I found this cute little design online as a freebie chart on the Six Strand Sweets website. I've never stitched anything for St. Patrick's Day, so thought I'd give this a whirl.

The design is charted for two shades of Six Strand Sweets overdyed thread and Silkweaver's Mint Julip fabric. As is so often the case, I didn't have any in my stash so used what I had on hand.

I started by choosing a variegated green floss for the large shamrock. Once I found a fiber I liked, I matched solid green floss to the variegated. I chose light, medium and dark shades of green and used them for the small clovers. Then I found a grey aida in my stash that allowed the greens to "pop." Finally, I chose a blue floss for the word "luck" that was in the same tones as the green flosses and the grey ground fabric. I'm quite pleased with my choices.

DMC No.	Color
122	Olive Green Variegated
3348	light green
906	medium green
904	dark green
931	blue

I decided to finish this piece as a lapel pin so I can have something green to wear on March 17th. After the stitching was complete, here's how I did the finishing:

1. First I cut an oval of cardboard that the design would fit on.
    
2. Next I cut out the fabric in an oval shape, about 1/2 inch larger than the cardboard oval.
    
3. Then I found a green felt that I tested behind the design to see if it helped or distracted from the colors in the stitched piece. Once I found the correct shade of green, I cut out an oval the same size as the cardboard. Then I glued the felt to the cardboard.
    
4. The next step was to sew a running stitch along the edges of the stitched piece with dental floss (nice and strong). I put the felt-covered cardboard behind the stitching, felt side up, centering the stitching over the cardboard. Then I turned the piece over, pulled on the dental floss, and allowed the fabric edges to curl around the backside of the cardboard. I tied it tightly, and trimmed the dental floss ends to about one inch. Then I taped the ends to the cardboard backing.
    
5. Now I cut another oval of the green felt, this time with pinking shears. This oval is slightly larger than the cardboard so that the pointy edges stick out like a border around the stitching.
    
6. Next I made a label for the back that says "M Davaz 2004" using some perforated paper. I sewed the label to the bottom third of the pinked green felt oval with a blanket stitch.
    
7. Then I dug through my stash and found a pin back. I sewed it to the top third of the pinked oval above my label.
    
8. Before attaching the backing to the stitchery, I made the green satin bow and carefully sewed it to the front of the stitchery. I played with the bow a while and decided to place it slightly askew, rather than centering it over the stitching. The final stitch connecting the bow to the stitchery went all the way through the cardboard. That way I could tape down the thread tail to make sure it was secure.
    
9. Finally, I added some white glue to the cardboard backing, making sure to also glue the fabric edge that wrapped to the back. Then I carefully placed the pinked felt oval in place and pressed until the glue held solidly.

Now, won't I just look dashing on St. Patrick's Day!

Stitched March 4, 2004

Pattern name:	Luck 2004
Designer:	Tracy Kreger of Stitches 'N' Stones Design
Stitch Count:	30 x 21
Fabric:	14ct grey aida
Floss:	DMC cotton and DMC variegated
Original Cost:	Free
Copyright year:	2004

Stitches'N'Stones Designs

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