Start this skater by adding detail to the coat and scarf. For details on the coat, stitch in Wine using Half-Cross or Continental, whichever you're most comfortable with. Stitch the larger area of the scarf in Continental.

Next, fill in the face and hands in Peach using Continental.

For the hat and skates, switch to Black using Continental.

Stitch the skater's orange coat in Coral using Basketweave.

Finish up by stitching the hat's white pompom using Bleach in Continental. You should also stitch the pants in Bleach, but switch to Basketweave.

Pro tip! Any white area that is larger than an inch or so, should use Basketweave. White yarn can sometimes look thin because it’s not plumped by dye. If you notice the yarn is looking thin, you might consider adding an extra strand for better coverage. You'll want to test this to make sure there's not a noticeable texture difference between two strands and three strands. It's easiest to do this at natural design breaks (like different elements in the illustration). If you see a thin stitch only here or there, you can just go over it again with another stitch at the end.

Child and Sled

I suggest stitching the child first, and then the sled. Begin by stitching the white jacket accent in Bleach using Continental. Then stitch the pants in Bleach using Basketweave.

Add the darkest green details to the hat and gloves with Forest in Continental.

For the small mid-green accent line between the boots, stitch in Fir using Half-Cross or Continental (whichever you're more comfortable with).

Fill in the face with Peach, using Continental.

For lighter, yellow green shade of the hat and boots, use Olive in Continental.

Finally, stitch the child's cheerful yellow coat in Gold using Basketweave stitch.

Now move onto the sled! Stitch the sled rope using Biscuit in Continental. For the darker brown body of the sled, work in Fawn using Continental.

Falling Skater

Start with the jacket details, stitching in Wine using either Half-Cross or Continental.

Stitch green the hat in Fir, using Continental.

Fill in the face with Peach using either Continental or Basketweave. Again, since Peach is a lighter color and this is a bit bigger of a face, you may want the extra coverage of Basketweave. But, Continental will technically be fine, too!

Stitch the skates and gloves in Black, using Continental.

Next work on the navy pants using Midnight in Basketweave.

Finally! Stitch the pink coat in Salmon using Basketweave.

Ballerina Skater

You're almost finished with the skaters! We'll move on to the twirling skater. Work on her brunette bun in Fawn, using Continental.

Then, stitch the skintone in Peach using Basketweave.

The white accents on the skirt and skates are Bleach, using Continental stitch.

For the skate blades, use a little bit of Black in Continental.

Then, add a little pop of color by stitching the entire dress in Scarlet, using Basketweave stitch.

Dog

Bop over to the little dog. For the dog's collar, use Scarlet in Continental stitch. Then, stitch the dog's black fur in Black using Basketweave.

Carousel

Start with the carousel horses and their poles using Black with Continental. If you prefer Basketweave for the horses, that works too!

For the dark brown cross-hatching at the botton of the carousel and the poles, use Fawn in Continental. Note that four of the poles go from the very bottom to the top of the red and white tent.

Fill in the bottom of the carousel with the mid-brown tone, using Biscuit in Basketweave.

Stitch in the lightest brown (or beige) in the background area behind the horses. Use Putty with Basketweave.

Let's move up to the punchy top of the carousel. Stitch the two white sections in Bleach, using Basketweave.

Then, switch to Scarlet in Basketweave for the three red sections, and the line along the edge.

Finally, stitch the twinkling lights along the edge in Gold using Continental. I wouldn't cut my thread tails between each of the lights. I would just bop around the canvas, making sure not to pull too tightly between the lights (more on this technique just below).

Market Stalls

The markets has quite a few charming details, with quite a few thread changes :) A few tips about thread changes for small details:

• You don't have to tie off between every tiny stitch, if you're using the same color. I am a pretty lazy stitcher, so I usually do not. I do all the stitches for a given color at once, and then tie off when I'm done. I'm just careful to leave enough yarn on the back so the canvas isn't getting distorted by pulling too tightly on the back. It should be just a tiny bit slack on the back
• You don't have to start a thread with the waste knot method every single time. You can use existing stitches to bury the thread tails. On the back of the canvas, just slip a needle with unknotted thread through about 5 stitches, then bring it up through the front. Be careful not to pull too tightly on that first stitch in case your yarn slips out.

Leftmost (Orange) Market Stall

Use Fawn in Continental for the dark brown details along the bottom and the three poles on this stall.

Work on the green wreaths hanging from this market. The single, yellow-green wreath uses Olive with Basketweave. The two lighter green wreaths use Jade in Basketweave. Finally, stitch the darkest green wreaths in Forest using Basketweave.

Hop over to the orange-y bunting under the eaves. Stich in Coral with Basketweave.

Next, work on yellow icicle-like ornaments, using Gold in Continental.

Move onto the white snow on the rooftops using Bleach in Basketweave.

Finally, we're going to fill things in. First work on the two vertical accent lines on the window using Black in Continental. Keep using Black for the wreath shadows and the roof, but switch to Basketweave.

Fill in the mid-brown background of the market stall's base, using Biscuit with Basketweave.

Finish the very light brown (or beige) window backgrounds with Putty in Basketweave.

Leftmost (Orange) Market Stall

Use Fawn in Continental for the dark brown details along the bottom and the three poles on this stall.

Work on the green wreaths hanging from this market. The single, yellow-green wreath uses Olive with Basketweave. The two lighter green wreaths use Jade in Basketweave. Finally, stitch the darkest green wreaths in Forest using Basketweave.

Hop over to the orange-y bunting under the eaves. Stich in Coral with Basketweave.

Next, work on yellow icicle-like ornaments, using Gold in Continental.

Move onto the white snow on the rooftops using Bleach in Basketweave.

Finally, we're going to fill things in. First work on the two vertical accent lines on the window using Black in Continental. Keep using Black for the wreath shadows and the roof, but switch to Basketweave.

Fill in the mid-brown background of the market stall's base, using Biscuit with Basketweave.

Finish the very light brown (or beige) window backgrounds with Putty in Basketweave.

Rightmost (Pink) Market Stall

Start with Fawn in Continental for the dark brown details along the bottom and the poles on this stall.

For the pink bunting under the eaves, use Salmon in Basketweave.

Stitch the dark red, icicle-like ornaments peeking out from under the bunting in Wine with Continental.

Move onto the white snow on the rooftops using Bleach in Basketweave.

Fill in the mid-brown background of the market stall's base, using Biscuit with Basketweave.

Stitch the horizontal accent lines on the window using Black in Continental. Keep using Black for the roof, but switch to Basketweave.

Finish this market stall by stitching with the very light brown (or beige) window background, using Putty in Basketweave.

Smallest (Bottom) Market Stall

As with all the other stalls, start with the dark brown accents in Fawn, using Continental.

Stitch the snow on rooftop, using Bleach with Basketweave.

Next, work on the mid-brown background at the base of the stall, using Biscuit in Basketweave.

The dark tree shadows and roof use Black, and I recommend stitching them in Basketweave.

Add the yellow, twinkling lights at the roofline, using Gold in Continental.

Finish up the window background with Putty and Basketweave.

Trees

Sometimes it can be hard to differentiate the greens of trees. I use a lot of the same color combinations across designs, so that the illustrations hang together well. I've made a visual guide to help you decode which tree colors go where.

Deep Dive: Decoding Tree Colors

Fir Tree

This is the leftmost, mid-green tree at the lower left of the stocking. For mid-tone green tree, start with Forest for the details, using Continental. Work the lights using Gold in Continental. Next, use Fawn in Basketweave for the tree trunk. Finally, stitch the background in Fir, using Basketweave.

Olive Green Trees

This is the rightmost, yellowy green tree at the lower left of the stocking, behind the Fir tree. Stitch the accents of the tree with Forest, using Continental. Work the lights using Gold in Continental. Next, use Fawn in Basketweave for the tree trunk. The background (or main) color of the tree is Olive, which you’ll fill in using Basketweave.

Jade Green Trees

This is the leftmost tree on the top right of the stocking. Start by stitching the details of this light green tree in Forest, using Continental. Work the lights using Gold in Continental. Next, use Fawn in Continental for the tree trunk. Finish by filling the main color in Jade using Basketweave.

Forest Green Trees

This is the darkest, rightmost tree at the top right of the stocking. Begin by stitching the lighter green details in Fir using Continental. Work the lights using Gold in Continental. Next, use Fawn in Basketweave for the tree trunk. Then, fill the rest with Forest in Basketweave.

Name

You’re almost there! For the name, I actually change the order I stitch in.

I first stitch the lighter, main color of the name in Continental, using Bleach. Next, I stitch in the name accents (or shadows) in Gold, using Continental.

Here's a how-to video showing how I stitch our classic lettering style in Scarlet & Wine, but the same principles apply if you’re stitching a different colorway, or even a different font!

Deep Dive: Stitching Your Name →

I stitch one letter at a time and one color at a time. I tend to tie off between letters, just to keep everything super crisp. I think it’s especially important to do this if you’re stitching a name with a white background. It’s less important if you have a dark background behind the name because the thread tails are unlikely to show through. To keep things easy for myself, I just tie off between letters 🙂

Backgrounds

The big, simple blocks of color are often the very last thing I complete on any stockings. I think about it like filling in backgrounds after the details are completed.

Night Sky

For an inky night sky, use Midnight in Basketweave stitch. I really would stitch the night sky area AFTER all the details of the market stalls, as it can be hard to see the difference of the black roofs and the dark blue background.

Blue Snowdrifts & Icy Pond

For light blue snowdrifts on the ground and, of course, the icy pond, use Robin's Egg in Basketweave stitch.

White Snow