Thursday, December 15, 2011

Joy to the World

This is the ornament I stitched for Sarah this year.  It's from the 2010 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue, appropriately titled Joy to the World.  The designer is  Fancy Work, and I used DMC floss.

The design was supposed to be finished in this shape -


 






   _____
                                                        /         \
                                                      /             \
                                                     |               |
                                                     |               |
                                                     \               /
                                                       \           /
                                                         ---------

- but because I used 28 count evenweave (what else do I ever use?), instead of the 30 count that was called for, the template provided for finishing wasn't the right size, and no matter how I fiddled with it, I wasn't satisfied, so I gave up and went with the oval instead.

When I finish pieces, I always check my collection of Spellbinders die templates to see if I have one that will work.  Then I cut three or four pieces of lightweight cardboard - from empty cereal or cracker boxes - and glue them together to form a thicker piece.  This way I get accurately cut pieces, which is especially helpful when I am making a pinkeep or flatfold which require two identical pieces of matboard or thick cardboard.  Yes, it does take a lot of die cut pieces, but I find this method works well, especially because accuracy isn't always easy for me.


2 comments:

Heidi said...

The finish is beautiful! I think it works well as an oval.

Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

It is gorgeous, I love it! I stitched this last year and did the template and I don't think mine turned out a fraction as lovely as yours. Good JOB!