I don’t think I ever reported back to you, but the cross-stitching project went over really well with my sister. She couldn’t believe I really made it myself. Here’s a photo of the finished project:
It took me 83 hours to finish this (I wrote down every minute I worked on it, just to get an idea of how long it would take me) and I ended up putting it in a black wooden frame. It’s now hung up in my niece’s and nephew’s bedroom and it ties in wonderfully with the rest of the room.
A short while after finishing it, I decided (maybe against better judgment?) that I was going to try and also complete the matching baby quilt. The project above was a counted cross-stitch, in which one usually uses easily countable evenweave fabric called aida cloth and counts the threads in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. The quilt, however, is a stamped cross-stitch, meaning that one simply stitches over the printed pattern on the piece of fabric.
Stamped cross-stitching may sound like a much easier way to work (especially if you’re a beginner), but in all honesty, the counted cross-stitching is much more rewarding. The aida cloth is MUCH easier to work with than trying to stitch evenly on fabric, even with the help of the stamped pattern. Just trust me.
So this is what I am working on right now.
This is going to be the finished project:
And this is the fabric that I picked out for the back of the baby quilt. Cute, yes?
Hopefully I can finish all of this by December. I am contemplating on buying a sewing machine to finish up the back side of the quilt, once I am done with the stitching part. I cannot imagine sewing on the back by hand (sounds insane, right?).
Kyla Roma
July 26, 2010 at 8:54 amOh wow, it’s beautiful! That’s a wild amount of work, what a labor of love :)
Susan
July 26, 2010 at 9:03 amTotally cute! That cross stitch picture is amazing. Love the quilt and the fabric. What a good aunt you are! :)
Emily Jane
July 26, 2010 at 9:03 amThat’s incredible! Very well done you :)
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emmysuh
July 26, 2010 at 9:57 amPretty sure I haven’t cross stiched since Girl Scounts when I was 8. I was terrible then, sure that I’d be terrible now. ;) But yours is beautiful! Very impressive.
Tinka
July 26, 2010 at 11:37 amOMG! How cute!!! so beautiful!!!
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Irene
July 26, 2010 at 12:15 pmI cross-stitched something for Jenny when she was born, it’s a picture of Ernie and Bert together with her name, birthdate and time, weight and height and put it in a frame. It took me forever but I want to do one for Fynn one day, too. I also sewed some pillows and two simple patchwork blankets. I wish I had more time to do it now, I grew to love it, especially going fabric-shopping. I started without any knowledge but found a sewing-machine is helpful, I can’t sew a straight line by hand. If you need some advice let me know, I am far from being a pro but will help if I can.
Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks
July 26, 2010 at 1:14 pmI think you’re doing a great job – you’re a great sister and aunt to spend so much time on a handmade gift!
BTW, if you think this will be one of the few times you’ll use a sewing machine, look at your local sewing machine store to see if they rent time on theirs. Around here, there’s a sewing machine store and a fabric store, both of which offer rental time on their machines.
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Susi
July 26, 2010 at 5:50 pmvery impressive! I have not finished mine. Yet.
Steffi
July 26, 2010 at 10:56 pmLove it!!!
So you use a “normal” blanked for the quilt?
And did you “draw” the crosses on the blanked that you know were to stitch?
I would love to have a hand-made quilt. I really like them.
Perhaps one day I will so one on my own.
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Maribeth
July 27, 2010 at 4:23 amThat’s beautiful, San. I know it meant a lot to Nina that you have done this.
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ute
July 27, 2010 at 5:20 pmDas sieht super aus!!! kannst ja schon mal eins fuer mich anfangen hast auch noch massig zeit das wird dann bestimmt sogar eher fertig sein als ich schwanger bin. haha. Super tolles geschenk hasi! ich bin begeistert!!!
terra
July 28, 2010 at 7:57 amVery, very impressive! Both projects look great!
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Polin
July 31, 2010 at 7:13 pmWow you got talent! I couldn’t for the life of me do a project like this. Really beautiful!
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Karen
August 1, 2010 at 3:11 pmIt looks really beautiful. Your niece and nephew are lucky to have such a loving aunt.
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Impossibly Alice
August 15, 2010 at 9:45 amI love counted cross stitch so much more as well. I love watching the pictures form out of nothing! Your completed work looks good and I am sure your quilt will be just as beautiful!