Friends

My friend Carrie gave me an ripped an article out of Martha Stewart Magazine. She said the cross stitched family portraits reminded her of me. She doesn't know that cross stitch is perhaps the one craft I have no interest in. But, I LOVED the patterns and decided to adapt them to a sewn project.

Enter my friend, Donna, who convinced me that, yes, I could do this using 3/4 inch squares of calico. And proceeded to help me choose prints and iron all my fabric.

Then I got stuck with design and figuring out how to affix the itty bitty squares. I couldn't decide which way to stitch for my "big" project so I made up some samples.

Biscuit

Oscar

I debated leaving off the mouths (that look like noses) and I wish I had. Just eyes would have been enough. These are backed with fabric to be pillow covers but I decided to continue the test by washing them. They're in the dryer now and based on how they looked after the washer I'm 95% sure I've ruined them. Oh well, it was only a test.

But what do you think? Mouths or no? Stitching diagonal or up and down? I'm still debating if I even like them enough to do the entire family portrait.....

Comments

[Sonja]

I actually like the mouths. And I like the cross-stitch-like diagonal stitching.

[Tasha]

I like the mouths and the diagonal stitching. I think these are among the best projects you've made! If you make them again, maybe from fray check would be good for the edges of each piece?

[Melissa Haworth]

Thanks, Tasha. I finally had time to tackle something a little more time consuming!
Melissa