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?

Everything You Need to Know About Embroidery Hoops

One of the most common supplies for cross stitch, aside from fabric, needles and floss, is an embroidery hoop. A hoop isn’t needed for every project, and indeed there are some stitchers who prefer not to use them at all. I generally don’t use a hoop when I’m working on a small cross stitch project, especially something that’s shape isn’t conducive to using a hoop (like a bookmark). 

But embroidery hoops can be really helpful for cross stitch because they hold your fabric at an even tension, which allows you to stitch more evenly without any more work on your part. It’s great for beginners to use hoops because the tension on the fabric can both help make your stitches more even and make the holes in the fabric a little easier to see. 

I’ll admit to always just buying whatever hoop is available in the right size when I’m ready to start a project without giving it much more thought than that. But there are things you should consider when choosing among the different kinds of hoops, which Caterpillar Cross Stitch covers in their great guide to embroidery hoops. 

The post walks you through wooden, plastic, spring tension and flexi hoops (which I’ll admit to having never heard of; they’re made of vinyl and plastic apparently), as well as Q-Snap frames, which aren’t really hoops because they’re made of plastic tubes that you snap together in the size and shape you need. 

It also covers what size hoop you should use for the project you’re working on and how to actually use a hoop in the right way. 

Whether you’re new to cross stitch or more seasoned, you’re sure to pick up a tip or a product to try in this post, so go check it out over at Caterpillar Cross Stitch. 

Do you have a favorite kind of embroidery hoop to use for cross stitch, or do you go without? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo: Caterpillar Cross Stitch]