I know the song properly refers to the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany (January 6), but you may be looking for gifts for people to give you, or gifts you have a chance of making before Christmas.
So for the next 12 days, I’m going to be posting, along with the regular blog posting, a 12 Days of Christmas post.
Today’s gift is perfect if you want to make a quick gift or if you want to introduce someone to needlepoint.
This kit makes a great gift, either finished as a keychain or as a project for a stitcher.
Made from two pieces of acrylic, the keychain has your initial against a solid-colored background. It is available in six different colors of acrylic and each color has a choice of two thread sets.
Persian Wool is used for the threads.
The kit includes, the keychain, a length of satin cord for pendants, the thread pack, instructions, two alphabet charts, a needle and a threader.
The keychain has two acrylic pieces, one drilled with holes, 18 to the inch. You stitch the needlepoint on this piece, protect the back of the needlepoint with the included spacer and cover it all with the solid piece of acrylic.
Three colors of Persian Wool are included with enough of each to mix and match colors. If you want to substitute threads, stick with wool. It is soft enough so the acrylic doesn’t show through and sturdy enough to wear really well; you need this because the needlepoint is exposed.
I made the keychain a couple of days ago, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was. The acrylic is both rigid and thick, so I found it easier to use than plastic canvas. You do need to remember a couple of things.
First you should use two hands to stitch, changing the hand which holds the disk and the one which holds the needle when it comes out on either side. This makes it faster and easier to stitch.
Second, because the material is rigid this is one of the few places where you can use Half-Cross Stitch with no problems. But you do need some coverage on the back so you can hide thread ends. I used Continental and Half-Cross in alternate rows (which is often mislabeled as Continental and which has given the stitch a bad rep).
It didn’t take long to stitch at all and was a ton of fun.
Once you have finished stitching, trim all the threads closely. Peel one side off the spacer’s adhesive and place it on the back of your stitching. Be sure to line up the notch with the hole.
Peel off the paper on the other side of the spacer and place the back on it, being sure to line up the holes.
Rather than use the included components to make it into a keychain, I used a ball chain.
I just love what AMH is doing, they have a great color sense and always have products with good, clean design. Every AMH kit is inventive and makes needlepoint fun and accessible to those who never thought of doing it before.
This is a wonderful kit for you to make as a quick gift or for you t give as is to someone who would love to make it.
Related posts:
- Stitch, Slip & Go – 12 Days of Needlepoint Gifts
- Princely Collection Bookmark – 12 Days of Needlepoint Gifts
- Give the Gift of Stitching – 12 Days of Needlepoint Gifts
- Needlepoint Tote Bag from Finished Pieces in your Stash – 12 Days of Needlepoint Gifts
- Another Kind of Needlepoint Bookmark – 12 Days of Needlepoint Gifts
Cool!
What a great gift idea. Saw it too late for this year, but would love to make up a couple for next year. Where do you get them?
Thanks for the info.
Jill
You can order them from AMH’s site at http://amhdesignonline.com/ or from your local needlepoint store.
[...] oval of acrylic in several color combinations. I made the keychain a couple of years ago and reviewed [...]