Poinsettia Ovals Cross Stitched Initials Set

Pierced face panel includes only the needle holes needed
to hand-stitch a fancy uppercase initial 

and folk-style half poinsettia. 

Embroidery cross-stitches used include 

straight stitch outlines, and colonial/french knots. 

Stitching chart is shown in the cut file. 

Reinforcement layers (front frame, solid back, 

interior stitching buffer layer, punch hole ring) 

make this a sturdy tree decoration, swag embellishments 

(spell out short seasonal words), 

or as a keepsake gift decoration. 

Each tag measures approx. 3.25” x 4.65” long 

from top of punch hole extension.

 The letter 'J' ornament sample shown here

will be used to demonstrate how the half blossom

is stitched, with explanation of the cross-stitch

technique to complete this and other letters

in the set.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A hole punched stitching layer(s) - 2 for sturdiness

B stitching area "buffer" for stitching thickness

C solid accent ornament back

D accent ornament front frame

E hang hole accent reinforcement ring

2. Prepare the two layers of stitching hole panels by

pushing out any remaining cutout "chads" that would

interfere with needle insertion or litter the project.

Create a tool by bending out the end of a standard

paper clip, then pushing through each hole.

For the tinier holes at the half-cross stitches at

blossom edges, use a darning needle to avoid

enlarging the holes. Brush away any paper crumbs.

3. Apply liquid adhesive to backside of front layer,

adequately but not excessively, with particular care

at ornament edges, then layer the two shapes,

and align all outer cut edges. Also take special care

that all punch holes align as perfectly as possible.

To assist with needle hole alignment, it may be

helpful to push the "clean out" tool paper clip end

through a number of edge hole to ensure they match,

pushing into alignment or otherwise adjusting as needed.

Immediately press the glued-up layers under a heavy, flat

weight such as this thick book (even placing something

else heavy on top of book) and leave in place until

the layers are completely dried (up to several hours)

to help prevent warping or curling, and help the panel

to remain flat.

4. Embroidery of monogram and poinsettia motif

follows Step 3 above. Skip forward to

Step 9 to review stitching instructions. Then return

to this step to complete ornament assembly.

5. Position the "buffer" layer behind the stitched panel . . . 

. . . and align outer edges precisely, then attach in place.

6. Position and attach the front frame on top

of the stitching layers assembly, aligning

edges precisely.

7. Position and attach the whole back panel to

backside of the assembly.

8. Position and attach the accent reinforcement ring

at hang hole to front (and optionally to back as desired).

Press the complete glued-up assembly under a heavy

flat weight until completely dry.

EMBROIDERY STITCHING INSTRUCTIONS

9. Study this diagram for the poinsettia half blossom,

tendrils and "berries" to understand where the various

stitch styles will be used. Particularly NOTE that the diamond

shaped "petals" have half cross-stitches which are composed

of a regular 'long' diagonal stitch and a short 'half-diagonal'

stitch, using a tinier mid punch hole in the punched panel.

10. Below are the DMC floss colors used for the sample.

Select similar colors as desired for your own project.

Dark gray 844 & light gray 644 for monogram

Red 498 & burgundy red 814 for poinsettia petals

Bright red 350 for colonial knot berries

Bright green 905 & dark green 895 for flower center,

905 for tendrils 
11. Cut a 24-30" length of 6-strand floss, then separate

one strand . . . 

. . . fold the length in half and thread the two ends

(or alternately the loop) through eye of a blunt tip darning

needle size 24/26 (recommended). Pull the two ends

part-way down - the loop will remain as the long end

and will be used to "tie on".

12. Study this diagram to understand how to form

the cross stitches for uniform appearance

and tension.

NOTE that the RIGHT SLANT stitches are generally

placed across the row first, followed by the LEFT SLANT

stitches placed coming back across the row.

13. Since the poinsettia is the most involved

portion of this design, instructions will be presented

first for this. Using a print out of the stitching diagram, or 

referring to it on screen, choose a place to begin

the first stitch.

For these instructions, the stitching will begin at

the left top diamond 'petal', inner-most point.

This is a half cross-stitch, with the RIGHT SLANT

being the first stitch completed.

14. Locate the top left hole of the designated first stitch,

and insert the needle back-to-front through that hole.

Pull the needle and thread partially through, leaving

a 3-4 inch long "tail" at the loop end, before . . . 

. . . moving the needle diagonally downward,

passing up the smaller half-stitch entry hole to

insert through the bottom right hole that defines

the first stitch's bottom.

Push the needle and thread through to backside . . .

. . . then insert through the loop and . . .

. . . pull the thread

taut against the panel backside. 

This process constitutes the tie-on process.

15. From backside, move the needle tip up to insert

directly above the end of previous stitch to begin

the next RIGHT SLANT stitch. Follow by moving

diagonally to insert at the bottom of the second stitch.

16. Continue the same process to complete

the RIGHT SLANTS of the 5 top row stitches.

17. Begin the return across the row moving

to the left, with the first LEFT SLANT stitch being

made as a half cross-stitch, including 

the tiny hole at right end of row - where needle

is being inserted in this shot.

Then continue toward left to complete the full

LEFT SLANT stitches across the row until . . . 

. . . the final stitch that is another shorter,

half cross-stitch

18. Begin the second row below the first row,

inserting needle in same hole that completed

the first RIGHT SLANT of previous row. 

Work second row in similar manner to first,

EXCEPT that the final half cross-stitch is worked

with the darker burgundy petal tip color, so it remains

unstitched until that color is tied-on a little later.

19. Follow the chart to complete the third row,

leaving the last full and half cross-stitch holes

open for darker floss. Then move down to begin

the lower right diamond petal.

When the current thread on needle has been used up,

or the end of a stitching run has been completed,

the needle will be pushed through to backside in

the regular stitching progression, then the needle will

be passed under several adjacent stitches on backside . . .

. . .  needle and thread drawn through completely,

then trimmed close to the panel backside.

NOTE: when thread needs to be continued onto

another area, the thread can be passed along backside

under selected stitches in similar manner, to keep

backside neat, and avoid long loose thread lengths

(referred to as "floating").

20. Follow the tie-on procedure to attach darker tip

floss and complete the tip stitches.

NOTE: All diamond petals can be completed

before completing tips, if desired.

Here the right side diamond petals with tips

have been completed.

(Continue to complete the left side.)

21. Tie on bright green floss to complete the three

whole cross-stitches for the blossom center 'square',

then "float" the thread to the end of nearest tendril.

Instead of cross-stitches, tendrils are double straight

stitched. This means that needle will be inserted

up and down through stitching holes, as regular or

back-stitches . . . 

. . . to complete the tendril design once, then . . . 

. . . the same tendril holes are re-stitched so that

four strands of floss create thicker appearance.

22. Either "float" existing floss, or tie off and tie-on 

again with new length of floss to complete 

the other tendril.

23. Tie on darker green floss, and complete the upper

corner dark whole cross-stitch of blossom center.

Then . . . 

. . . complete straight (forward or back-stitches)

to stitch the 8 outlining stitches around

the center 'square'. Tie off.

24. Tie on the main red floss and complete

similar straight outlining stitches along the blossoms

ONLY along the edges where the half cross-stitches

DO NOT already provide the 'outlining' effect.

That is, the horizontal edges of upper diamonds,

and the vertical edges of the lower diamonds.

25. Prepare the complete the colonial (or french ) knot

'berries' by threading TWO doubled lengths of floss

onto the needle.

Attach the berries floss by passing needle under 2-3

stitches on backside (near first berry location), 

pulling thread nearly even with

panel surface, then . . . 

. . . moving back behind where thread exits

passed-under stitches to slide under last passed-under

stitch again to anchor the floss.

26. Study this diagram of how the colonial knot is

formed, creating a Figure 8 around needle shank and tip

with the floss near panel surface, inserting needle tip

into same hole, pulling floss tight next to panel surface as 

needle is pulled through to backside, with floss being

pulled through in controlled manner to form

uniform knot remaining on surface.

TAKE CARE not to pull to hard. 

27. Insert needle into first berry hole, then . . . 

. . . follow the diagram to complete the first colonial knot,

beginning the bottom of Figure 8 with floss around

needle shank . . . 

. . . swinging floss around, over needle to form 

the top part of Figure 8, pull tight around needle

while slipping the needle tip into same hole,

holding the floss tight while needle is pushed through . . .

. . . to backside and pull floss through to form knot.

28. Float the needle and floss to next berry position

to complete remaining berries, then tie off neatly on back.

29. Complete the monogram letter with all whole

cross-stitches, beginning at bottom of layout,

working RIGHT SLANT stitches across rows,

followed by . . .

. . . LEFT SLANT stitches, changing thread color 

according to stitching chart.

30. Return to the ornament assembly steps

shown at the beginning of this post to complete

ornament, then attach a decorative hook or

ribbon loop to finish the ornament.