#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--CROSS STITCHED CLADDAGH

photo courtesy of Royalcladdagh

I have a Pinterest page on which I post all the crafts and recipes that appear on Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers. Two years ago I posted a cross stitch design for a Celtic knot on the blog. That design has been repinned on Pinterest more than anything else on any of my Pinterest boards. So in honor of St. Patrick’s Day coming up in a little over a week, I’ve decided to post another Irish cross stitch design. This one is for a Claddagh.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Claddagh, it’s the design used in a traditional Irish ring. The hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty. Claddagh rings are sometimes used as friendship rings but more often as engagement or wedding rings. In many Irish families the rings are passed down from mothers to daughters.

The Claddagh ring had its origins in Roman times, but the ring as we know it today comes from the small fishing village of Claddagh, located outside of Galway and was first made in the seventeenth century.

The cross stitch design below is 37 stitches wide x 29 stitches high. When stitched on 14-ct. fabric it will be approximately 2-2/3" x 2".