Snow friends portrait

A panoramic winter scene: snowmen in colourful hats and scarves, inquisitive little birds, parcels sitting in the snow and, behind them, fir trees and the houses of a village. The long, narrow shape suits a horizontal frame above a door or on a shelf, the kind of piece you bring out every December.

It is worked in counted cross stitch on Aida, with a little back stitch for outlines and facial details. The chart is printed in large squares, which helps when there are this many colours, and the threads come ready to sort onto the organizer. The frame is not included; a hoop or frame and a small pair of scissors make the stitching easier.