Miniature NES Cross Stitch Keychain by Lord Libidan

Title: Mini Mario Cartridge
Date Completed: July 2023
Design: Lord Libidan
Count: 14
Canvas: Plastic
Colours: 10
Video Game: Super Mario Bros
 
I recently pulled out my NES to play a few rounds of Fire n Ice, and as I delved into the realm of retro gaming, I couldn’t help but be enchanted by the iconic Super Mario Bros cartridge design. Its blocky form, yet iconic artwork kind of epitomised the 80s gaming scene. So when I found out that the next issue of the XStitch Magazine was going to be the 80s, I knew I had to stitch something that had to do with a NES cartridge!
 
As I reminisced I thought about my previous golden Zelda cartridge cross stitch with real 24-carat thread, and wondered if the size would make a perfect keychain. So I took the pattern for that cross stitch and reworked it to be the standard colors of a NES cartridge and reworked the artwork to be Super Mario based too. But something was missing…
 
As I started stitching, I realised; the shape! So I reworked it to not only include the iconic pinch point on the top, but also added a slot on the bottom too. After a weeks worth of stitching (including both versions) I was done!
 

 
When it comes to picking colors for cross stitch, I always to go my trusty DMC color card, however this was the first time that I had ended up using so many of those 35 new DMC colors. I wonder if DMC were going for NES grey?
 
I really loved how the keychain cross stitch turned out. So much so, that I’m already contemplating the possibility of expanding the series. Back when I stitched the golden Zelda, I had also created a mini version of Gameboy, Sega Genesis and a few other cartridges too.
 
But after all my work, I realised that I wouldn’t be able to make the 80s issue of the Xstitch Magazine!