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Sunday, September 29, 2019

#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--CROSS STITCHED POINSETTIA ORNAMENT


Do you know what today is? It's Release Eve, the day before the official release of Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide, the eighth book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, the eponymous cozy mystery series where author Lois Winston continues to taunt me, her reluctant amateur sleuth, with dead bodies.

To mark the occasion and since it’s never too early to begin your Christmas crafting, here’s an easy (no backstitch or fractional stitches!) poinsettia cross stitch design that can be fashioned into an ornament after it’s stitched.

The design measures approximately 2-3/4” x 2-3/4” when worked on 14-ct. fabric.


You'll find more Christmas crafts in Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide.

Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide
An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 8

Two and a half weeks ago magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack arrived home to find Ira Pollack, her half-brother-in-law, had blinged out her home with enough Christmas lights to rival Rockefeller Center. Now he’s crammed her small yard with enormous cavorting inflatable characters. She and photojournalist boyfriend and possible spy Zack Barnes pack up the unwanted lawn decorations to return to Ira. They arrive to find his yard the scene of an over-the-top Christmas extravaganza. His neighbors are not happy with the animatronics, laser light show, and blaring music creating traffic jams on their normally quiet street. One of them expresses his displeasure with his fists before running off.

In the excitement, the deflated lawn ornaments are never returned to Ira. The next morning Anastasia once again heads to his house before work to drop them off. When she arrives, she discovers Ira’s attacker dead in Santa’s sleigh. Ira becomes the prime suspect in the man’s murder and begs Anastasia to help clear his name. But Anastasia has promised her sons she’ll keep her nose out of police business. What’s a reluctant amateur sleuth to do?

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2 comments:

Tia said...

Am i supposed to use all 6 threads or is there a specific number?

Lois Winston said...

Tia, sorry I didn't respond sooner. Your comment landed in the Spam folder. The number of strands depends on the fabric count you're using. If you're going to stitch on 14-ct. fabric, then you cross stitch with 2 strands of floss. All 6 strands are used on Herta cloth or any other fabric that is 5 or 6 stitches to the inch.