Reindeer with a bell collar

Begin with the nose. The centre of the chart falls right on it, and the round outline in dark brown 938 gives you a small shape that is easy to count from. Work outward to the smile and across to the eyes, which are solid dark blocks on either side. The two halves of the face nearly mirror each other, so the right side tends to go faster than the left.

What order should the colours go in?

Stitch the outline of the head in 938 next, then fill the face with brown 434. The muzzle and inner ears in beige 543 are wide, simple shapes that you can work in front of a film. Red 347 follows for the nose and the two halves of the collar, which the bell splits in the middle. Gold 19 goes on the bell itself and is the smallest colour at 40 stitches.

The antlers can wait until last. They use up a good part of the 696 stitches in 938, they join the head outline so there is nothing new to measure from, and you can work them in long rows of one colour.

Is this pattern good for a beginner?

Yes. At 1652 stitches it needs around 17 hours, and almost all of that is plain filling with few colour changes. Two places need careful counting: the smile, which steps down in short runs, and the top of the bell, which narrows to a thin column between dark stitches. All the outlines are full cross stitches.

Which fabric works with the reindeer?

White Aida keeps the muzzle and inner ears visible. On cream or ecru, beige 543 sits very close to the cloth and the muzzle can look unstitched. Light blue or pale grey both feel wintry and keep the contrast. Dark cloth is a poor match, because the antlers and outline would vanish into it.

How can you finish it?

On Aida 14 the piece measures 9.4 by 10.3 cm. A red ribbon on the hoop picks up the colour of the collar, and a small metal jingle bell sewn just under the stitched one will ring when the ornament moves on the tree. The head also fits on the cuff of a Christmas stocking or on a card for a child.