Flosstube Extra: Buying and Using European Cross Stitch Patterns

In this video we talk about buying and using continental European cross stitch charts, particularly those designers many US stitchers may not be aware of (yet!), such as Christiane Dahlbeck, Veronique Enginger, Marie-Therese Saint-Aubin, UB Designs, and more.

Contact:
Instagram: @kensingtoncrossstitch

Designers and Items Mentioned

RICO Designs
- No. 135: Santa Claus
- No. 141: Feliz Navidad

Helene Le Berre
- Un Fabuleux Voyage
- Cross Stitch Alphabets
- Cross Stitch Christmas
- Le Langage des Fleurs a Broder au Point de Croix / Les Oiseaux a broder at Point de Croix

Veronique Enginger
- Chocolat, the, cafe
- Retro Cross Stitch
- Fables & Fairy Tales
- The Magic of Christmas
- Montagne au Fils des Saison

Christiane Dahlbeck
- Kling Glockchen
- Schuckstucke
- Jahres-reiten: Herbst & Winter

UB Design
- Fur Jeden Etwas
- Farbtupfer
- Es Glitzert
- Sternentanne
- Weihnachtszeit
- Willkommen

Acufactum
- Belliswiese
- Kissen mit Winterstadt

Kreuz & Quer
- Kreuzstichideen

Les Brodeuses Parisiennes
- Sac "La Parisienne", Un Jour a Paris
- La Grande Histoire des "Jardins"

Marie-Therese Saint-Aubin
- Le Vieux Lilas

- Janvier/Fevrier 2023
- 2023 Agenda Calendrier: Petits Motifs au Fils des Mois
- Broderie & Botanique au Point de Croix

Shops Mentioned

[Julie_M_]

You shine in this video, a natural educator. So much info thank you!

[stitchedlitbc]

I share a love of the European designers, which is what drew me to your channel. Christiane Dahlbeck is one of my all time favorites--so beautiful!

[joannemoore]

So today I met you and watched all your you tubes..why am I craving a pretzel?..just kidding..I so enjoyed this video. I have 2 patterns by Les Brodeuses Parisiennes and thank you for explaining that the many motifs are put on one pattern but not particularly meant to be one scene. I acquired my patterns from stash unload as I loved one with a little girl at an easel as my girls have art degrees but I questioned how all the motifs were to go together as shown on the cover…now I can say duh…I love Lilli Violette and her Italian instagram posts. My Italian is poor but growing up in an Italian family her posts are music to my ears as is your French! What a completely enjoyable eye candy post!

[eileenlavoie]

Thank you Deborah! I'm going shopping!

[vickikeniston]

Thank you for the information you provided in buying European patterns. I am interested in some of the designs you showed and am planning on making a couple purchases.

[theresapetrik]

Thanks for this wealth of information. I was chuckling when you were talking about no knowing the language a book is written in but still being able to stitch from a chart. I learned to stitch from Eastern European folk designs as a child. My Grandparents and Mother knew the language. By the tie I was in 3rd grade, my aunt was bringing home European kits for me to stitch. Most of these were from the Danish Handcraft Guild and were not in English. Also, the pictures weren't in color. The libraries didn't have Danish dictionaries, the internet didn't exist yet and so imagination took over. She often remarked, on seeing the finished projects, that my flowers, etc. had very interesting colors. What did I know? I was working with the chart and threads that were included. By the 1980s a smattering of these patterns were being imported into the USA, some translated or translated by shop employees into English, and using the Danish Flower Threads. Permin and Thumbelina kits followed continuing to provide mostly Scandinavian based designs. I liked these designs as they were much more delicate and fluid than American produced designs. I agree with you on that and their use of backstitch, etc. was integral to the designs. These days, language is less of an issue as you can get a translation via Google for almost anything. Again, thanks for this look at German and French designers!

[CrystalSypolt-pitb]

Thank you for this very informative video. I have stitched several French designs. I used to purchase all of my European patterns from The French Needle and while I still love her shop, she is stocking less cross stitch designs. I agree that it is the delicacy of the European designs that I love. Veronique Enginger is my favorite.

[heleneckard]

Thank you for this excellent video about European cross stitch, Deborah. I love the European aesthetic which differs from country to country and is so different from the US aesthetic.

[in_re_cross_stitching]

So happy to have found you. I'm always looking for something different to stitch and this is very interesting. Love these designs.

[patriciakasmarek]

Thus was such a fabulous video tutorial and I really appreciated all the info you shared. I’m a huge christiane Dahlbeck fan and have a number of her books and booklets. 💕💕💕

[MollyInEngland]

Hi Deborah
Found your channel this evening and watched all three video’s, brilliant, loved them. I’m now a subscriber and looking forward to more fun and interesting chats along the way. Take care 👵 x

[stitchingcat]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[helenadrummond]

THANK YOU! What a wonderful video. Highly appreciated. You’ve inspired me to ask for one (or two) of these books for Mother’s Day. ❤

[joannebeaudry]

Excellent video ... thanks so much for taking the time ! I too love the European designers and find it a shame that we in North America (I'm Canadian) do not have ready access. I do plan to explore the French Needle offerings the next time I'm in the US (shipping is much less). Thanks again ...

[kimturner]

Thanks for sharing all this great information on European designers. I love a lot of what you showed from them.

[janinerosenke]

Love your channel. Love seeing diversity in charts. Please keep them coming. I’m not a sampler or primitive stitcher. Love the pattern designers you’ve showcased.

[cynthiasirois]

Greetings from New Hampshire! I just recently discovered your YouTube channel and I must say, you are a natural! What a great idea to expose us to some of these European designers. These designs are just beautiful and are so feminine and lovely. You have quite a collection of beautiful books and patterns. I am looking forward to more great information and content from you!🦋

[AnastasiaMeng]

This is a very interesting and useful insight into French and German cross stitch. I think it would be also useful for USstitchers if you could research more about other European countries stitching styles and where to buy it. I know Netherlands has couple big names like modern folk embroidery and twin peak primitives, but I would love to know if there are more and if there are websites, shops or market places where to buy it. Also interested to see smth Italian. I know you probably don’t stitch all of them, and can’t show real things on camera, but just gathering info and putting in pictures would be awesome too ❤❤❤ oh, and don’t forget about Eastern Europe. It has its own rather unique pattern style with tons of backstitch and blends 😂

[michaeljones]

Hey there, Deborah! I found your video to be very interesting! I hadn’t realized that the continental European aesthetic was so different from the US. In the past I have only been familiar with a couple of European designers: Roberto Parolin (Italian) and Owl Forest Embroidery (Russian). I appreciate you sharing your knowledge on the French and German designers! It appeared to be very thorough and comprehensive. I am enjoying your videos very much and look forward to your next flosstube! Hope you’re staying warm where you are! We are lucky enough to be in the 60s here in Dallas. Lol!

[kade]

LOVED this video, Deborah! Thank you so much for your effort in putting it together! I love Christiane Dahlbeck and am a big fan of The French Needle. Another design house (?) I really like is Rouge du Rhin. Sadly The French Needle has pretty much fazed-out their designs.