Despite the recent snow and arctic temps here in Northern Virginia, the merriment of Christmas has all but faded at our house. We typically pack away the Christmas decorations after Epiphany each year. Still, around January 20th or so I typically find a rogue ornament resting forlornly in a corner, forgotten in the post-holiday push to re-organize. Pine needles somehow linger well past spring.

This year, I found the sneaky little reminders of Christmas scattered throughout my stitching studio: snippets of red and green thread, remnants of fabric adorned with pine trees and Santa hats, and an abundance of bric-a-brac, silk ribbons, and gold and silver braid. The rest of the house is tidy, but it may take me until Easter to fully stash my holiday stash.

Christmas Cross Stitch

Hands down, my favorite Christmas cross stitch designer is Véronique Enginger of Les Brodeuses Parisiennes. Véronique is the author of numerous books, and her design portfolio is vast—from botanical studies and high fashion to whimsical Parisian scenes and fanciful alphabet motifs. I stitched her Étude aux Agrumes (study of citrus) which you can see on my WIP page, here. But her Christmas designs are the best (in my humble opinion).

I first discovered Véronique’s patterns and kits at The French Needle, an entirely wonderful U.S.-based, online resource for fine needle arts kits and supplies. Over the years, I have stitched several of Véronique’s designs, including Christmas in Paris that features a festive Eiffle Tower (shown above). One set of charts has resulted in many darling ornaments, which make terrific handmade gifts for the special people on any Christmas list.

This year, I focused on small motifs (see the sweet little reindeer and the Christmas tree above) that I framed in double-sided glass frames. As a needle artist, I know that well crafted handmade gifts can bring lasting joy to the recipient—a pleasant memory of happy times together. Each year, when that gift is unwrapped and placed on the tree, or in a window, or on the hearth, our hearts are reminded of those we hold dear.

By January, I’m generally ready to trade in the Christmas stitching for something less . . . red . . . and sparkly. But as I sweep up the reminders of Christmas past, I can’t help but set aside one or two patterns to stitch while on the deck some warm sunny day in the not too distant future.

Christmas All Year Long?

How about you? Are you a seasonal Christmas stitcher, or do you fancy a little holiday project year around? Who are some of your favorite holiday designers?

Wishing you the magic of Christmas all year long!