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}

and


and 

10 comments:

  1. Oh I love this! I can't wait until my kids are a bit older and we can work on this together. :) I found you through the link up, I'm sharing toddler leg warmers and my mama scarf this week.

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  2. Oh and I am just starting to swap buttons on my blog, would you be interested in swapping for fall? Just let me know!

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  3. I love cross stitch. And I loved it when I was a child. I started stitching in a single direction, with some kind of patterns where there was a simple drawing and the colours to be used. I remember the thread was also thicker. My mom introduced me to it and I've made really beautiful projects!!
    I can't wait for sharing time with my children doing such things!!

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  4. This is so pretty! I've always wanted to try cross stitch.

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  5. I look forward to seeing the finished pencilcase. The tree is lovely. Could it have your name on the other side?

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  6. What a great idea! I've pinned this to my "For Kids to Make for Others" board :)

    Thank you for linking up to Learning Laboratory!

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  7. In 4th grade we make the opposite side of our pencil cases an exact mirror image of the front. But I think it would be lovely to see a Spring tree in bloom on the other side :) Like moving from one side of the year to the other. Looking forward to seeing what you do. It's lovely.

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  8. Thanks for your ideas!
    My MIL's class stitched their name on the reverse side so somewhere in the design I will stitch my name.
    And that's funny, a Spring tree has been the only idea that I've come up with too!
    xoxo
    ~ joey ~

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  9. I found your blog through Waldorf Wednesday. So many great ideas. I have a question about cross stitch as we started one with my 5th grader. It is HARD! We are not doing a freehand one, but rather following a counted cross stitch pattern. Do you think a freehand design is easier than all that blasted counting? Or do you think that is the will-building of it all? Also your aida cloth looks more defined than mine. I am wondering if that is the way it looks in the picture or if there is a type of aida cloth here the "cross holes" are more pronounced.
    Thanks for any advice.

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  10. Hi Sheila!
    I have tried the counted stitch kits in the past and now this freehand method and I think this would be so much easier to learn with. Keeping it symmetrical was my biggest challenge. I wanted to just make a random all over pattern with whatever colour caught my fancy. This aida cloth has very large squares (1/4") so it's really easy for the kids to use.
    Hope this helps, keep trying!
    ~ joey ~

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I really enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas about the posts that I write here. It's nice to just say hi too!
~ joey ~