Carol Haydon

When  someone close to you is getting married, don't forget cross stitch in your plans for celebrating that great Wedding Day. Along with the other plans, 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 cross stitch a wedding card that will take pride of place in the display? Maybe you can use the colours of the bridesmaids' dresses or bride's flowers in your cross stitch project to keep everything colour-coordinated.

It's easy to change a colour or two in your chosen pattern and it will make the finished item that bit more appropriate for the happy couple. However, try not to pick two consecutive colour numbers as the difference may be too subtle. Instead,  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 to stitch 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 initials?

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 that special day.