Thinking ahead

Thinking ahead - or just an excuse to buy more cross stitch things?  Hallowe'en was on my mind last week when I bought some new fabric and patterns.  I usually have the patterns but not the right fabric or the other way around.  This year - I'm prepared!

I purchased the fabric (14 count Aida) from Homemakery, a UK based company which sells lots of different colours of Aida and linen for cross stitch as well as some gorgeous fabrics for either quilting or other crafts.  They sell some other beautiful bits and pieces such as planner stickers, haberdashery etc.  The company only post orders on Thursdays, mine arrived promptly on Friday, so first class service.  Check out their website, it is a joy to look at!  The dark brown fabric is Picture This Plus spice and the blue, also Picture This Plus storm.  (It looks like dark grey in the photograph, but it is much more blue.)  There was even a cute little postcard in with my order.

I also treated myself to two new Hallowe'en cross stitch patterns.  Trick or Treat by Cottage Garden Samplings (by post from UK shop Patchwork Rabbit - again, order arrived the next day) and the other one of the cat staring at the moon (it doesn't seem to have a title) is by The Woolly Ewe.  It was a PDF download, so I was able to print it out straight away.  Check out their Etsy store - there are some lovely patterns there.

I've even looked out some thread in gorgeous Hallowe'en colours.  Because the fabric is dark, I'm going to use brighter than is called for in the pattern.  These are all DMC and I purchased them at my local needlework shop - Hearts & Stitches in Greenock.

I've got a while till I will be putting out my Hallowe'en bits and pieces.  Of course that gives me enough time to stitch these!  Are you thinking ahead with your crafting?

Love, Liz