Three's A Crowd

Three inquisitive kittens, one tabby, one brown and one grey, climb a tall blue spool of thread with a ball of yarn dangling from it. The design comes from Hannah Dale's original watercolour for Wrendale Designs, and the soft shading is built up with the stranded cottons.

As well as cross stitch, the design uses back stitch for the outlines and whiskers plus a few French knots, so a little experience helps. The threads come pre-sorted and the speckled background is already printed on the fabric. A frame is not included: a hoop or frame is useful while stitching, and the tall shape of the finished piece suits a hallway or kitchen wall.