Project : I Love Cats Picture Frame
And for an enlargement of the needlepoint part of the project . . .
Materials:
1 piece of 14-count white canvas cut to 6"x6" size
1 skein DMC #3 Pearl cotton #413 (dark gray)
1 skein DMC #3 Pearl cotton #414 (medium gray)
1 skein DMC #3 Pearl cotton #415 (light gray)
1 skein DMC #3 Pearl cotton #776 (pink)
1 18" length of DMC floss #413 (or any suitable color for
whiskers)
6"x6" piece of white felt
5"x7" frame mat, your choice of color
5"x7" acrylic photo frame
glue
#18 tapestry needle
black fine point permanent marker
small scissors
Note: If your favorite cat is a different color or type, feel free to change the colors and the stripes of this cat to make it look like your cat.
Directions:
Step 1:
If your computer is
a PC, click here to print a pattern to trace.
If your computer is a Mac,
click here to print a pattern to trace.
The pattern should print out approximately 4" wide by 4.75" high. If not, please adjust the scale of your printer software and print again.
After you've printed the pattern, carefully trace the outline of the cat onto the canvas using a very light touch with the marker. Tape the edges of the canvas with masking tape to prevent fraying.
Step 2:
Cut an 18" length of pink thread. Thread the needle with one of the cut ends of the thread and pull the thread through the needle’s eye so that there is about a one inch of the thread on one side of the needle’s eye. Tie a knot in the longer side of the thread. Begin with a waste knot placed at the far left side of your canvas in the row you will be stitching over. Using Figure 1 below as a guide, begin stitching the Bargello pattern. Bring your needle up at point 1 and down at point 2 , up at point 3, down at point 4, following the pattern shown below. Complete as many stitches stitches as you can along this row. Completely fill in the part of the heart you can see.
Figure 1
Step 3:
Referring to the colored picture at the beginning of the instructions, and using the medium shade of gray, stitch the line under the cats chin and the outline of the cat’s legs using the Continental stitch. Refer to Figure 2.
Figure 2
Step 4:
Using the colored picture at the beginning of the directions, and the dark shade of gray, stitch the cat’s eyes, nose and mouth using the Continental stitch. Again, use Figure 2 as a guide.
Step 5:
Using the medium shade of gray, stitch the cat’s stripes using the Continental stitch. Again, use Figure 2 as a guide.
Step 6:
Using the light shade of gray, stitch the rest of the cat using the Continental stitch. Again, use Figure 2 as a guide.
Step 7:
The DMC floss comes in a 6 plied thread. Remove only one ply from the length of floss and sew 3 straight stitches on each side of the cat’s nose for the whiskers. Use the picture at the beginning of the directions for placement.
Step 8:
Glue a piece of white felt to the back of the canvas. Be sure to place glue around the outline of the heart and cat. Let dry completely. When dry, cut out the heart and cat along the outline, making sure not to cut through any of the stitches.
Step 9:
Take an 18" length of the pink thread and two 18" lengths of the light gray thread and gather them together. Tie a knot in one end. Braid the threads together. Tie a knot near the end of the threads you have just braided. Glue the braid along the edge of the heart and cat to cover the cut area. Cut away any excess braid.
Step 10:
Decorate the mat frame with “I Love Cats” across the top of the mat and add some cat prints along the bottom and sides using black and red markers. Glue the heart and cat to the bottom right side of the frame mat, making sure that it does not hang over the bottom edge, as shown in the picture at the top of the page. Now glue the frame mat to the front of the acrylic frame. Let dry completely, lying flat. You may place your picture inside the acrylic frame.