All posts in category Decorations

Santa Christmas Decoration

Hello everyone,

I hope you’ve all had a lovely time if you celebrate Christmas. I finished stitching this Santa decoration just in time to add it to my Daughter’s Christmas presents but didn’t have time to share it here. This Santa is one of a set of six in a pack by Design Works. I’ll definitely be making the others when I get time. It’s nice to stitch on plastic canvas sometimes isn’t it? I struggled to decide on the colour of felt backing and ribbon but a couple of crafting friends offered advice and I went with their choices in the end.

Best wishes to all for the New Year. Hasn’t 2017 come around quickly?

20 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on December 28, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Cross stitch, Decorations

Tagged Christmas, cross stitch, decoration, Design Works, hand made, interior design, Plastic canvas, Santa

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on December 28, 2016

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/santa-christmas-decoration/

A Cardinal for Christmas

Hello everyone,

I’ve got a finish to show you that I’ve been working on for a while.

My lovely friend Claire sent me this kit all the way from France. She’s so kind 🙂 I’ve had it for a while and I just fancied making something small for a change so it was the perfect choice. It’s actually quite stitch intensive but I found it so easy to pick up for just a few minutes here and there.

This is a fabulous quality kit. I highly recommend it (I’m not being sponsored for writing this) and when I see others in this series, I’m going to buy them. It comes with 14 count plastic canvas that has holes small enough to grip the thread. I was wary of trying plastic canvas, but for this type of project, I’m converted. Thank you again Claire 🙂

I was always intending to back it with felt and hang it in the tree with red satin ribbon. However, there are instructions in the pack for making a cord from some of the leftover thread if you prefer. Claire mentioned using fabric glue to attach the backing. I had intended to sew it on but Claire knows best when it comes to finishing. I opened a bottle of fabric glue that I’ve had for years. It sometimes amazes what I find in my craft drawer that I’ve never used. I always knew it would come in very handy one day 😉

What crafty item do you have that you have never used and how long have you it?

Time to fly!

Avis x

21 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on November 4, 2015 • Permalink

Posted in 2015, Cross stitch, Decorations, Finished!

Tagged Cardinal Bird, Christmas, craft, cross stitch, Cross-stitch, decoration, Dimensions kit, embroidery, floss, handmade, interior design, Needlework, Plastic canvas, Sewing, thread

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on November 4, 2015

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/a-cardinal-for-christmas/

Only 37 crafting days to Christmas….

I’ve been concentrating on making Christmas decorations again this week. I hope you are all ready to get into the festive spirit if you celebrate Christmas. If not, maybe you can think of more ways to use this cross-stitch idea from my friend Claire. They could be lovely little door hangers or lavender pouches with the words of your choice. Claire has charted her cross stitch designs for lots of different Christmas decorations in both English and French. You can download them free here. Please leave a comment on her blog if you decide to download them.

The stars you can see in the background are featured on my other blog Oh Sew Tempting. I’ve given some instructions for making them too. They don’t take very long to make and it’s a great way of using up fabric scraps….and…. they don’t have to be Christmas stars. Why not experiment using different fabrics

Have fun,

Avis x

4 Comments

by Sewing Beside the Sea on November 18, 2013 • Permalink

Posted in 2013, Cross stitch, Decorations, Finished!

Tagged aida, button, chart, Christmas, craft, cross stitch, decoration, fabric, free, interior design, patchwork, ribbon, Sewing, star, tree

Posted by Sewing Beside the Sea on November 18, 2013

https://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/on-the-12th-day-of-christmas/

Christmas is coming…Ho-ho-ho!

Hi everyone,

Yes, Christmas has started early this year Beside the Sea. In the past, I have been known to be still knee deep in preparations on Christmas Eve. In fact, one year I had to rush to get the tree up before midnight! I got it all decorated rather tastefully, in my opinion, then I stood back to admire….and the whole thing, lights and all, came crashing at my feet and some of the baubles bounced off my my forehead. Everyone else thought it was hilaaaaarious 😆 I was not amused at the time.

However this year, something (or someone) has given me a gentle push in the right direction. If I want handmade goodies for the tree, I need to get started now.

There are lots of FREE charts available for these little lovelies over at Claire’s blog. She has being working away like one of Santa’s Elves to share her lovely designs in English and French. You can choose from “silent night”, “jingle bells” and soooo many more. Why not make a full set? If you do decide to download a chart, please make sure you leave a comment to say a quick “Thank you”. I’m sure she would appreciate that.

All of the materials for the one above came from scraps left over from other projects. I even put a little padding behind the stitching to give it a bit of body. I’ll definitely be making more of these.

If you haven’t already popped in to my other blog Oh Sew Tempting, you might wish to take a look at some Christmas star decorations I made earlier this week. Here is a little taster.