Check out This Amazing Piece of Cross-Stitched Art

While it’s not cross stitch in the traditional sense, this art installation from Ana Martins, aka Aheneah, is a fantastic homage to cross stitch worked in yarn and screws.

The project, called Switch-Over, represents the carefree attitude of students at the school near this wall located in the artist’s hometown of Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal.

She says on her Instagram post about the project:

Every day, for many years, thousands of kids pass by this wall while going from home to school and from school to home. Most of the time just floating in their thoughts, lost in space, time and routine. Until their paths have to change directions. This happened to me a few years ago.

The piece uses more than 2,300 screws and 700 yards of yarn. Pretty amazing.

[Photo: Aheneah, via Pinterest.]

Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish yourself as a cross stitch designer. Most designers do holiday designs, they often do florals, have text designs that are a little snarky. But if you can find a niche you love and people can come to know you for it, that’s a great strategy.

I don’t know if the designer behind Living on the Rainbow originally set out to do really cool three dimensional cross stitch patterns, but that’s a lot of what’s available in their shop and I think it’s super fun.

There is, for example, a whole set of Christmas village patterns that are assembled in a circle and topped with fabric that makes them look sort of like carousels. There are three dimensional mushroom houses, tiny stitched books, and spring themed designs including 3D eggs, teapots and bird houses.

Some of my favorites are the tiny campers, like this Gothic caravan that looks like something Beetlejuice himself would ride around in. The cross stitch portion features Gothic windows on the sides and back, a striped top and vampire fangs on the front. It’s finished with button wheels, bats and bat wings in the photos, but you can add whatever accessories you like to bring your caravan to life.

It’s shown on 18 count fabric and comes out to about 1.8 by 2 inches, or 4.5 by 5.5 cm. It’s stitched in three pieces that are assembled and stuffed, and the pattern includes instructions for how to do that. It’s meant to be a pincushion but would be delightful as an ornament as well.

There are also designs that are assembled as cubes, some of which are seasonal while others have themes like different crafts. There’s also a stunning section of Alice in Wonderland patterns you’ll want to check out.

In addition to the dimensional designs, there are some more conventional Halloween patterns, a series of mini ghosts, Christmas themed patterns that look like envelopes, and a few Christmas patterns, too.

Do yourself a favor and go check out Living on the Rainbow. Even if you never stitch any of the projects (though I’d love to know if you do!) they’re sure to make you smile.

[Photo: Living on the Rainbow]

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