Ode to the Ort Basket

Ode to the Ort Basket by With Thy Needle and Thread was a kit offered at the Nashville Needlework Market. I’m not sure if the chart is still available or not.

I stitched the piece using a piece of 32ct evenweave I had in my stash and floss I had in my stash:

• GA Mountain Mist (Bird’s WIngs)
• CC Ye Old Gold (Eyelet Stitches)
• Red Pear
• Red Currant

Several years ago, I had purchased a couple of the Wood Playing Card Boxes from Hobby Lobby and it turned out this was the perfect size to use on finishing this project. The original idea came from Debra Burger with her Sewing Box finishes. I painted the box with Folk Art Uniform Blue inside and out.

I laced the stitched piece of a piece of matboard with matting and mounted it to the top of the box.

The inside of the box has four sections, so I cut four pieces of matboard and added a layer of batting, then covered two of them with a contrasting fabric. To one, I added a ribbon and some pretty pins. To another I added a wooden strawberry heart that I had in my stash. No idea where it came from.

I selected two of the small designs from the book Casting a Spell by Blackbird Designs and stitched them on 18ct aida with Mo’s Murky Blue silk floss. Lacing them onto the piece of matboard was very fiddly. I am happy with how the entire project turned out. I have two more of the boxes so will have to find some more designs to use on the top and inside.