The Process is Very Organic

Isn't that what designers tell Tim Gunn when they don't have a clue what they are doing? I've been toying with an idea for a sampler for a while but have been very lazy about actually doing something about it because my artistic skilz are nonexistent but I wanted this piece to be mine from the verse to the design elements. So like I usually do, instead of jumping in with a feeling of joy and adventure and a "que sera sera" mindset, I just avoid it all together. I mean it's not like I don't have a million other things to stitch. So the other day I started digging through the stash trying to find my cross stitch font book, of course it was no where to be found. I had figured out my first verse and wanted to jump in it if you know what I mean. So I pulled out my Woman's Day Guide to American Needlework by Rose Wilder Lane and found a sampler I liked and modified my letters from those in the sampler.

I charted out the words on some graph paper I printed out from the Cyberstitchers site.

The moon face is actually a sun face I took from Here Be Wyverns by Nancy Spies. The current debate around my house is whether to make the moon actually round or leave his face floating out there. Right now I'm thinking about leaving him as is because I'm having issues charting a circle, it's wonky as all get out and I'm pretty sure when the stitchin's done I'll be dyeing my fabric so stitching the moon or outlining the moon is a decision I can make later.

My No Name Sampler

32ct antique white(until I dye it)

DMC 310

2x2
I freehanded the waves and basically just started stitching and frogging until I got a shape I liked. I did mention this whole process is organic right?

My witch silhouette was a doodle, then I tried to chart the outline and then stitch her from that. She's not perfect but just attempting this got me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing, I think.

Good or bad the verse is 100% mine. I'm struggling with my second verse and the scene so I've set it aside to work on Primitive Needle's Tis Halloween and Scarlet Letter's Emma Lerch.

All I'll say about Market is OMG, I have to have all of the new Primitive Needle designs, I love Plum Street Sampler's Sea Hag and the Prairie Moon Halloween sampler.

Don't forget to check out Missy Ann's blog for the 31 Days of Halloween giveaway extravaganza!