Winter House Sampler Cross Stitch Kit
185-280 hours, a little practice
$35.95
Counted cross stitch on flax Aida
Spring House Sampler Cross Stitch Kit on Flax Aida
$35.95
A red house in pink blossom with red birds, sheep, a goose, hares and a full alphabet, laid out as a classic sampler on flax Aida. Includes sorted cotton floss, a printed chart and a needle.
Expected delivery Wed, Nov 4 to Mon, Nov 9
- Free shipping over $49
- 30-day returns
In the box
Unprinted cotton Aida, cotton floss sorted on a numbered card, a printed symbol chart, instructions and a needle.
Materials and care
Flax Aida, 100% cotton, with cotton floss. Hand wash the finished piece in cool water, roll it in a towel and press it face down on a soft cloth.
Before you start
Press the folded fabric from the back with a warm iron, find the center of the fabric and the chart, and start stitching from the middle out. A hoop or scroll frame, small scissors and good light help.
Shipping and returns
Free shipping over $49. Arrives in 7-12 days. Shipping times and costs per country
Not what you were looking for? Return it within 30 days of delivery. How returns work
Specifications
- Craft
- Cross stitch
- Time
- 185-280 hours
- Skill
- A little practice
- Finished size
- 18.1 x 26 in (46 x 66 cm)
- On 18-count
- 15 x 20.9 in (38 x 53 cm)
- Fabric
- Flax Aida, 100% cotton, unprinted
- Stitches
- About 28,000 full crosses
- In the box
- Aida, sorted cotton floss, printed chart, instructions and a needle
About the design
This is a traditional house sampler in spring colors. The word Spring sits at the top between two red birds, above a red house with pink blossom trees and a picket fence. Below come two rows of alphabet, a wreath with initials and a year, birdhouses, a pair of hares with a basket of carrots, a sheep and a goose in a bonnet, all inside a leafy border with pink flowers. The flax-colored fabric stays unstitched as the background.
The wreath holds a charted year and initials, and many stitchers swap in their own using the alphabet in the design.
Fabric, count and finished size
The sampler is worked in full cross stitch on flax Aida. On 14-count it finishes at 18.1 x 26 in (46 x 66 cm); on 18-count it finishes at 15 x 20.9 in (38 x 53 cm) with finer stitches. The chart is the same for both, and the soft flax ground is easy on the eyes for long sessions.
How long it takes
The chart is about 254 by 364 stitches. Samplers leave a lot of fabric open, and roughly three tenths of this one is stitched: about 28,000 crosses. At a typical 100 to 150 stitches an hour, that is about 185 to 280 hours. Worked a motif at a time, it carries you through a year of evenings.
Stitching tips
Work the border first in sections, then fill the motifs in from the top down. On a piece this large, a pencil line every ten squares on the chart and a matching basting thread across the fabric save hours of recounting.
What is in the kit
- Unprinted Aida fabric, 100% cotton
- Cotton floss, sorted on a numbered card
- A printed symbol chart and instructions
- A needle
A scroll frame or hoop, scissors and a frame are not included. Press the folded fabric from the back before you start. A scroll frame suits a sampler this size, since you can roll the finished rows away.
Delivery and returns
Delivery is $6.95, and free on orders from $49. The delivery estimate for your address shows on this page and at checkout. You can return the kit within 30 days of delivery; return shipping is yours unless it arrives faulty or wrong. See delivery and returns for the details, or compare the other cross stitch kits.
Questions
Can I change the year and initials?
Yes. The wreath is charted with a year and initials, and the alphabet rows in the design give you the letters to rework it with your own before you stitch that part.
Is there a winter version?
Yes. The Winter House Sampler follows the same layout on sky blue Aida, with owls, snowmen, foxes and deer. The two hang well as a pair.
How long does it take?
About 185 to 280 hours for roughly 28,000 stitches at 100 to 150 stitches an hour. It is a long project, and samplers are easy to put down between motifs.
