Dimensions Snowman & Friends, Gold

As always, the Dimensions Gold Collection cross stitch kits are the best ever!

Looks exactly like it was advertised, has all the contents you need and I can’t wait to work on it this spring!

Dimensions 70-08867 Counted Cross Stitch, Santa's Sidecar Stockings, is an enchanting addition to any holiday crafting repertoire. This charming cross stitch kit captures the whimsy of Christmas with its intricate design featuring Santa Claus riding a motorcycle sidecar, delivering gifts with festive flair. From the detailed stitching to the vibrant colors, every aspect of this project exudes holiday cheer and brings the magic of the season to life. Crafting enthusiasts of all skill levels will appreciate the quality of this kit, which includes everything needed to create two stunning Christmas stockings. The clear instructions and easy-to-follow pattern ensure a seamless stitching experience, allowing beginners and experienced stitchers alike to enjoy the process and achieve beautiful results. Whether you're stitching for yourself or creating a heartfelt gift for a loved one, this kit offers hours of creative enjoyment and a finished product that will be treasured for years to come. In conclusion, Dimensions Santa's Sidecar Stockings cross stitch kit is a delightful way to infuse your holiday decor with warmth and personality. With its captivating design, high-quality materials, and user-friendly instructions, this kit provides a rewarding crafting experience from start to finish. Bring the joy of Christmas into your home and showcase your stitching skills with these charming stockings that are sure to become cherished heirlooms for generations.

I have a large family and have made needlepoint stockings for everyone over the years, aside from the one my own mother made for me when I was a child. The intention is for these stockings to be heirlooms that the children can keep and use throughout their lives, as I have with mine. I love this tradition and have passed it along to my children. I am an experienced needle-worker and each stocking I’ve made has had its own unique challenges. I will say that this kit is definitely *not* a project for a beginner but is absolutely heirloom quality. This kit took me longer than any other stocking I’ve made by over a year of intermittent work. The reason behind that extra time is the incredible detail of every stitch. This stocking kit uses tiny stitches (no long stitches here) and subtle, almost imperceptible color changes and color blends using floss strands of different colors on the same needle. You change colors often as you move through the piece and while the change is subtle, the end result is a stunning high-resolution image with incredible detail unlike anything I’ve ever sewn before. The neck of the caribou alone took hours and hours because of all the color fluctuations but it was well worth it. Do yourself a favor and photocopy the pattern to mark up because you will make many mistakes and need to write notes for yourself. The layers of details also required a lot of marking up the pattern in different colors (stitches, followed by outlines, followed by French knot eyes and “snowflakes”). Another tip: the floss comes presorted and labeled, glued into two long cardstock strips. Cut those strips into their separate colors or everything gets super tangled up. Create a few extra pieces of card to wind all the many color blends you’ll be making as well - this pattern uses a lot of color blends and you’ll want to keep them straight and save as much floss as possible. Once you lose track of what color blend you’re on there’s no figuring it out because the colors are so similar. Two criticisms I have about this kit are that the amount of floss given in the kit for each color seems arbitrary. I had so much floss left over in many colors but also had to color match at least four of the floss colors to buy more of because there wasn’t even close to enough for the amount used in the project (use an online “dimensions kit-to-DMC conversion chart” to get the right replacement colors). Second, the metallic gold floss was a *huge* pain to work with. It shreds/disintegrates and tangles so easily and I wish I’d abandoned use of it early on and sought an alternative in the craft store aisles before getting the project underway. I will say I’m glad I persevered with the metallic gold though because it adds a really subtle but magical sparkle to the bells, presents, and other details where it was blended in. This was the first modern (post 1990s) stocking kit I’ve used in making six stockings. I usually seek and use vintage patterns or kits (1970s through early 1990s), or in one case improvise my own pattern, but this is the one my youngest wanted so here we are. It did not disappoint! I would happily purchase more of these dimensions gold kits for future stockings but will budget much more time than I’d planned here, and if there’s metallic floss I’ll seek an alternative.

I've not finished this yet, but am very pleased with the kit. I'm sure the finished article will be lovely (barring mishaps!) and will become a Christmas treasure for many years to come.