The Old Melody

A black cat in a red hat plays the bagpipes while, under a crescent moon, a village of red-roofed houses sails in a boat hanging among the treetops. It is a night-time, fairy-tale scene full of small details to discover stitch by stitch, from the hanging lantern to the rope ladder.

The kit holds everything needed to stitch the design, chart and instructions included: you only need to add a hoop or frame, small scissors and a picture frame, which is not part of the product. Cross stitch on 16-count Aida gives a dense, crisp result; the wide dark background and many shades make it a demanding piece, better suited to stitchers with some experience. Once finished, it makes a picture to frame.