Counted Jewels

Just a few weeks ago I got the idea to create a new set of holiday ornaments for this season.  This time, instead of using traditional quilt blocks for inspiration, I focused on pure geometric designs, using very basic kinds of stitches and this is what I came up with:

I'm calling this set of four designs "JEWEL ORNAMENTS", since each one has a topaz Swarovski crystal in the center, plus a handful of other gold beads for extra glitz and holiday glamor!  (Trust me, these photos don't do justice to the vibrant color and  sparkle of these pieces...and the Swarovski crystal is a deep rich gold that - try as I might - simply won't show up on the scanned photo.)

Since my other two HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS patterns used the traditional red and green colorways, I really wanted to stitch other colors, so I chose a slightly different mix of fuchsia (or cranberry, if you prefer) with a touch of lime green.  Here's what one of the ornaments looks like up close:

And here's the traditional red and green version stitched up as well, which is equally sparkly and festive:

Because they are all stitched "on point" they measure 6" x 6" at the widest point.  Also included in the pattern is a set of four different borders that you can stitch around the diamond shapes, to turn them into 6" x 6" squares.  Which would make terrific projects for box or pillow inserts. 

I enjoyed stitching all of these models because they were so fast and fun to work up. (Ahem, great TV projects, don't you know....)  Really nothing too difficult here, and seeing all the colors and metallics come alive on such a small canvas makes for a very pleasurable stitching experience!

The pattern lists the threads for both colorways (fuchsia & lime or red & green) and as always, you can certainly mix & match your own colors and use these ornaments as decorations for other seasons besides Christmas...

If you're itching to start a fast and fun holiday project to get you in the mood for the holidays, please check out my new JEWEL ORNAMENTS on my website at Laura J. Perin Designs.