I am a big fan of Jeanne Dansby at Byrds Nest Blog, so when she updates her blog, I get excited. I love her latest pattern creation. It takes leaves as the inspiration and would be great stitched as a series of several blocks or just as one for a card or mini pillow. Check out the free chart.
Have you read?
How to Cross Stitch Napkin Rings
I like small projects in all my crafts, and I’ve been spending some time this year coming up with little cross stitch projects that I can do to build my skills and also not be working on a gigantic project (which I also am, just not regularly).
I feel like most of us prefer closer to instant gratification projects most of the time. While there’s also room for those big, dramatic, super detailed projects, my lifestyle, and maybe yours too, is much better suited to smaller projects.
With that in mind I thought it would be fun to try making a cross stitch napkin ring. My version has three little flowers on it, but you could take this idea 100 different ways for different holidays and seasons. Tiny Christmas trees or snowflakes, stars, hearts, flowers of different colors.
Since it’s a small project it doesn’t take long to make one (which is nice, because you’ll probably want more than one to embellish your table).
I made my flowers in different colors, with a different one of the same three colors I chose serving as the center for a different flower. The centers are worked as French knots (which are so much fun to make), and I did mirror images of the flower chart just to make it more fun for me.
I also finished the edges with blanket stitch using another color of embroidery floss, which adds cuteness and hopefully will keep the fabric from fraying too much. So far so good.
Check out the pattern and grab the little flower chart I used over at Our Daily Craft.
Do you love little cross stitch projects? Or ones that are maybe less traditional ways to use cross stitch? I’d love to hear your ideas for different kinds of projects I could try.