Dotty Bird Cross Stitch

Lots to do, lots to do, lots to do... I initially cross stitched this cute little bird (pattern from a magazine) earlier this year, but then due to health reasons it sat on the side for several months before I was well enough to finish it off! I decopaged the embroidery hoop, lined the back with felt, and added some buttons and ribbon. The hoop is approx 11cm in diameter, so it's a smaller piece of work, but I love the spring colours!

Gingerbread Man (Christmas) Cross Stitch

Well, it's only 292 days til Christmas! In reality, I finished this cross stitch last year, but helpfully didn't get it finally mounted until earlier this year... But, it's ready for next Christmas! The Gingerbread Man is made with a Christmas Characters cross stitch kit from DMC - a lovely little gift from my husband :) I mounted it in a wooden embroidery hoop that I painted gold, and added a little gold bell and a red hanging ribbon. I really love it when I walk by the tree, knock a branch, and hear a little jingle, so I couldn't resist that addition.

Bead Embroidery - 'Tranquil Sky'

An acquaintance of mine was recently clearing out a large stash of craft supplies she had inherited. Within the bundle I claimed was this bead embroidery pattern. It is from the Mandala Series by Amaryllis Artworks, and little did I know at the time that they're actually quite hard to find in the UK! Not only that, but the previous owner had gone to the trouble of sourcing the specific recommended supplies to make the finished piece! I tend to just make do with what I've got if it's close enough, but everything included here was exact.

The embroidery is worked on lilac linen using various threads and beads, and the booklet not only contains the pattern but the instructions for each of the stitches used. I'm hoping to use and adapt both the pattern and the stitch instructions into further designs, as I really enjoyed working on this. It has sat around in the art studio for a while as I have pondered how to finish it off, until I noticed it was the perfect size to wrap round a small square canvas. I attached it to the sides with spray mount before tacking the back into place. I intend to hang it so it appears as a diamond, and hopefully I'll add more to the collection soon. Can anyone recommend any resources for embroidery designs and stitches such as this?

Spring Flowers Cross Stitch

Last year, I was lucky enough to win Pretty Stitches by Jayne Schofield. The inside is just awash with colours, flowers, and everything pretty. It didn't take me long to decide I would need to test a chart out for myself! I began with a piece of plain white aida, and went to town with my acrylic paint adding colour and patterns to it, and also splashed some sparkly gold ink across it.

Rather than buying the specific threads recommended in the book, I picked out appropriate colours from my stash, mixing things up where it seemed appropriate. I added some sparkly thread to areas, and used some Anchor Perle cotton thread to bring out the centre of the butterflies. I also added just a few sparkly gold mini gems to catch the light.

I mounted my finished cross stitch in an embroidery hoop that I had lightly painted in an off-white pearl paint, and attached some sparkly ribbon to hang from. I also wrapped some more Anchor Perle Cotton Thread (colour 1335) around a section of the embroidery hoop - I love adding details like this! I stitched a circle of felt to the back of my work just to finish it off neatly. This project took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but I love how colourful and spring-like it is now it is finished, and I would definitely recommend the book if you like your cross stitch pretty and colourful!

Little Angel Cross Stitch Decoration

When I saw this free Little Angel cross stitch pattern online I knew I had to make it! I used clear plastic aida and various threads from my stash. I changed the hair and the bird so it was only one tone, changed the halo so that it would be easier to cut out, and outlined the wings in the same gold thread as the halo for added sparkle. I made the cord by twisting cream and gold thread together, and backed it with white felt. It was quite a quick and easy pattern to do, and there are so many colour options! The pattern comes in a few designs too, so it's worth having a look.

Scooby Doo Cross Stitch

There is a wonderful little charity here in the UK called Post Pals, who send post to seriously ill children and their siblings. Recently, I heard they were looking for crafters to get making cross stitches to try and ensure every child under their care received a cross stitch. I was paired with a young boy who loves Scooby Doo, and so this cross stitch ensued! I painted a wooden hoop to match Scooby Doo's collar, and added some gold ribbon for hanging. The gold on the collar is also in a sparkly thread, just to add that metallic sheen!

Tried and Tested Tip Number 33 [VHS Cases for Small Projects]

I'm one of those slightly odd people who still has a bookcase full of VHS. I even have a VHS player, although it didn't work the last time I tried using it... Anyway, I've realised it's about time I get rid of some of these VHS tapes and cases. Only, it seems such a waste to throw them all away if I can find alternate uses for them!

I recently began a new sewing kit ('The Good Life' by Dimensions) and as normal it came in a small cellophane bag which isn't very easy to work with. I grabbed one of my empty VHS cases, and it all fitted together so well! I was able to put the picture of the cross stitch in the cover slot, so I knew what the project was.

Inside it fitted the chart, fabric, threads, and my pencil and scissors (both, of course, with lids). And when open, the lid of the box even worked as a stand for my pattern! It is so much easier to pick the box up to take out, and I know it's safer in my bag this way. I'm so pleased with the set up, now just to find something to do with the rest of them...

Festive February: Cross Stitch Penguin Decorations

I wanted to stitch a little penguin decoration for a dear friend of mine for Christmas, and went to Google to find a pattern. Well, I didn't quite find a pattern, but I found this, an image of a completed cross stitch, which just happened to be simple enough to use as a pattern! Very useful :)

I ended up falling in love with these little dudes, and so made one for our tree too!

Made on plastic canvas they came together quite quickly, and I attached a ribbon and a felt backing using my glue gun. I really need to get more plastic canvas in time for next Christmas, I'm always finding last minute projects for it!

Cross Stitched Wonder Woman Ornament

This year, my husband and I decided to join up with a Secret Santa linked with an online community we belong to. The person we were paired with mentioned DC Comics in her interests, and so I set about creating this ornament for her to decorate her Christmas tree. I searched Google for free cross stitch patterns and found this helpful image. Frustratingly I cannot find the original source - if you know who created it let me know in a comment and I will update here! I was able to use this graph to cross stitch the design on to some plastic canvas using threads from my stash. I backed it with felt and attached a ribbon hanging loop. It could really be hung up all year round!

Christmas Cross Stitch Hangings

I apologise that these are not the most wonderful photos, but I wanted to share these with you. I love stitching mini Christmas cross-stitches, but I never really know what to do with them. Yes, they could be used as Christmas cards, but they're a lot of work for something so disposable. They could also be Christmas tree decorations, but when you have as many as I do that becomes a bit crazy! They can be mounted in proper frames, but this can be difficult to store for 11 months of the year.

 In the end, this was my solution. I trimmed the edges of each cross stitch so they were all the same size. Using double sided sticky tape (we'll see how that holds up in time!) I mounted each cross stitch on some thick card. I arranged them to have a vague theme or colour similarity. These take up very little room to store, but allow them to be displayed at Christmas!

[This one is attached to my rabbits play area - their own personal Christmas decoration!]

Cross Stitch Snowflakes

These snowflakes are another project I found in the Handmade Christmas magazine. There are two different designs, and I stitched them in thread colours from my stash that complemented each other. I snipped round the edges of the plastic canvas, and used my glue gun to attach a hanging ribbon and a felt backing. I love how these look on the tree! The patterns were a bit fiddly (two stitches here, one stitch there), but enjoyable and quick to make. Any snowflake cross stitch pattern found on the internet could be created on plastic canvas (I used 14 count) to make similar ornaments! The possibilities are immense.

Mixed Media || Dandelion Clocks

Yeh, so I basically winged this piece of art, but I love it!! It is so very unique... If you follow me over on Facebook, you will have seen this come together, I hope you enjoy seeing bits of the process :)

This idea started out when I was creating some abstract paintings, and I wondered how it would look if I applied paint in the same way to aida fabric - turns out, it looks great! I also painted an embroidery hoop, and wrapped some appropriate threads around a section of it, secured with double sided sticky tape - just to add some extra interest and texture.

After securing the aida to the embroidery hoop, I started working into it, freestyle, with a needle and thread. I started with some half cross stitches, using scraps of thread I had left over from other projects. I stitched some zigzags over the top - it's a technique I've used in a kit before, and I really like the effect. I also stitched some dandelion clocks on with some feature beads, before applying felt to the back for support, and tying the top with a ribbon. I think the combination of colours and textures is unique and exciting, I really love it!

Unicorn Cross Stitch

I found the chart for this unicorn cross stitch over on Do Small Things With Love, and I thought it would make a lovely gift for a unicorn obsessed friend! I used sparkly aida, and threads I had in my stash. I backed it with white felt (a Google search suggested a running stitch around the aida at the back, then tacking a felt circle over the top, and I'm happy with it!) and added some extra hearts.