Cross-stitch Minis

One of my other hobbies is cross-stitching. Mom started teaching me when I was probably in the third grade. I'm not exactly fast or efficient at needlework, but it's something under my belt. I've gotten to the point that it's really a means to an end. I say that because I only cross-stitch things for my dollhouse.

For example, the things I'm sharing today are all made by me to go in or with other things I have.

The patterns came from a very old cross-stitch magazine, the Sept/Oct 1988 issue of Cross Stitch and Country Crafts.

There is the "quilt" which was a very time-consuming bedspread stitched on 22 ct. ivory Hardanger. I think I used 4 skeins of blue DMC floss, by the single strand.  Thank goodness that one's done! I probably put in 50 hours to complete it. I think it turned out great! I used an ivory cotton sheeting fabric for the backside.

I also made the baby blanket.

Mom started the rug pattern, then left off the border.

I decided to make a rug too, but took some liberties with the pattern. I made up some more vines and tulips for the center instead of the pineapples. Also, the tan Aida cloth gives it a nice depth.

 I've made a few pillows on different fabrics.  This is one of the small ones. It has dusty dark pink fabric on the back.

I'm not done with this set yet. I want to make another pillow to match the baby blanket and some other pillows to match the blue and ivory bedspread. I'm even crazy enough that I was considering making another bedspread in all red to simulate a red-work quilt. I want one that's double size, since the blue quilt was only twin size.