The Box that Broke the Camel's Back

Once upon a time there was a beautiful 4 way bargello.  It wanted so badly to grace the top of a handsome wooden box.  It begged and pleaded with it's keeper until the keeper caved under the pressure and set out to make it's dream come true although she herself knew nothing about box making.  The Good Keeper trusted that the Powers that Rule the Universe would see how badly this little bargello wanted to be a box and clear all obstacles to help the box come into being.  After all, how hard could it be? Right?

Basic box elements:

A lid

A bottom

Optional box element:

A lining

Simple.

So, off to the framer the Keeper trotted with Beautiful Bargello in tow.  "Do you people make boxes?" she asked.  "Well no, but it sounds like it would be fun to try!" the answer came.  Why this answer inspired confidence in the Keeper, the story does not make clear but with the utmost optimism, she left Beautiful Bargello (and a large portion of her paycheck) with the nice frame people.  After no less than 3 mini-dramas later, she had the basic box elements; a lid and a bottom:

design by: Marion Scoular

Not exaaaaaaactly a box, like with hinges, a bottom and such, but....Keeper thought it was a good start.  Then she started really thinking about it.

Here's the short list of my problems:

#1) The lid is bigger, much bigger, than the bottom

#2) The bottom has a troublesome inset where it meets the lid

#3) The bottom has no bottom, makes for a lousy holder of stuff

#4) I have found the perfect (IMHO) fabric lining

#4 might have you scratching your head wondering why I'd call it a problem.  It is a problem because up until I found the perfect fabric, I could table this conundrum of mine.  Now?  Well.   Now, I have this perfectly perfect fabric lining, so I can't table the problems any more.  The fabric is driving this whole crazy bus now and it's heading for the Expressway.  You see?

So, where to begin?  Do I have the lid reframed smaller?  Do I turn the box bottom upside down so the inset is on the bottom? (BTW, I don't like the looks of it upside down)  Do I drop back and punt?  Do I drop it in the nearest river and start from scratch? 

How do I get myself into these pickles?

I hope to spend some quality time pondering these and other mysteries of the Universe this weekend.  Hope you find some time to stitch too! 

Happy Weekend Friends!

oldie but goodie

This old Better Homes and Gardens pattern for a box lid is truly one of my favorite finishes (but aren't they all). The plums and pear, holly and gourd seem to go together so well, just as if the fine folks at BHG planned it that way. I think it was stitched around 1998 or '99 (last century anyway!) when I was a dyed in the wool cross stitch puritan. I remember feeling so renegade when I stitched the long straight stitches (pine needles?). Can they do that?, I pondered. What happens if one gets snagged? I just don't know about these long straight stitches, I puzzled. Then, the "what the hell" took over and, voila, a terrific end product. Sometimes, as much as it pains me to say so, it's better to just do what you're told. Then on the other hand, some French knots would have been nice.