Dimensions 70-35285 Gold Collection Seaside Summer Village Advanced Counted Cross Stitch Kit, 16 Cnt. Light Blue Aida, 15" x 12"

I really wanted to get the Prime Day discount for using my Amazon Rewards Visa, but I got to a point while shopping where there wasn't anything else I *needed* so I allowed myself to add this counted cross stitch kit to my cart (I have the Parrot Tulips one -- I'd had my eye on it for awhile). I am a fan of Dimensions cross stitch kits going back nearly 20 years and the Gold Collection ones are some of my favorites. They are some of the pricier kits, though, and they always feel like such an indulgence to buy so I don't often do so.Realistically, I am not going to finish this for a very long time since I only get a few hours a week to work on it. (I started with the ivory color, so I have part of the vase done thus far.) As with most cross stitch and close-up craft work, I am using a lighted magnifier and it is a total eye-saver. This does not have the smallest print I've ever seen on a cross stitch kit, but if you are at all familiar with cross stitch, you are likely at least somewhat familiar with eye strain...Anyway, I love the design. It will go wonderfully in my house (one day...) and I think it is quite tasteful. The materials are high quality, as always. The fabric is an ivory/off-white/beige aida or evenweave (I believe it is 18 count, don't have the kit with me right now, but definitely a smaller square than 14 count!). If you are worried about frayed edges, line the edges of the fabric in masking tape before starting (though I have not had a problem yet). I am using a hoop for stitching to make it portable and lightweight and that is working well.The pattern is printed in cyan, magenta, and black on two sheets of paper (half on each sheet). There are some instructions as well, as there always are with cross stitch kits, but I'll be honest -- I didn't read them. If you are an experienced stitcher, you won't need them, and if you are a newbie, you'd be better off starting with a few smaller projects to see if this is even a hobby you'd like. The symbols are easy to distinguish and I haven't noticed any typos.The thread comes pre-sorted and identified. This makes me happy. I can't tell you how frustrated I used to get when I was faced with kits in the past, trying to decide the difference between "dusty rose," "light dusty rose," "pale rose," "pink," etc. That problem is taken away here. You may still want to use a different floss organizer, but at least the sorting is taken care of. It is easy to match the floss to the symbols. Most of the stitches are worked with two strands, but the ivory is worked with three strands. You also get TWO needles here, not just one. There is a bit (OK, a lot) of gold filament here, as well. The gold thread is not my favorite stuff to work with, but it does make the end result really nice (and not gaudy).In the end, this will keep me occupied for a long time and I find the quality of the materials to be quite nice. The chart is easy to follow and I like the touch of the extra needle and the pre-sorted floss. Definitely glad I picked this up.

The product arrived exactly as pictured and everything was packaged well. The thread sorter was especially helpful, but this project is probably not well-suited for a beginner. I've been doing embroidery for a while but this is my first try at cross-stitching. I would recommend watching a good amount of intro YouTube videos (like cross-stitching 101) to get the best tips and tricks, how to start/finish, and how to do each stitch as the instructions might not really be clear for a beginner or a visual learner like me. This is also a massive project and will probably take me months to finish. Otherwise, everything is great and the colors are very vibrant and the Aida cloth makes it very easy to work into.

This is the first embroidery piece I chose for myself in many years and I am enjoying it very much. It is far easier to do with a scroll frame than a hoop, but I am making do with a hoop so I don’t use the money for the children’s shoes. The colors are pretty and I appreciate the pre-sorted cards, but would advise having a more typical hole punch card on hand since once you pull the thread from it’s place you can’t reinsert it. The Aida cloth does wrinkle quite easily and I am being meticulous to iron it again as I go to keep stitches even. This is definitely an advanced counted cross stitch and I would not recommend it to anyone who doesn’t have a few others under their belt since it would have been very frustrating to read the pattern without some experience. It will probably take me a few months to complete, but I enjoy the challenge. - Lauren, Ben’s wife

Great pattern! I’ve just started doing the cross stitch and it is turning out quite well. Definitely not for beginners as the design is quite complex. Cross stitch veterans will greatly enjoy it although it will take a long time to complete (one of the reviewers took a year - hopefully I will be able to complete sooner!!).Only complaint is that the kit came with two needles that have both broken already. I’ve never experienced a needle break so assume the quality is quite poor. The kit should come with a lot more needles to ensure you don’t run out!Note that the kit does not come with an embroidery loop.

This is a great product. The floss is presorted, so that's a great start right there. It is 18 count as it says, so the stitches are smaller than the standard 14 count. The pattern though is nice and big in 4 sections using 4 colors so it is easy to read, which is good, because every single square is stitched in this project. There are no blank squares. As for the stitching, there are only a few mixed color, most are used as a solid color, and you only need to cross stitch, half stitch and back stitch, no french knots or couching. This is a adorable project, and not too difficult, but it is big. So if you are looking for something to keep you busy for quite awhile this a good choice!