Being I am trying to be good and take care of my back, I thought finishing some cross stitch pieces might be in order. At the top of my pile was Good Intentions from Kathy Barrick.
I stitching this on 40-count Fawn by Picture This Plus linen. I used the called for DMC. I have always WAY loved the colors of this.
I had a frame picked out for this but I wasn’t fond of the color and the fit was really tight so I didn’t know if would work. I think that’s why I hadn’t finished it yet. Being I had time, I decided to get it done.
The original frame was grayish. The dark color in the piece is black so I ended up painting the frame black. It was okay then.
I cut a piece of sticky board and then popped the piece in to see what I thought. I thought it would fit. It would be tight. Honestly tight fits are my favorite. I really don’t like a lot of linen showing between the stitching and the frame.
I put one piece of quilt batting onto the sticky board and then I laced it. If you want more information about how to lace, just search for a video on Youtube. There are several.
When I had it finished, it was okay. But, something wasn’t quite to my liking. I ended up pulling out some sandpaper and roughed it up a bit. THERE. Much better. Now the roughed-up part shows a cream color like the linen and it just looks better.
I’m in love with it now. It was exactly how I wanted it. I’m so-so-so pleased with it.
This was a great project to stitch as the piece had lots of solid color stitching.
If you can’t read the words it says, “I myself am made entirely of flaws stitched together with good intentions.” The wording is perfect to me. I feel that saying fits me perfectly.
I have been working on adding cross-stitched pieces to his area on my house. I am putting smaller samplers here along with smaller stitched pieces.
This is in the corner of my living room near where I stitch in the evenings.
My daughter Kalissa gifted me the old egg crate it’s sitting on and my daughter Kayla got me the cute two-tiered bread pan stand it is leaning against.
I am WAY pleased with this and how it turned out.
FYI: I did change the piece slightly. The dog on top of the spools is black with a shorter tail (Like my dog Izzy) and I put a “J” stitched into the embroidery hoop the girl is holding rather than the charted “A”.
It’s just a little bit different but the changes personalized it for me.
This piece has been a want to stitch ever since I bought the chart a year or two ago. Finally one day this year I asked myself what is the one thing you’ll feel sad you didn’t get stitched this year if you don’t stitch it. That piece was Good Intentions so…I started it that day. I have one more piece that I feel the same way about and I just started that one too. I’ll tell you more about that it my cross stitch update.
If you love the saying but the prim look of this isn’t your style, Kathy designed another piece with the same saying. I like that one as well.
Given the choice, which version would you stitch? I love them both but am happy I stitched the one I did.
I much prefer the one you stitched, Jo. I really like how you finished the frame, it’s perfect for it. The corner of your room looks great!
Love this piece
I prefer the one you made too, Jo; and I love the way you personalized it.
I don’t do counted cross stitch anymore but I do a good bit of embroidery….is lacing appropriate for that too? I usually do it on muslin or quilting cotton.
YES> I would lace embroidered pieces as well.
I like how you sanded the frame. It looks so much better. I need to do that to a frame I painted that has a canvas picture in it. I haven’t been happy with the straight black frame and forgot about sanding it a bit. I think that will work for me. Thanks for the reminder.
I guess that makes 3 of us – the prim one is so much nicer and I love how you framed it. The sand paper job is perfect!
Love and prayers
I absolutely love that! I agree with the sand paper to the frame, too…it was just what it needed!
I have completed that cross stitch Jo. I loved the saying as I felt it fit me to a “T”. I also like the new one. I just may do that one as well just because . Love seeing all of your pieces displayed. I stitch but just don’t seem to fully finish. My husband has been getting after me about that. I’m thinking some of my earlier pieces that I did on aida before I dared to try linen may just be put on projects bags. We’ll see. Take care of yourself Jo. Love your blog so much
The stitching work you do is beautiful. Great job!
Thank you for sharing your process with the frame. I love decision making information! Beautiful work!!! Happy Stitching!!
Jo, your finished cross stitch piece is beautiful and the frame is perfect for it! I do love prim pieces the most.
Love the first one you finished with the sanded black frame. Perfect look! Your blog is encouraging for those of us who are buried in UFOs. Thanks, Susan
This is lovely! You’ve made it personal to you; love it!
Beautiful finish!!! I am in awe of your complete finishing skills! I prefer the version you stitched. Always interesting to see how different colors and styles compare.
What a great finish! I like the frame better after you sanded some of it. It just fits with other pieces you have. I love your corner and all your cross stitching projects. I do like the second chart with the saying except not the background color, but not better than the one you did.
I prefer the one that you stitched, I really like the frame after you used the sandpaper on it!
I like them both, would stitch the one you did, though. It’s more my style of sampler type pieces.
I like yours better! I really like those colors especially with the sanded black frame. I might have to make that one myself.
What a great corner! Perfect for showcasing some smaller pieces in with your other treasures. I much prefer the version you did of good intentions.
I think that frame is perfect with it! I have that chart, too, but haven’t stitched it. That saying is definitely me, too. Several years ago I stitched a chart by Hinzeit with the same saying. I can’t find the chart online, so maybe it’s OOP. I also really like Kathy Barrick’s new one.
Congratulations on finishing this piece by Kathy Barrick, I would love to do it as I love the saying, but you mentioned the face was one over one, that was a stop for me.
I think you could easily modify the pattern and just do french knots for the eyes. It wouldn’t be a problem.
I love your’s Jo and it is perfect. Your little changes are just what it needs to be yours.
Truly I love both versions!
I love the one you did and the colors too. And the frame looks much better sanded than not. I wish that I could see better as I really love the look of cross stitcheries.