So Much to Share - Part III - Cross Stitch

 Looks like Halloween is my second favorite holiday.

I am quickly getting a nice little collection of spooky decorations…and I have so many more planned!

I love specialty bags for my projects and recently a very fun Halloween fabric line was released called, “Mr. Bones Sews.” The line also included a canvas bag panel. I immediately thought about turning the bag panel into a cross stitch project bag…which would also work for Bucilla ornament kits. 

I started with a Thread Bed. Look at this super cute Halloween sewing notions fabric. 

The inside has a piece of black felt to store needles. Floss threads will cling to the white felt lining.

The thread bed will store inside the project folder. I made a velcro closure for it.

The project folder has two large vinyl pockets with zippers.

More very fun fabric…skeletons sewing…riding a seam ripper like a witch’s broom.

The lining is spiders with button bodies and stitched webs.

In the vinyl pocket is another pocket behind the gray fabric.

And yet another underneath the zipper pocket section. More cute fabric from the, “Mr. Bones Sew,” fabric line. There was a black with gray print that has skulls and sewing machines which is my binding fabric. there were two more purple fabrics in the line which I will probably make into a smaller project bag.

I am waiting for some black swivel hooks to attach the handles but the handles are ready for stitching into place. 

More difficult than making the huge project bag was making four stand-ups from Lizzie Kate cross stitch patterns. I love the end result and plan to make more…as soon as I get those pieces cross stitched. 

All of the stand-up patterns in this post are available at 123stitch.com and the patterns come with notions to finish the pieces. I changed out some of those notions for stuff in my stash that made me a little happier. 

Betty Broomstick came with the black tinsel to make her hair. I stitched it in place with smoke colored monofilament thread. Her broomstick, star buttons, black beads and bell for the cat collar were in the pattern. I made the bow of mixed threads and stuck it on with a bat pin from Just Another Button Company. There were jewels to glue in place for earrings but I used beads from my stash. I don’t like to glue anything in place if I can avoid it. There was also a silver ribbon in the kit for her cape but I had an orange Kreinik ribbon that looked better.

Vonnie Von Fang did come with the bat button from Just Another Button Company. I also swapped out his silver cape ribbon with a purple Kreinik ribbon. He came with google eyes to glue in place but I used a white sequin with black beads from Betty Broomstick’s kit. I also used beads in my stash for his cuff links instead of the jewels in the kit that would need to be glued in place.

The absolute most difficult part of making these stand-ups is getting the stuffing to look good.

I had some very fun batiks in my stash to back the stand-ups. I bought the cross stitch fabrics from 123stitch.com which were listed as an option with the pattern listings.

I made my own cording.

If you read my blog with some regularity…you know I get stuck on series. 

I must do all the stand up patterns!

Time to start a new decor theme…patriotic.

Liberty Sam.

He came with an American flag on a toothpick. I just couldn’t do the toothpick. So I added a pin in my stash from Just Another Button Company.

Lady Liberty.

She also came with a toothpick flag which I didn’t want to use. 

I also changed the pattern. The white sash was much bigger…I hate stitching with white…so hard to make those crossed stitches look good. So I made the white sash smaller and added a blue outline on the top and bottom edge with a glitter DMC floss.

I had the perfect fabric for backing the stand-ups.

I was greatly aided by videos from Vonna Pfeiffer on YouTube. 

I did everything just like she does.

And to go along with my new decor category is a cross stitch project bag I won from YouTubers, “Stitching with the Housewives.” I absolutely love their weekly videos. They are big gardeners and there are lots of dogs and kids in their talks about what’s happening in their world. 

The mother and daughter team of, Stitching with the Housewives, have several small patriotic charts I recently downloaded on their Etsy shop and I have them in my new bag. The bag was made by Kreative Carol on Etsy…also another favorite Etsy shop.

I finished stitching the first in a Christmas ornament series by Hands on Designs.

And I have another ornament series that has been in my stash for 20 years, “ Santa Gathering,” that got started this summer. 

Number One

Number Two

I forget how much I get done...writing a blog post makes me fell like I was very productive!