Cottage of the Autumn Witch: Week One Progress

Our Cottage of the Autumn Witch by Lola Crow is really starting to take shape!

When we started this project, we chose to use the called-for floss colors on Stormy Night 18-count Aida. We wanted a darker, moodier background that would help the brighter colors, especially the blues and whites, stand out.

Now that we've made more progress, we're getting to see that choice pay off.

The Cottage Is Taking Shape

This week's stitching has added quite a bit to the cottage itself, and we're finally at the point where some of its most recognizable features can clearly be seen.

The door is now clearly visible, making the cottage feel much more like an actual little home rather than a collection of individual sections. The different shades of brown are adding definition to the woodwork and structure, while those beautiful blues provide a strong contrast against the Stormy Night fabric.

And there's already someone home!

Look closely at the upper window and you'll spot the little owl peeking out from inside the cottage. It's one of those tiny details that adds so much personality to a cross-stitch design, and we're looking forward to seeing all of the other little surprises that appear as we continue stitching.

The White Butterflies Are Starting to Appear

We're also beginning to see one of the reasons we chose Stormy Night for this project.

The white butterflies are starting to appear around the cottage, and they really stand out against the darker fabric. Even with only part of the design completed, the contrast is already noticeable.

When we picked this fabric, we hoped the lighter colors wouldn't get lost in the background. Seeing those first white butterflies appear has confirmed that Stormy Night was a great choice for the effect we wanted.

The blues are standing out beautifully as well, while the browns and greens still have enough contrast to show the smaller details throughout the cottage.

Little Details Make a Big Difference

That's probably our favorite part of this week's progress.

We're past the point where we're simply building the basic shape of the design. Now the details are beginning to give the cottage its personality, the door, the owl watching from the window, the greenery, and those first white butterflies.

There's still plenty of empty fabric and a lot more stitching ahead, but each new section makes it easier to imagine what the finished piece is going to look like.

That's also one of the reasons we enjoy sharing projects along the way. A finished cross-stitch piece is beautiful, but watching a design slowly emerge from a blank piece of fabric is part of the fun.

We'll keep sharing our progress on Cottage of the Autumn Witch, as the cottage and everything surrounding it, continues to come to life.

Until next week's update, happy stitching!

Bloomfield Craft