Old Watermill

An autumn country scene: the mill and its wheel are reflected in the stream, while the bare tree and the group of sunflowers, cattails and berries in the foreground give the design its depth. The piece is worked by counting stitches on the ivory Aida, following the full-colour symbol chart; the threads come already sorted by colour on the organiser, which saves time when starting.

With its size and its many shades, this is a project for someone with a little cross stitch experience. Along with the kit it helps to have a hoop or frame to keep the fabric taut and good lighting; the picture frame is not included and is best chosen once the stitching is done, leaving a few centimetres of spare fabric all round.