Decorate your home or make this pillow for a festive gift

What you need...

• Aida, 14 count, white
  
• DMC stranded cotton
  
• Tapestry needle, size 26
  
• Printed cotton: red stripe; red; aqua
  
• Backing fabric, 24cm x 25cm
  
• Cushion pad, 23cm x 24cm
  
• Felt balls, blue, four
  
• Toy stuffing
  
• Ribbon, red and white

instructions

1. 1 Follow the chart for the houses and stitch over one block of Aida, using two strands of thread for the cross-stitch and one strand for the stars. When complete, press, then trim to 5cm x 24cm and set aside.
   
   2 Cut two strips of red stripe fabric, 4cm x 24cm, plus two strips of aqua fabric, 5cm x 24cm, and two strips of red fabric, 5.5cm x 24cm. Pin the fabric and cross-stitch strips together and machine the seams. Sew the backing fabric to the cushion front, leaving a gap for turning. Turn right sides out and place a cushion pad inside, then stitch the gap closed.
   
   3 If you don’t have a cushion pad to fit, cut two pieces of white cotton to the correct size and sew with a 5mm seam, leaving a gap for turning. Turn right sides out, stuff firmly, then stitch the gap closed and place inside the cover. Stitch felt balls to the corners to finish.