Happy Mail and Framing

I got some happy mail this week that I'm excited to show you! I've purchased two kits from eBay that are different to anything else I have, so here goes:

Chistmas Morning by Oven

I have bought my first ever Russian kit! Check it out:

Christman Morning by Oven

I've wanted to stitch a robin for a while because they are one of my favorite birds (we can blame The Secret Garden for that), and browsing eBay I came across this little beauty. And get this: this is a Russian kit, shipped from Italy by a Greek girl. How cool is that? The price for the kit was very good, and for once the shipping costs more than reasonable, probably because it was shipped within the EU. 

The inside of the kit was different to Dimensions: the threads were from a brand I've never heard of before, and they were rolled up in a way I've never seen. The aida is very light and thin and airy, and feels like it's very good quality, so absolutely 5 stars out of 5 for this wonderful kit!

Wintry Wolf by Dimensions

This is a kit that I've had my eye on for a very long time, because it was among the first Dimensions kits I ever saw, and the expression on the wolf's face is so serene and candid, it really spoke to me:

He reminds me of Two Socks from Dancing with Wolves. Anyone else?

Now, the reason why I want to show you this kit is that it is unlike any other kit I've ever seen. For starters, there's no Aida! It comes with a very soft, thin cotton fabric that is printed:

Have you ever seen anything like this before? This fabric isn't evenweave... I have no idea what it is. Obviously we're supposed to cross stitch on top of the little crosses, but notice the background forest: that's they way it's going to look in the finished piece! And have you noticed the eyes?

Reading through the instructions, we're supposed to fill that in with satin stitch. And as for the lines over the trees, that's not backstitch: it's couching. Now, I'm familiar with these techniques because I used to embroider a little, but isn't it funny that this would be in a cross stitch kit? It'll be an adventure to say the least, so I'll pick this one up when I want a challenge.

Framing Ivy

Last but not least, I have framed Ivy! I chose a very creamy, soft wood imitation frame that I thought would go well with Ivy's colors, and then I did my very rustic DIY framing process:

Which is to say that I draped the fabric over the back of the frame, and stitched it up with very long stitches until it was nice and tight:

And here she is, all stitched up and framed and ready to go:

I'm delighted with the result, and think the frame works with the color of the fabric and Ivy herself, and is subtle enough to make the design pop. So I'm a happy camper!

How are you all doing? I hope things are well for everyone and you're enjoying your projects! Until next time, happy stitching :)

Whiskers & Wings: Finished!

You guys. I have finished it!!

Isn't it lovely? Isn't it the cutest, sweetest little stitch you ever did see? (Overexcited crafter over here!) That being said, this one took sweat, tears, and absolute grit to finish. Much as I enjoyed this piece, this last week was gruelling, because just look at all that gray! There is so much of it. But I pulled through it and here we are, two months and a week later, finished. So satisfying!

Of course, part of finishing a project is washing & ironing it, which is precisely what happened on this lazy Sunday of mine:

And now all I have to do is frame it! I can't wait. I'm thinking of a wooden frame, to make it look cozy. It certainly fits the design. But we'll see what I can find. 

Now I'm off to start on my new project, which I will write about next time. Until then, I'll leave you with some closeups of this lovely project which some of you have lived through with me, and bid it a sweet farewell until framing time: 

French knots for the eye shine

French knots for the seeds

The cardinal in all his back-stitched glory

And finally, since we're on the subject of cats... Here are a couple of shots from my own fur babies having a cuddly nap together:

I hope you're all having a great time this weekend, until next time, happy stitching! :)

Indian Artistry: Finishing

Something that I find isn't talked about enough is actually finishing projects. Just as I am a notorious project monogamist, I am also a project finisher. I reckon if I've spent so much time and effort on something, it's certainly worth the time and effort to actually finish it properly and display it in my home. Do it proud, as it were. And for me, it's really part of the process of the project. A project doesn't finish when we stop stitching: it finishes when it is turned into something beautiful that can be displayed with pride. Or maybe that's just me.

So what do I do to finish a project? Very simple and easy! Keep reading.

Washing

The first thing to do is wash the project. You would not believe the amount of grime projects collect over the weeks or months we work on them. You can have a grime guard, a project bag, and be as careful with it as you want, but the bottom line is that when you clean it, the water never comes out clear.

I use a small barrel specially for my projects, so that I know it isn't used for anything else and it won't collect chemicals or dirt. I fill it with lukewarm water, put some liquid detergent for hand washing in it, and let it soak for at least 30 minutes (but usually more).

Then I empty out the water (surprise: it comes out filthy!) and I repeat the process: I fill the barrel with lukewarm water and add some liquid detergent. Then I swirl the fabric around in the water gently, dunk it in and out, and just move it around. Then I leave it for around 30 more minutes to soak.

The second time I empty out the water, surprise! It comes out clean! Success! Time for our next step.

Ironing

I know some people seem to be afraid of this, but please don't be. It's easy. If I can do it, so can you. Trust me. 

First, prepare your ironing board and heat up your iron. 

Then get two clean towels. Lay one down on top of the ironing board.

Now lay your project on top of that towel.

Now cover up your project with the other towel, and starting from one end, roll it up firmly until you have a project burrito. 

Great! Well done. This dries out the project while protecting your stitches. Now unroll your burrito, and stack the two towels on top of the ironing board. Place your project face down on the towels, so that the stitches are facing down on the towels, because they will protect your stitches.

And now take the iron and iron away, on the back side of your project.

Iron as much as you need until the fabric is nice and straight. Don't be afraid, go for it. Ironing will not only make your project nice and straight, but it'll help dry it too.

And now all that's left to do is dry it out! I like to use a clothes hanger to hold my projects and leave them hanging for the night. You might have to iron them again before framing (and lint-roll it if you have pets), but the biggest hassle is done.

Framing

Now comes the real magic! I know that framing can be is a serious pain, which is why I personally like to invest in a professional framer when we're talking about projects I've spent months on. (I have also framed my own pieces, but only the small ones, and oh boy was it difficult). 

For this project, I took it down to my local framer. There is literally only one in the whole town, so it was easy to decide where to go. We did a few test runs on different frames and passe partouts (I know, that's a word!) and finally decided on very earthly colors and rugged textures that seemed to fit the whole piece.

A week later I went to collect the piece and voilà! Finished! Magic! So satisfying.

I mean, just look at it! It's glossy, and big, and looks like an actual Work of Art. I am so proud of it, I can't even. Seriously though, it feels so amazing to get a finished product that you made, that you spent months laboring over. And now it's a beautiful finished piece that you can hang in your home! I swear it looks even more beautiful when it's all finished like this.

I already know where I'm going to put it, over this ethnic rug thing that I have on the entrance dresser. For now, I'll leave you guys with a picture and just admire it some more.