Avlea Tree of Life Embroidery Hoop Kit

$32.00

Designer: Avlea Folk Embroidery
• Project Type: Folk Embroidery Hoop Kit
• Finished Size: 6" Diameter
• Fabric: Kona Cotton Pre-Stamped with Design
• Thread: DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss
• Needle: John James Size 7 Embroidery Needle
• Hoop: 6" Beechwood Hoop
• Stitches Used: Backstitch, Satin Stitch, French Knot, Chain Stitch
• Skill Level: Beginner

Kit Includes

• Kona Cotton Pre-Stamped with Design
• DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss
• John James Size 7 Embroidery Needle
• Stitch Diagram
• Stitch Instruction Booklet
• Felt for Backing
• 6" Beechwood Hoop

Product Description

Tree of Life by Avlea Folk Embroidery is inspired by a textile fragment featuring a cypress tree, a motif with a remarkably rich history that has traveled across cultures and centuries. Originating as a Persian symbol, the cypress later appeared in ancient Roman and Greek art as a motif of mourning and, during the Christian era, took on associations with eternal life.

The design is stitched in rose, blue, golden olive, and alizarin pink and surrounded by an intricate circular border. The combination of color, symmetry, and symbolism creates a finished piece that feels rooted in historic decorative art while remaining beautiful in a contemporary setting.

Designed to be approachable for beginners, the project uses backstitch, satin stitch, French knots, and chain stitch. The design comes pre-stamped on Kona cotton, eliminating the need to transfer a pattern before you begin.

The kit includes the fabric, DMC embroidery floss, John James needle, stitch diagram and instructions, felt backing, and a 6-inch beechwood hoop, giving you everything you need to stitch and display the finished piece.

Why We Love It at A Show of Hands

We love designs that connect the act of making with a much larger story, and the cypress motif in Tree of Life has traveled an extraordinary distance through both time and culture. Reinterpreting such an enduring symbol through hand embroidery feels particularly fitting.

It's also a lovely introduction to folk embroidery. With the design already stamped onto the fabric and all of the materials gathered into one kit, you can spend your time learning the stitches and enjoying the process rather than preparing the project.

Perfect For

• Beginning embroiderers
• Folk art and textile lovers
• Learning traditional embroidery stitches
• Slow stitching and handwork
• History and decorative arts enthusiasts
• Handmade gifts
• Creative travel projects
• Finished hoop art
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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.