Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Recipe for a Snowman Basket Block!

Here are the Ingredients I Used to Make...
 
 
THIS 12.5 inch unfinished block! 

One basket constructed from the pattern Sunny Days by Gingham Girls!
One wool felt snowman adapted (shortened and reversed) from Block 10 of Bunny Hills BOM, Snowbound.  I downloaded it when it was free each month but it's now selling on Bunny Hills website.
Three stars from the same Snowbound Block #10.
Two Holly Leaves from my well loved copy of the book, Tis The Season. 

The snowman's nose was satin stitched with a single strand of DMC orange embroidery 6-strand floss then outlined with a single strand of black DMC six strand floss.  His eyes & mouth of are Colonial Knots.  I don't recall whether I used a single strand or more likely, a double strand.  I prefer the Colonial Knot above the French Knot.  It is, for me, a much more efficient knot to wrap, control and snug down.  It's a simple figure 8 wrapped around your needle with the point facing away from you, stab back down close to where you came up and it's done...no Flip-Floppy French knots!  Colonial Knots are used in Candlewicking usually with 4 to 6 strands of embroidery floss.  They are not as bulky as a French Knot strand for stand, therefore I increase my strands to get the fill I wish to see if I have instructions that include French Knots. 
(I've been known to layer a Colonial Knot on top of another one to increase the bulk...but that's just between you and me...okay?)

Finally, I Blanket Stitched (Buttonhole Stitched) around the basket and snowman to finish the edges using black DMC Perle Cotton.

And There You Have It! 
Easy Peasy, Lemon Cheesy!

Nancie Anne

5 comments:

  1. I am on your Christmas list, aren't I? Would make such a nice gift.

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  2. Nice recipe. I love the snowman's happy image. And I still like the challenge fabric.

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  3. How cute is this block :-D LOVE IT !

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  4. well, you are just so smart combining all those sections to make one really super cute block.

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