Having brought a Grand Calibur (die cutting machine) over a year ago, we're continuously finding new things we can do because of this useful machine. One of the things we discovered is that it not only cuts paper but also can cut fabrics. Once I'd discovered that my brain automatically went on to question whether it would cut a certain fabric...aida!! Aida's the fabric you use when cross stitching. Which left me with a dilemma. The only way I was going to find out whether it would work, was to try it out...so I had two choices...either I got Lady/Crusty to stitch something small, or I tried stitching something myself!!! I hadn't stitched in years. I think I was around 13 the last time I had (yes that was a long time ago!). Thankfully I managed to find a small little Margaret Sherry Teacup Kitty Cat cross stitch kit that had been a freebie with Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine. So I took on the challenge and started to stitch ...
I don't mind telling you that after about a week of stitching the thing my hand was unbelievably painful! It probably partially my fault. I was so eager to get the thing finished I pushed myself and stitched far longer than I should have. But I DID finish it, and I was sooo proud of myself! Then I just needed to see if my idea worked! I was sooo nervous as I cut the little kitty cat out. In fact as I took the Calibur's plates apart, I couldn't look just in case all my effort (and pain) had been all for nothing.
It wasn't though! IT WORKED!! So then I had a very cute little kitty cat ...all I had left to do was put it onto a card. After throwing a few things together, I came up with this...
Ok, so the stitching wasn't the best, but my plan had worked! I could cut aida into beautiful shapes. I could make a cross stitch card in the same way as a papercraft one. The cross stitch became the topper instead of placing it in an apperture!! And I'd managed to used the Memory Box Snowflake Corner Die to finish it off. Not only was I pleased with my efforts, but Lady suddenly found herself with a dilemma too...did SHE need a grand calibur?? Well the answer to that was YES! So last summer she purchased her own machine and joined the fun! (I'll show you some of her makes soon).
As I said, I was sooo proud of my little effort, that I had to make another for my Nan's best friend who loves cats too...
BUT THEN!
Wellll...Then I got the idea in my head that I wanted to make a cross stitched card for Mum's birthday. I knew what I'd have loved to do, but wasn't quite brave enough for that (not just yet). So one evening when I went to dinner at Lady's house we devised the plan. You see Mum usually gets all the stitching threads as the only place in town we can get them is where she works! I couldn't just go in and buy them or she'd have got suspicious....so we gave her a list and told her they were for Lady...nothing out of the ordinary...or so she thought!
I started it back in the summer sitting in the sunshine in my back garden. I was confident it wouldn't take that long...Oh how wrong I was! In between working and still trying to get our business orders fulfilled I was stitching when I could, but it took forever!! In fact I didn't finish it until about a week before Mum's birthday! Woops!!
Again I then had to work out what I was going to do with it. The last time the two little cats had been finished, Mum ironed the backing fabric onto them...this time I had to do it myself!! Gees was I nervous. BUT I DID IT..yay me!! Then I had to put it onto a card...what I'd planned to do didn't quite work and I was far too afraid to cut the thing in the Calibur in case I hit the stitching ...months of work would have been for nothing...Uh oh...I spent all day putting the card together, but once I had, I couldn't quite believe I'd made it...and all by myself!! I was practically dancing on the ceiling haha. All I had to do then was wait to give it to Mum...I didn't quite make it to her birthday..I had to give it to her the night before...I wanted her to see! I hadn't quite bargained on her crying...but she did, and she loved it!! For all the months I'd said "I can't I'm busy" whilst seemingly to her was doing nothing, and all the times I'd disappeared during the time I was stitching, Mum finally understood why!! Why was it?? Well look....
I had to be a little cheeky and use her Memory Box Flowering Vine die to finish the card, but I'm sure she'll forgive me! In fact I have this card in the bank for at least another month or two...That is until I stitch the next one...the big one I was originally scared of, but it's my 2014 challenge piece, so I'll let you know in November how it worked out haha! Look closely and you'll see I've stuck some of the little die cut butterflies onto the aida too! Oh and I only had to unstitch the occasional bit of Fizzy Moon that I'd messed up!
Oh I was proud of him...still am. Even Lady was impressed. So much so that when I showed her she said "I can't wait to get my cross stitched birthday card...WAIT!! WHAT!!! I hadn't planned to do her one...Fizzy had taken months and I only had 5 days...uhoh!! But as I couldn't leave her disappointed I tried my best and made her this...
A very little SomeBunny Cross stitch...but I promise you here and now Lady...this year you WILL get a better one...a bigger one!! I know what I'm doing and I have months!!
Little x
