Free Witchalong for October

 

I was so excited about the drawing I made and the thoughts of joining all of you for a stitchalong in October and I was wondering how I would organise it. I also realised that October is my birthday month but it's been a few years since I last did a free pattern for my birthday. So to celebrate that (since I can't have a party this year) and to thank everyone for their support of my designs and me over the last few years I am offering this pattern for free and inviting everyone to join me for a witchalong for the month of October!!

I spent all weekend test stitching this little cutie so that I would have it all ready to share with you. I'm so happy and proud of how it turned out and VERY excited to do this stitchalong or witchalong ... I think I like witchalong better :D!

So how do you get access to this pattern? 

I'm going to offer it in two forms.

1. It's going to be available for download from my facebook group. It really is the easiest way to share PDF patterns.  As I release the parts (the cross stitching and then the next week the back stitching) all the pattern parts will be available there to download and for you to share your stitching as you do it.

2. But because I know not everyone is on facebook, I'm also going to send it out to everyone on my email list because I want as many people as possible to get access to the pattern. You can sign up to my email list from here. At the top of my blog page is a subscription box to sign up for my mailing list. 

 

 What will I need?

Well the pattern itself is only about 30x45 or so stitches so it's a little piece. You can use scrap pieces of aida or evenweave. Unless you want to play with the different colourways and try out a few of them and then you'll need a bigger piece of fabric. 

The pattern only uses 10 colours. With the 4 main ones being 4 shades of the same colour. When trying to decide on the colours to use to test it I ended up laying out a few choices and while I only had time to stitch one all these will be possible colours you can use (or you can use your own entirely.)

 

My tester was done in the blue but I'm also going to start a purple one because ... why not? And it's me and purple!

Thread Colours

Every colourway will use these DMC colours:

920 for the hair

945 for the skin and 841 for the cheeks. I haven't worked out what would suit for darker colours but if you go too dark you may need to change the backstitching colour... 

434 and 744 for the broom.

For the blue colourway:

797,798,799,800

For the Purple:

550, 552, 553, 554

For the Pink:

3802, 3803, 3687,3688

For the Green:

500, 501, 505, 562

 What else do you need to know?

So the first pattern will be released on October 1 ... if you wish to get all the patterns via email you must be signed up to the mailing list by then I'm not sure if I know how to resend the emails but I may be able to send the link out if you email me. 

I will release the backstitching on the 8th :D Which I kinda like the symmetry of as that is my birthday! An awesome present for me!! To give you wonderful stitchers the full pattern. 

The week after I will release an email talking about finishing techniques. Over the years I have written NUMEROUS tutorials on how to finish your cross stitch as everything from pillows to book covers and a few things in between. SO I'm going to dig out those tutorials and we can have a look at all the cool ways you can make this design look cuter. 

There is one thing I ask of everyone participating. SHARE. Please don't share the pattern itself but share about the stitchalong on social media. Share photos with me and with others. Let people know where they can get a hold of the pattern themselves. I want to see what you are creating. That is half the fun of a stitchalong. 

So Happy Stitching and I look forward to seeing your creations, 

Caitlin