Girls on Bicycle

A gentle scene in pale, washed-out tones: two girls with their bicycles, baskets full of flowers and a barely sketched blossoming tree. Cross stitch on linen is worked by counting the threads, usually over two, and the light areas call for careful chart reading because the design is built on very soft colour transitions.

Everything you need to stitch is in the box; you only have to add a hoop or frame and a sharp pair of embroidery scissors. The frame shown in the photo is not included: once finished, the piece looks its best framed behind a pale mount, which brings out the airy quality of the design.