Frayed heart and another TAST

Today's ATC is very simple.

I like frayed edges, so I made a heart with frayed edges, put it on a 21/2 inch charm square, then added another charm cut in half and frayed to the sides.  I stitched everything down with running stitch and added some lazy daisies and beads.  To finish the top and bottom edges, I sealed them with clear nail polish then blanket stitched over it.  It is backed with a playing card.

As I said the other day, I am participating in a challenge called TAST2012 along with hundreds of others.  It is Take a stitch Tuesday and our challenge is to use the hand stitch put up each week on Pintangle.  I have been a bit behind, but I did a bit of work and am now up to date.
This week's stitch is chevron stitch

Here are some of my ideas for this stitch, in my sketchbook.

and here are some shapes I did with it.  On the right is a close up.  If you click and enlarge, you will see that this is not what I intended to do, because my guide marks are still visible.  I did a shell shape and then I didn't like it, so I unpicked it and did something else.  I must say, my stitches got so small in the centre of the spiral and the top and bottom of the oval, that I really couldn't see quite what I was doing, but it turned out well anyway.

He who works with his hands is a laborer. 

He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. 

He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.

St Francis of Assisi

Working with your hands