Dancing With Your Heart is offered to you in two different formats ~ a printed booklet and as an instant pdf download. Details of the instant pdf download can be found HERE.
We are delighted to present to you an original design. Dancing With Your Heart was inspired by a sampler in Nicola’s private collection and has been designed as a small sampler that can be framed. With dancers swirling across our linen, we asked Faye Riggsbee (Carolina Stitcher) to finish the little design as a drum.
Although we do not provide finishing instructions for a drum, we have included additional graphs for a drum top and tambourine. There are many excellent videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to construct and finish a drum.
The stitches used in the design are cross stitch over two threads of linen, back stitch or double running stitch, and French knots. Small beads could be used instead of French knots. The little sampler was stitched with a palette of fifteen colours from DMC. We have provided a conversion for Soie d’Alger from Au Ver à Soie. The sampler was stitched using 37ct Legacy Linen in Wild Honey. The design is suitable for stitching on Aida, Linaida, or linen. We recommend that you should use a count and fabric that you enjoy working with.
Thread Legend
The little sampler was stitched with a palette of fifteen colours from DMC. We have provided a conversion for Soie d’Alger from Au Ver à Soie. You will only require one skein of each colour.
DMC / Soie d’Alger ~ Colour Description029
/ 5115
~ Eggplant
310
/ Noir
~ Black
347
/ 2645
~ Salmon ~ very dark
597
/ 1723
~ Turquoise
730
/ 2226
~ Olive green ~ very dark
733
/ 2224
~ Olive green ~ medium
829
/ 3745
~ Golden olive ~ very dark
832
/ 524
~ Golden olive
890
/ 1836
~ Pistachio green ~ ultra dark
924
/ 1746
~ Grey green ~ very dark
927
/ 2756
~ Grey green ~ light
950
/ S2928
~ Desert sand ~ light
3712
/ 4622
~ Salmon ~ medium
3776
/ 4543
~ Mahogany ~ light
3855
/ 4223
~ Autumn gold ~ light
Linen Sizes
The sampler was stitched using 37ct Legacy Linen in Wild Honey. The design is suitable for stitching on Aida, Linaida, or linen. We recommend that you should use a count and fabric that you enjoy working with.
The design area for the sampler is 106 stitches (w) x 116 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 2" margin for finishing as a drum.
14ct Aida/28ct linen: Design: 14.86" x 6.07" Fabric: 18.86" x 10.07"
16ct Aida/32ct linen: Design: 13.00" x 5.31" Fabric: 17.00" x 9.31"
18ct Aida/36ct linen: Design: 11.56" x 4.72" Fabric: 15.56" x 8.72"
20ct Aida/40ct linen: Design: 10.4" x 4.25" Fabric: 14.4" x 8.25"
Two sides are required to make one tambourine. The design area of one side is 15 stitches (w) x 15 stitches (h). Each side requires a 2” margin for finishing. The sizes given below are for one side of the tambourine.
14ct Aida/28ct linen: Design: 1.07" x 1.07" Fabric: 5.07" x 5.07"
16ct Aida/32ct linen: Design: 0.94" x 0.94" Fabric: 4.94" x 4.94"
18ct Aida/36ct linen: Design: 0.83" x 0.83" Fabric: 4.83" x 4.83"
20ct Aida/40ct linen: Design: 0.75" x 0.75" Fabric: 4.75" x 4.75"
The design area for the drum top is 51 stitches (w) x 51 stitches (h). The top requires a 2” margin for finishing.
14ct Aida/28ct linen: Design: 3.64" x 3.64" Fabric: 7.64" x 7.64"
16ct Aida/32ct linen: Design: 3.19" x 3.19" Fabric: 7.19" x 7.19"
18ct Aida/36ct linen: Design: 2.83" x 2.83" Fabric: 6.83" x 6.83"
20ct Aida/40ct linen: Design: 2.55" x 2.55" Fabric: 6.55" x 6.55"
Stitch Guide
The stitches used in the design are cross stitch over two threads of linen, back stitch or double running stitch, and French knots. Small beads could be used instead of French knots.
Cross stitch ~ is made up of two stitches worked over two threads. You should make all your stitches cross in the same direction for a neat and uniform finish.
French knot ~ bring your needle up through the fabric. Holding the thread taut with the finger and thumb of one hand, use the other hand to wind the thread firmly around the needle tip two or three times.
Still holding the thread, insert the needle close to where you brought your needle up. Pull the needle and thread through to the back of the fabric until the knot is formed and lies securely on the surface.
Backstitch ~ When working from your left to the right, bring your needle up at 1 and down at 2; then, moving to the right, bring your needle up at 3 and go back down at 1. Move to the right and bring your needle up at 4 and go back down at 3.
