Snowman Baby Sampler

I'm still trying to recover fully from a nasty attack of bronchitis. But at least I've been able to stitch again without coughing after every 'x'. Last night I even did the finishing for this baby sampler so I must be getting better!

This design is by Homespun Elegance, with some modifications by me. Some things about the chart annoyed me:
1) The model for the design was shown in fancy hand-dyed threads, but DMC alternatives were given with the warning that the design would not look the same as the model. I think they should have included a photo of the piece done in DMC as well.
3) There are not a lot of colors, but the symbols are so small and some look so much alike that you had to really refer to the stitched model constantly to be sure not to make a mistake.
4) The chart was one sheet, printed on both sides. So the chart was on a different side from the color key. Pretty much forced you to make a working copy and that would not have been necessary otherwise.
5) The chart was really too large for one page and is very hard to read.

But I do like the design and I think it's perfect for a baby boy born on X-mas eve. I used Zweigart Edinburgh linen in Summer Khaki. The piece looks quite different from the photo on the chart using these colors, but I like how it turned out. The actual design called for snowman buttons in the fours corners (available only from Homespun Elegance!), but no problem.. gave me a place to put the baby facts.

For the finishing, I sewed a section of a wire clothes hanger inside the top of the hanging so it wouldn't sag in the middle. If you just bend the hanger back and forth a few times, it breaks off neatly and you don't need special tools. One of my favorite finishing methods.