Festival of Lights PDF

Festival of Lights Cross Stitch Pattern by Kooler Design Studio

The Festival of Lights (KDS# 983) is a downloadable PDF cross stitch pattern designed by Nancy Rossi for Kooler Design Studio, a well-established independent design house based in Lafayette, California. This festive embroidery design is part of the Kooler Classic Charts collection and is suited to beginner and intermediate stitchers looking to create a beautiful holiday or celebration decoration. The finished piece makes a stunning seasonal display, capturing the warmth and glow suggested by its name.

What You Will Make

This pattern produces a single, richly detailed decorative embroidery piece celebrating a festival theme. At a stitch count of 134 stitches wide by 131 stitches high, the design offers a satisfying level of detail while remaining approachable for stitchers who are building their skills. Depending on the fabric count you choose, the finished design size will vary:

• 14-count fabric: approximately 13⅜ inches wide by 13 inches high
• 16-count fabric: approximately 8⅜ inches wide by 8⅛ inches high
• 18-count fabric: approximately 7⅜ inches wide by 7¼ inches high

Remember to add 4 to 6 inches to each measurement when cutting your fabric to allow adequate room for framing or finishing.

Fabric and Materials

The design is specifically stitched on 14-count Charles Craft Navy Blue Aida cloth, a popular and widely available evenweave fabric that provides a rich, dark background perfectly suited to a lights-themed composition. Aida cloth is the ideal choice for beginners because its clearly defined holes make it easy to place each stitch accurately without counting individual threads.

The color palette is vibrant and celebratory, drawing on a carefully selected range of DMC embroidery floss colors. The full floss listing includes the following DMC thread colors:

• DMC 327 — deep violet purple
• DMC 334 — medium baby blue
• DMC 336 — navy blue
• DMC 340 — medium blue violet
• DMC 552 — medium violet
• DMC 666 — bright red
• DMC 721 — medium orange spice
• DMC 741 — medium tangerine
• DMC 742 — light tangerine
• DMC 743 — medium yellow
• DMC 947 — burnt orange
• DMC 971 — pumpkin
• DMC 986 — very dark forest green
• DMC 3747 — very light blue violet
• Blanc — white
• DMC E3821 — DMC Light Effects Gold Metallic thread, adding a sparkling, luminous accent that enhances the festival of lights theme

The warm oranges, yellows, and reds combined with deep purples, blues, and greens create a striking contrast against the navy Aida background, evoking glowing lights in the darkness. The addition of DMC Light Effects E3821 Gold Metallic thread brings an eye-catching shimmer that elevates the finished piece.

Techniques and Stitches Used

This pattern employs three core embroidery techniques, all of which are fundamental skills in counted cross stitch:

• Cross Stitch — The primary stitch used to fill the design. Cross stitch is formed by making two diagonal stitches that cross at the center, creating a neat X shape on the fabric. For this pattern, cross stitches are worked using 3 strands of DMC embroidery floss, which provides good coverage on 14-count Aida and gives the finished work a full, slightly raised texture.
• Backstitch — Used to add fine outlines,