Anything to do with 8x10 cross-stitch pieces besides frame and hang on wall?

kdownie · 08-19-2008, 07:54:40 PM

I cross-stitched 12 Peter Rabbit pieces when I was pregnant with DD, along with the help of my mom. I had always planned to hang them in her room, but we moved a lot. She is now 2 1/2, and we are in our finally in our own house, the 4th place she has lived, so she finally gets a decorated room. I had planned to decorate her room based on the cross-stitch pieces, which are currently all framed in 8x10 frames. That would have meant brick red, sage greens, cream, dark brown etc.

However, I have a child that LOVES the color orange. She chooses orange things anytime she can, from paint samples to popsicles. I feel like a bad mom making her have this earth-toned room when she loves orange so much, but my mom and I put months of work into cross-stitching these pieces (anyone who cross-stitches knows what I'm talking about).

So, long story short, is there anything special I can do with these pieces while still letting her have her orange room?

I wondered if there was a way to bind them into a book or something, but I don't know.

Most of the orange bedding I can find will not even blend with her cross-stitch, so hanging them on the wall with the orange bedding I have found isn't really an option.

(BTW, she has always loved the color orange, from the time she was an infant watching her crib mobile go 'round and 'round and preferred the orange giraffe, so this does not seem to be a passing phase)

sbp · 08-19-2008, 07:59:27 PM

I don't have any ideas but congratulations on getting all the pieces finished!!! My oldest son will be 6 in a few months and I've gotten as far as picking out a pattern to do a birth sampler for him, but no further.

MommaDuck01 · 08-19-2008, 08:02:25 PM

What about a quilt type blanket and maybe a throw pillow or two?

Can't find a color that would contrast with the orange and still go with the cross-stitch?

If they fit in 8x10 frames, there must be a way to 'scrapbook' them.

Sorry, I'm not a scrapbooker and cross-stitch is about the only 'sewing' I do besides sewing on buttons and patches! It has been almost 10 years since I cross-stitched patterns for my bridesmaids gifts, my mom and MIL.

paradisemommmy · 08-19-2008, 08:20:32 PM

Okay I scrapbooked my son's baby announcement that was a cross stitch my Nana did...I'll have to see if I can't take a picture of the layout for you. I put it into his baby album so he will always have it. I made it a fold over page where he could fold the cross stitch page over and read the journaling on the back about his Nana and her love for cross stitch and how much she loved him.

Andra · 08-19-2008, 08:26:33 PM

I was going to suggest a quilt or throw pillows until I read the post. She may only like the orange because it is bright and easy to recognize. When children are very young they like bright colors because they can see them more easily. She may continue to like orange or she may choose other colors later on. If you were to decorate in subtler tones with pops of orange here and there she would probably like the room just as well when she gets older. I also think that you could use a subdued rust-color (almost orange but not bright) and it would go with the earthy color scheme you described. Just my 2 cents.

kdownie · 08-20-2008, 05:14:50 AM

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I repped everyone I could!

hopeky94 · 08-20-2008, 07:35:11 AM

My parents just celebrated their 50th anniversary last Saturday, and one of the nicest gifts they got was a throw pillow with a cross-stitched piece on the front (has their names, some hearts, wedding date, etc). I believe this cross-stich is about 8x10, so the lady who made it attached some of the same material she used on the back around the edges of the cross-stitch, to make it the pillow the size she wanted. I think the colors in the pattern were pastels with a cream background, but the other material is a brown and cream print, and it's still beautiful!

I would look for some brown and orange paisley or tie-dye type material (think 70's look) to put around the edges and the back to make a pillows. Or maybe add a dark orange border around the piece then some solid brown material for the rest. Maybe there's some Peter Rabbit material with some orange in it...

Hey, carrots are orange-- if you can find material with carrots all over it (and hopefully some dark green carrot tops!), how would that look as a cute pillow backing or alternating quilt squares to make a large wall hanging??

HTH, and we'd LOVE to see what you decide to do!