Sleeping Child Cross Stitch Pattern

Description

Sleeping Child cross stitch pattern is a replica of a famous painting by Pre-Raphaelite master painter John Everett Millais. The 1865 artwork depicts a tiny girl asleep in her daybed, still clutching a bunch of primroses and hyacinths. In the shadows, her nurse sits quietly embroidering until her little charge wakes up.

The painting was inspired by the artist’s young daughter Carrie: he found her sleeping soundly after a birthday party with her nurse watching silently nearby.

What I love best about the scene is the way Millais has melded the nurse into the shadows. Her background presence adds an almost angelic vibe of  safety and guardianship: perfect energy for a calm and peaceful household.

The Project

This is a very large, full coverage cross stitch that measures 63.5cm x 82.5 cm when stitched on 14-count Aida cloth (350 x 455 grid size). The project requires 146 different DMC colours and has 159,250 cross stitches.

It’s quite a tough project due to the many shades of white and cream that recreate the  crumpled bed linen and shining satin couvre-pied. If you’re up for the challenge I think you’ll particularly enjoy stitching the little girl’s rosy cheeks, strawberry blonde hair, bouquet of wildflowers and crimson sash (at the foot of the bed). The finished piece looks just like the original painting.

Please Note: I have included an extra chart in your download pack that works perfectly with the Pattern Keeper App. PK is a great way to manage full coverage cross stitch.

The Artist

John Everett Millais was part of the famous Pre-Raphaelite group and lived from 1829 – 1896. Millais was a child prodigy, and was very popular and well known during his life. He is famous for his detailed paintings of literary characters, religion and mythology.