Cross Stitched Rose with Tall Stem

A6 side-fold card becomes a keepsake treasure by 

hand cross-stitching a single long stem rose bloom 

onto the stitching holes-punched offset front panel. 

Round-corners window is positioned off center 

on the front accent panel to showcase the stitching 

with “MOTHER’S DAY” printed as “print & cut” panel 

(optional plain front panel also included). 

Sentiment is completed as two-layer “happy” welded word. 

Cross stitching pattern included. 

Card measures approx. 4.63” wide x 6.25” tall when closed.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A main card base

B hole-punched stitching panel (2 to layer for strength)

C contrast margin overlay panel

D front frame overlay, print & cut with "MOTHER'S DAY"

E happy welded word cut with offset base

2. If using the print & cut panel, follow tutorials provided

by Silhouette America's online support to set up

the front panel on screen, send to printer, prepare

for cutting, then cut out.

3. Prepare each of the stitching panels to remove ALL

remaining "chads" or cut out crumbs. One way to do this

is to un-coil a basic paper clip to use the end as a tool

to poke through each hole on the whole array of both.

Turn the shapes over to brush or scrape away punches.

For the tiny holes where half stitches will fall between

the regular "squared" stitch holes, use a smaller diam.

tool such as the tapestry needle that will be used

to complete the stitching, to make sure they are open holes.

4. Layer and attach together the two stitching panels,

taking care that all cut edges as well as the holes

align as precisely as possible.

One way to do this is to use the paper clip tool

to push through the corner holes of the joined

layers to make the adjustment, if necessary.

Once the panels are joined and adjusted,

press flat using a heavy flat weight such as this thick

book volume, with something else heavy on top

until the glue is completely dried, usually several

hours or over night.

5. Assemble materials needed for embroidery,

including three closely-matched colors for bloom,

and three related greens for leaves, sepals and stem.

For the sample project, these are the floss colors chosen:
lightest pink 350 for main rose body

med pink 309 for rose body side shading

darkest pink 814 for rose tip shading

bright green 471 for lightest leaf & sepal shading

deep green 3362 for darker leaf & sepal shading

darkest green 895 for stems

Procure stitching needles for cross stitching,

such as this recommended tapestry needle size 24.

STITCHING INSTRUCTIONS

6.  Cut a 24-30" length of 6-strand floss, then separate

two strands then lay them together . . . 

. . . fold the lengths in half . . .

. . . and thread the four ends through eye of a blunt tip darning

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

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

and will be used to "tie on".

7. Study this diagram to understand how to form

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.

8. Create a print out of the rosebud stitching diagram 

(or simply view it on-screen). 

9. Make the first few stitches:

A) Insert the loaded needle UP from backside through

the  hole of the FOUR holes that will create

the first 'X" of the top left sepal "leaf" tip. 

Pull needle and thread through leaving approx. 3-4" 

of loop "tail" still on backside.

B) Insert the needle into the bottom right hole of first 'X' . . . 

. . . and pull through until front thread is nearly flush with surface,

and short loop remains on the backside of the panel.

Pass the needle through the loop and cinch the thread up

 firmly on the back. 

This completes the "tie on" step.

10. Continue by inserting the needle in the top RIGHT

hole of the first 'X', pull thread full fully, then

insert into the bottom left hole that will . . .

. . . complete the first 'X'.

11. Next, continue stitching the next short "column" of

three green stitches, completing . . .

. . . the left slant stitches one following the previous,

moving downward. Then, move back toward top of

the column to create the right slant stitches and

complete the 'X' stitches.

12. Continue in the same manner to begin and complete

the stitches of the same color on the chart.

When loaded needle needs to transition from panel

backside at one place where adjacent stitches have

been completed to a different location where stitches 

can continue, pass the needle under the stitches in

the pathway to emerge (still on backside of work),

in the position to continue stitching.

When floss length on needle gets close to being

too short to continue, pause in mid stitch when needle

is pulled through to backside, then slip the needle under

the adjacent 4-5 stitches. Pull the needle fully through,

then trim tail beyond stitching, remove needle and re-thread.

13. Identify and locate the next place to begin stitching,

load the appropriate floss color, then repeat

the "tying on" process and complete the "color block".

14. The rose bud design includes half stitches along

the "seam" between the two leaf colors.

At this positions - three on each leaf - there are tiny

holes punched that will accept the diagonal left or

right half stitches in the same manner.

15. For this design, the stem stitching up center line

and leaf stems are completed with alternating

straight stitches. To complete these, tie on at the base

of the bud, complete the triangle of stitches there,

then continue downward to complete straight

stitches with spaces in between. When the floss and

needle reach the bottom of stem . . 

. . .  continue back up the line to add stitches at the spaces. 

Where the branch stems positions are reached, re-direct

the straight stitches up between the leaf halves,

then pass the needle back to where other stem can 

be stitched. Finally, continue back up the stem until

all required straight stitches are completed.

Tie off in the usual manner.

This completes the cross stitching.

16. Complete the card with the following operations:

A) position and attach the window accent layer

with window opening edges evenly spaced around

hole cut outs, and outer edge just beyond the cut

edge of the stitching panel, evenly all around.

B) position and attach front window panel

with window cut out edges aligned, even offset

margin remaining revealed all around.

(Press the assembly under heavy flat weight.)

C) Position, centered, and attach word cut out onto

offset base word cut.

D) position and attach the "happy" word cut assembly

onto the card front just above the printed words line,

and centered left to right in the plain margin.

E) position and attach the front assembly onto

the front panel of folded card base, with even

offset margin revealed all around.

F) tie a neat bow from 6-ply floss, then glue to

stitching panel at stem just below bud, if desired.

Paint the floss cut ends with clear nail polish.

Here is the completed card.

Cross Stitched Shamrock Tag Card

St. Patrick’s Day themed A6 side-folded card 

(measures approx. 4.63” wide x 6.25” tall) includes 

offset rounded corner front panel, accent strip, 

with shaped tag attached as principal interest. 

Tag includes slightly offset front overlay with round window, 

back layers with pair of ribbon tie punch holes, 

and cross stitch holes grid to hand stitch the three-leaf 

and stem shamrock. 

Add St. Patrick’s Day welded word cut below window, 

if desired. 

Tag measures approx. 2.57” across x 4.64” tall. 

Plain back shape is included in file to enable 

tag to be created as an independent project. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A card base   B front accent panel

C stitching holes panel tag base (2)

D window tag front panel

E horizontal cross accent strip

F St. Patrick's Day welded word accent

2. Prepare the stitching panel by making sure all

the "waste" shapes from the stitching holes have

fallen out, or push them out with the end of a bent paper

clip.  Then layer and glue the punch hole stitching panels, 

taking care that outer edges, punch holes and stitching hole 

edges all align as perfectly.

Press the glued-up shapes under a heavy flat weight

until thoroughly dried, several hours or overnight.

3. Obtain tapestry needles (size 24-26) and

two shades of 6-ply embroidery floss

to complete the cross stitching.

4. Cut a 24-30" length of 6-strand floss, then separate

two strands then lay them together. Fold the lengths in half 

and thread the four ends (or alternately the loops) 

through eye of a blunt tip tapestry needle. Pull the ends

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

and will be used to "tie on".

5. Take note of the smaller holes out of line from

the other rows where the center stem will be added.

Compare to the stitching chart where the stem stitch

is shown.

6. Prepare to begin stitching by positioning the loops end

of threaded needle below the holes array on tag backside,

 and secure in place with a small piece of cello tape.

7. Insert the needle in the lowest smaller offset hole

for bottom end of stem.

On front, pull thread all the way through.

Next, insert the needle down (from front) through

the upper offset stem hole, then . . .

. . . pull thread all the way through till long stitch is

flush with front of panel.

8. Repeat the same steps to double the stem stitch

for better visibility.

9. Next, identify the bottom cross stitch of the upper

"heart" on the chart. Insert the needle (back to front)

through the upper right hole of that 'X' stitch.

Then complete the right slant stitch, and . . .

. . . the left slant stitch . . .

. . . as shown here.

10. Continue to refer to the stitching chart to complete

the outline of X stitches, working upward around

the top shamrock "heart" petal . . .

. . . then back downward until it is complete.

When the length of floss on the needle gets used

up, pause before it is too short to "tie off".

This is done by working needle to backside at the end

of the final stitch worked, passing the needle under

a few adjacent stitches as they pass across the backside

of the tag, then clipping excess off close to surface.

11. "Tie on" the newly-prepared length of floss

(as described previously in Step 4), beginning by

inserting the needle from back to front in the upper left

hole of selected 'X' stitch - shown here as the bottom

center "point" stitch of left shamrock "heart".

Pull needle and floss through, but leave a generous

loop on the backside.

Insert needle down through the bottom right hole

of same X stitch, push needle through to backside.

Draw floss through, then pass needle through

the remaining loop, and . . .

. . . pull flush to "tighten" the stitch.

This is the normal "tie on" process.

12. Continue to complete the charted X stitches

around the right and then left shamrock "heart" shapes.

Then pass the needle down backside of work

(invisibly from front) to emerge near bottom of stem,

to complete the series of separate X stitches there.

Tie off and tie on as needed.

13. When the design is completed, either tie off

final floss length as described previously. Or,

direct the floss down to imitate the beginning loop,

secure with cello tape. Then . . .

. . . snip through ALL floss to remove excess.

14. Prepare a length of floss of the interior contrast

color, tie on where it makes most sense, then

complete the stitches within each of the "heart"

shapes as defined by previous X stitches.

Tie off and tie on in usual manner as needed.

15. Position and attach the circle window front tag

panel, offset around sides and bottom edges.

16. Prepare the card base by bending back along side

edge perforation.

Position - centered in both directions - front accent

panel and attach to front panel.

17. Prepare welded word phrase by centering

contrast cross strip behind the "Patrick's" portion,

both side to side, and top/bottom,

and attaching in place where the two surfaces touch.

18. Add ribbon bow to the top of tag.

19. Position tag at center of front panel so that

top edge is approx. 1/8" below accent panel top edge,

and attach in place.

20. Position welded word/strip assembly, centered

side to side, and overlapping the bottom of tag

as desired ("St." portion below circle window),

and attach in place.

Here is the completed tag card.