I’ve just finished the fourth and final Christmas cross-stitch from Faby Reilly’s Christie Stitch-a-long. It’s a beautiful design of a heart shaped wreath. The designs are all designed as Christmas cards but I chose to make them into little Christmas decorations. This was the exception! I was hoping there would be one card which I could use for my OH and this was perfect.
I sort of started a little tradition last year, I stitched a little cross-stitch design of a bunch of mistletoe, flat mounted it and ‘hung’ it on a card. This year it’s a decoration!
I love watching the different layers of Faby’s designs appear, first there’s just the cross-stitch, which sometimes hardly even shows the picture. The next layer is the back stitching when it starts to come alive. Finally there’s the embellishments, all the red and gold beads, the gold embroidery with sequins as well. It all comes together to make a magical picture.
Once I’d completed the wreath I cut a square of cardboard and glued on some felt to soften it. I glued the cross-stitch around the card, trying to make the corners as neat as I could. Half of me doesn’t like using glue to mount, I prefer to lace, but on little projects like cards I find it’s easier to get a neat, flat finish with glue. I covered a slightly bigger square of card with more felt and then some Christmas fabric which would fold over far enough to the front to surround the cross-stitch.. I could then just glue the two squares together, leave it overnight with a book on top and then trim with some homemade cord.
Making into a card was pretty simple, I just glued a length of broad ribbon, hung the cross-stitch in place and then sellotaped the cord on the inside, so it is literally hanging on the front of the card. My hanging cord doesn’t appear to be perfectly in the middle as it doesn’t quite hang straight! Hopefully he likes it as much as he liked the last one though.
I’ve really enjoyed this stitch-along, the finished designs are beautiful. There’s even another two designs available now, so I’ve got those ready for next year! This is the four of them together;
I think they’re all gorgeous but I think my favourite has got to be the Christmas Tree, I just love the way it work out with the finishing. It looks wonderful hung on the key of our old family bureau.
I’m linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, a celebration of all things hand-stitched, why not follow the link for more stitching.
thecraftycreek 
What a great idea to re-use cards as an ornament the following year – best of both worlds!! Your finish is absolutely stunning (nothing knew there 😉 !!) So pleased you enjoyed the SAL, and I love how you’ve really made these 4 designs your own – it’s wonderful to see so much creativity ♥
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you have made some lovely décorations!
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Awww that is a sweet card for your OH and it will live on as an ornament for your tree. Speaking of trees, I do like the tree you made in this sequence. I like them all. Well done.
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I think they are all gorgeous, but I do agree the Christmas tree is my favourite too! Have a great Christmas and New Year.
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They are lovely 😍
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Such a wonderful card
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All very pretty, but my favorite is also the Christmas tree. 🙂
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Those really turned out beautifully! I love the card/ornament idea, makes it worth using the cross stitch, when you can enjoy it year after year.
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Thanks Kathy, cross-stitch takes too long to be just a card!
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Love them all, but the Christmas tree is definitely my favourite.
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These are all really lovely, and I’m sure your OH will love it!
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Everyone of them is so lovely!
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I have received Christmas cards with counted cross stitch in them and have made them into ornaments for my tree. Your little projects look beautiful!
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Beautiful projects. Love how you have made them into reusable decorations!
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Your stitching is really pretty. I love the way you have finished each of them.
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I wasn’t sure about the first design but I do love the others x I got a few cross stitch cards – I will have to turn them into something x
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