It had been over 15 years since I had cross stitched when I finally bought an OttLite to help me see better. I was looking for a fun project to stitch when I discovered Lynn's sweet Mini Cat series. I think it was when I was stitching my second one, that I decided to make a second set to give to my parents this Christmas. To date, I think I've stitched 27 mini cats...guess I'm making up for those lost years,
I'll post each of my mini cats below. It's been fun stitching two or more of the same pattern since no two turn out the same....they all have their own personality.
These cats are all 4 x 6, stitched on DMC Charlescraft Gold Standard and most of them are stitched on Antique White...a few are stitched on white. I have mounted them on sticky boards.
I like to back stitch and tend to back stitch almost everything.
JANUARY
I chose not to cross stitch the balls of yarn, but to use long back stitches to give it the look of real wool. I also made long stitches for the knitting needles to make it look more genuine.
It wasn't until after the second one was mounted, that I noticed I missed a row in the cats neck. It looks okay though, because he looks like he's just snuggled into his scarf more.
FEBRUARY
This was the first Mini Cat pattern that I stitched. I was so much fun and I was hooked. March was released before I got to stitch January, but before April was released I had 2 of the each of these months completed.
MARCH
The month of two designs. Both cute, but I love the sheep in the first one, so I'll be keeping that one for me.
APRIL
If you look closely at the three different April Mini Cats, you'll see the amount of back stitching decreases with each one. I will be keeping the first one. I made the third one for a niece's birthday. While I was stitching this one, I thought of turning the February design into a Birthday mini cat as you'll see below.
MAY
This is one of my favourite designs...love the sweet birdhouse. I added a French knot to give the bird an eye. After they were mounted I noticed one cat was thinner than the other...I forgot to add the extra stitch in the row after his tail started.
JUNE
Lynn's June design was presented in two different colours. I had planned on doing both, but once I started with the green I loved it, so chose to do both in green. I love Monarch butterflies, so I decided to turn this one into a Monarch. My husband, (the engineer) suggested I add a second hinge to the gate.
JULY
July's design was interesting for me. The second one posted above was actually the first one I stitched. I always stitch the cat first and then I moved on to the wall. Things weren't working out so great for me. I ripped out the planters and just used the lighter of the colour in the wall for them and then back stitched in the darker colour. You'll see I changed the butterfly to a Monarch again.
When I started the second one, I did a different approach...after finishing the cat, I did everything else before the wall...it was pretty and colourful. I had the second one completed when Lynn posted her July finish. I loved some of the changes she made to hers and decided to change my second one (which is actually the first one you see). I loved the changes in colour and my Monarch had to go...it clashed with the colours. I do love the new butterfly though.
AUGUST
Another one of my favourite designs. The first August you see was actually the second one I did when I realized I missed a row in the first sail boat so that is why it looks smaller. Still looks great, but I like the bigger sail boat better.
Happy Birthday/ Bonne Fête Mini Cats
Bonne Fête (Québecois for Happy Birthday). This was the first Birthday Mini Cat I stitched and it was lots of fun. It was a birthday present to my French teacher from a few years ago.
Stitching Bonne Fête was easier than Happy Birthday. You can see how I was getting creative with the "Y" in Birthday.
I just finished stitching these 3 mini cats for little people. The happy birthday minis are for great-nephews (2 & 4 - not brothers, but cousins) and the Bonne Fête is for my husband's niece. She loves the colour blue, so I used lots of blue in it for her. I did frame these ones with glass so the cross stitch doesn't get destroyed .
Saint Patrick's Day
The second one I actually stitch and gave to my mother last March... it's 5 x 7
HALLOWEEN
This is a design that I found on Lynn's blog from last year. Love it! My husband suggested that I put an orange French Knot on the spider. My best friend loves Halloween, so I gave her the first one.
LOVE TO SEW
I don't sew, but when Lynn posted this design I knew I had to stitch it. Luckily for me, I have a sister who sews. The pattern was a lot of fun to stitch...my sister loved it. I'm sure I'll end up doing one for myself someday.
I looked forward to seeing Lynn's sweet new designs every month...thanks Lynn!
Wow! You are a real minicatprofessional :-)
ReplyDeleteMy, you have stitch a lot of them. They are cute as presents, but you also keep minicats for yourself. Have you them hanging on a wall of are you exposing them in a different way?
Thanks for your kind words. The Mini Cat of the month is displayed on a shelf. I'm so glad I found Lynn's blog as I'm having so much fun stitching her sweet patterns.
DeleteYes Wow!!! Oh my gosh you have stitched so many of my mini cats, I am so impressed, they all look so beautifully stitched. I was laughing about the birds eye, I was supposed to put a french knot knot as the eye for the bird but I forgot! Lol...
ReplyDeleteIn fact in the first designs I made I forgot the whiskers and had to go back to stitch them all in, they were on the pattern but I just simply forgot to stitch them, it must be an age thing! Lol.....
I did find when I started stitching the designs that sometimes I simply had to change the colours as they did not look right, I have since invested in a DMC colour chart as the colours on a computer do not always look good in real life.
I had a real problem with the wall in July Cat, I did change the colours but I was never really happy with it, I think I should re do that one eventually.
Hopefully I will get chance to stitch the designs before publishing the patterns, I think that tends to work best, for example, September cat is now stitched with different colour than I first chose and I know it looks right.
I am so thrilled you have stitched so many, keep it up! Lol........ In fact, I think I will design a mini cat in honour of you Peggie, you certainly deserve it you stitched so many!
Hugs
Lynn B
Lynn, I can't thank you enough for your wonderful Mini Cat designs...they are so cute and I love stitching them, as I'm sure you can tell. lol
DeleteI loved your July Mini Cat finish and was very pleased with the revised July I did for myself. It was sad today removing it, but the August Mini Cat put a big smile on my face...Love his hat.
I'm working away on September and enjoying it too.
I'm thrilled that you would consider designing a mini cat in my honour....how sweet of you.
Peggie
Wow, that's an amazing array of mini cats!
ReplyDeleteThanks...they are so much fun to stitch.
DeleteKeeps me out of trouble. LOL Seriously, I'm having so much fun stitching them and look forward to each of Lynn's new designs.
ReplyDelete