Snoopy pattern alteration?

[meganap25]

Hi all! I took a break from stitching for a while but recently started back up and have made a few Christmas gifts for friends and family this year. I forgot how fun it is!

I want to make the pattern in the picture below for a family member who is a huge Peanuts fan. I had the idea to use some Aida mounted like canvas that I saw at the craft store for a project I wouldn’t have to frame. Unfortunately the pattern is just under 70 stitches tall and the canvas is 53 tall. I was planning on shrinking some of the solid red sections to make a slightly squattier dog house. Any ideas on the best way to do this to make sure it still looks good? You can see they did the black outline and details in full stitches. If I change it to a back stitch would it still look okay? Thanks for your advice!

[Serinde]

The most obvious thing would be to use a different size Aida, of course, so that the ratios in the original are maintained, but the whole picture is smaller.

If I understand the problem (and I may well not!), you need to lose 17 lines of stitch (70-53). Changing the outlines and detail stitches to backstitch only saves you 4, and Snoopy's house has a particular look to it. I'd suggest getting you coloured pencils out and a piece of graph paper and try omitting the correct number of lines from the roof and bottom to see what it looks like?

[meganap25]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I was hoping to use the already mounted aida canvas that was available at the craft store so that wouldn't have to worry about finishing it. So I can't change the fabric count. That would be my first solution if I was picking the fabric. I'm a little worried about getting this finished in time for Christmas, so was hoping to save time by not having to frame or finish it in any way. I wish the craft store had a 8x8" canvas but this was all they had in stock.

[Podolyanka]

It is very simple: either to change the count of the fabric or to "re-design" the pattern according to your fabric. Personally I would do the former. I dont believe in redesigning, especially where it comes to "cuties"- this pattern looks very "general" without alterations, now imagine if you change the number of rows and stitches. The third way out is to find some other design on the same theme.

[Serinde]

Ah, I see. I guess that Snoopy is such an iconic... well, icon... that changing the pattern will be very obvious. Might you order the right thing you need online? Does the craft store have an online presence, or can they order what you need in time? It looks a pretty simple design to stitch, so I'm sure you could turbo through it in time for the Big Day.

[rcperryls]

I agree regarding the fabric change. My experience when I have tried to adjust a pattern is that it doesn't work. If you can't get this done by Christmas, maybe this would be a good birthday present for this person since it doesn't specifically have a Christmas theme, then you'd be able to get the fabric and canvass you need and still have a special gift but for a different occasion.

Carole