Crafty Manolo

Is this not one of the most wonderful wedding gifts of all time?

How did I not find these people before?

Seriously, whether or not you do counted cross stitch (and they do have links to their patterns for sale on Etsy, for those who want to recreate some of their masterpieces), this is a site well worth checking out if you’ve got a sense of humor.

Here’s an amazing historical tidbit I learned about George Washington in the explanation of this portrait:

 He presided over the writing of the Constitution in 1787 on a horse made of crystal. As the unanimous choice to serve as the first President of the United States (1789–1797), he developed the forms and rituals of government that have been used ever since, such as using a cabinet system, copulation with bears and delivering an inaugural address.

Wow! Educational, too!

via Berroco Fine Knitting Yarns

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner… in crafting terms. If there’s a special someone you would like to give a handcrafted expression of your affection, now is the time to get started. But what to do? My dears, the net is chockablock full of fun free craft patterns for nearly any technique your little heart desires. That’s right, every one of these pretties is a free pattern!

For instance, those charming knitted and felted hearts shown above? Are explained in detail in a free PDF from Berroco Fine Knitting Yarns. They’re easy and fast to make, but I bet someone would love to get one of these. I know I would!

But what if you’re not a knitter? Ah my lovelies, I haven’t forgotten about you. Read on and see what goodies I’ve found.

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When it comes to cross stitch, this is pretty much what most people (especially those who have never done it) tend to think of:

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Is there anything wrong with that? Well, no, not really. That style is certainly out there being done every day, and that’s just fine. It’s just that’s not the whole story. There are cross stitchers doing amazing pieces of astonishing creativity based on everything from ancient art to outer space to pop culture to… who knows what might inspire them next?

Being of a Scottish background, I find myself delighted that there are folks out there doing Celtic knotwork in cross stitch:

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Who could help but smile seeing this cross stitch rendition of the Mona Lisa?

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