decorate the kitchen and do one or two other bits and bobs around the house.  I was able to finish two more Halloween stockings from Blackbird Designs, Candy Corn and Haunted House.

I did take a picture of my light tree decorated for Halloween but it didn't come out too well for some reason.  Sticking with the Autumn theme I was also able start and finish the Just Nan Autumn Humbug ~ Autumn Glory.

I still have the Spring one of these to do but that won't be until next year now, as it's time to start the Christmas stitching!  This week it's Just Nan week on the rotation and I've started Festive Fifteen but there's not enough to show just yet.  Last week it was the Santa Tree Skirt.  I'm quite pleased with the progress I made on this although I'm not sure it will be finished for Christmas this year!

Some progress is better than none at all!

That's how I feel about The Cream Santa. In reality I'm almost up to his beard but there's a lot more stitching to do on his other side.

This weekend was a Railway Weekend and despite a ten hour shift in the signal box on Saturday I managed to complete the stitching on the Blackbird Designs Halloween stocking called 'Trick or Treat'.

I should be able to finish this off into an ornament for the light tree next weekend, along with 'By The Full Moon', a design by Tracy Horner, of Ink Circles, which appeared in this year's Just Cross Stitch Halloween issue.

I stitched this on 28ct lilac linen from Zweigart using the recommended overdyed floss.

On the way to 'The Railway' I stitched the October picture for Sylvia's My Little Heart SAL.

So that was it for last week.  This week is Just Nan week and I have a small Spooky item to stitch.  Mind you, this evening it has taken me about an hour and a half to compose this post.  Is anyone else having trouble uploading photos with the new Blogger compose/edit feature? Some of these photos have taken up to five minutes to upload.  I even switched to The Other Half's laptop in case my PC was a fault, hence no fancy signature this time.

Spooktacular Pumpkin

So much for doing another Halloween stocking that did not involve much work. The one I chose to do next took longer than expected.  I also missed out some of the charted stitches. This is 'Spooktacular Pumpkin'.

As with last week's stocking this was done on 32ct lambswool with the recommended overdyed floss.  I've made a start on the next stocking, this one does involve less work!

This morning I was able to stretch and mount Pumpkin Stew, so that is off to the framer this week.  With a bit of luck I should get it back in about a fortnight to ten days.

Last week on the rotation it was White Nights.  This is a bad photo of my third corner. I managed to complete the two minarets in four evenings.

After the final corner, next month, it will be on to the buildings in the middle and then the border!  Yes, well that sounds good, but in reality I'm still on part 7 of 12. This week it's the turn of the Santa tree skirt but I've been enhancing my stash with some more Halloween stuff which I might have to start! Who knows?

A spooky stitching week

I did, eventually, finish Pumpkin Stew but not on Sunday evening as I had anticipated.  Instead it was Tuesday!  This was because I had a support evening for parents at school on Monday and the time I got home I didn't fancy doing any sewing.  This project was an early birthday present from my Mum and Dad.

This Shepherd's Bush design was stitched on16 count hickory heathfield, as suggested, with the recommended DMC Cotton Pearle #5.

After stitching on 16 count fabric for a week going back to Witches Riding By on 36 count linen was a bit of a shock.  Here is my progress on this so far.

This week the witch gained an owl, part of a broomstick and a little more sky. 

This weekend I made another attempt at rectifying my lack of Halloween ornaments to hang on my light tree.  This is 'Whooo's knockin' at my door?' and is from the chart booklet 'Tis Hallowe'en' by Blackbird designs.

This was stitched on  32ct lambswool, left over from Mary Wigham, using a mixture of the recommended overdyed floss and the DMC alternatives.  There are a number of other stockings in this booklet that I would like to stitch so this evening I'm going to choose one which involves a little less work!

Next week on the rotation it should be either  the Santa tree skirt or White Nights.  'The OtherHalf' has chosen White Nights so with another late night in school on Wednesday, this time for Open Evening, it will be interesting to see how far I get.

Hope you all have a good stitching week.  With a bit of luck, after this week, I should be able to return to my usual two posts a week.