Avlea Iris Paintbox Cross Stitch Folk Embroidery

$80.00

Designer: Avlea Folk Embroidery
• Project Type: Cross Stitch Folk Embroidery Table Runner
• Finished Size: 17" x 28"
• Stitch Area: 190 x 341 Stitches
• Stitch Count: 18,831 Cross Stitches, 20,886 Backstitches
• Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Backstitch
• Skill Level: Intermediate
• Available As: Kit or Paper Pattern

Cross Stitch Kit Includes

• One 19" x 30" Piece of 26-Count 100% Cotton Traditional Groundcloth in Natural
• DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss
• John James Size 24 Cross Stitch Needle
• Full-Color Chart and Instructions

Paper Pattern

Includes the chart and instructions for creating Iris Paintbox using your own fabric, floss, and needle.

Product Description

Avlea’s Iris Paintbox is a striking cross stitch design rooted in the folk embroidery traditions of mainland Greece. The design was adapted from an embroidered table scarf purchased directly from a needleworker in the Agrinio area of Greece in the 1970s. That textile was itself inspired by regional folk costume, giving Iris Paintbox a wonderful connection to generations of Greek needlework.

Small, brilliantly colored geometric elements are arranged within a framework of traditional terra cotta and black, building into a remarkably intricate overall pattern. The result feels at once historic and surprisingly modern—a beautiful example of the way simple repeated motifs can create extraordinary visual impact.

The design also has a connection to the regional folk costume of the Arachova area of Greece, where Avlea designer Krista West later had the opportunity to see firsthand the embroidery tradition from which this style originated. Iris Paintbox has become one of Avlea’s signature folk embroidery designs, distinguished by its unusual palette and mesmerizing geometry.

Worked entirely in cross stitch and backstitch, Iris Paintbox is classified as Intermediate because of its scale rather than technically advanced stitches. With 18,831 cross stitches and 20,886 backstitches, this is a substantial project designed for many satisfying stitching sessions and a finished piece worthy of becoming an heirloom.

The finished table runner measures 17" x 28". Please note that the drawn-thread hem shown in finished photographs is completed after the embroidery. Fabric included with the kit arrives with the raw edges serged to prevent unraveling while you stitch.

Why We Love It at A Show of Hands

Iris Paintbox is a wonderful demonstration of what makes folk embroidery so compelling. Each individual element is relatively simple, but repetition, geometry, and color transform those small stitches into something incredibly rich and sophisticated.

We also love the history behind this one, from a Greek needleworker's embroidered table scarf to regional folk costume and finally to a contemporary stitching project. It's exactly the kind of connection between traditional handwork and modern making that makes Avlea's designs so special.

Perfect For

• Intermediate cross stitchers
• Greek folk art and textile lovers
• Larger, immersive stitching projects
• Table runners and decorative linens
• Geometric embroidery enthusiasts
• Traditional handwork
• Slow stitching projects
• Handmade heirlooms
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Gather and craft Join us in our store for crafting, to ask questions, or dream up new projects!
Pay with Apple Pay We offer Apple Pay as a swift and secure way to make a payment at checkout.
Order online, collect in-store Choose in-store collection at checkout to pick up your order at select Fresh locations.
Gather and craft Join us in our store for crafting, to ask questions, or dream up new projects!

We’re here for the love of it and the fun of it. For the craft that connects us to something older than any of us.

Fiber Information

Yarn Weight + WPI

Yarn weight refers to the thickness of a yarn. Thickness determines appropriate needle or hook size, finished fabric density, and yardage requirements. Standard weight categories from thinnest to thickest: lace, fingering, sport, DK, worsted, bulky, super bulky.


Weight labels on yarn are approximate. Wraps per inch (WPI) gives a more precise measurement. To measure WPI: wrap yarn snugly around a ruler for one inch, without overlapping strands or stretching. Count the wraps.


WPI reference:

  • 30+ WPI: lace
  • 20–28 WPI: fingering
  • 14–18 WPI: sport
  • 11–14 WPI: DK
  • 9–11 WPI: worsted
  • 7–8 WPI: bulky
  • Fewer than 7 WPI: super bulky

WPI is most useful when a label is missing, when substituting yarns, or when working with handspun yarn.

Gauge and Sett

Gauge is the number of stitches and rows per inch in a knitted or crocheted fabric. It is determined by yarn weight, needle or hook size, and individual tension. A pattern’s gauge is the measurement the designer used to calculate sizing. If your gauge does not match the pattern, your finished dimensions will differ. A small difference over many inches makes a big difference in fit.

To adjust gauge: a smaller needle or hook produces more stitches per inch; a larger needle or hook produces fewer. The goal is to match the pattern’s gauge, not its suggested needle size.


Sett is the weaving equivalent of wraps per inch (WPI). Sett controls how open or dense the finished woven cloth will be. A standard starting point for sett is half the WPI for a balanced plain weave. Twill structures generally require a slightly closer sett; lace structures a more open one.


Both gauge and sett are starting points that need to be confirmed by sampling. Calculate first, then verify with a swatch. Record what you find; your future self will thank you.

Wet Blocking

Blocking is the process of wetting a finished piece, shaping it, and allowing it to dry. It evens out stitches, sets the final dimensions, and for lace, opens the pattern fully.


For protein fibers (wool, alpaca, cashmere): soak in cool water with a small amount of wool wash until fully saturated, typically 15 to 20 minutes. Gently press out water without wringing. Roll in a towel to remove excess moisture. Lay flat, shape to finished measurements, and pin if needed. Allow to dry completely before moving.


For lace pieces, blocking wires threaded through edge stitches produces cleaner lines than pins alone.


Fiber-specific notes:

  • Wool holds its blocked shape well once dry.
  • Silk and silk blends block well and dry quickly.
  • Linen and cotton do not respond to blocking the same way protein fibers do, but wet finishing still softens and settles the fiber.
    Steam blocking is appropriate for fibers that should not be fully saturated. Hold the iron several inches above the surface. Do not press down on wool -- direct pressure and heat flatten the fiber's loft.

    Block to finished measurements, not to the dimensions of the piece as it came off the needles or loom.