Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Merry, Moe and Flurry Cross Stitch

Lately when I have some free time for crafty stuff I've been getting a head start on Christmas presents for the coming winter. It's been fun, but the downside is I can't show off what I've been making on the blog because many of the friends and family who will be receiving the homemade items are regular readers of Cthulhu Crochet and Cousins. I'd hate to ruin the surprise for them.

So instead, I thought I'd show off an item from Christmas past today. This is Merry, Moe and Flurry designed by Pam Kellogg, a cross stitch pattern that incorporates both beads and blending filaments. Back when I got this pattern it was available as a free pamphlet and the ad for it appeared in a variety of cross stitch magazines. Just cut out the ad and send in a SASE and Kreinik sent you the pamphlet. A great deal.

Now the pattern is only available directly from Kreinik (click the link given above) and is sold for $17.49 along with the six 11-meter spools of braid filament that you need for the pattern. You still have to buy the fabric, embroidery floss and beads separately, but I'd say this is still a pretty good deal. Blending filament is often quite expensive in local craft stores, and at least in my area, it's often hard to find places that carry all the colours you need.

I can't remember how many of these I made. I think it was somewhere between six and nine and I still had plenty of braid left on the spools afterward to make more. These little guys look absolutely beautiful in person (click the photo for a larger view) and they're quick to stitch up. Plus, they're versatile. You can make them into tree ornaments like I have, bookmarks, coasters, or even stitch all three of them in a row horizontally or vertically and frame them as a Christmas wall hanging. If you've never worked with blending filaments or beads before I highly recommend this pattern as a starting point. The snowflakes are small and will give you a good chance to practice these new techniques without taking up too much money or time.

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