Cross-Stitch

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French Cross Stitch Pattern

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92202305If you like holiday projects with an international flair, then here’s one just for you. Now, I need someone fluent in French to help me out here. I know the saying has something to do with little shoes, but I am not sure what that has to do with Christmas. Can someone help? As always your assistance is appreciated and the info will be updated here in the blog. Get the free chart from Miss T.

Update: Thanks to our intrepid readers, I now know that it is French tradition to receive gifts in shoes instead of stockings, hence the quote, “Don’t Forget My Little Shoes.” This quote is also from a song, according to Fabienne, who remembers it fondly and includes a link – see the comments for the source. Thanks again faithful and helpful readers.

Looking for more Christmas Cross Stitch patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

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Comments

  1. It says, “Don’t forget my little shoes.” French Santa leaves gifts in children’s shoes, not their stockings.

  2. the post doesn’t tell you why, but I think it’s probably from the tradition of putting out a shoe, rather than a stocking, for Santa to fill.

  3. I’ve just had confirmation from a french colleague, they put out shoes, but Santa puts their gifts down and puts the shoes on top so they know whose presents are whose.

Have you read?

Cross Stitch Some Funky Chickens

I’m primarily a knitter, and in the knitting world the “emotional support chicken” has been a big trend probably for a couple of years now (I don’t know how long something has to be popular before you can stop calling it a trend, but whatever).

There are chicken crochet patterns that are popular as well, and now I’ve found a cross stitch chicken pattern that might just become the newest iteration of the emotional support chicken theme.

The Funky Chickens pattern from Satsuma Street are three-dimensional, triangular chickens embellished with felt to make their facial features and tail feathers. The bodies include stripes, curves, speckles and other little designs to mark different parts of their bodies. They’re super cute and not any more difficult to stitch than any other pattern, though of course there’s more finishing than you would normally expect.

The pattern includes designs for three chickens, which are actually a rooster and two hens. The rooster is slightly larger, at 120 by 60 stitches, or 4 by 4 inches/10 cm when finished. The hens are 100 by 50 stitches and come out to 3.25 inches/8 cm when finished. These measurements are for stitching on 14 count fabric or 28 count over two.

The patterns use 13 colors, and if you want to make all three, one skein of each color will make all of them. In addition to your regular cross stitch supplies you’ll need three or four little pieces of felt of different colors to add all the details.

These chickens would be great to use as pincushions, or you could put something heavy in the bottom and use them as pattern weights if you do sewing. They’d also be fun gifts for anyone who likes chickens or needs a little emotional support if you explain it to them.

The pattern is available from Satsuma Street on Etsy.

[Photo: Satsuma Street]