Needles & Hooks

A couple of years ago my x-mas ornament was a small 3-D cross-stitch cottage from a kit by Meg Evershed. I was fascinated by this project because the final result was standalone and unique. The basic technique is that the sides of the house are stitched flat. Then they are assembled around forms made with plastic canvas to provide structure. Then the pieces are assembled into a single house. (I’m travelling, but I’ll post a photo of my ornaments when I get home).

There are several other kits in the series (and a whole set of Santa cottages) and she’s also written a book on the technique. I put this book on my Amazon wishlist a couple of years ago, but no one bought it for me. Recently I noted that it’s no longer in print and so I decided to finally order a copy for myself.

3-D Cross Stitch arrived last week and I find it utterly fascinating. The book builds upon the technique and improves it. It contains patterns for several small houses meant as sachets, a set of buildings that comprise a village, and larger projects like a gift box, a jewelry box, and a clock. Make sure to check out the link to the book. You can click on “Look Inside” and see some of the pages. Including one of the patterns, but not quite all the assembly instructions.

I love the idea of these projects, but I have no idea who I would make them for. They aren’t my style, so I wouldn’t make them for myself. And I can’t think of who else to give them to. Unlike many of my other projects, they don’t have much practical use.

And yet, it also fires my imagination. What buildings would I choose to do if I designed my own pattern? What other confections could I create with this technique? What other projects might I make? For now, I’ll just pet the book wistfully.