Stitch a beautifully fluffy penguin cross stitch

Imagine yourself wrapped in your favourite cosy sweater on a cold winter's day. The one that makes you feel comfortable and snug when it's chilly outside.

This penguin cross stitch is the very embodiment of that love and warmth. Keeping warm with purple woolly earmuffs, this adorable fluffy penguin is prepared for cold weather.

Heather has used Lana wool to puff up this cute penguin to look its very best. Work cross stitch as normal with Lana thread, then fluff up the crosses to make a fluffy texture. We’ve included some top tips for using Lana wool, as it can be a little trickier to manage than regular threads.

This delightful penguin was originally published in The World of Cross Stitching issue 286 as part of a set of three. The other designs include a robin draped in a blue scarf and a polar bear wearing a Santa hat. If you want the full set you can purchase a digital edition of the magazine.

Cute penguin cross stitch with Lana wool

Key features of the penguin cross stitch

• Stitch time: 14-18 hours
• Stitch Types: Cross stitch, fractionals
• Ease of Stitching: Beginner/advanced beginner

What you’ll need to make the penguin cross stitch

• Fabric: Zweigart* 14-count navy (589) aida measuring 18x18cm (7x7in) for each design
• Threads: Stranded cotton and Madeira* Lana thread as listed in the key
• Needle: Size 24 tapestry needle
• Extras: Square aperture cards of your choice

Download Heather Nugent’s penguin cross stitch chart PDF

• Penguin cross stitch chart PDF

How to use Lana wool on your embroidery projects

Once you’ve finished stitching, firmly rub the areas of Lana with a small wire brush to create the furry effect. Then style those same areas with a bristle brush to make sure you’re happy with the way the fuzz lies.

To prevent the regular floss from snagging make sure you cover the other areas of stitching with a piece of paper or card to protect them.

Experimenting with your cross stitch and Lana Wool

Sometimes mixing up your materials is fun! Using Lana wool in this penguin cross stitch allows you to create that adorable fluffy baby penguin. It gives a whole other dimension to your stitching and brings it to life!

Try stitching with metallic threads

Have you tried metallic threads? They work fabulously well for adding extra sparkle to your festive cross stitch projects. Try this pretty snowflake cross stitch, which makes use of silver