Cross Stitched PlayBlocks

Create soft bricks for your little ones using remnants of liberty fabric and decorative needlework Brighten up a child's bedroom with this modern play block set by Hélène Le Berre. Made from just a handful of sewing supplies, it is a fun way to create a thoughtful gift for mother and baby without breaking the bank and is easily customised with counted cross stitch and coordinating trims for a truly bespoke finish!

Essentials

Fabric: four 15cm squares of 28-count white linen, two 15cm squares of spotted baby pink linen; four 15cm squares of Liberty Tana Lawn (Kinnear); two 15cm squares of baby blue spotted fabric
DMC Mouliné stranded cotton, one skein each of 598, 3348, 3328, 760
Interfacing, twelve 10cm squares
Ribbon, silver, 8mm wide, two 6cm lengths
Strong cardboard, 10cm square
Repositionable fabric adhesive spray
Vanishing pen

Dimensions List

10cm x 10cm square

Stitch the Motifs

Locate the two play block charts on the template. Transfer the first design onto a 15cm square of white linen with vanishing pen, then repeat for the second motif onto another 15cm square of white linen.
Stitch the designs, working each stitch over two blocks of linen and using two strands of Mouliné cotton for both the cross stitch and backstitch as indicated.

Assemble the Block

Centre a 10cm square of strong cardboard on the wrong side of an embroidered linen shape. Fold the excess linen over the board. Mark the folds clearly, then remove the board and cut off the excess linen, 2cm from the folds. Repeat for the second embroidered square.
Fix a 10cm square of stiff interfacing to the wrong side of each embroidered shape with spray adhesive, centring them correctly. Glue the excess linen or fabric down over the back of the interfacing and sew in place using large slip stitches, taking care not to go through to the right side.
Make a block by joining the six squares together with overcast stitch – distribute the fabrics and linens using the photographs as a guide. On the last edge, slip the ends of a 6cm piece of ribbon which you have folded in half between the two squares and trap in the stitching to make a hanging loop. Repeat to make a pair.