Saturday, August 05, 2006

Cross-Stitch Sampler


I really enjoyed working on this easy little sampler from Little House Needleworks. It went very quickly, and there was no backstitching to do at the end! I don't mind backstitching, but it's nice to just be done with a project when you have finished the cross-stitching once in a while. Start to finish, this sampler took about a week. Nearly instant gratification!

I bought the chart from a great little shop in Fredericksburg, Virginia: Everything Cross-Stitch. Naive little me -- I hadn't even realized that stores existed that were devoted entirely to cross-stitch. I usually buy my floss and fabric at craft superstores. Sometimes I even buy kits or charts there. The horror!

Chart: ABC 123, from Little House Needleworks
Fabric: Charles Craft 14-count Aida in natural
Floss: DMC cotton floss

Modifications
I substituted Aida for the 28-count linen evenweave fabric. I'm pretty happy with that choice, even though the linen would have given the sampler a more antique feel. I also changed the house color from cream to a deep terra cotta, the same as the flowers/berries(?) in the vines below. I'm going to give this to my mother. The colors go perfectly with both her dining room and living room decor, and she always appreciates a handmade gift. She rotates samplers and projects in and out with the seasons.

I might make this again, substituting navy for the black and adding in a bit more red. I would probably use Kreinik Silk mori thread and linen fabric. It would be a great gift for my auntie-in-law.

No comments: