Midnight Owl Mug Rug + a Giveaway!

So, I've been keeping secrets again! You know me and my secrets...

That's right, I've got a project in the Fall 2012 issue of Stitch Craft Create magazine, woot! This is the Midnight Owl Mug Rug and I am in love with it (I am allowed to say that when it's my own project? Oh well)!

This cute little guy combines both patchwork and cross stitch into a quick and fun seasonal project. The colours used here are more modern-Halloween inspired but you could easily change them to reflect another season or decor-style. The pattern includes the instructions (um, ya, obviously Kaye) as well as the cross stitch chart and floss key.

I used a mix of solids and prints from various collections; I think both the blue and green solids are Free Spirit and the grey is Kona (Medium Grey, I believe). There are a couple of Kate Spain prints, some Tula Pink, Laurie Wisbrun, Sandi Henderson, and a bat print from one of the older incarnations of The Ghastlies.

I just had to show the backing because I love the way that it works with the colours in the front! It's a print from Nel Whatmore's Sleeping Beauty that I had leftover from the Flying North block tutorial. The thread colour I used here for quilting is one of my absolute favourites - it's Gutermann #860 is a really lovely shade of golden orange-yellow.

This issue is available on newsstands now and features lots of really rocking projects! But wait!! Maybe you'd like to win your very own copy instead?! Well, one lucky person will since I have an extra copy just hanging about here (there were actually three copies but my mum scooped one and obviously one is mine)! Here's what you gotta do:

1. Leave a comment letting my know what your most favourite thing about Fall is.

Fall is my favourite season so I'd like to hear what you think! 

(If you don't have Fall where you live just come up with something fun to tell me!!)

2. Leave another comment if you are a follower of my blog.

That's it! Two easy-peasy ways to enter! I will close the comments in a week (on September 4th) and announce the winner here on the blog. International entries are, as always, welcome! Also, please remember that I have comment moderation enabled so if you don't see your comment right away it just means that I haven't had the chance to approve it yet (duplicate comments will be deleted).

*the giveaway is now closed*

Some Holiday Stitching and a Winner!

Hey all! How's it going? I just finished day seven of a seven day work week and let me tell you - I am wiped! But there is sewing to do and a friend in from England so no rest for awhile yet especially with Hanukkah and Christmas fast approaching.

I sent off a little gift to one of my bestie's, Jennifer, last week and it arrived in Maryland yesterday - huzzah! Arriving within a week was a miracle in and of itself considering the fact that I sent her some fabric way back in October that only arrived two weeks ago - Toronto to Maryland should not take two months!

I made this little mug rug for Jennifer using the Je T'aime Cocoa cross stitch pattern from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery (which is the same company that I designed the Itching to be Stitching pattern for) and random scraps of fabric from my "string bag". Some of the fabrics include Heather Ross' Far Far Away II, Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley, and Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane. The one of the very far right side is from Joel Dewberry's Chestnut Hill collection (that print, in that colourway, is actually one of my favourites ever and I so wish I had more).

Here's a little close-up of the cute mug and marshmallows! He got slightly warped when I ironed him but I still think he's too cute!

I used some Heather Bailey Fresh Cut for the back and a greeny-khaki solid that I don't have a name for since I think I got it in the remnant bin.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer's Twitter

I also sent Jennifer a copy of Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories which is a collection of Lucy Maud Montgomery stories that were published in magazines and such around the turn of the century. I have had my copy for about 14 years and read it every holiday season - I know Jennifer is going to enjoy it!

So I guess you want to know who won the SMS giveaway too? Well, after an overwhelming response of over 700 comments, the winner is...

Heather D. of the blog Crafting... Congratulations Heather! I will send you an email soon and I really hope that you enjoy the Heather Ross fabrics!

So what are you sewing up this holiday season, whether as gifts or for yourself? I want to know!