Stitch Up Some Birds with Birds of a Feather Booklet

I love the look of birds and gardens in cross-stitch, and the booklet Birds of a Feather from Leisure Arts and Herrshners combines both in a lovely way that is sure to inspire nature-loving stitchers.

The book includes the four small bird and flower panels seen on the cover, as well as Garden Path, a lovely design by Barbara Sestok featuring flowers, birds and butterflies; Elegant Cranes, a design of cranes in flight surrounded by lotus flowers and designed by Linda Bird; and In Everything, Give Thanks by Gail Bussi, which shows three sweet little birdhouses and their inhabitants.

While the bigger projects use a lot of colors and are rather complex, the little birds (also designed by Sestok) are a great project for a newer stitcher looking to try something that’s a little intricate but not too big to be overwhelming.

Have you seen this booklet? If so, I’d love to know what you think!

[Photo via Leisure Arts.]

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30 + Bird 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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