waldorf crafts: cross stitch pencil case

The kids and I have just started a really fun project that is introduced in the fourth grade Waldorf curriculum ~ we are cross stitching a pencil case!

I have done cross stitch in the past but this project comes with a new challenge . . . no pattern and perfect symmetry!  My MIL (who was a Waldorf school teacher) has given us a lesson on what to do.

~ fold a square piece of aida cloth into quarters.

~ draw a pencil line down the dead centre of the cloth from the top to the bottom.

~ fold the cloth horizontally so that you have a wide rectangular shape.  (the bottom half becomes the back side of the pencil case).

~ attach masking tape to the edges to stop the cloth from fraying. 

~ freely stitch designs on the cloth with cotton embroidery thread (if possible) making sure to mirror the pattern on both sides of the vertical line.

~ when making the x stitches make sure that your crosses are all formed the same way so that your threads all travel in the same direction. 

~ on the back side stitch the letters of your name and then fill in the remaining space with a design. 

She also pointed out that often when you are looking at a landscape the colours are darker at the bottom of the picture.  For example the dark earth up to the light sky.  I'm going to be experimenting with this as I work on the sky and shadow under the tree.

This is a work in progress, so I'll let you know how I make out with my Autumn tree pencil case.

Any ideas on what I could do on the back?

~ joey ~ 

Linking up to:

Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

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