Harry Potter - Stitch Your Own Adventure - Letters From Hogwarts

I just found out that the files for the Letters From Hogwarts will be removed from Cunning Cross Stitch on August 31, 2023. Incase anyone would like to still stitch this project.

Stewart will be releasing a new stitch your own adventure on September 1, 2023.  I'm excited to see what he has come up with this time.

SYOA - Harry Potter Letters From Hogwarts - Happy Dance!!

It has been a wonderful adventure this year at Hogwarts.  I started on January 25 (after receiving my fabric order) and finished yesterday on December 27. For awhile, because of all of the items I kept adding to the project I never expected to finish it in 2020. I felt like I needed to keep adding more stuff because this was going to be the only Harry Potter project I will ever cross stitch. I have LOVED every stitch I made and/or frogged to make this the most perfect personal completed project. I’m going to really miss working on this project.

Completed project. I plan on framing it with a simple black frame. I want to enjoy all of the colours in the project.

Top banner.

The 6 Chapters.

Bottom banner.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #8

I have completed 4 of the 7 books. 

Books 1, 2 & 3 complete.

Book 7 showing all 7 horcruxes.

I am working on book 6 right now.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #7

Friday night I started added the images to represent the book titles. I decided to stitch by colour. I stitched with black floss (Harry’s glasses, Riddle’s diary, cauldron, deathly hallows) then I used a yellow gold colour (horcruxes - corner of diary, locket Hufflepuff cup, ring).

Saturday night I added more black (dementor), then yellows (moon).

Last night I finished yellows and greys(moon and clouds). Then had to frog the dementor because it didn’t line up with the moon. It was only when I started stitching the green (basilisk) that I realized I was a row short on all of the books. That is why the moon and dementor didn’t line up. I’m not frogging all of the books. I’ll adjust the images in the space to work.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #6

I accomplished a lot of stitching yesterday.  I finished book 5, then started and finished book 6.

I even had time to start book 7.  I can’t wait to finish this last book outline, then I can start stitching the images to represent the title of each book.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #5

I made great progress on Book 5 last night.  Plan to finish it today because I’m spending the day cross stitching.

SYOA - Flying Letters - update #2

Last night/early this morning I finished the 6 flying letters on the left side of the phoenix.

Tonight we are going to watch some Christmas movies, so I will work on the 5 letters on the right side of the phoenix.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #4

Last night I finished the outline on book 1 and started the small group of flying letters on the letter side of the phoenix.

I have completed 2 1/2 letters of the 6 in this group.

I love how it looks with the books at the bottom and letters at the top.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #3

I finished the outline of book 2 and started book 1.  Sorry my photo is a little wonky, it was taken early this morning.  They are stitching up fast because I designed them all the same just changed the colours for each book.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #2

I finished the top of book 3, thought the whole book was done and started on the top of book.  I’ll work on the bottoms another night.

SYOA - Flying Letters - Update #1

Friday night (early Saturday morning)  I finished the letters above the Knight Bus and started the ones above the Hogwarts Express.  

Tonight I finished the ones above the train and did the one in the phoenix’s claws.

I have left the year out until I know when it is complete.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - update #1

I finished backstitching all around Book 3 and added some more purple to the book.

SYOA - Flying Letters

I decided to mix it up a bit and do some letters at the top. They went faster than I thought they would, I only have 1 more letter to fill in above the Knight Bus. All the stitchers in the Facebook Group complained about how long to stitch because of the fractional stitches on the edges. I usually stitch with 2 or 3 needles at the same time because I backstitch as I go, so I don’t make a mistake with counting all the 1/4 stitches on the edge of the letters. 

SYOA - Harry Potter Books - book 4 outline completed

I completed the outline on book 4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  I decided not to try and back stitch the words under Harry Potter.  Instead I stitched an “x” for each letter in the book titles and also at the bottom for the author’s name J K Rowling.

SYOA - Harry Potter Books

I decided to work on the books at the bottom, starting in the middle with book 4.  I plan to do all of the tops, bottoms and outline of each book.  Then I will fill in each book cover design after.     

Thank you Jo and Clare for your opinion about the flying letters.  Yes, I also think the letters will be worth the effort to stitch them.

SYOA - Phoenix - Happy Dance!

I did complete the phoenix on Sunday, but it was too dark at night and yesterday was also dark and dreary with lots of rain.  Last night the rain turned into snow and today it is still snowing, but it is bright outside.  I finally got some more photos of my project.

The phoenix up close above Hogwarts.  I only had to substitute one floss colour.  It called for using Kreinik Vintage Amber, but I swapped it for DMC 3829 on his chest and wings.

Here is the top portion.  Do you think it needs some floating envelopes above the Knight Bus, Hogwarts and the Hogwarts Express Train to fill in the empty spaces?  The project is called Letters From Hogwarts.

This is my layout idea with the letters. Let me know if you think it is too much.  Do I really need them?  That would save me some stitching. :). Yes, the letter in the phoenix’s claws says SYOA AC2021, because I’m not expecting to finish this until early 2021.  Unless I get everything completed in the next 4 weeks.

Here is a photo of my wand with the 4 small house crests.

And finally the whole project so far.

SYOA - Phoenix

I started the phoenix on Friday night, but only got the 2 small flames at the bottom nearest the castle.  The rest I stitched on Saturday.  I hope to have it all done today.  I love the bright colours of the phoenix against the brown castle.

Forgot to say that the smoke was designed by one of the other stitchers on the Facebook group Letters From Hogwarts.  I just changed the smoke colours.

SYOA - Chapter 6 - Smoke & Wand - Happy Dances

Yesterday I stitched the smoke above the train.  I chose the same dark (DMC 04) and medium (DMC 03) grey that I used on the brick wall in The Three Broomsticks.  Then I added a lighter (DMC 02) grey to go with them.

Today I stitched my wand.  I tried to make the handle look like tree bark and the shaft to look like the inside part of the tree.  I’m happy with how it looks.

That is 2 things off my list.  Next will be the phoenix, but it will take me a few days.  My goal is to have it completed by the end of the weekend.

SYOA - Chapter 6 - Happy Dance

I finally finished Chapter 6 and I love how it turned out. It is one of my favourite parts of this project.

I thought you might like to see the whole project.

I have 10 or 11 more things to stitch and then it will be complete.

1. Wand (open space under the snitch and broom)
2. Smoke above train so the train on the right side will be balanced with the Knight Bus on the left
3. Phoenix (above Hogwarts castle)
4. Flying letters at the top (not sure yet, will decide after seeing the smoke and phoenix)
5. Book 1
6. Book 2
7. Book 3
8. Book 4
9. Book 5
10. Book 6 
11. Book 7

I have 5 more weeks until the end of the year and I do love a stitching deadline.  Let’s see how much I can get done by the end of 2020.

SYOA - Chapter 6 - Patronus - update #2

I am almost finished, just need to fill in the random floor tiles.  I love the look of the full coverage background.