Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Eliza Townsend is stitched on Legacy Linen 45 count Jersey Cream with Soie Surfine: 2071, 2076, 2099, 2160, 2179, 2307, 2341, 2396, 2401, 2494, 2561, 2616, 2664, 2707, 2718, creme
Perlee (plied to single ply) 080 - plying Soie Perlee is covered in the upcoming Stitch with me video
Soie de Paris 4111 would be the closest substitute in Paris, 1011 would also be a good choice but is slightly pinker than the 080 I used.
My first stitch with me on this piece: youtu.be/eM2jSoQVz2k
I always use a John James #12 short tapestry point beading needle for Soie Surfine - a #10 is my go to needle for most other threads in counted work
My threads are kept in a Lu & Su folio - subscribe to Susan Standley's newletter for updates on any future releases
The Cuyana case is unfortunately no longer made in the size shown - it's now deeper, and I prefer the original size, but the new ones are here: cuyana.com/products/large-jewelry-case?variant=52994607448430
Regarding frames/stands: the Millennium frame by Needle Needs (available on the Needle Needs website) is a good frame choice for counted work. For surface embroidery, I always lace my piece into a traditional slate frame. With either, I use a Lowery floor stand. The corner clamp attachment for the Lowery is a must if you're going to use a Lowery with a Millennium frame - I tried that combination out for the satin stitch here and it's a huge upgrade on the side clamp when you're using a Millennium frame.
Wet blocking a cross stitch piece: youtu.be/1Q5CGZULhU4
The visual guide to the conversion starts at 36:19
Note: if using Surfine, only one spool is required for each color. If you're using this conversion in 100/3, I believe a second spool (those are 50m spools) would be needed for 2307, 2664, and 2707
Notes on color use:
2718: border only
2396: lighter green everywhere within the border
2707: darker green everywhere – border, everything inside border
2664: If it’s red, it’s 2664. Used as an outline on darker flowers in border, top internal flowers
2307: main pink used. Used for outer border flowers, top interior flowers, outer filling lower urns
There are two pinks used in filling the little fruits growing over the side houses: 2307 is in the lower ones, 2494 is for the upper one – it’s not necessary to shade these but I think it’s such a nice little detail
2494: medium pink. Fills upper urns, upper center of fruits by houses
2076: lighter medium pink, very blue toned. Center of lower urns – can be discarded
Basically, in trying to come to decisions about all the details here I just threw ten million pinks at my problems. You could lose at least one of the intermediate shades.
2160: very light pink, only used in border for detailing on carnations
2341: lightest pink – almost imperceptibly pink. If you see just a hint of color, this is it: carnations in border, upper center flower, detailing middle urn flowers, detailing upper urn, fruits growing on vine off houses, outline of berries on trees
2099: anywhere you see dark: outline on windows, eyes on animals, verse
2401: lightest gray: some details on animals like the owl, woman’s dress, mostly used for the windows of the house. Very light gray looks more like light reflecting off glass than white does to me
2561: medium gray: peacock, small flanking houses, some details on people and animals – basically there’s a super light gray and a medium gray, and you should look at the value contrast between the two to know which is which
The roof of the houses is also 2561 even though it looks darker – I used rice stitch over 2 threads to concentrate the color, which makes it look darker even though it’s the same thread
Crème: exterior detail on main house, fence, animals, center of flowers on middle vase, internal detailing flowers, center triangles carnations in border
2071: blue, urns only. Pattern called for heavier use, I wanted to really focus on pink/red/green
2179: pond
2616: used to fill in beaks and eyes for swans – you could easily sub this with 2099
Eliza Townsend is stitched on Legacy Linen 45 count Jersey Cream with Soie Surfine: 2071, 2076, 2099, 2160, 2179, 2307, 2341, 2396, 2401, 2494, 2561, 2616, 2664, 2707, 2718, creme
Perlee (plied to single ply) 080 - plying Soie Perlee is covered in the upcoming Stitch with me video
Soie de Paris 4111 would be the closest substitute in Paris, 1011 would also be a good choice but is slightly pinker than the 080 I used.
My first stitch with me on this piece: youtu.be/eM2jSoQVz2k
I always use a John James #12 short tapestry point beading needle for Soie Surfine - a #10 is my go to needle for most other threads in counted work
My threads are kept in a Lu & Su folio - subscribe to Susan Standley's newletter for updates on any future releases
The Cuyana case is unfortunately no longer made in the size shown - it's now deeper, and I prefer the original size, but the new ones are here: cuyana.com/products/large-jewelry-case?variant=52994607448430
Regarding frames/stands: the Millennium frame by Needle Needs (available on the Needle Needs website) is a good frame choice for counted work. For surface embroidery, I always lace my piece into a traditional slate frame. With either, I use a Lowery floor stand. The corner clamp attachment for the Lowery is a must if you're going to use a Lowery with a Millennium frame - I tried that combination out for the satin stitch here and it's a huge upgrade on the side clamp when you're using a Millennium frame.
Wet blocking a cross stitch piece: youtu.be/1Q5CGZULhU4
The visual guide to the conversion starts at 36:19
Note: if using Surfine, only one spool is required for each color. If you're using this conversion in 100/3, I believe a second spool (those are 50m spools) would be needed for 2307, 2664, and 2707
Notes on color use:
2718: border only
2396: lighter green everywhere within the border
2707: darker green everywhere – border, everything inside border
2664: If it’s red, it’s 2664. Used as an outline on darker flowers in border, top internal flowers
2307: main pink used. Used for outer border flowers, top interior flowers, outer filling lower urns
There are two pinks used in filling the little fruits growing over the side houses: 2307 is in the lower ones, 2494 is for the upper one – it’s not necessary to shade these but I think it’s such a nice little detail
2494: medium pink. Fills upper urns, upper center of fruits by houses
2076: lighter medium pink, very blue toned. Center of lower urns – can be discarded
Basically, in trying to come to decisions about all the details here I just threw ten million pinks at my problems. You could lose at least one of the intermediate shades.
2160: very light pink, only used in border for detailing on carnations
2341: lightest pink – almost imperceptibly pink. If you see just a hint of color, this is it: carnations in border, upper center flower, detailing middle urn flowers, detailing upper urn, fruits growing on vine off houses, outline of berries on trees
2099: anywhere you see dark: outline on windows, eyes on animals, verse
2401: lightest gray: some details on animals like the owl, woman’s dress, mostly used for the windows of the house. Very light gray looks more like light reflecting off glass than white does to me
2561: medium gray: peacock, small flanking houses, some details on people and animals – basically there’s a super light gray and a medium gray, and you should look at the value contrast between the two to know which is which
The roof of the houses is also 2561 even though it looks darker – I used rice stitch over 2 threads to concentrate the color, which makes it look darker even though it’s the same thread
Crème: exterior detail on main house, fence, animals, center of flowers on middle vase, internal detailing flowers, center triangles carnations in border
2071: blue, urns only. Pattern called for heavier use, I wanted to really focus on pink/red/green
2179: pond
2616: used to fill in beaks and eyes for swans – you could easily sub this with 2099
