Cross Stitch Finish: The Maker and Mender

I finished my Maker and Mender project from With Thy Needle and Thread. I stitched mine on 40-count linen, Alcott from Needle and Flax. I used all the called for flosses.

I finished this at the end of last month. You might remember this picture. Izzy wasn’t too happy.

Before I had even completely finished the piece, I started auditioning frames. I had a few options.

I ended up going with the religious frame. It was an antique frame. This was going to be especially tricky to cut down. The “molding” is actually like a plaster that is put over the wood. There was a huge chance the plaster would crack off when I cut it with the chop saw.

To help with that, I wrapped painter’s tape around the ends where I would be making the cuts. My hope was that it would hold the frame together and stabilize it. I do that with plastic frames as well.

Oh…this was looking great!!

I finished the stitching and started putting it together. As always I put batting on the foam core or matting that I use to mount my stitched piece on.

When lacing I loosely lace. Then I go back and tighten it all up.

After it was laced and everything was finished, I noticed that some of the plaster in the corners needed some touch-up. Rub and Buff to the rescue. I really think one of the keys to framing things yourself is to have the right products to hide boo-boos. Rub and Buff is HIGH on my list of must-haves. I get mine HERE from Amazon. It’s kind of expensive but totally worth it and has lasted for a long time.

Oh…I love it!! Boos-boos all hidden.

It’s found a home here in the living room.

In the chart, the designer, Brenda Gervais writes a beautiful piece about where the saying came from and how she came to dedicate the piece to her mother.

Like Brenda, it was my mother who put a needle in my hand. My mom was amazingly patient. When sewing clothes, if I ever sewed something wrong, it was my mother who ripped out the seam. She was always encouraging me to try any craft I wanted. It was she who bought my first little cross stitch piece from Ben Franklin. Even as a very small child she taught to me embroider. I wanted to crochet…mom bought me the stuff and helped me read directions to learn (long before Youtube!!) Knitting, sure. Candlewicking, yes. Tatting…sure. Anything I wanted to try, Mom helped.

We didn’t have a lot of money growing up…but if I wanted to sew or craft, money was found.

For my 16th birthday, it was mom who pushed for me to get my first sewing machine. I got a used Singer sewing machine. I used that machine so much. I loved it. I used it until it died and was beyond repair.

My mom was awesome in all she taught and encouraged me to do. In the short 24 years I had with her, she made one of the biggest impressions on my life simply but putting a needle in my hand. I can’t thank her enough for that.

The saying on this piece says, “The Needle bit it thought so slim and slender is both a maker and a mender.”

I have made so many things with a needle in my life. I’ve mended my share too…but it’s the needle that mended me so many times. When my mom died, I buried myself in making one of my first intensely pieced quilts. When my husband died, it was cross stitch I threw myself into. It was the needle that mended me and helped me get through it all. It was my therapy.

I can’t thank my mom enough for being the one who introduced me to the needle.

I dedicated my piece to her. You can see her initials, “EJ”, Evalonne Johnson at the bottom near the star…and mine at the top in eyelet stitch.

I wish she had lived long enough to see the result of all the work she did to cultivate crafting and sewing in me. 24 years just wasn’t long enough. I was still too young and with limited life experience to really appreciate her the way she deserved. I sure do now…and sadly, the only way I can show that appreciation is to stitch her initials on a sampler.

As you can see…this piece will always be a favorite of mine and I’m so thankful I had a chance to stitch it.