Ah, it’s that time of year again! The clocks have gone back, and although I’m already bemoaning the early disappearance of the daylight that I need to do teeny sewing, I’m really enjoying the cooler days and rich autumn colours! While any weather is crafting weather in my book, there’s something extra special about snuggling up with some needles and yarn on a dark, chilly evening. And also, Hallowe’en has always been my favourite festival of the year – I wonder why?
If you follow the Beasties’ antics on social media (you’ll find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), you’ll know that I’ve been revisiting some of my spookiest Beastie creations for my weekly Flashback Friday feature this past month! If you don’t, well, here’s your chance to play catchup!
I’d hate for anyone to miss out on Frankenstein’s Monster Beastie, for starters! I have to admit that I kind of love the bolts in his neck and the random lines of stitching holding his sweet green face together.
Then there’s the ethereal wispiness of Ghostie Beastie. I really like the floaty effect of the layers of net – I’ll have to remember to steal this trick for my costume next year!
Some of the very first Hallowe’en Beasties I made had simple seasonal accessories – but that’s fine too, right? Here’s a (very) rough sketch of an idea for a Jack O’Lantern Beastie from an early knitting notebook!
And yes, I still make these!
Skulls make great Hallowe’en accessories, too!
And of course, there’s nothing better than getting all dressed up and going trick or treating with good friends!
(Black cat optional)
Hallowe’en isn’t just All Hallows Eve, though. It’s also the gateway to the busiest, Beastiest time of the year! This time around, I’m hoping to get to even more markets than usual in the runup to the festive season, and I’ve taken on more commissions too – Beastie Towers is flippin’ hectic just now! So please excuse me if I’m a little less chatty than usual in my regular online hangouts – I’m going to try to keep up with you all as much as possible, and of course there will still be weekly blog posts and occasional social media-ing. I promise normal service will resume when the madness is over!
And hey, if you’re local, why not rock up and say hello in person? I’ve added a new page to the website today, which I’ll be keeping updated with all my upcoming market events. Hopefully I’ll catch up with a few of you there!
And on that note, I probably should get back to the Beastiemaking. But chances are I’ll be celebrating in traditional style (consuming a variety of squash-based foodstuffs, washing them down with a pumpkin ale, then maybe SPARKLERS) come nightfall! What have you all got planned? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Hallowe’en, everybody!
Good luck with your markets👻😀🐶🦉🐌🐝☀️👍
Thanks Tricia! I really hope I can get everything I need to make made in time! 😀
🐶🐶🦉😊🕊
Awesome Hallowe’en Beasties, Helen! They’re wonderfully spooktacular! I absolutely love Ghostie Beastie’s gauzy look – I can imagine GB ghoulishly hovering in the air with those airy layers! As always, I enjoy seeing the behind the scenes sketches. I wish you lots of happy creating and market-ing in the coming weeks. Sounds like a very busy time! (I have been waaay behind on blogging and reading this month, and so relate to the need to step back from the social media sometimes!). Cheers. 🙂
Phew, at least I’m not the only one! Hope you’ve been enjoying your time away, Shirley… I love keeping up with all my online buddies, but it’s amazing how quickly a morning can disappear down the social media rabbit hole! I’m glad Ghostie Beastie caught your eye too – next time I make one I really should hang them up with fishing line or catgut to make that ghoulish hovering a reality! 👻 Thanks for stopping in! 😀
Love them all…and so glad that Beastie Towers is buzzing with activity! Hahaha I also love how EB has taken refuge behind a pumpkin for the second pic with that terrifying black panther on the loose! Happy Halloween – hope you have fun tonight 🙂
Thanks, Weekes! Gosh, if only I could convince these Beasties to pick out their own accessories though, rather than leaving it all up to me! 😂 I think Explorer Beastie quite missed Gizmo the black panther this Hallowe’en (we normally head to the countryside to see him at this time of year) but watching our entire neighborhood being lit up with (totally illegal) fireworks was enough to distract him! Hope you had a good one too! 😀
Awwwww Gizmo!!!! Oooohhh illegal fireworks! We didn’t hear any at ours (luckily for Jane who is terrified by them). In fact, I did not see a single child or adult dressed up yesterday (out of a sampling of hundreds of people)! And there was not one mention of the holiday in the office! I’m super glad I made a last minute decision not to wear my cat ears into work….
Oh, what a bunch of spoilsports! Although it sounds like your co-workers are somewhat disconnected from what’s going on around them… I say wear the ears to work tomorrow and see if anyone notices! 😹
Also, how is it that fireworks are legal in the UK, but people are choosing to waive their right to use them?! My neighbours have been letting off a veritable arsenal of “practice” explosives every day since mid-August!
Hmmm perhaps I might have seen some costumes had I not rudely barred my doors from trick-of-treaters. HAHA so very true about the coworkers… no one noticed when I cut off all my hair, why would I think they’d bat an eye at new set of ears?? Four years ago, there were fireworks every single night for at least two months surrounding 5th November. Jane practically lived under the couch, it was terrible! And then since that awful year, it’s been weirdly quiet… I don’t know what happened! Maybe illegality would rekindle some interest….
Oh, poor Jane! This is the only time of year when I’m pretty glad I’m not a cat. Speaking of which, I hope you’re wearing your cat ears to work today!
Poor kittens 😿! Next best thing, I wore Old Faithful (ie the CATS hoodie)! Can’t wait to see the Beastie version 😆
Yes, I’m sure the suspense must be killing you! Shouldn’t be too much longer on that… I’ll be in touch during the week with photos so you decide if you want to add hair and piercings 😺
That is extremely exciting news!!! 🙀
Happy Halloween!!
Thanks, Tajana! Hope you had a good one… I bet you’re busy at the minute too! Good luck with your Christmas makes 😀
Gorgeous as always!
Good luck with the madness season. I hope it all goes well for you!
Thanks Catherine! I actually love the buzz of market season, but it sure is a busy time! 😀
I’m sorry, I can barely get through this post because I’m laughing too hard at the fact that you live in Ireland and you’re “enjoying the cooler days”…because those Irish summers are SOOOOO hot. HAHAHA! Still, I love all these Beasties (don’t tell Finn). By the way, in my home, a black cat is never optional..when Loki dies, I’m going to have to spray paint one of the other cats black. Keep up the great work, glad to hear about all the upcoming Beastie Bounty!!
I know! I am unashamedly feeble in the heat… And by heat, I mean anything over about 25°C. 😆 Lame! I’m glad you got a chuckle/full blown fit of debilitating laughter out of it though – I live to entertain. 😀 Hey, did Finn not dress up yesterday? Or was he too busy scoffing all your candy? Hope you and your menagerie had a very happy Hallowe’en, anyway… Thanks for stopping in as always! 🎃
Finn hid his book behind his back and thought no one would ever recognize him as a “normal” Beastie 🙄 Then he spent the rest of the evening in bed moaning from having eaten too much candy. As for the heat, 25?!! Hot?! Now I’m laughing all over again!!
Hahaha! Good costume, Finn! 😆 I’m actually surprised he didn’t take the opportunity to pop on his lovely kilt from earlier in the year again, he looked so handsome in it! As for that heat thing, you’d better laugh it up now… Because as the weather gets colder, I’ll still be running around town in a t-shirt while everyone else is bundled up like the Michelin Man! 😁
I think your body has absorbed some wool-like insulation from handling all that yarn. As for me, I’ll run around in shorts until at least mid-December…while wearing wool gloves (my hands don’t do well in the cold). It’s a look you’ll see someday on the Paris runways 😉
Ha! You too? I’m a big fan of the vest top and gloves look myself… Why won’t the heat from my middle bits travel out to my fingers, where it’s actually needed?! 😆