Under the sea

A pastel underwater scene: a stingray gliding over the sandy seabed, jellyfish and little octopuses drifting among the bubbles, small fish, shells and tufts of seaweed. The design is full of tiny details yet stays light and cheerful, so it suits a child's room as well as a hallway.

Everything needed for the stitching is in the kit: you only need to add a hoop or frame, a pair of small scissors and, once finished, a picture frame. The 16-count Aida gives crisp stitch definition; it is usually worked with two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitches and one for the backstitch outlines, in good light and with a magnifier if you like.