A Process Story...

Now that Dana has received the postcard I sent as part of the Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap,

I can show it to you.

First of all, here is the finished product:

I would love to say that it ended up exactly as I started it, but that wouldn't be the whole story.

I started with the idea of doing a blackwork terrace house - 

...however, I miscounted (and boy is linen hard to count on), and the last window was too thin.

Next try was aida, yep I can SEE that - that's a good start, 

so it evolved into 'greenwork' - green aida cloth and dark green DMC thread.

However instead of counting 2 threads per stitch I did just one -

 

But no - it's far too squat, (I was beginning to feel a bit "Goldilocks and the 3 Bears by now!), so back to counting over 2 squares.

Looking much better.

I decided to frame it with some fabric from this beautiful charm pack of 'arcadia'

yes JUST perfect.

It was never going to be quite that easy though, was it? 

I sewed the sides on and trimmed it to the right postcard size, but (because I turned it to the back ) I trimmed the wrong ends (see the big space at the top and the NOT ENOUGH space at the bottom?).

Much unpicking of seams ensued.

Re-sewing with another charm square.

Some stay stitching to stop the aida unravelling.

Added the decorative ric rac.

It was then quilted following the vines on the fabric and down the ric-rac.

Then backing and self-binding and it all came together.

Dana loved it and so do I.

Many thanks to Beth from Do What You Love for organising the swap.

Have a look here for some of the wonderful handmade beauties that have been flying around the world in the last few weeks.

I'll let you know when the next one is on.

In the mean time I'll work on my designing skills and try to work from a complete PLAN, not just an IDEA!

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...