Hi there, friends! I have some treats to share with you! I have just listed three new cross stitch patterns in my etsy shop, all of which were inspired by Scotland. They are now available as instant downloads so there’s no waiting period– you can get stitching as soon as you buy!

I’m so happy to finally have these pieces ready to share with you— they’ve been in progress off and on since last autumn. And there seems like no better time than right now to share with you–

I have a “Scotland Thistle” bookmark, “Millie McGregor’s pin cushion”, and “Claire Fraser’s Pin Book” charted and ready for you to start stitching. I am pretty proud of these three designs, and they are fairly easy to complete. I like cross stitch projects that are simple and sweet and can be finished in a sitting or two. I think you’ll find all of these fit that description! Here’s a bit about each one:

“Scotland Thistle” Book Mark

This project is as useful as it is pretty! The design features a Scottish thistle in the design that is easy to stitch but a striking, timeless symbol of Scotland. And if you’re a lover of Robert Burns— or hey, Outlander too! This bookmark will be the perfect reading companion. It is backed with homespun cotton and a velvet loop at the top for a little decorative flair.

“Millie McGregor’s Pin Cushion”

This sweet little pin cushion has a special meaning for me. Last year as I was looking through my family tree, I noticed an ancestor named Millie McGregor. Before discovering her, I had no idea I had any Scottish ancestors in my family tree! After a little sleuthing on the internet, I discovered that Millie lived in Kentucky in the early 19th century, but her family hailed from Scotland, specifically the area of Perth.

This simple pin cushion has a design of “ABC”, “123” and a floral design, along with Millie McGregor’s initials. I imagine my ancestor Millie could have had a similar pin cushion, perhaps one she used to start teaching her children their letters and numbers. It is fun to imagine, and stitch as well!

“Claire Fraser’s Pin Book”

This stitching book was extra fun to make and to design— it was inspired by the main character of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, Claire Fraser. The idea of this project was to create a practical piece to store your stitching needles and embroidery scissors with a beautiful cover that Claire could have stitched herself.

In the center of the cover is a stag and the phrase ‘je suis prest’– “I am ready”, in French (and you will be SO ready to stitch with your needles and scissors at hand!) The stag is the symbol of Clan Fraser and ‘je suis prest’ is the clan’s motto.

Claire Fraser’s initials are stitched onto the cover, as are the Scottish thistle and English rose to represent Claire and her Scottish love, Jamie, along with a heart and the date 1743– the year that Claire stepped through the standing stones.

Inside the pin book there is a pocket for embroidery scissors and a felt wool patch to stitch your pins and needles. The whole book ties nicely with a ribbon and can be tucked away into a sewing box or bag so that you can always be ready to stitch. The pattern for this project not only gives you the chart to stitch the cover, but also directions on how to create the pin book.

All three of these cross stitch designs are now available for instant download in my etsy shop. It is my hope that they will give you a fun project to focus on as we spend our days more at home, waiting for the virus to pass. I hope you are well, and know that I’m thinking of you!~

Take Joy!
h