OhSewCrafty Blog

• Design by Sandy Littlejohns / Cross Stitch Collection December 2005
• Materials: White Cashel, DMC, Gold Kreinik #4 braid, Gold and Silver Petite Treasure Braid, Mill Hill Beads
• Time to stitch: 15.25 x 8.5 inches
• Time to stitch: 18 days, March 2022- December 2023

Here is my last finish of 2023, on New Years Eve no less! 

The pattern is fine, Cross Stitch Collection magazine is no longer published, a grave loss in my opinion.  This chart has everything, a lovely extensive color palette, fractionals, backstitching, metallics, beads, French knots.  Charts of this complexity aren’t published much in modern magazines, to the detriment of the craft, if you ask me.  The piece is a good size overall, and there is plenty of dense stitching, as well as negative space.  My only issue is the beads attached across from the middle of one stitch to the middle of the next, fine for the star in the center (empty fabric), but kind of impossible over the dress.  

Though it’s not exactly spelled out in the chart, some of the beads are attached with large metallics cross stitches (over 4 stitches), using the metallics.

As for materials, I chose Cream Cashel rather than white because I think a little warmth suits the scene.  The model was stitched on Aida, but I think it’s a lot easier to work all the fractional stitches on linen.  About 20 colors of DMC are used (and you need 2 skeins of the 797 medium blue), plus gold and silver Light Effects are charted.  I don’t enjoy Light Effects, so I substituted Kreinik #4 braid for the cross stitches and Petite Treasure Braid for the backstitching and beading.  As for the beads, 3 colors are used: gold, silver, and crimson.
My favorite feature is probably the verse from Rosetti’s poem, I love her work.   The huge gold star in the center really brought the design together, and the the shading in the dresses is beautiful.  The side bands and capital “L” box evoke an illuminated manuscript.  The blue angel’s dress is encased in filmy silver, while the red angel has an extensively beaded, gold belt.  The ribbons floating behind them enhance the flying aspect.  

Overall, I’m really happy with this finish. It wasn’t the easiest project, but immensely rewarding in the end.