Queen’s Kiss Cross Stitch Pattern

Description

Queen’s Kiss cross stitch pattern was inspired by the 1903 painting ‘Alain Chartier‘ by British artist Edmund Blair Leighton. In a tribute to medieval times, the fashionably dressed Royal Margaret of Scotland, happens upon the French poet Alain Chartier asleep in the garden. In a surprising act of tenderness, she kisses the young bard gently on the lips and whispers some words of gratitude before she returns to her entourage of young women. What a great story!

The Project

This is a very large full-coverage cross stitch and measures 68.9cm x 101.4cm (380 x 557 stitches) when completed on 14-count Aida cloth. The project requires 244 different DMC colours and you’ll be completing a whopping 211,660 stitches.

My interpretation of this scene is a close replica of the original painting and I think you will absolutely adore recreating Margaret of Scotland’s stunning pale lemon gown and lace headdress, the medieval fashions of her ladies in waiting, the stone staircase (complete with grinning gargoyle) and beautiful array of garden flowers. It’s very challenging project but the finished piece will be totally amazing.

PRO TIP: I have included an extra chart in your download pack that has been specially formatted for the Pattern Keeper App. PK is the best way to manage full-coverage cross stitch projects like this one.

The Painting

The beautiful oil painting that inspired this cross stitch was completed at the turn of the 20th century and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1903. On the back of the painting, the artist had handwritten the following words:

Margaret of Scotland, Dauphine of France, one day discovered Alain Chartier, the poet, asleep. In the presence of her attendants she stopped and kissed his lips, saying “Parce qu’elles avaient dit de si belle choses”.

How wonderful.

The Artist

Edmund Blair Leighton was a British artist who lived between 1852 and 1922. He is famous for his stunning interpretations of medieval legends and romantic scenes in the style of the Pre-Raphaeliete and Romantic period artists. I am busy charting a large number of his paintings into cross stitch patterns that look just like the original artwork but work perfectly in the Pattern Keeper App.