Inside My Crow Hussif

I stitched the Prairie Schooler pattern on cream 14ct aida using the recommended DMC threads. I then used some iron-on interface to stiffen the back of the embroidery. 

I'd decided to make the interior from brown felt but I didn't want to leave it plain. 

I cut pockets to fit my magnetic pattern board and line markers, cross stitch ruler, scissors, needles, cotton etc. Then I planned where I wanted the pockets to sit in the hussif. I decided to add a needle rest and thought about the decoration. 

Rather than simply surround the pockets I wanted to incorporate the pockets into the design and of course the decoration had to follow the crow theme. 

I thought about the crow and the seasons and came up with the designs for summer (strawberries) and autumn (pumpkins and falling leaves). I considered embroidering pictures into the felt but in the end I tried my hand at felt applique. 

I cut and stitched the applique into place before I sewed the pockets and joined the interior to the cover.

The strawberries are actually the needle rests.