Incoherent Scribblings

Three-Sided Ornament

This week I decided to work on my bi-monthly Christmas Ornament commitment for my 10 Ornies in 500 Days Challenge. After browsing through my magazines and my freebies, I finally settled on “A Colonial Christmas Ornament” by Cherished Stitches from the JCS 2007 Ornament Issue.

I don’t think this ornament was originally on my list of things to stitch from this issue but I am glad I decided on it because it challenged my finishing skills a little bit. I doubt you can tell because I had a hard time getting any pictures that accurately portray how it actually looks, but I finished it as a three-sided whip stitch ornament. A three-sided finish was a first for me and it wasn’t until I started whip stitching the panels together that the directions made sense. Once I got the hang of it though, the ornament went together nicely.

There are a few things about this piece that I should mention: First, instead of beads I chose to do French knots for the holly berries. Why? Because I didn’t have any suitable beads in my stash. (Note to self: Really should work on acquiring adequate bead stash.) Second, the date and the holly on the third panel are stitched over one… on 36 count! Third, I am especially proud of the cording that I made. After two or three years of making my own cording, I finally made a length that has uniform tension!

A Colonial Christmas Ornament
by Cherished Stitches (from the 2007 JCS Ornament Issue)
April 14, 2008-April 17, 2008
36 Count Khaki Edinburgh
DMC Fibers, Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid

P.S. I am not going to say who I originally had in mind when I started this ornament because I like it so much that I just might keep it for myself!