Book Review: Holiday Ornaments Galore

Still looking for some holiday decor to stitch up or a gift for your favorite cross-stitcher? Check out Holiday Ornaments Galore, a book from Leisure Arts with a whopping 98 designs on all sorts of holiday themes.

Here you’ll find cutesy snowmen, elves and gingerbread people; stockings, ornament motifs and wreath designs; text sentiments, animals, Santas and more.

The projects are all designed by Urusla Michael and they are show in a numbered, full-color project gallery at the front of the book, with corresponding numbered charts in the back. Basic stitching instructions appear at the front of the book to help new stitchers or give you a refresher on any needed skills (the patterns use full stitches, quarter stitches, back stitches and French knots).

You can download the ebook from Leisure Arts or order a paper copy.

[Photo: Leisure Arts.]

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20 Snow Globe Cross-Stitch Patterns

If you’re a fan of detailed and colorful cross stitch patterns, Design for Cross Stitch might have a pattern you want to try. This Etsy shop is based in Spain and has more than 50 designs with a focus on animals, holidays and landscapes.

I’m just going to start with the first pattern that caught my eye when I visited the site, which is this Sakura by the Lake project. This pattern is 200 by 200 stitches and the whole background is stitched, so it’s definitely not for a beginner, but it’s stunning and would be amazing to make for someone who loves Japan. Despite the detail it only uses 24 colors. Worked on 14 count fabric it will measure 14.64 inches, or 37.19 cm.

There are a few other landscape designs, including a canal in Venice and a few cabins in the woods.

The shop also has some cute animal cross stitch, with big, round faces and often holding a warm beverage. Holiday projects focus on Christmas and Halloween. Most of the patterns have a cute, chibi-like feel, but there are some that are more detailed and realistic as well. Take for examples the flower patterns, which are full of details and soft colors.

You’ll also find some fun bookmark cross stitch patterns with a watercolor feel, as well as some that look kind of like paint pouring turned into stitches.

If this sort of stuff sounds like fun to you, check out their Etsy store at Design for Cross Stitch.

Do you have a favorite cross stitch designer who I haven’t featured yet? Let me know in the comments or share more about them by clicking on “suggest a DIY” at the center top of the page and let me know the details. I’d love to share the designers you’re enjoying with a wider audience.

[Photo: Design for Cross Stitch]

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