Birthday Faeries January - PDF

Birthday Faeries January – Kooler Design Studio Cross Stitch Pattern (KDS# 1368)

This Birthday Faeries January pattern is a charming embroidery design created by Barbara Baatz Hillman for Kooler Design Studio (KDS# 1368), published in 2012. Part of the Kooler Classic Charts collection, this downloadable PDF pattern features a whimsical January-themed birthday faerie motif, making it a delightful decorative piece for celebrations, seasonal displays, or framed needlework gifts. The design is rated suitable for beginner to intermediate cross stitchers and produces a compact, detailed finished piece.

Design Size and Fabric

The pattern is stitched on 14 Count White Aida fabric, the most widely used evenweave fabric in cross stitch, prized for its clearly defined grid that makes counting stitches straightforward. The stitch count is 66 stitches wide by 97 stitches high, giving the following approximate finished design sizes depending on fabric count:

• 10 Count Aida: approximately 6w × 8¾h inches
• 14 Count Aida: approximately 4⅝w × 6⅞h inches
• 16 Count Aida: approximately 4⅛w × 6h inches
• 18 Count Aida: approximately 3⅝w × 5⅜h inches

As recommended in the pattern, stitchers should add 4–6 inches to each measurement when cutting fabric to allow adequate margins for framing or finishing.

Techniques and Stitches Used

This pattern employs several classic embroidery techniques that together create a richly detailed and textured faerie illustration. Even beginners will find these stitches approachable with a little practice:

• Full Cross Stitches: The primary stitch used to fill in the design, worked with 3 strands of floss. A full cross stitch is formed by two diagonal stitches crossing at the center, creating the characteristic X shape that builds up the color and form of the image.
• Quarter (1/4) Cross Stitches: Used to add detail and softer edges to the design, also worked with 3 strands. Quarter stitches travel from a corner of the fabric square to the center, allowing for more refined curves and shapes than full stitches alone.
• Backstitch: Used for outlining, detailing, and adding definition to the faerie figure and surrounding elements. The pattern specifies 1 strand for fine detail backstitching and 2 strands in select areas for bolder outlines. Backstitch is worked in a continuous line, with each stitch going back to meet the end of the previous one.
• French Knots: Small, raised decorative knots used to add texture and fine detail — such as eyes or decorative accents — worked with 1 strand of floss. French knots are created by wrapping the thread around the needle before inserting it back through the fabric close to the starting point.

Materials – Floss and Special Threads

The pattern uses DMC stranded cotton embroidery floss, the industry-standard six-strand divisible thread known for its wide color range and colorfastness. A comprehensive floss and symbol listing is provided in the PDF, with each DMC color number clearly matched to a chart symbol for easy reference. Colors used span a range including warm reds, soft pinks, blues, greens, and neutral tones, capturing the delicate, magical quality of a birthday faerie illustration.

In addition to standard DMC floss, the pattern incorporates Kreinik Blending Filament #032, a fine metallic thread that is combined with regular floss strands to add a subtle sparkle and shimmer to select areas of the design — particularly appropriate for faerie wings, magical accents, or highlights. Kreinik Blending Filament is typically threaded alongside stranded cotton in the needle and stitched together, adding luminosity without overpowering the overall color palette.

Key DMC Colors Referenced

• DMC 300, 666, 814, 895, 920 – rich reds and deep burgundies for warmth and contrast