With just a few items and a couple of hours, you can make a charming gift like this little Amish box. It uses a classic Diamond in a Square quilt pattern and a brown cardboard box You can make it in any colors you like.
It’s so easy any stitcher can make it.
You’ll need:
- 2.5″ brown cardboard box
- craft paint to match the stitching
- ModPodge or other glaze
- scrap of 13-mesh mono canvas at least 2.5″ square
- square foam double-sided adhesive
- thread in your choice of four colors
- scissors for cutting canvas
Prepare the Box
The first step is to paint the box. This is done in four steps and needs to dry between each step.
- Paint the inside and edges of the box and top in the box color.
- Paint the outside of the box and top in the paint color.
- Use the ModPodge to glaze the inside of the box and top (optional).
- Use the ModPodge to glaze the outside of the box and top.
When this is complete, set the box and top aside.
Stitching the Quilt
Traditionally Amish quilts are made from the same fabric as their clothes. This means only solid colors and lots of black. Happily, these make for great quilts.
For the Amish white, yellow, and orange are not used because these colors are associated with mourning. Here though, you can stray from the traditional Amish colors to make the quilt any colors you like.
Although hand-dyed threads that are subtle shades of the same color (semi-solids) can be used, solid-color threads work best.
The quilt uses Tent, Diagonal Gobelin, Mosaic, and Scotch. Follow the chart below and stitch the quilt.
Once the quilt is stitched, trim the canvas four threads beyond the edges of the stitched area.
Assembling the Box
Take your foam square of double-sided adhesive and place it in the center of the top. Press down to make it stick. Peel off the protective coating on the top of the square and center the needlepoint on it. Press down again.
Unravel three threads from each side of the quilt. The remaining thread around the edge of the stitched area will keep everything in place.
Your Little Amish Box is ready to give as a gift!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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