The evolution of an ornament...

After a fantastic weekend away with friends, staying at a shack right on the river (yes, the paddle steamer did sail through the 'back yard' - it was so beautiful) it is back to the needle this week.

Last week I was putting the kits together for the wool embroidered Christmas stocking. I know Christmas is close, but this one is so quick to stitch that I figured a few kits would be nice to have the shop.

While I was sitting there, neatly packing the woollen cloth, yarns and other bits and pieces, my mind was wondering (as usual). What would happen if I shrunk the pattern? Perhaps I could make little matching ornaments? A quick trail run with stranded cotton on homespun proved that they could possibly become neat little Christmas trees.

I am really not crazy about stranded cotton. In my opinion the only reason it has become so popular would have to be because there are so many colours and it is relatively cheap - besides, Christmas ornaments have such a limited annual lifespan that I quickly decided not to take that idea any further.
As I was packing it all away, it occurred to me that my embroidery scissors fitted very neatly into the 'Christmas tree'...

...and so it became a scissor sheath...

What do you think? As with the big crewel piece I am working on, I am playing with patterns that appear to 'continue' past the edges, as if they were part of something bigger.

So here I am, stitching a re-arranged stocking pattern in fine crewel wool to make a scissor sheath and matching pin cushion. I am really not good a following instructions, so a few changes here and there are inevitable.

It is coming along rather quickly - the pin cushion part is finished and I am sure to finish embroidering the scissor sheath tonight.

In my head I am calling the pattern 'Dahlia', but you know how I feel about naming my things. Any suggestions?

Best stitches,
Anna X