Christmas Keepsake Cross Stitch Heart Free Pattern
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I think we can all agree that 2020 has been quite a year! It’s time now for this month’s Pinterest challenge which is all about motivating us to not just pin, but to actually make it happen. This month's challenge has a Christmas theme. I’ve loved Scandi style hearts for Christmas decorating for a while and inspired by the look of these pins, heart 1 , heart 2 and heart 3, I thought I’d design some cross stitch in a similar style to make something that could be used to remember 2020. I think commemorate is not quite the right word for me so I’m going with remember, though to be honest surely this is a year none of us will forget in a hurry.
Update : The 2021 version , 2022 version and 2023 version of this chart are available now.
This cross stitch design is worked in just 1 colour of thread. You can stitch it in any colour you like. I originally designed it in red, to be stitched on a white fabric but when I came to stitch it up I found some navy Aida in my stash and thought it might be nice to try it in another colourway.
This is the way my cross stitch design software shows a mock up of the stitched piece, it gives a bit of an idea of what it’s going to look like.
Here’s the chart, you can right click, copy and then paste to print at home, or you can download the chart here.
My navy aida fabric is supposed 14 count (that’s 14 squares per inch) but it’s actually just a tiny bit smaller than that. There are 15 squares per inch! That must just be a mistake because I know that’s not a standard size for cross stitch fabric! The point of me telling you this is that my heart finished up 2” by 1.5” (5.25cm x 4.5cm) . On a more accurately woven 14 count Aida it would be just under 2.5” x 1.75” (5.5cm x 4.75cm)
I used 2 strands of a white DMC embroidery thread throughout.
Normally I would follow a cross stitch chart from the centre but with a little design like this, I know where it’s going to end up on the fabric so I found it easier to start at the point and work my way up.
When I was finished it looked like this:
Update: I’ve turned it into an ornament for the Christmas tree, you can find all the details of how to do this here - Cross Stitch Christmas Tree Ornament.
This red heart design is one of a set of 18 which I sell for a very modest price in my etsy shop as a digital download or as a printer paper chart. I was wondering how to word that and my son suggest modest price, sounds quite like something Jane Austen might say but I kind of like it!
I’m thinking I may add a message on the back, something like ‘We all stayed home’ or ‘could do better’ depending on how snarky I’m feeling!
As soon as it’s finished I’ll share a tutorial on the blog of how to turn the embroidery into an ornament and some ideas for using it on a card too.
A 2021 version , 2022 version and 2023 version of this chart are now available too.
Julie
I’ll be sharing this pattern at these link ups
