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.

The cross stitcher behind the blog Sirious Stitches is quite into biscornu.

If you’re not, a quick primer: biscornu are three-dimensional cross-stitched objects with eight points, often with an indention in the middle that makes them look a bit like doughnuts without the hole. They can be just about any size and subject you can think of. They’re often used as pincushions but can also be seasonal decor or just decoration for any time of year.

I’ve got a collection of biscornu cross stitch patterns here.

Once you’ve stitched one or several (they are a little addicting) you might wonder what you can add to them to make them even more extra.

It very much depends on the design of your biscornu and the look you are going for, but Sirious Stitches has a great post all about some of the options you might consider.

I don’t want to give you the whole list because you need to go visit and see all of their great biscornu they’ve stitched, but one really easy thing that you can do with a lot of designs is take advantage of that center indent by adding a button, beads, silk flower or another embellishment.

This is great to do just with a basic button from your stash that coordinates with the design and colors of the cross stitching, but it’s extra fun if you have a button that’s on theme, such as a leaf for a fall biscornu or a flower shaped button for a floral design. Add a jingle bell to a Christmas pattern, or a charm if you don’t have a button that coordinates.

Just this one idea is sure to get you thinking about ways to embellish biscornu (not to mention other cross stitch projects) but head over to Sirious Stitches to see all of their ideas for embellishing biscornu to make these already fun projects even more fun.

Have you ever made biscornu? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Sirious Stitches]

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