Easy Christmas Cards SAL - April

Welcome to the fourth part of the Easy Christmas Cards SAL! I'm running a bit later than planned. It's been one of those days where you start and everything looks like it's going to go smoothly and then one thing after another happens to slow you down. However I did get the stitching done for this SAL before it was time to post this but there is so much to show in this post that as I didn't start writing it when I should have I will be late - I'm sorry. Please note that there are LOADS of photos on this page, only load if you are on Wi-Fi if viewing my blog on a mobile device.

This is what the two cards I made look like when finished. The lighting is terrible but I had to take a photo away from the better lighting at my desk to show them both at once and it's too dark out to take them outside for photos.

The original idea was to make the bigger one on 6ct felt but with so many on lockdown and likely unable to get hold of any, I decided to make the smaller ones to show what it could look like if you made them as an ornament instead. I was going to do one more on perforated paper but I ran out of time so didn't. Because I want the card to fit in a normal envelope I didn't stuff the ornaments this time but left them flat.

I needed a 4 1/2" square of 6ct perforated felt. I used some scraps of the seemingly never ending bit of Jodyri Designs October 2017 Year of colour - Neutrals - Regan (The Exorcist) 18ct Aida that I also used last week for my 35 x 35 for 2020. I still have some left. I used Madeira Metallic thread colour 4065 for the coaster and one of the ornaments and DMC 3809 for the other ornament.

You can find the pattern here

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Since I have designed this pattern with some of the curvy bits that look so complicated but are in fact super easy once you know how I have made a step by step photo tutorial for you to make things easier.

First do the cross stitch. Adjust the amount of thread to the fabric you are using. For the 6ct felt I used the full strand but for better coverage you might want to use two strands.
Then do the stitches in the centre - work from the edge to the centre - the hole is probably going to get bigger, this is normal.

I made photos part way in as I didn't think of making photos of this bit till then. Bring your needle up at the top corner of the top stitch of an arm as shown.

Put your needle into the fabric at the one stitch that sticks out and out again one stitch below the first stitch.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull the thread through - The first half is complete!

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

I forgot to take a photo before this one, sorry. Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

This is the last bit of the corner element and the start of the side panel section. Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Rotate your fabric. Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

I seem to be missing a step the bit showing the thread pulled through, sorry about that! Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull the needle through. You are half way through the side element now!

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

I forgot to take a picture between this and the previous step, sorry. Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull your thread though.

Put your needle through the fabric as the picture shows.

Pull the needle through and you can start again at the top for the next section!

See it's not that difficult and it looks so complicated too!

All done now!

I decided to back mine with felt to make it into a coaster - you need a bit more glue than you can see here as felt is thirsty fabric. Make sure to use glue that dries clear. If you want to add lace now is the time to do it!

Once the glue has dried cut it out - I cut it halfway between the holes for a neater edge. Now you can finish it any way you like - I decided to add a cord made with the same thread as the embroidery around the edges for a neater finish. I'm afraid I didn't take photos of how I added it but I used a whip stitch to do so. If you are handy with a hot glue gun then by all means use that, I'm far too likely to burn myself if I try AND make a massive mess, so I didn't.

This is it form the back - I had a bit of extra cording and decided to make a hanging loop so it can also be hung up.

I used some not very sticky double sided sticky tape to attach the coaster to the card, after folding the loop behind to hide it.

Since not everyone can get hold of 6ct felt, as mentioned above, here are two versions of the pattern on 18ct Aida. To the far left you can see the back where I miscounted the width and had to add 2 more rows - I hid what I did by adding some more lines of extra backstitching as I wasn't in the mood to rip.

Everything set up for finishing with the fronts to one side as I didn't remember to rotate the camera. (I did mention it was one of those days didn't I?) The beads on the left are being used for the non-metallic ornament and are TOHO TR-11-167BDF Trans-Rainbow-Frosted Teal. The beads on the right are TOHO TR-1123BDAF Silver-Lined Frosted Light Green Aqua. I added a little gold star charm on the bottom.

Once you have finished the ornaments you can attach them to the card along the folded edge. Use a large sharp needle for this and push it through the card from the inside to the outside making sure to keep a tail of the thread still inside.

Slide the ornament onto the thread.

Put the needle back into the card about 1/4" away from where the thread came out. What you see in the picture is too close!

Flip the card so you can see the inside and tie a double knot.

This is the card after one of the two ornaments was added - if you only want to do one then hang it from the middle rather than to one side.

Both smaller ornaments on the card.

Now you get to have fun and personalise the card!

I hope you like this pattern - and the card! I'll see you tomorrow with the next part of the Mini Magical Mystery SAL