DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Semi Original Design

It’s been a while since my last cross stitch endeavour, and it was time to pick up another one of the many cross stitch sets I have in my DIY stash. And since it’s officially spring now, I chose a design that screamed ‘spring’ – quite literally. The pattern included a large slogan in the middle! Well, I’ll be honest – I’m not a fan of a slogan. I don’t buy slogan T-shirts, I don’t like home decor with inspirational lines, nothing of that kind. I bought this cross stitch set with a goal to design my original pattern, or at least some small elements, and replace the slogan. So, here it is – my very first semi-original cross stitch design!

Contents of the kit

But before we get into the design, let’s have a look at the contents of the set. It included a plastic embroidery hoop, blank cross stitch fabric, a needle, a threader, and embroidery thread in assorted colours. And of course, it included a leaflet with the pattern and instructions.

Contents of a cross stitch kit with a floral design including a squirrel. The set includes an embroidery hoop, a blank aida, assorted threads, a needle, a threader, and a leaflet with instructions. — DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Squirrel And Flowers

Starting off – sewing the first flowers

I started by sewing the flowers from the original design. It didn’t take me long before I had two cute, large tulips and some other unidentified flowers completed. The placement of the elements wasn’t perfect, but I wasn’t worried about it. I was planning to add extra pieces to the design anyway.

An embroidery hoop with mounted aida. A silhouette of a few flowers is sewn, but the design is very much in an early stage. — DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Squirrel And Flowers

An embroidery hoop with mounted aida. A couple of pink tulips and some yellow flowers are sewn, but the centre of the design is empty. — DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Squirrel And Flowers

Adding the squirrel

Next, it was time to cross stitch the squirrel. This is where I started diverging from the original design. I decided to make the squirrel the main element of the picture. I moved it to the centre of the fabric, between the two large tulips. Soon, the cross stitch squirrel was finished!

An embroidery hoop with mounted aida. A couple of pink tulips and some yellow flowers are sewn, and there's a squirrel in the centre. — DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Squirrel And Flowers

Designing my own cross stitch flowers

Then, it was time to improvise. I decided to use my dotted notepad to sketch a couple of flowers before sewing them. I was pretty happy with the two shapes, and proceeded to sew my flowers. I used the remaining thread from this set, but also threads from other cross stitch projects I previously completed.

I cross stitched the two flowers just how I designed them on paper, but then I also sewed additional flowers using the designs rotated by 90 or 180 degrees. It was a great way of avoiding repetitive patterns, without having to design brand new flowers from scratch. Pretty happy with that!

I also added some long, green stems with small, pink flowers.

A notepad with two flower sketches, next to a cross stitch project with flowers and a squirrel. — DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Squirrel And Flowers

A nearly completed cross stitch design featuring a squirrel amongst colourful flowers. — DIY Cross Stitch Set – Spring Time – Squirrel And Flowers

Final touches

Then, it was time for the final touches. I added some smaller flowers, a few leaves, and random colourful dots here and there. And just like that, my very first semi-original cross stitch design was completed!

I love how it turned out, and I’m proud of my original designs. It’s not the most coherent picture – just a bunch of random flowers surrounding a squirrel – but sewing it gave me joy, and that’s the most important thing!