Saturday, July 18, 2020

Liberty Chalk Full - small

Well, July is more than half over and my latest cross stitch FFO is the small design from the Hands on Design Liberty Chalk Full pattern.  It was a quick project and I was also determined; I stitched it and fully finished it all this month!  I knew I was most likely not going to finish the larger design before the month was over so I focused on the small.




My stitching materials and supplies used:

14 ct. black Aida cloth
Floss substitutions
DMC 347 for CC Licorice Red
Sullivans 45279 (DMC equivalent is 937) for CC Steamed Broccoli
Sullivans 45133 (DMC equivalent is 597) for CC Really Teally
Sullivans 45463 (DMC equivalent is 3865) for GAST Chalk

For the finishing, I purchased an Art Minds wooden frame from Michaels which has a 4x6 opening and was the perfect fit for the piece.  I coated the frame with two layers of white acrylic paint which I think showcases the design and makes the colors pop.  Next, I cut a piece of chipboard the size of the opening using the frame label as a template, and added a piece of batting on top of it.  I then layered the stitched piece on top of the batting and wrapped and glued down (with hot glue gun) the two short edges to the back of the chipboard.  I didn't have much fabric at the top of the piece to wrap so I left the two long sides unglued.  Once pressed into the frame, it was a good snug fit and enough fabric that I think the lip of the frame helped to keep it in place.  And finally, I wanted to add a little embellishment and I found some stars and stripes ribbon in my stash.  I cut a length of ribbon and adhered to the frame with some liquid glue, I tied another piece into a bow and hot glued it to the center.  A clean and simple finish!

Happy stitching!




Knit dishcloths and coaster

Hello there! Today I wanted to share a few knit projects that I've completed over the past few months.  I like to make dishcloths which I use daily for the dishwashing, and if you're new to the craft, dishcloths are great projects to practice your skills and learn new stitches.  I also knit up a mini item, a coaster.  I've stitched the coaster before and used it at work for my drinks which is cuter than a paper towel to catch that condensation!  And, for that instant gratification of completing something quick and crafty, I also put some scrap yarn to use.  And that's another good thing about small projects; it's a great way to use up some leftover yarn!  For all three projects, I used Lily Sugar'n Cream, a 100% cotton yarn.  For the photo shoot, I used an Azure Home frame that I got from A.C. Moore during their closing sale.  I was having a hard time capturing a good picture with the pieces laid flat and decided to try the frame; I was pleased to get a few decent pictures to post.  

This is the coaster.  It measures approximately 4"x4" and is a basketweave pattern.  The yarn color is named just as it looks, Yellow!  The coaster pattern can be found on the Simple Knits blog here.




Next is the Sailor's Rib Stitch Washcloth but I'll be using it as a dishcloth.  It was designed by Sara Louise Greer and is a free pattern from Red Heart.  The Red Heart patterns are now on the Yarnspirations website.  The pattern calls for a different yarn but I'm trying to use up my stash and used what I had on hand.

It measures 6 1/4" x 8 1/4", a little different than the pattern but I used size 7 US needles.  Also, for this project I didn't worry about gauge.  I should block it to smooth out the edges but I don't think the dishes will notice, LOL!  And considering I've never done the blocking technique, I'll wait for a larger more special item!  The yarn color is Hot Purple.




Finally, this is the basketweave dishcloth and it measures about 6" x 6".  I also used size 7 US needles to knit it.  Unfortunately, I don't know where I got the pattern but it uses a cast on of 28 stitches and starts with K4, P4 with an eight row pattern repeat.  Try searching for a free pattern online and there will be tons options!  The yarn color is Hot Blue.


Happy knitting!