A Christmas Ornament for Ruth

A Christmas ornament is such a lovely way to commemorate a special occasion. And this year, we have a very special event to celebrate in our family… the birth of baby Ruth! I have a couple of ornaments that I intended to stitch, but time slipped up on me – again! (Whoops…)

I do plan to finish one of them, though. It’ll just have to hang on the tree in its little stretcher bar frame until January, when I can take it Judith so she can work her magic. (And who knows… I may have the other one done by then, too!)

This is the ornament I plan to stitch first…

It’s by Lee Designs. Isn’t it adorable? I’ll have the finisher embroider her name and birthday on the backing fabric – pink velvet, of course! 🙂

And here’s the other ornament for baby Ruth…

It’s by Rebecca Wood Designs. I’m still noodling a stitch plan because I haven’t settled on all of the threads yet.

It’s definitely tempting to stitch more than two ornaments for Ruth’s first Christmas, but I’m trying to restrain myself. 😉

Here are just a few of the other adorable designs that you might consider stitching for a new baby…

The Pepperberry Designs ornament is available in a girl version and the Rebecca Wood ornament is available in a boy version. And both designers have other needlepoint ornaments for babies that you might want to check out on their websites. Click here for Pepperberry Designs and here for Rebecca Wood Designs.

Whenever you see a design you like…

write down the number, including other pertinent information, such as the name of the design and the canvas mesh size.

And speaking of canvas mesh size, some designers make their designs available on both 13 mesh and 18 mesh needlepoint canvas. While 13 mesh is definitely easier on the eyes, the design will have more detail if it’s painted on 18 mesh canvas. You’ll have to make the decision about which option best suits your needs – and taste.

When you’re ready to make your purchase, contact your local needlepoint shop. If you don’t live near a needlepoint store, see if you can find the ornament online. (When ordering a canvas online, though, it’s always a good idea to call the store to make sure they have the item in stock before you complete your purchase. Some websites do not reflect current inventory.)

These mini-stockings from Susan Roberts Designs would also be beautiful keepsakes for baby’s first Christmas.

You can personalize them with the name or the baby’s birthdate on the cuff – and then tuck a little surprise inside. And you might even consider making the “stocking filling” an annual tradition. 😉

I love the soft colors on these designs and I can envision using silk thread for the gingham background, wool for the teddy bear, and either Petite Very Velvet or silk for the bow. Soooo pretty… hmmm, I may be seeing a third ornament on the horizon for Ruth. 😉

But the ornament you stitch doesn’t have to be pink or blue…

In fact, this adorable pair of mittens would be a charming keepsake for any child’s first Christmas.

You have a couple of options for finishing with this project. You could stitch both canvases and have them finished as a single mitten. Or you could stitch both canvases and have the finisher use fabric on the backs, then use twisted cording to connect them so that they look like a child’s pair of mittens on a string.

Any needlepoint design depicting baby Jesus is always an appropriate choice for baby’s first Christmas.

While the design below is just one of many available, there are countless nativity scenes with Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus that would also be sweet.

And these are just a few examples of what’s available.

Do you have a favorite ornament you stitched for a special baby? Send me a picture… I’d love to see it. 🙂

Okey dokey – I’d better get busy stitching those cutie-pie baby feet. Thank you ever so much for popping by to read this week’s post. Until next time, happy stitching!

XOXO!!

Ellen Johnson