#bellpull

New cross stitch project!

It was begun by someone who sadly passed away. I was asked to finish it, so it can be kept as a memory. Ideally finished before easter, which I think is quite possible with how easy it is going so far.

Weeeh! Finally done with yet another cross stitch project I've had laying around for a while.

It was an embroidery someone had already started on, and if inspecting you can tell the difference in the first roses at the top, compared to the rest. Once I got going on this, I discovered I had repeated a mistake already made. Instead of giving up or having to undo the whole thing, I decided to just roll with it. Continuing on with how it was, made some extra space for me to use to make the final design more fun to look at!

I have lots of quotes and screenshots saved for use in inspiration, and one got used here to create my own silly anti-"Live Love Laugh" banner.

Also some more practice with my sewing skills to properly install the finished thing. The fancy top and bottom holders were a lucky thrift find, that felt very fitting to be put to used on this one.

So do enjoy!

Picking up on this old cross stitch project from the bags of leftovers from my mom, seems to have come with complications.

Had to unstitch a few bits I was supposed to continue from, already made who knows how many years ago, because plenty of those stitches weren't placed right as according to the pattern. But far too late as I start working to continue this one, do I realize I should have unstitched far more than I first did. Cuz a big enough mistake had the section I'm working on be far too the left than intended by the photo example of the finished version.

This type of yarn used is different and more flossy than what I'm used to work with, and a bit of a bother. No way imma try unstitch all I've made so far at the risk of just breaking all the yarn threads.

So I'm saying Heck to that and just resume as I've done so far and just repeat same error to keep the error symmetrical at the very least. Cuz it's given me ideas of some fun motivational words I'll have room to add now.

Just some pondering and planning I felt like sharing after realizing the mistakes made that would be too much work to back up on.

Looking closely from the back you should be able to tell the difference between the original work and where I took over from

AAAAAAA, it's finally done!

Phew

Been working on this for so dern long. It was supposed to be done for Xmas last year, bleh. But finally done at last!

Plus I decided to challenge myself, by do the sewing as well, instead of leave it to my mom to finish that part for me. A lot of hesitation and fear of effing up. But I did it! Is not 100% perfect, but it's still nice and good.

So do feel very proud of having done it all by myself! Even the embroidery design is own design!

All to make a yuletide advent calendar, for my niece. Something personal and unique for her to keep.

Ah yes, definitely with how this turned out, for sure!

Enjoy!

I haven't drawn much art lately, due to health as usual. But can still work on embroidery for friends and family.

A friend gave birth to her first child just a couple of weeks before her own birthday. So I worked on this traditional bellpull pretty fast, to offer as a special gift for the occasion.

Especially proud of the addition of her beloved bunnies, to make this bellpull extra special!

Enjoy

Challenge accepted, @neptunian-cross-stitch!

*Cracks my knuckles. Starts crying cuz that's uncomfortable. Anyways*

I heavily assume, with bare minimum of research, that the Bell Pull as a concept origin from medieval time. A rope or cloth hanging from the ceiling to be pulled on, making a bell ring, as a means to summon a servant to the room.

As typical show of wealth, these cloths for pulling would be of fine materials and over time decorated with embroidery.

To a point over time that the pull becomes more decorative than useful.

Today a bellpull is more of a small tapestry than anything else, purely for decorative purposes. You can see many a samples of this, just by searching it.

The typical anatomy requites a top attached to a holder, whether of metal or merely a stick, to keep the decorative cloth held up in its full glory. Bottom can either be free hanging or giving a matching pole. As seen above can even be with tassels. Or the irony of a bell at the bottom, instead of the top as its original purpose was.

They come in all sizes and materials. Some just patterns, others images of animals or people. Flowers a popular motive too. But all typically made with embroidery.

I don't know how spread out it is outside of my own home country, Denmark, but at least in Scandinavia in general we have a specific tradition for cross stitch bellpulls.

Celebration of births.

I've created such from scratch twice before, with my own designs!

Though is easy to find premade patterns of "klokkestrenge" as we call them, where you merely change name and birth details. I prefer the more personal touch of making my own design entirely.

It is a collection of images in theme with the subject of the child, with which you add in name, date of birth, size and weight around birth.

It is for the family to hang in their home in celebration of the newborn and as a lasting memory to enjoy for years.

Another use of this style of crafting is as advent calendars, a big tradition in Scandinavia too.

Of what I've made once before, by own design as well.

Each ring is to hang a small present from, which a child may open on the day of December matching the number above the ring. As a countdown to Yule/Christmas.

Really, there's no limit to the creativity used, to be put on display on a wall for all to enjoy!

This one was a premade pattern I took over from a bag full of old embroidery material given to me. I merely finished it and added my own personal touch with the text, for funzies~

A fun thing to do is to go through secondhand stores and find old bellpulls and small tapestries done generations ago, showing the great creativity through decades. Also perfect place to look for those hangers for your bellpull projects, and with luck you can find some really fancy ones!

I'm member of a facebook group for cross stitch enjoyers, and some members love finding any kind of old embroidery in thrift stores, to give a modern touch with new colourful stitches on top of the existing image.

So yeah, no end to the creativity and fun! I can only recommend looking into it further yourself and maybe give it a try!

I hope your enjoyed this infodumping on a hobby I enjoy!

I deserve praise. None of ya'll understand how much I stress myself out just with trying to stitch something together!

Sure I love cross stitching to pieces and pretty proud of my works.

But regularly sewing??

Nope!

So trying to finish this bellpull on my own, is a very big steppy!

Now I'm just stick with what to do with the ends. Still gotta go ask mom for help after all, bleh.