Red Floss, Roses, and a Sleeping Beauty

Happy Tuesday!

I love red floss. My favorite shade is DMC 816. When I design red charts, I try to stick with 816. Everyone has their favorite color, but when you start talking cross stitch floss, things become a bit more technical. For instance; do you like a deeper, more maroon shade of red? Or the rich, Turkey kind of red?

Speaking of red cross stitch charts, here’s my progress on Red Alphabet Sampler:

Since my last WIP update, I’ve finished the second row, made the second squiggly line between the second and third rows, and started stitching the third row. Very pleased with how that flower motif turned out! While I didn’t have any particular flower in mind when I was designing it, that flower reminds me of a rose. The letter G has a nice sprinkling of motifs, but when I got to the letter H, I decided to balance out the sampler by making H a little less busy. The first motif of the second row is a heart (H for heart!).

Here's my progress pictures throughout the week:

If you like this chart, and want to stitch it too, I’m currently giving away free PDF charts of it. Click the link here, but remember that they’re only available while supplies last!

I really love the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. That rose motif I mentioned earlier reminded me of the beautiful Ballerina, Aurelie Dupont, dancing in the Rose Adagio from The Sleeping Beauty ballet.

My favorite Sleeping Beauty poem is this one written by Tennyson. Here’s the first stanza:

YEAR after year unto her feet,  She lying on her couch alone,

Across the purple coverlet,  The maiden’s jet-black hair has grown;

On either side her trancèd form     

Forth streaming from a braid of pearl;

The slumberous light is rich and warm,  

And moves not on the rounded curl.

Click the link to read the whole thing.

Happy stitching!