Nordic Deer Cross Stitch Card on Altenew Cross Stitch Canvas (with free pattern!)

So I've been fighting off a nasty cold virus for about a week now.  The ONLY upside of being sick is that it forces me to slow down on the 8 million tasks or plans (give or take 😜) I have for myself every day and rest.  And what that means is stitching time!  This card is the culmination of a few days of doing nothing except developing a pattern, stitching, and coughing.  😷 

I knew I wanted to make a more intricate pattern, and Altenew's Cross Stitch Canvas die is perfect for this purpose.  I developed my design by taking various cross stitch images I found on Pinterest and assembling them into one pattern using the free www.stitchfiddle.com pattern maker.  I love using this site because it allows you to tailor your patterns to the exact dimensions of your die.

After that, all there was to do was start stitching!  I have a few tips for stitching projects using this die:

• Use the heaviest cardstock you have on hand.  I used Neenah Solar White 110# for this card.  The cardstock is going to be pulled at quite a bit (especially with intricate designs), so the heavier, the better.
• Enlarge your holes before stitching.  I used a paper piercer (Tim Holtz's ______ is perfect for this) to make the holes slightly larger before stitching.  
• Use no more than two strands of floss.  Anything more will be a bear to get through all those little holes!  

I finished the card by heat embossing my sentiment from my favorite Holly Jolly Sentiments from Scrapbook.com on vellum because I didn't want to cover up any of the beautiful stitching.  

I've included my pattern here if you would like to re-create or adapt this card for yourself.  I hope you enjoyed this project and are inspired to make your own cross stitch projects.  I would love to see what you make!  

Links to the products I used to make this card are below.  I participate in the Scrapbook.com affiliate program, which means that I receive a small commission at no cost to you when products are purchased through the links I share.  Thank you so much for your support!