Velvet Peony

A peony in full bloom, lying on a lace doily, with the background stitched throughout: the finished piece looks like a painting, thanks to the many shades of pink, magenta and green and the play of light on the pale lace. The white 16 count Aida gives small, crisp stitches and plenty of detail.

Everything needed for the stitching is in the kit, threads included: you only need to add a hoop or frame, and a picture frame once the work is done, as that is not included. The Saga electronic chart lets you follow the design on screen and mark off the stitches already worked. With its fully stitched background this is a project for someone with some counted cross stitch experience.