I honestly can’t remember when I started cross-stitching—or even what my very first project was. The first one I do remember was “Jesus Knocking at the Door,” a Bucilla kit (from back in the 1990’s). I was probably 17 or 18 when I got the kit, finished it around age 19 or 20, and gave it to my mom. It’s hanging on her wall in her bedroom, still in a cheap frame with no glass, yellowed from age, and has knots all over the back. I had masking tape around the edges. It was done by a teenager who had no idea what she was doing… but I loved it.
Years later, I picked it back up again. Around 2014 or 2015, I bought a tiger kit for my son, who loved tigers at the time. It was on black Aida, and I learned the hard way that stitching on black fabric is not my happy place. It ended up in the UFO pile, where it still lives today.
Then one day, I stumbled onto a Flosstube video—Sarah from A Stitchin’ Mommy—and my mind was blown. I had no idea you could buy fabric in colors other than white or black. I didn’t know there were different types of fabric besides Aida. I didn’t know you could buy patterns without buying a kit, choose your own floss, stitch without a hoop or frame, or even dye your own fabric. My whole world opened up.
Like many, I got a little carried away. I found Heaven and Earth Designs, fell in love with massive full-coverage pieces, and bought way too many giant projects I’ll never finish in my lifetime (Boho Seaside Max Color, I’m looking at you). I eventually realized that smaller patterns can bring me just as much joy—and can actually get finished.
Today, I have close to (or maybe more than) 100 cross-stitch projects in progress, plus a dresser full of floss, fabric, and patterns. I don’t finish often, but I love every stitch. Some pieces I’ve given away, some I’ve kept but haven’t framed yet, and some… well, they’re still in time-out. Right now I’m taking a break to focus on a wedding quilt, but I still think about cross-stitch every single day. And someday soon, I’ll be back at it—probably starting another project I don’t need, but can’t resist.
Fall is here, and so are my autumn and Halloween projects. This is the first in my new WIP Parade series, where I’ll share the cross-stitch pieces currently in progress. Some are barely started, some are nearly finished, but all fit perfectly with the season.
Graveyard Biscornu
Designer: Karen Bowen (KEB Studio Creations)
Fabric: 14 ct Aida, hand-dyed by me
Progress: just started — spider, web, and a few motifs stitched so far
Notes: This is from this year’s Just CrossStitch Halloween issue. I’ve never made a biscornu before, so I thought I’d give it a try. I just started yesterday, so we’ll see how it turns out.
UPDATE: As of November 1, 2025, here is where I am at with the biscornu. I didn’t get it done, but I got sooooo close!! Disregard the stray thread on that skull & crossbones. The thread came out of my needle and I was too lazy to try to thread it back.
Where Did I Put My Broom
Designer: Modern Folk Embroidery
Fabric: 18 ct Aida, hand-dyed by me
Progress: about 98% complete — just need to finish the cauldron fill and add the frogs
Notes: I love Modern Folk Embroidery patterns and even have a few of his samplers. It’s so close, I don’t know why I haven’t just finished it.
Halloween Quaker
Designer: Lila’s Studio
Fabric: 18 ct Aida, hand-dyed by me (I had no idea what I was doing and it came out awesome by accident)
Progress: about 20% — witch, text, and several motifs finished
Notes: I was never that into Halloween (yes, even with black cats in the house) until I saw Dena from Halfstitch Cross Stitch on YouTube working on this. I had to have it. Now I love pulling it out every year in October, and honestly, it takes some willpower not to work on it all year long. Holding off feels like flexing a self-control muscle — it makes Halloween stitching even sweeter.
Progress: early start — working through the big black sky
Notes: I love this picture — the fall colors are gorgeous, and there are big blocks of color that make for great mindless stitching. I first tried this on a linen (probably 25 ct) and stitched almost the entire black sky 1×1, but it was way too floppy and miserable since I stitch in hand. I restarted on 18 ct Aida, which has become my favorite fabric. It’s affordable on Amazon, and I can dye it myself if I want. The blue dots you see are just me counting to 10 with a washable fabric pen.
Halloween Gnome
Designer: Soda Stitch
Fabric: 25ct Lugana, stitched 1×1 with DMC (same piece as Hello Fall)
Progress: About half of the border motifs left
Gnotes: This gnome lives at the top of the same fabric as Hello Fall. I set him aside when Halloween Quaker stole the spotlight, but one of these days he’ll get finished.
Hello Fall
Designer: Soda Stitch
Fabric: 25ct Lugana, stitched 1×1 with DMC
Progress: Finished ✨
Gnotes: I loved stitching this — the challenge of 1×1 on tiny fabric is weirdly fun. Plus, gnomes are my weakness (I’ve got several going right now). This one just screams fall and totally nudged me into the autumn mood. I really need to get it framed or fully finished… for now it’s living in a drawer in my craft room.
Pumpkin Carriage
Designer: OwlForest Embroidery
Fabric: 18ct Aida, stitched with DMC
Progress: Finished ✨
Notes: I LOOOOVE OwlForest Embroidery patterns. I’ve got a few of their larger ones, but this one was a small, quick finish. The colors are gorgeous, and it’s got such a fairy-tale vibe. Now I just need to figure out how I want to finish it.
Future Fall Stitching Plans
(A peek at patterns waiting their turn in the hoop!)
Top row (left → right):
Glory of Autumn — Dimensions
Cornucopia — Alena Koshkina
Hoppy Halloween — Brooke Nolan (Brooke’s Books)
Bottom row (left → right):
Mini Scaredy Cats — Heaven & Earth Designs (art by Jeff Haynie)
Autumn — Designer Unknown
Halloween Owl — The World of Cross Stitching Magazine, Issue 272 (Oct 2018, freebie)
What I Actually Worked On – Halloween/Fall 2025
So I didn’t actually touch any of the projects in my plans… of course.
A Witches Welcome
Designer: Annie Craft of Dirty Annie’s
Fabric: 18ct Aida dyed by me, stitched with DMC
Progress: Early start – maybe 10%
Notes: This is from the Fall 2023 Just CrossStitch magazine. I don’t know why I started it. I think I needed a break from the biscornu. But isn’t this adorable? I love it.
Wooly stitches
Designer: Nicoletta Farruto of Nikyscreations
Fabric: 28ct lambs wool linen, stitched with DMC
Progress: Early start – maybe 15%
Notes: This is from the Autumn 2025 Just CrossStitch magazine. Yea, I know. A lot of stitching from the magazines. I just had never really sat down and looked through them with the idea of actually stitching anything out of them because I am always working on something else. I started this in September I believe. Right when fall started. This pattern is so adorable. I just had to do it. I don’t think I will stitch the pumpkins on the sides of the sheep though. We’ll see. I won’t pick it up again until next year, so who knows what I’ll do.
The Sorceress
Designer: Joan Elliott
Fabric: 18ct Aida, dyed by me
Progress: Early start – 1.15%
Notes: Soooo, I was watching Catkin & Lillie the other day and she was working on this, and I had to have it. (I also got Mermaid’s Realm & A Winter’s Gift, all Joan Elliott, because of her. Thanks Kat. LOL) Sadly, I didn’t get far before Halloween was over. Now it’s time for me to work on winter holiday projects.
Some days, quilting is peaceful. Not really, but I like to pretend. (Zazu likes to “help.” Zephyr needs all of my attention. And Zuri runs in and out of the craft room hissing at everyone.) Other days, your sewing machine decides to betray you in the middle of a project.
I was sewing along on my QAYG (quilt as you go) quilt blocks that I’ve been working on for weeks. Everything was good. Or as good as can be when you’re me. Then, out of nowhere, I had a brilliant idea to see what would happen if I lowered the feed dogs.
Now look, I’ve been using sewing machines off and on for my whole life. I know how to use them and what the different things do, but I’m in no way a professional. Also, I forget things very easily. Often. Always.
Lowering the feed dogs did not do what I was hoping, so I raised them back up. And now my machine is broken. The thread is catching on that little arm that hangs out over the top of the bobbin case. I have removed all thread, removed the bobbin case, cleaned everything out, replaced everything, and it is still catching.
I have another sewing machine. I love my other sewing machine. It’s my favorite. But it’s broken too. My daughter-in-law and I decided to take it apart one day to “fix it,” and now it just gives me an error message when I plug it in. I think I know what’s wrong with it, but fixing it is going to involve taking it apart again. So I bought this new machine instead! Yep… now I have two broken machines.
And here’s the problem — this isn’t just any quilt. It’s a wedding gift for my son, and the wedding is in 62 days. Every block I finish is one step closer to getting it done on time, and every day I’m stuck without a working machine is a day I’m falling behind. Because I’m a stitchin’ hot mess. I’m sitting here with two broken sewing machines and a deadline breathing down my neck.
A Stitchin’ Hot Mess 