Halfway to Haunts: Botanical Horror Outfit

Today’s prompt is, “What would you wear in a cursed greenhouse?”

The argument could be made our greenhouse is cursed, I guess. Things haven’t gone smoothly. But we will keep plugging away.

My outfit is simply a handmade, flowery linen dress, wellies, gardening gloves, and my witch hat. I have taken the liberty to come up with names of short stories to accompany this photo, which I will never write:

The Ghost Gardener

The Greenhouse that Wasn’t

Hot House Skeleton

Green Grows the Witch

What does it mean to be a “cursed” greenhouse? Pitch me your ideas in the comments.

Halfway to Haunts: The Yarn that Lurks

I have a lot of yarn that lurks. I know what to do with most of it, though. And there’s always socks!

I dyed this DK weight cotton yarn for Chestnut Hills Farm and Fiber when I was doing that. It’s called “Volunteer Sunflowers” and the yellow probably would work for an intentional pooling pattern. The blue and green yarn that matches was just for fun.

Cotton can be challenging. I guess I could knit an intentional pooling bandana? What would you make with this yarn?

Halfway to Haunts: Crafting by Moonlight

Today’s prompt is, “Share your favorite time of day to work and your set up.”

Right now, I still work weekday mornings. That means my favorite time of day is after lunch — either knitting in front of the TV in the recliner, or sewing or weaving in my craft office while listening to a podcast or book.

Happy Mother’s Day to all those who mother! You know who you are. I have spent a wonderful weekend with two of my kids and it has been a balm. 🩷

Halfway to Haunts: Horror Icons

Today’s prompt is, “What book, film, or folklore inspires your spooky vibes?”

Well how timely. My kids brought me to FrankenCon for Mother’s Day and my birthday so I could meet Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl from The Last Drive In!

They signed my t-shirt quilt, and were really sweet.

The Last Drive In is one of the things I have looked forward to watching for the past several years. I see and learn about some of my favorite horror films, as well as films I wouldn’t ordinarily choose to watch, and end up loving!

What else inspires my spooky vibes? I’m drawn to mermaids and vampires and Bigfoot and witches and the paranormal. I’m not sure I have spooky vibes, though, to be honest. I’m more like a quirky grandma.

Halfway to Haunts: Haunted Herb of the Day

Today’s prompt is, “Share a plant you’re drawn to lately.”

Lately I’ve been learning about Avens. I have been noticing it in the woods and pollinator garden lately, specifically Wood Avens (Geum urbanum).

It’s delicate and not easy to photograph, so I opted for an illustration.

This Avens is invasive and non-native. At first I thought it was White Avens, which is native and is known for Native American medicinal uses. However the flowers are yellow.

Wood Avens is supposed to drive away evil spirits. I’m not sure if I should let it grow or remove it. Will evil spirits descend upon me if I uproot the Wood Avens?

Halfway to Haunts: Heirloom Haunts

Today’s prompt is, “Do you have vintage or sentimental tools or supples?”

I do have vintage and sentimental tools. My grandmother made me a sewing box when I was a girl (out of a tackle box) and I still have the thimble, a point turner, and a seam ruler. Every time I use the corner tool I think of her.

I also have her embroidery hoop and one of her small quilting frames (throw pillow sized). And I have my Great Aunt Mary’s tiny tiny crochet hooks.

As far as sentimental goes, Bob bought me a really good pair of scissors I treasure.

I was trying to come up with a spooky story like “The Haunted Thimble” or “Scissors of Death” but no can do. I’m on the road today!

I cast on a sock to knit on the drive in Dye Mad’s Devil Tarot colorway. I’m using my “The Shining” yarn minder from the Knitting is Metal box from last Halloween.

I will tell you that while in Salem, our Knit Coven came up with knit-witch names for ourselves. (Think of the Pink Ladies but in colorwork cardigans.) My name is Clara Clickety-Clack! And after I die, I plan to haunt my favorite places in Salem with the sound of my knitting needles.

Halfway to Haunts: Dark Cottage Dream Day

Today’s prompt is, “Share or describe your perfect haunted spring afternoon.”

—

It is cool and foggy. I am walking in the woods, wearing a diaphanous dress, stepping around the spring flowers popping up through the leaves.

I notice a dark figure in the fog ahead of me. There are no details. It is a shape. Broad shouldered and tall, it is faced toward me. If it had eyes, it would be looking at me. It beckons with one hand and turns. I follow.

I have a difficulty keeping up. The figure glides on ahead, while I trip over twigs and stumble on brambles. I lose it as it fades in and out of the fog. Finally, it disappears altogether. As I look around I notice at my feet a grave marker. It’s an old family burial plot!

—

I have this fantasy of finding a family graveyard on our land. We have weird limestone pillars in our retaining wall, and our borders are a triangle. It’s an odd little parcel, but probably was never a graveyard.

I found a map online that showed who owned the land in 1850. It was a Mennonite family named Eshelman. I also found while doing ancestry research that a great great great great uncle died in the county I live in — Johann Diel Vance. I would love to find his grave.

I found records of Johann’s father, also Johann Diel (Handel) Vance (Wentz), emigrating from Germany. They were a Mennonite family. I am descended from one of Johann’s other sons, William, who tried to get out of serving in the Revolutionary War because it was against his religion. He ended up serving anyway. I suspect Johann Junior ended up here because many Revolutionary War soldiers received land in this area for their service. William and descendants (my ancestors) moved on to Kentucky.

There’s a Vance Road nearby, and someday I will drive it to see if I can find a graveyard. I found on Find a Grave a gravestone of another Handel Vance, a photographer born in my county. Probably Johann Junior’s son, though I have no direct link.

I find it interesting that I ended up here, and how this place feels like home. My family is from the foothills of the Ozarks in Oklahoma, and now I’m in the foothills of the Appalachians in Ohio. I’m a turtle, following the earth’s gentle magnetism back home to lay my eggs.

Halfway to Haunts: Cursed (or Blessed?) Garden Tools

Today’s prompt is: “What is the weirdest or most magical item in your toolkit?”

Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided I wanted a flint blade. We have a flint quarry near us — part of a historical park. They used to have knapping days. I was hoping to attend one, but alas, they aren’t holding those events anymore.

I caved and ordered one on Etsy. It traveled all the way from Germany and was inexpensive. It’s very sharp! Every bit as good as a metal blade.

But it needed a handle. I thought wood at first, but when in Salem I found this piece of antler at The Plant Witch. Now I am working a slot in the antler to insert my blade. I’m hoping it will be snug enough to hold it, but if not I’ll use a little epoxy.

What would Phil Harding say? He wouldn’t think it weird at all.

Halfway to Haunts: The Project that Got Away

Today’s prompt is about frogging, failing, or falling out of love.

Last year, friends and I decided we would all knit some form of gansey. I chose a very special yarn from my stash and a pattern by a favorite designer. What could go wrong?

Trying to make the amount of yarn work, I sized down. I was tired of knitting oversized sweaters that swallowed me whole. I wanted a fitted gansey.

This would normally work, but not if you choose a design that is fitted around the shoulders and arms, but loose around the bust and body— and you are knitting it from the bottom up. The result was the body fit, but the armholes and neck were way too snug. And this fit did not suit the design at all!

I frogged the entire project. There was no way to save it. I still have the yarn, of course. Another problem is the yarn is hand dyed, so I will need to alternate skeins, whatever I decide to make.

What would you make with this yarn?

Halfway to Haunts YOP

Today’s H2H prompt is “Botanical Baddies: If your favorite plant turned villainous, what powers would it have?”

I have many favorite plants. But one of my all-time favorites is Rue. Rue has a strong scent, not unpleasant. If it was villainous, I think it would emit an even stronger and repellent scent. Think of a stink bug, or The Spleen in Mystery Men.

Year of Projects Updates

Knitting

I am so close to finishing my Wearing Cardigan! Just collar and button bands to go.

Sewing

I made a black linen skirt yesterday, start to finish. It’s meant to replicate an old favorite Athleta skirt I wore out. I will get a lot of wear from it in summer. I used Simplicity 2184. It was super easy to sew. I may make the gored version for the next one in gray linen.

I took a broom making class today at Dye Mad Yarns. We had enough time and materials to make two cobwebbing brooms! It was a fun class taught by the delightful people of Broomtown.

We finished the greenhouse frame. The foundation is a few inches short, so Bob is going to fix that. Then we can secure the frame to the base, and finish up with the structure and panels.

This has been a Year of Projects (YOP) Update. The group is in its 14th year, but I have only been doing it for a few years. This is a Ravelry based group. You can learn more here.