Nativity is still a WIP

I have finished stitching backs to all of the figures.
Now I must decide how to finish the bottoms.  One of the comments suggested using felt for the bottoms and I think I will try that first to see how it goes.
Wish me luck and have a great weekend of stitching everyone.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Finishing WIP

I am trying to figure out how to finish my nativity pieces. 
So far I am attaching a back side with  the same aida fabric - sewing the 2 sides together like a biscornu finish.  DH had some washers that I am thinking would be good to put in the base to give them some weight. 
I can't decide how to put a bottom on the pieces.  They stand by themselves - the sheep on the left is not sitting on a washer and although it's pretty stable I suspect that's because it's not very tall.
I am thinking I will have to make up some kind of pattern for each base and cut it out of muslin fabric and then hand sew it to the bottom.
I also think I may have to put some fiber fill inside each piece so the washer stays at the bottom instead of moving around inside the figure.
Hand sewing is pretty slow going for me but I would like to finish these before I get excited about my next cross stitch project.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Nativity Finish

I made some changes to the pattern this week.  The last wise man had a beard that called for DMC floss 3022.  As I started to stitch I thought the beard looked very green (the description for that color in the key said "brown gray, medium").  I went through my floss stash and found another skein of 3022 that didn't seem to look as green so I frogged and started using the new skein.  Ack!  it still looked a bit green so I frogged again and decided he really should have a black beard.   I changed the shepherd so he is holding the staff in front of his body instead of off to the side.  I wanted him to be shaped more like the other figures.  I think I am finished with this chart and now I must decide if they are going to be flat folds or no-sew cubes.  I have not done either kind of finish so I am mostly trying to decide what my next cross stitch project will be (so I am procrastinating on the final finishing).

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Nativity WIP

This week I finished the angel and started the 3 wise men.  The colors are much prettier than this photo shows.  This is turning out to be a quick project for me so I can tell it's a fun stitch.  I am going to modify the shepherds so they are not so much wider than the other figures so that may be a challenge when I get to those.
Have a wonderful stitching week.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Folk Art Nativity WIP

I have started the Folk Art Nativity figures from the Cross Stitcher magazine (April 2003).
Joseph and Mary are stitched and the Angel is started.
I don't know if these will be finished as ornaments or the standing figures shown in the magazine.  I have never made a flat fold but it crossed my mind that it might work for these figures.  There is plenty more to stitch so I can ponder these options as I continue stitching.  

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]