Introducing my new design called Joyful Garden Mandala

How's this for a burst of colour on a cold wintery day here in the UK?  

I'm delighted to share my new counted cross stitch design with you called Joyful Garden Mandala.

As well as being a lovely summer or spring piece to hang on your wall, it would be lovely stitched in remembrance, as a decorative patch on a bag, quilt centrepiece or as a beautiful ring cushion for a wedding.

The measurements for the stitched area are:

14ct (20.5 x 20.5cm)  (8.1 x 8.1 in.)

16ct (17.9 x 17.9cm) (7.1 x 7.1 in.)

18ct (15.9 x 15.9cm) (6.3 x 6.3 in.)

Joyful Garden Mandala is an original creation by Karen Wiederhold designing as Thistleheart Creations.

All charts are available for purchase in the Thistleheart Creations Etsy shop.

Stitching the model for my design called Snowflake Bouquet

I decided that my first stitch for 2025 would be the model for my design called Snowflake Bouquet which I published in 2024.

I had been itching to start work on stitching this piece for a few months but had been uncertain about the choice of thread or colour I would use.  Although I had created Snowflake Bouquet as a red-work piece there really isn't a requirement for it to be stitched in red.  

I debated about blue thread on white, then white thread on blue fabric, or frosty blue on white and so on.  Eventually I decided that I really wanted to stitch it in red and liked the idea of the shifting tones which appear when using a variegated thread.

The decision was made to stitch the model for Snowflake Bouquet on white 16 count aida by Zweigart, with one thread of DMC 107 variegated stranded cotton.  This is resulting is a lovely shift of tones and a delicate finish.  

To keep updated with the progress of this piece please visit my Instagram.  I will endeavour to update photos here too but this may not be as frequent as you'd find on my Instagram account.

Here's the update from 7 January 2025.  It's coming along beautifully .... I think you'll agree.

Here’s the update for 16 January 2025.  It’s nearly a finish!

Snowflake Bouquet is an original cross stitch design by Karen Wiederhold designing as Thistleheart Creations.  All charts are available for purchase in the Thistleheart Creations Etsy shop.

Welcoming 2025

My new year stitching ritual is to take all the cut-off pieces of thread out of the little jar where I have gathered them through the year just past.  

I like to store them to use as the filling for little projects to come in the future.  

It’s always fun to look at the layers of thread and easily identify the projects they came from, leaving an empty jar ready for its next gathering of thread remnants 💙

New Cross Stitch Design Called Merry Mousemas

Introducing Merry Mousemas, the next in the series of Margot the Mouse and her festive activities.  Merry Mousemas is a counted cross stitch piece with the chart available to download instantly as a PDF in my Etsy shop.

The model is shown as being stitched on Ivory Aida fabric using DMC threads.  The stitched area measures 93 x 75 stitches.

Wishing you lots of festive fun stitching Merry Mousemas as much as I did creating it.

Karen x

Merry Mousemas is an original creation by Karen Wiederhold designing as Thistleheart Creations.  The chart-pack is delivered to you as an instant download PDF direct from my Etsy Shop .

New cross stitch design called Bristol

Introducing my new design called Bristol.  

Bristol is a counted cross stitch piece inspired, at the time of its creation, in excited anticipation of my first time joining fellow cross-stitchers at the Bristol Stitchy Day in September 2024.  I wanted to create a piece for all of us who would be there as a keepsake to commemorate what was indeed a wonderful day with friends doing what brings us joy.    

Bristol is now available for all stitchers or gift recipients who have a love for this vibrant city, or a love for the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Hot Air Balloons which grace her skies. 

Here's a little story about the things you'll find in this design.

There are lots of wonderful things to be found in Bristol which I could have included however I wanted to keep the design small so had to narrow it down to two which immediately come to mind when I think of Bristol - the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.  I chose red as the main colour for this design as a nod to Bristol Samplers. Orange and coral represents autumn which is the season when this particular Bristol Stitchy Day would be taking place. Blue represents the River Avon which flows beneath the bridge while the shapes within the border represent the rocks of the Avon Gorge. The nameplate is inspired by the style of Victorian metal nameplates which are found around the city.

Bristol is an original creation by Karen Wiederhold designing as Weediflower Creations.  The chart-pack is delivered to you as an instant download PDF direct from my Etsy Shop .