Halloween in July has arrived! All this week we'll be putting up spooky new designs ... and watch for a special treat on Friday! It's the good kind, like when that neighbor who really liked you put together a whole gift bag of candy just for you. But in the meantime, enjoy a frighteningly cool new freebie ...

That's right ... a freestanding lace spiderweb coaster/doily/piece of awesomeness! If you need a refresher on how to make freestanding lace, you can find it here -- just hoop up a piece of water-soluble stabilizer, stitch out the design, then rinse the stabilizer away. Voila -- instant machine-embroidered lace! We've got hand embroidery and digital stock art spiderwebs to go with it too. They're all free through Sunday, Aug. 1. Just add the version(s) you want to your basket, check out, and enjoy. Happy Halloween in July!

Welcome to a special Halloween in July tutorial Monday edition!  All over the place right now Christmas in July sales are going on. I love Christmas, no doubt about it, but I say why not celebrate the spookiest holiday a little bit early! Swap your green and red for some black and orange and follow along with us this week in spooktacular style! I've got a double trouble edition for you today...

Want to start crafting before the leaves start turning? You might want to get a head start if you're going to tackle that awesome little ghost dog pattern from lizville. I'd love to have one of these guys hanging around my house all year!

Not feeling in a crochet mood, and perhaps looking for something super quick to conjure up? How about these adorable ghost and cat pillows from value village? Stitch em up quick and haunt your house a little early!

Join us all this week for more Halloween in July fun, including a spooky new freebie! Happy haunting!

The look of hand embroidery in hoops is fast becoming a hot new trend.  Some people, however, really embroider, and even those who do don't always have time to whip up a whole bunch as beautiful hanging decor. design*sponge to the rescue!

design*sponge has an awesome little tutorial on how to make faux- embroidery quote hoops, using iron-on designs, so you can get all the beautify of hand crafted decor without all the time it requires. Make a whole bunch!

Summer is in full bloom -- hope you're taking every opportunity to enjoy all of nature's beauty! This latest greatest freebie is of the green variety -- a light leafy lovely Earth design perfect for all-natural totes, tees, and more. The open stitching makes this design perfect to add a light touch of embroidery to all sorts of earthy creations! It's a breezier take on the loopy peace sign, soaring bird, and dragonfly designs that you've loved so much.

This design is available in three-count-'em-three sizes in machine embroidery, hand embroidery, and digital stock art formats, FREE through Monday, July 19. Just add the version(s) you want to your basket , check out, and enjoy!

Shake up your embroidery -- sampler-style! Repeating little hearts, scissors, skulls, and spools of thread frame a message of PEACE LOVE CRAFT in our latest freebie!

It's available in two sizes in machine embroidery, hand embroidery, and digital stock art formats, FREE through July 5. Just add the version(s) you want to your basket, check out, and enjoy! This riff on the classic embroidery sampler will be awesome on craft totes, wall hangings, and more. We'd love to see what you do with it!

P.S. By request, here's the border alone! Also free through July 5.