Carol Haydon

How Wedding Cross Stitch Can Make Your Day Even More Special.

Don't forget wedding cross stitch in your plans for that special day. Along with choosing the dress, deciding on flowers for the bouquet and writing the guest list, put some time aside for stitching invitations, place setting cards, wedding favours, a ring pillow or even a sampler.

If a friend or family member is tying the knot why not make them a wedding card that will take pride of place in the display? Maybe you can use the colours of the bridesmaids dresses or brides flowers in your wedding cross stitch to keep everything co-ordinated.

It isn't difficult to change a colour or two in your chosen pattern and it will make the finished item that bit more special. However, try not to pick two consectutive colour numbers as the difference may be too subtle, miss one number and use the next for better effect.

Keep in mind traditional motifs when choosing cross stitch wedding patterns, such as a bride or groom, hearts, wedding rings, a wedding cake, bouquets of flowers, the wedding dress, wedding bells, ribbons and lace and perhaps a dove or two. Although, of course, not all marriages are held in a church, for those that are, the building itself could be included in a cross stitch wedding sampler.

You could even take the idea of the bride and groom further and depict them as cute animals such as teddy bears or mice. I was even once asked for chickens dressed as the happy couple!

The names of the bridge and groom, along with the date and perhaps the location can all be included on a counted cross stitch wedding sampler to make the needlework more personal. If there isn't enough room for the complete names why not just include the intials?

You can really go to town with embellishments on your wedding cross stitch. A few seed beads, a little ribbon or lace, maybe some silver metallic thread can all add to the finished piece. Finished off with an attractive card, a beautiful mount or frame, you have an heirloom to help you remember your special day.