Winter Flower to Cross Stitch – Free chart

14 January 2012

Although Australia is in the middle of summer the rest of the world is enjoying another winter.  In celebration of winter I have designed a free cross stitch chart featuring a winter plant covered in snow.  A fabulous example of a winter flowering plant is Crocus.  Crocus belongs to the iris family and comprises of about 80 species.  Crocuses are native to woodland, scrub and meadows from sea level to the alpine tundra in central and southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East and across Central Asia and China.  Crocus also grow in Australia during our Spring and Winters.

The cross stitch design measures approx 2.2 x2.5 inches and is intended to be stitched on 28 count Linen but you can also stitch it on Aida fabric.

I stitched the design on plain dressmaking linen fabric as I had no suitable linen in my stash.  I used the 14 count DMC water soluble canvas to stitch the design.  When stitching on plain fabric it is important to take a little more care.  You need to make sure that each stitch is even and that you place your needle correctly in each hole of the canvas otherwise your finished design will be slightly irregular.  Using linen fabric designed for dressmaking rather than Belfast Linen or Aida is much less forgiving but it is an interesting and cheaper alternative.  The end result is still beautiful.

The DMC soluble canvas available in my local embroidery store only comes in 14 count.  The higher the count the finer the end result.

It is also important to stitch the water soluble canvas in place before you begin stitching.  This will ensure your stitching stays in the correct place to avoid uneven and irregular stitches in the final design.

When you have finished stitching your design you will need to place your design in a bucket or bowl of warm water and allow the soluble canvas to dissolve.  Once the canvas has dissolved make sure to rinse the fabric well.  Dry your finished piece and then press gently with a warm iron.  Finally frame the design or use as you wish.

To obtain your free copy of the PDF chart just email us at happythreadsshop@gmail.com and we would be happy to send you a copy.

This winter chart is the first of a four part series celebrating each season.  The remaining three charts featuring Spring, Summer and Autumn will be released soon through the Happy Threads Store.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the time you have for stitching and all the other things you love doing.

Take care

Charlie x

© 2012, Happy Threads. All rights reserved. All cross stitch and needlepoint charts are the exclusive property of Happy Threads Pty. Ltd and cannot be copied or reproduced