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.
A Colorful Past
Artwork by: Jane Wooster Scott
Charted by: Michele Sayetta, Heaven & Earth Designs
Fabric: 18 ct Aida, white
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.
A Stitchin’ Hot Mess 