Birthday Faeries October - PDF

Birthday Faeries October – Cross Stitch Pattern by Kooler Design Studio (KDS# 1377)

Birthday Faeries October is a charming counted cross stitch pattern from Kooler Design Studio, designed by Barbara Baatz Hillman and catalogued as KDS# 1377. Released in 2012, this downloadable PDF pattern is part of the Kooler Classic Charts series and is rated suitable for beginner embroiderers. The finished piece is intended as a decorative project — a delightful October-themed birthday faerie design that would make a wonderful seasonal decoration, framed piece, or handmade gift.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a single decorative embroidery featuring an October birthday faerie motif. The design has a stitch count of 69 stitches wide by 95 stitches high, making it a compact yet detailed piece. At the most popular fabric count, 14-count Aida, the finished design measures approximately 4-7/8 inches wide by 6-3/4 inches tall — a lovely size for framing or finishing into a small decorative item. The pattern is also scalable to other fabric counts:

• 10-count fabric: approximately 6-1/4w × 8-5/8h inches
• 14-count fabric: approximately 4-7/8w × 6-3/4h inches
• 16-count fabric: approximately 4-1/4w × 5-7/8h inches
• 18-count fabric: approximately 3-3/4w × 5-1/4h inches

As with all counted cross stitch projects, it is recommended to add 4–6 inches to each measurement when cutting your fabric to allow for framing and finishing.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several classic counted cross stitch techniques that make it an excellent project for beginners while still offering enough variety to engage more experienced stitchers:

• Full Cross Stitch – the primary technique used to fill in the design, worked over one square of Aida fabric using 3 strands of floss
• Quarter Stitch (1/4 Stitch) – used to create smoother curves and more refined outlines within the design, also worked with 3 strands
• French Knots – small, textured knots that add dimensional detail and fine accents, worked with 2 strands of floss
• Backstitch – used for outlining, defining edges, and adding fine linear details; worked with either 1 or 2 strands of floss depending on the area being stitched

The combination of full stitches, quarter stitches, French knots, and backstitch gives the finished faerie design a polished, professional appearance with smooth contours and crisp detail lines.

Stitches Used

• Full Cross Stitch (3 strands)
• Quarter Stitch / 1/4 Stitch (3 strands)
• French Knots (2 strands)
• Backstitch (1 or 2 strands, varies by color and area)

Materials – Floss and Fabric

The pattern is designed to be stitched on 14-count White Aida fabric, the most widely available and beginner-friendly counted cross stitch ground. The chart specifies DMC stranded cotton embroidery floss throughout, with a palette that includes the following DMC color numbers:

• DMC 310 (Black)
• DMC 434 (Light Brown)
• DMC 435 (Very Light Brown)
• DMC 519 (Sky Blue)
• DMC 605 (Very Light Cranberry)
• DMC 703 (Chartreuse)
• DMC 739 (Ultra Very Light