Happy Halloween!

My blog has been neglected. Has it really been two months since I posted? At any rate...I have been busy. So I am stopping by to say Happy Halloween.

Even my garden gate is decorated for the season even if the spiders did this work instead of me. *Grins*

Last year, I had these designs to stitch and make pillow ornaments but was too busy with these so they had to wait until this year. It has been fun stitching them up. And remember when I mentioned the spray paint? It was to spray a green Christmas garland black for Halloween. Click on the photos for a closer look.

Wishing you a Boo-tiful and Happy Halloween!

Heidi

It's in the bag!

Back with another crochet finish. Some time ago, I started working on some Japanese blocks which I decided to make into a tote bag. It was a fun way to use them since I just wanted to try out some of the stitches. I have taken time making this one since I was making it with a friend and did not want to get too far ahead of her since she started after I had enough blocks for one side already. It was a fun project. We just crocheted the blocks together and then made a band of single crochet for the sides and bottom. I lined it with fabric from my quilt stash. I ran out of yarn so had to buy handles which I sewed to the lining with tabs. I added some small lace to the tabs too. Now I have a tote bag to carry my crocheting in when I take it to my friend's house...

I had made one block too many and turned it into a potholder (RAK gift) for Mieke who I crochet with regularly. It is a nice heavy design which is perfect for a potholder.

I also started a new afghan since the weather has cooled off. I am making Lion Brand's Harvest Patchwork afghan using Stylecraft DK yarn. I found out that this shop was selling it now here in Holland. What great yarn this is! Since this pattern calls for a chunky yarn, I am using a double strand to get the thickness and a 6,5mm hook. It is working up a treat and I am so looking forward to having another autumn feeling blanket to use in the coming season.

Back though to my stitching. I have another fun project in progress for Halloween. As soon as I get the spray painting part done, I will share this latest project. And yes...I did say stitching and spray painting. Intrigued? *grins*

Heidi

It's a Quilted Halloween!

The early hours of Sunday morning were very noisy at our house. We heard a few loud bangs and thuds and went out the next morning to find this...

Witches flying around waiting to come to our Halloween high tea party. One missed and landed on the side on the house while another went head first into the flower pot.

But some did make it inside to hang their hats and party...

Like this one who looks remarkably like Saskia...

And she brought her witch sisters Mary and Nell along...

But oh my! What have they done to poor Mieke??? Must be that ornery Saskia! *grins*

Remember that project I was working on and could not yet share? Here is the treat I made for the ladies for Halloween. I made each a personalized quilted project bag...

Every bag is different and has their name on it...

And that tea dyed fabric is the lining making each one individual also as they all came out differently...

But the ladies came to celebrate Trick or Treat with treats of their own to share with each other...

But wait! It is the witching hour and we had some hungry little witches to feed or they might get up to some trouble...

The recipes of some of my party food will be posted on my food blog BookShelves and StoveTops tomorrow...

And they were entertained with a surprise little quilt show of their own work...

Still some ornery witches like to play tricks. Right Saskia? This spider was left on my bed pillow...

It was great fun to share my countries tradition of Halloween with my quilt group.

I will be late with my Tuesday tallies post this week but will be posting soon...

Heidi

If I didn't have my sewing machine......

Excuse me a moment while I bob along with my sewing machine...

Yep...this is what I am looking like at the moment. *wink*  I am into full production right now and have finished the 8th surprise for my quilt group's high tea as of today. My machine is groaning under the pressure but so far, so good. 

In between the surprise, I had a quilt top that I wanted to machine quilt for practice. I love to hand quilt and will do so until I can't but want to try machine quilting once in a while. Meet Bobby Pumpkin-head!

Named after a family member for his resemblance. Years ago my mother, her cousin, big brother Bill and I went to Amish country while I was home visiting. She called her brother Bobby Pumpkin-head (sorry Louise but you REALLY did say it) so here he is. *grins*

No fabric purchased for this quilt as it all came out of my stash cupboard. It is 24 inches square. Just the right size for my quilt wall.

I had fun making this label. I used a piece of muslin and stitched a piece of black scrap fabric down the side keeping the raw edges exposed. Then I wrote the text and stitched it on using higgelty-piggelty crosses.

Have a creative weekend!

Heidi

Welcome to The Black Cat Inn!

Welcome to The Black Cat Inn! The old proprietress is waiting to greet you. She has been here since the inn was established in 1848.....

Yes, two posts in two days. I had this finished done on Sunday and did not want to wait a moment longer to share it. I love Pamela at Our Pioneer Homestead's blog. She has a number of fun projects which I have had sitting waiting to do but when she started putting on some free stitching projects for autumn and I saw this...

I just HAD to stitch it right away. It was fun to take a break from my sewing machine and I worked on it while I talked to my mother on Skype each day. Well...it was done before I knew it. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to make a door sign with it so I dove into my stash and found some 19-count (yes 19 which is huge for me and I even stitched it over 2 to make it bigger!) so this sweet little pillow design would be much bigger.

I hope you do not mind Pamela as I did make your edge zig-zag since this is a large area and also added an extra bat. Jos cut me a piece of wood and sprayed it mat black. I mounted it with upholstery tacks and hung it with a string of jute.

Thanks Pamela! I am now going to be starting on the next design you posted. Hopefully I will be able to do it this weekend...

Click on the photos to enlarge them. You can see the fun graphics that are now available for Halloween on PicMonkey.com. I had so much fun playing with them yesterday!

Heidi

Gathering acorns...

While I was staying at Cranberry Cottage, I finally finished the first of three pieces of stitching intended to hang at the cottage. Here is the Coeur D' Automne by Gazette94.....

I used only a portion of the pattern making it fit into these wonderful frames I found. They have the perfect outdoor theme for Cranberry Cottage. Although they look like wood, they are made of a very heavy plaster. I will be making Coeur Hiver next. I have had these sitting started for ages so it is nice to see another UFO being finished.

Yesterday was a very busy day baking fabric. I need tea dyed muslin for a surprise for the ladies from my quilt group who have reserved a place at my Halloween High Tea party. I have to make 10 surprises. It is taking more time than I had anticipated so if I am not around much it is because I am very busy in my quilt studio.

I started the tea dying yesterday morning at 10am and only took the last piece of muslin out of the oven at 6pm when Saskia came by after work. I had also made a big pot of lentil soup so asked her to stay and enjoy soup and bread by the woodstove. What says autumn more than soup by the fire?

Heidi

Pink witches?

No...not pink witches but pink and witches. *grins*

A friend comes regularly to crochet with me. She showed me some quilt fabric she had bought on her day out to a shop where she also received these charms from the shop. I offered to make her a scissor fob with them as she likes mine. I asked her what color beads she would like and her choice was pink so here is the finished fob along with a pair of scissors for her...

I can't wait to give it to her when I see her next week! Hope she likes it.

And the witch? She has been flying around my studio for some time waiting to be finished after being stitched. I would hate to admit that it has been almost two years...enter the evil witch's laugh. *wink* She just needed finishing. I already had bought a little bread board that Jos stained black for me but my witch still had to wait. She is one of the UFO challenge projects and I wanted to have her done well before the witching hour on Halloween.

Today I needed to stitched the black trim on to edge the piece. I have been gluing the trim lately but decided this one would work better if I stitched it onto the laced piece. I worked so much better. No movement of the trim while being glued so it is  right where it should be positioned since this is a scalloped trim.

I then glued the piece to the bread board and Witchypoo is ready for Halloween...

I am going to do my best to finish another UFO challenge project by this time tomorrow. Wish me luck?!?

Heidi