Finishing Frenzy

Hello fellow stitchers!  I've been on a mission to get some ornaments finished this year!  I decided not to participate in any exchanges this year except with pen pals, so thought I would dig out some older ornaments and get them finished up.  I made the "mistake" of posting some of them on Candy Cane Stitchers and that generated a ton of questions.  LOL  So...I will do my best to answer them here and if there are any other questions, you can ask in the comment section here.

As for finishing directions, please refer to the tab at the top of the blog that says Round Ornament Tutorial.  One thing that is missing there is how to gather ribbon to make the ruffled edges on some of these ornaments.  One of these days I will get that tutorial up there too, but for now, I knot thread, then take a running stitch along the edge of the ribbon, then pull the thread while pushing the ribbon into the ruffle shape I want.  I usually measure the circumference of the shape I'm using and cut the ribbon 2.5 times the length  of the circumference.  The smaller circles I use are 8 inches, so I cut the ribbon 20 inches.  The bigger  circles are 12 inches so I cut the ribbon 30 inches. If I have wire edged ribbon, I first bend the wire so it doesn't pull out, then I pull one of the wires on the edge.  Soooo much easier, but be careful you don't get poked by the wire!  Someone asked where I learned this...my grandmother was a dressmaker and she taught me all kinds of tricks for gathering ribbon, hand sewing and the like.  I tried  cutting different shapes for myself (and still do when I have to) but I'm not handy with an Xacto knife...haha so I went to the craft store looking for something in a round shape.  I ran across these plastic things to make buttons.  I nearly started jumping up and down in the aisle!  Haha  Eureka!  Then when I found an ornament I want to stitch, I figure out how large it will be depending on the stitch count of the fabric I have, and try to keep it within the limits of these two size buttons.  Since then I've found other things, I haven't quite tried them out yet, but if you follow my blog, you'll be the first to know when I do figure it out!  Then...I practiced, practiced, practiced!  One thing that I didn't put in the tutorial is cutting a small piece of batting, it keeps the backing fabric from showing through the front on the looser weave fabrics, and will help smooth out the ornament if there are knots or heavy stitching on the back.  I hope that makes sense.  I use double stick tape to hold it in place.  For the black ornament here, I covered the batting with a darker fabric first, that way the black wouldn't look washed out with a white color behind it.

The frames you'll see came from a few different sources, I've been collecting them for years.  My husband, who is my biggest supporter, will pick up a few at Christmas time when they go on sale at Michaels and wrap them as presents for Christmas.  I love that, then I can make ornaments throughout the year!  I've found some at the Christmas Tree Shop that I found in NY while visiting my family, and you can find them various other places too.  They are typically for photos, but hey.....any port in a storm, I always say!  The downside with these, is I find I have to cut them to size to fit them in the frames.  I figure, they are small, if I goof I can just stitch another.

As for the patterns, I have quite an extensive file of them.  I have collected the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue for years.  (You can buy back issues on discs if you don't have them, or go to the magazine's website and download some of the later issues).  Since I stitched some of these years ago I don't quite remember what fabric I used or substitutions I make, but I will tell you if I do.  I post information on the goals page for each year and lately have been listing fabric and patterns names and that information there.  Check out the 2020 goals page, you 'll see a lot of these ornaments there!

So...here are the ones I've finished yesterday.  First up is Peace Pin Button by Jeanette Douglas found in the 2012 JCS ornament issue.  It is stitched on 40 count light mocha.

Next is the Wedding Ornament by Shannon Christine Designs I found in their Etsy shop.  It is stitched on 40 count Burch over two.

Next is Christmas Robin by The Little Stitcher found in the 2019 JCS Ornament Issue.  It was stitched on 36 count antique ivory over one.

Next is Elf at Work found in the 2019 JCS Ornament issue stitched on 40 count vintage country mocha over two.

Next is Red Christmas from the 2019 JCS Ornament issue stitched on 40 count light mocha over two.

Next is Mary and Jesus Stained Glass ornament from the 2019 JCS Ornament issue stitched on 32 count black fabric over one.

Next is Snowman's Treat by Caitlin Baerg found in the December 2020 JCS issue.  This was stitched on 28 count dirty linen over one.

These next two are from a pattern called Heartstruck Snowmen by Midnight Stitching.  I stitched them both on 28 count over one on different fabric.  They are tiny!!  But they fit perfectly in these frames.

Next is Christmas Cardinal by Stoney Creek in the 2016 JCS Ornament issue.  This was stitched on 32 count over two.

Next is Quaker snowman freebie by Midnight Stitching.  I think this patter is still floating around on the internet.  You can google it and try to find it.  I've had it in my stash for years.  This was stitched on 28 count over one I think.  I didn't write it down...shame on me!!

Last is When Cardinals Appear by Blackberry Lane Designs.  I found the snowflake pattern online on her website, and didn't stitch the border around the edges.  It fit perfectly in this size ornament I thought!  

There, hopefully I've covered everything!  Someone asked where I learned to do this type of finishing.  I honestly developed it myself....just playing around...a few years ago when I finished up an Advent Calendar I stitched and wanted to make them all uniform.  The thought of trying to cut 24 circles the same shape and size was intimidating, that's why I went looking for something that would make it easier.  Since then I've been stitching 12 days of Christmas ornaments and have found this method the easiest to make them all the same too!  Necessity is the mother of invention!  LOL!!

Oh, one last thing!  I find my ribbon at JoAnns and Michaels.  It's so much fun to wander through the aisles with some finished ornaments in my hand and try to find ribbon to match.  Watch for the sales, but if you have something particular in mind, buy early!  They go fast!!  I hope this has helped, and I hope you enjoy making your ornaments as much as I do!  Happy Stitching!