October WIPocalypse and some Freaky Friday Freebies

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi of Measi's Musings.

The main focus of my WIPocalypse this year is my "13 in '13" a list of 13 projects I want to complete in 2013, click on top tab for the list.  Since the last WIPocalypse post I made some more progress on Prairie Moon Thine is the Trick and the Treat.  Here it is as  I left it to start work on the Mira RR:

The second part of my WIPocalypse are the monthly challenges.  Usually I have at least two finishes to show for this part, but not this month because I have been focused on Drac-in-a-Box for my daytime stitching.  I have finished the six sides and this week have been working on the double sided lid.  There is quite alot of stitching in the lid because there is a double row of whole and fractional stitches in those octagons which require careful counting, then the Moon and Bat motifs fill virtually all the space inside:

Now I must start on the little fellow himself.  There are alot of rows of plain black crosses in his body.  More careful counting!  Well I suppose he is Count Dracula LOL

Although she isn't part of the WIPocalypse, here is the progress on Titania, Queen of the Fairies for the Large Mirabilia Round Robin:

I managed to stitch something other than pink - pale flesh!!

Most of tonight will be pale flesh too.

Finally for those of you still deciding whether to join us for the Hallowe'en Blog Hop here's a list of freebie designs I love!

Angi Creative - Look What's Brewin'

Bits of Floss  - Hallowe'en Biscornu and Surfing Witch

Craft Town - Pumpkin and Witch's Hat

Cyberstitchers.com - 77 different Hallowe'en designs, love the Barbara Ana ones

It's Daffycat - Frightful Cat

DMC Blog - Links to some more freebies

Gazette 94 - Pumpkin in witch's hat plus other Hallowe'en/Autumn

Les Grilles de Maryse - Hallowe'en House and another one too

Happiness is Cross Stitching - Hallowe'en Cat Scissor Fob

Jaunty Fox - Fence Cat

Joie de Vivre blog - Froth and Bubble

Kit & Bixby - Hallowe'en House (I know you shouldn't link to the pdf but I can't find the link anywhere, everyone is linking to the pdf!!)

La Comtesse de le Point de Croix - several Hallowe'en designs

Lizzie*Kate - Spooky Time

Passione Ricamo - several designs

Primitive Hare - Kitchen is the Witch's Lab

Ravenelle Blog - Autumn House

San Man - Quaker 31

Silver Cute Dwarf - Cat and Spooky Tree, Widey-eyed Cat and Pumpkin

Snowflower Diaries - Seasonal Witches and a forthcoming Pumpkins for Cathey design

Stickeule Blog - Lots of Hallowe'en and Autumn designs

Stitcheree - Creepy Hollow, Owls of Autumn and One Good Witch

Stitchers Anon - Cauldron Bubble

Sub Rosa - Witch and Haunted House

Sullivans - Best Witches and Witch Hat

and finally, the cutest of them all Carand 88

Plus some Just Autumnal ones for those of you not into Hallowe'en stitching:

Cross Stitch Happy - Swirly Autumn

Simply Necessaries  - Autumn House and pumpkins, click on Grilles Gratuites in side bar on left

If you have seen any other lovely Hallowe'en freebies around this year, please leave a link in the comments and I will add them to the list.

Easter and Spring Freebie Links

Just to help you find the perfect chart for the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop I have searched out some of my favourite Spring and Easter freebies:

Spring Heart - Anne les Petites Croix

Erica Michaels via Rainbow Gallery

Many designs - La Contesse le Point de Croix

Garden Mandalas - Turquoise Graphics & Design

Spring Tree - Jardin Prive

Easter Peepscornu - Tor Rhuann Designs

Easter - Cyberstitchers

Spring - Oakhaven Designs via Cyberstitchers

Easter Bunny - Hancock's House of Happy

Jesus is Risen - Liberty Needlework
Click on Translate then Easter in labels - Aliolka
Spring and Easter - Martine 290
Various Easter and Spring - Amintki Pattan
Spring A to Z - Brodyzen Creations
Spring - The Stitcherhood (this is a nice little one)
Easter - Cottage Garden Samplings

Of course no list is complete without mentioning-

Gazette 94

If you know of any more please send the link and I'll add them to the list.

To be part of the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop all you need to do is email me or leave a comment to sign up.  I'll allocate everyone a letter of the alphabet which will spell out the Mystery Phrase.  You must post a stitched picture on a Spring or Easter theme along with your letter on Easter Sunday.  I'll have a list of all the participants on my blog so everyone can hop around like a bunny and guess the Mystery Phrase.

Finally, I ought to show some stitching.  There is slow progress on the Celtic Band Sampler but the Birth Sampler is progressing well.  I'm pleased with my colour choices and here is a teddy bear head:

Hallowe'en Freaky Freebie Links

Click pic to join blog hop

For those of you still deciding whether to join us for the Hallowe'en Blog Hop here's a list of freebie designs I love!


Bits of Floss blog - Hallowe'en Biscornu and Surfing Witch

Cyberstitchers.com - 74 different Hallowe'en designs, love the Barbara Ana ones

It's Daffycat - Frightful Cat

Gazette 94 - Pumpkin in witch's hat plus other Hallowe'en/Autumn

Les Grilles de Maryse - Hallowe'en House

Jaunty Fox - Fence Cat

Joie de Vivre blog - Froth and Bubble

Kit & Bixby - Hallowe'en House (I know you shouldn't link to the pdf but I can't find the link anywhere, everyone is linking to the pdf!!)

La Comtesse de le Point de Croix - several Hallowe'en designs

Lizzie*Kate - Spooky Time

Passione Ricamo - several designs

Primitive Hare - Kitchen is the Witch's Lab

Ravenelle Blog - Autumn House

San Man - Quaker 31

Silver Cute Dwarf - Cat and Spooky Tree, Widey-eyed Cat and Pumpkin

Stickeule Blog - Lots of Hallowe'en and Autumn designs

Sullivans - Best Witches and Witch Hat

and finally, the cutest of them all Carand 88

        

all from Hyraea

Vote for me!

I have been told it is okay to say that.  The Gift of Stitching online magazine is having a tape measure competition this weekend.  Last issue they printed some little patterns ideal for covers and asked people to post their finishes here.  You won't see them until Sunday 29th August then you can vote for your favourite.  Which will be mine of course!  Truthfully I don't expect to win, I stitched on aida and stuck it to a square tape measure, no fancy finish or anything.  But it does have nice colours and it's all "stitched-from-stash" so very eco-friendly.

This is my second attempt at finishing:

It's a notebook cover made from one of the fabric samples I was given earlier this year.  But I think the fabric was too thick to be used in this way and the corners are rubbish!  The picture is too exposed on top and will get battered during use.  So this was my next attempt:

Our local papercraft store was having a 20% off for Bank Holiday weekend and I bought a stack of cardstock, all postcard sized and ideal for mounts.  The colours go nicely together and I could cut a shape out of the middle to frame it or just stick it on top.  I also bought some more frames from a charity shop (honestly, I'm obsessed with them) including 2 square ones and a gold hinged triple set which will look great with Christmas designs in.

The rose is a freebie from Free Patterns.  Great name, does exactly what it says on the tin!  You have to register to download the patterns but you can opt out of getting emails afterwards.

The final picture is Part 2 of iStitch's Mystery SAL.

This is stitching up really quickly.  There are links on the blog to all the completed Part 1s.  I like my white and blue but I also like all the other colour schemes too.  I know at least one person has decided to redo her's in variegated having seen how good they look.  I did think about stitching it twice, next time over 1 on 28 count.  That led me to think about stitching a design alot of times in different ways.  Which led me to think about the Crazy 15 Challenge, 15 starts in January, which I opted not to do in favour of "11 in '11".  Which made me think I could choose a small project and stitch it 15 different ways, starting one on each day in January.   This requires more thought.....

So, in conclusion - Vote for Me, and let me know which one of those finished for the rose you prefer - the notebook (if I sort those corners out) or the simple picture mount.