Home Office

A miniature workroom full of plants, cacti and a dozing dog: a cheerful piece to hang above your own desk. It is worked in counted cross stitch from a large-square chart, with a few long stitches for the finer details and french knots; the alphabet supplied lets you personalise the lettering with a name or a date.

The kit is complete and even includes the embroidery hoop, which keeps the fabric taut while you stitch and can stay on as a frame afterwards. All you need to add is a pair of embroidery scissors. Thread quantities are calculated for this design, so it is best to work with strands of the recommended length.