This example works for patterns too. When you buy a pattern, what you have bought is actually a mini-book.
So what I can do with my pattern? You can print it or photocopy it for your own personal use, you can stitch it as many times as you want and you can gift the stitched work to whoever you want.
What I can't do with it? Distribute, sell or share copies of it, or use the design to make your own design to sell.

Can I sell it? In this case, we have to make a difference between hard copies and digital files. If you bought an hard copy or a kit, you can sell it whether you have stitched it or not, exactly like a book. If you bought a digital file, you could sell it only once and you should proof that you don't own any other digital copy of the pattern. As designers (or authors) can not have any control on this, selling digital files is usually forbidden.

Why?
The answer is simple and complicated at the same time. The simple one is that law says you just can not as you don't own any right on it. Stop. The complicated one is that someone put his own idea, time, efforts and competences into it, and probably makes his living by selling the final product of that idea, time, efforts and competences. By illegally sharing that product, you are actually stealing a part of his living and you encourage other people to do the same.
In the case of a business company, you're probably stealing multiple persons' livings, or the possibility of the company to employ someone, part of the taxes they pay to the governments, not to talk about their enthusiasm and everything stays behind the mere money.

I can't really explain how frustrating is to find the fruit of much hard work thrown in the illegal downloaders' shark tank. A lot of designers have already decided to retire their design, or to completely stop the designing career. When you decide share a file, please remember that you are hurting, morally and financially, the person who gave you hours of fun, and that may end up with stopping to create things that you like because of you. Think about it twice. Maybe three times. And then don't do it, it's illegal.

On the left border: "The Swan" Dharma vault , the compass that doesn't point to the north, "The Hidra"Dharma vault, the submarine, "The Arrow" Dharma vault, Locke's wheelchair, "The Lighthouse"Dharma vault, the good and bad balance from Jacob's cave, "The Orchid" Dharma vault and the bottle of wine straight and upside-down to represent good and evil.
Backstitched: 15, 42, 23 and 4 from the numbers series, "Flight 815", Locke's knife, some notes from the Faraday's blackboard, "Out of the book club" Ben's quote.

On the right border: the Oceanic logo, "The Pearl" Dharma vault, the bunny with the number 8, "The Flame" Dharma vault, the bomb, "The looking glass" Dharma vault, the Dharma blue van, "The Tempest" Dharma vault, the Egyptian cross and "The Staff" Dharma vault.
Backstitched: FATE from Charlie's finger tape, 16 and 8 from the numbers series, the "Mega Lotto Jackpot" that Hurley won, the safety key of The Swan vault, "The Others", names and numbers from Jacob's cave and some notes from the Faraday's blackboard.

On the center:
Row 1: represents the six Oceanic survivors: Sayd with the radio, Kate, Jack with the weapons case key, Locke, Sun and Hurley with the Lottery ticket.
Row 2: represents the Swan Dharma vault with the computer, the 108 minutes countdown clock, the number series and TV with the Dharma Introduction Video.
Row 3: represents the survivors: Sawyer, Aaron with the crib built by Locke, Clair, Charlie with the Virgin statue, Jin, Boone and Shannon.
Row 4: represents the link between Desmond and the Island with the white bear, the four toed statue, "Not Penny's boat" Charlie's hand, Desmond, the boat with the elicopter and Faraday's note "If everything goes wrong Desmond Hume will be my constant".
Row 5: represents the other survivors: Vincent, Walt, Micheal, Rose, Bernard, Mr. Eko and Ana Lucia.
Row 6: maybe the key quote of Lost: "Live together, die alone", in a muddy and leaves style.
Row 7: represents the others: Rousseau, Juliet, Alex, Ben and the wheel.
Row 8: Eloise with the Pendulum, Faraday, Charlotte, then Horace and Linus from the Dharma initiative.
Row 9: represents the core of the island: the light cave, Richard, Jacob, and the man in black with the black smoke.

Like all the Cloudsfactory patter, this one includes:
- Cover page with image and pattern size on 14, 16 and 18 count
- Full color chart with symbols
- DMC and Anchor floss legend, number of skeins needed and backstitch detail
- Additional devices friendly pattern in a single page
- Stitching tips

The very special thing about this patterns series, is that every character has been designed following the original portraits, giving to the pattern a real historical twist!

This pattern features (from left to right, top to bottom): the Westminster Abbey together with the coronation date, and just near to it the coronation chair and the crown used. Then you can find Henry VIII, posed like his most famous portrait painted by Hans Holbein the Joung in 1537, and on his right the axe, in memory of his two beheaded wives (Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard), his Royal Monogram (HK surmounted by the crown) and a symbol of the 1534 schism, that splitted Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.

On the bottom row, you can find the six wives of Henry VIII in chronological order: Catherine of Aragon (marriage annulled, died while detained under guard at Kimbolton Castle, mother of Mary I), Anne Boleyn (marriage annulled, then beheaded, mother of Elizabeth I), Jane Seymour (died twelve days after giving birth to Edward VI, believed to be caused by birth complications), Anne of Cleves (marriage annulled, outlived the rest of the wives), Catherine Howard (beheaded) and Catherine Parr (widowed at death of Henry VIII, remarried to Thomas Seymour).

On the border, you can find the Tudor rose, also called the Union Rose, and on the side the white rose of the House of York and the red rose of the House of Lancaster, which generated the Tudor Rose after the War of Roses.

The Coronation Chair, Henry VIII portrait by Hans Holbein and the Royal Monogram

As every other Cloudsfactory pattern, it includes: cover page with image and pattern size on 14, 16 and 18 count, full color chart with symbols, DMC and Anchor floss legend and number of skeins needed, additional devices friendly pattern in a single page and fabric, framing and stitching tips

We've been awarded for the TOP 100 cross stitch blogs!! YAY!!!

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What you will need:
- finished, washed and ironed work
- frame
- sewing thread and needle
- ruler

Step 1:
I usually seal my fabric with a zig-zag stitch all around before starting to stitch, to avoid frying and those annoying threads hanging from my Q-snap. This also helps a lot during the framing process as it makes your sides stronger. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can hand stitch the borders or you can use paper tape.
I highly suggest to leave your fabric slightly wet before starting this process: while the fabric dries it will shrink a bit, tensioning even more your work on the frame.
Center your work on the back of the frame using the ruler to be sure that there is the same distance from the border an all the sides, then fold to the back the fabric. You can gently iron the folding to help everything to stay in place.

Step 2:
Take a quite long piece of thread and start stitching together two sides (I usually begin from the shortest side) in a zig zag motion, leaving about 1/2 inch (1 cm) from one stitch to another. Be sure to insert your needle always in the same way (top to bottom or bottom to top) in both sides, like you're lacing a corset. Once you're done, before securing the thread, tensions with your fingers every stitch starting from the beginning to give a great tension.

Step 3:
Be sure to check on the front that your fabric is straight and parallel to the top and bottom lines using your fabric weaving as a guide. If there are waves on your fabric, gently push or pull the fabric with your thumbs to make sure that everything is lined up, and eventually re-tension your sewing on the back.

Step 4:
Now start with the other side repeating the process. Sew, tension, check, re-tension.
If your work is wide, I suggest you to start from both sides, joining the sewing in the center.

Step 5:
Now you've just to insert the back into the frame aaaaand you're done!!

It is best to use a specially designed beading needle to add seed beads, but a size 28 tapestry needle may work. The needle will have to be smaller than the needle you use for cross stitch and it will have to be sharper. Choosing the right needle will save you a big headache as the beads can get stuck on your needle.

Diagonal bead (requires 2 strands of floss)

	Use the first arm of a cross stitch (half stitch) to add the seed bead. Insert the needle from the back of the fabric, add the bead, then take the needle back down. This will ensure the bead stays in place.
	Add the top arm of the cross stitch, making sure that one strand of the thread falls on either side of the bead to help hold it uprght. You can also jump this step, but it helps to secure the bead in place .

Straight bead (1 or 2 strands of floss at your choice)

Follow the first step for the diagonal bead. Once done, bring the needle up again in the bottom right hole but before completing your top stitch, push the needle through the bead hole again. Then take the needle back down in the top right hole of the fabric.

Voilà!

You can find all the stitching 101 posts here or you can download them in PDF on our Guides Page

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Potato gnocchi are pretty filling, the kind of food you may associate with the cooler weather. But, in fact, you can enjoy gnocchi all year ’round. One of the classic Campanian summer dishes is "Gnocchi alla Sorrentina", (literally potato gnocchi in the manner of Sorrento), a delicious dish made of gnocchi, tomato sauce, mozzarella or scamorza cheese, fresh basil and Parmigiano cheese and baked in a terrine in a hot oven until bubbly and oozing with cheesy goodness.

Potato gnocchi are pretty filling, the kind of food you may associate with the cooler weather. But, in fact, you can enjoy gnocchi all year ’round. One of the classic Campanian summer dishes is "Gnocchi alla Sorrentina", (literally potato gnocchi in the manner of Sorrento), a delicious dish made of gnocchi, tomato sauce, mozzarella or scamorza cheese, fresh basil and Parmigiano cheese and baked in a terrine in a hot oven until bubbly and oozing with cheesy goodness.

Ingredients (for 2 people):
- 250g (1/2 lb) potato gnocchi
- one batch of tomato sauce, preferably Italian
- one large mozzarella or scamorza (250g or 8-9oz), drained and cut into small cubes
- grated Parmigiano cheese
- a garlic clove
- olive oil, salt, basil leaves

Directions:
- Peel the garlic clove and fry it lightly in some olive oil. When it is just starting to lightly brown, add the tomato sauce, some basil leaves, and let it simmer slowly for about 15 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Add salt.
- If your gnocchi are homemade or fresh, you don't need to cook them. Otherwise, cook them several minutes in plenty boiling salted water.
- Grab your terrine and make a thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom (just about a spoon). Now lay a layer of gnocchi, then add some tomato sauce and some scamorza cubes on top. Then another layer of gnocchi, tomato and scamorza cubes. Usually I make 2 or 3 layers.
- Top with a good sprinkling of grated Parmigiano cheese
- Bake in a hot (200C/390F) oven just until the scamorza has melted and the gnocchi are bubbling hot (usually 20/25 mins).

Buon appetito!

The first stop in our 12 months trip is Venice, the city of water and romance! Venice has a long story that we will narrate you through its most iconic buildings: San Marco Campanile, Rialto bridge, the Doge's Palace, and of course a Gondola with a Gondolier... let's start our trip!

San Marco Campanile: Piazza San Marco was constructed in the ninth century as a small square dotted with trees. The square was laid out in front of the original St. Mark's Basilica, at the time a small chapel which was part of the Doge's Palace. The square was separated from the palace by a small canal, the Rio Batario. Already a central gathering place for Venetians, the piazza was enlarged in 1174 after the canal and an adjoining dock were filled in. The centerpiece of the piazza is, of course, magnificent St. Mark's Basilica. Commissioned in 1071 by doge Domenico Contarini, this amazing church is built in Venetian-Byzantine style, a mixture of western and eastern styles.
The basilica has a separate campanile - bell tower - that stands 98.6 meters tall (323 ft) and is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. Originally built in the ninth century, the current version was rebuilt in 1912 after the original tower collapsed in 1902.

Rialto Bridge: Probably the most visited and most photographed bridge in Venice, the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) opened in 1591. For nearly three hundred years, it was the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot. The bridge replaced various wooden bridges that had occupied the same location since the twelfth century.

Doge’s Palace: The Doge's Palace sits on a site that was once occupied by a 10th century wooden stockade with watch towers and moat and, later, another similar fort, both eventually destroyed by fire and other disasters.
By the fourteenth century, the hierarchy of Venice decided that a grand palace was needed, a building befitting the city's new wealth and power. Designs for the Doge's Palace were created by Filippo Calendario (who was later executed for treason in 1355) and work on the structure began.
Because of Calendario's death, the Palazzo Ducale was constructed in two phases. The eastern wing, which faces the Rio di Palazzo, was built between 1301 and 1340. The western wing, facing the Piazetta San Marco, took an additional 110 years to build and was completed in 1450. The architectural style is generally referred to as Venetian Gothic - a gothic structure with byzantine influences.

Gondola: Gondolas were once the chief form of transportation through the canals of Venice. Today, they are generally used as sightseeing vessels for tourists willing to shell out quite a few euros for a ride on these historic rowing boats.
Some experts believe gondolas date all the way back to the seventh century, but the most common belief is that they originated around 1100. Designed to deal with the shallows and mud flats of the canals, early gondolas had twelve oars. A few centuries later, they were much smaller in size but had acquired a "felze" or cabin. In the sixteenth century, they had become so covered with ornamentation that a law eventually banned such ostentatiousness. From that point on, and still today, the vessels were permitted to only include a curly tail, a pair of seahorses, and a multi-pronged prow.
Gondolas are built at one of just three remaining boatyards, of which the Squero di San Trovaso is the most famous. All gondolas are built in the same manner by experienced builders, they are composed of 280 separate pieces. The left side is longer than the right, which allows it to resist the tendency to turn to the left during a forward stroke by the gondolier.
Not everyone can be a gondolier. In Venice, it is considered a noble profession that has been passed down from generation to generation through the centuries.

Fun facts about Venice:
- Venice is known for its bridges. There are 417 bridges in Venice and 72 of those are private.
- According to Venetian tradition, the couple riding in gondola should kiss under each bridge and they will stay in love forever.
- Venice has one of the narrowest streets in the world. Calletta, or Ramo Varisco street, is only 53 cm wide.
- There are about 350 gondolas and 400 gondolieri in the city of Venice. On average, gondola is 11 meters long and it weights almost 600 kilos. Until recently, Venice didn’t have female gondoliers. Venice got its first female gondolier in 2010.
- Venice was not built directly on the surface of the islands, buildings are supported by wooden platforms. Venice is sinking at the rate of 1-2 millimeters a year.
- The first woman in the world that graduated was born in Venice in 1646.

On February first, we will continue our trip! Who knows where Cloudsfactory airlines will bring us! Can you guess?

The pattern is a yearly subscription. This means that you will not receive the entire pattern in one time: every month for 12 months you will find a new file in the “My downloadable products” page with the section for the month! The payment is a one-time payment for all the 12 months.

This project is stitched using a 32 count hand dyed Linen (or 16 count Aida) and a selection of Weeks Dye Works hand dyed floss, together with standard DMC floss. The pattern will measure 205x205 stitches, 13x13 inches if stitched on 32 count Linen or 16 count Aida.
We will have both the pattern only or kit options available.

If you choose the pattern only, with your purchase you will receive immediately the intro PDF, that contains the complete supply list together with a lot of useful informations. Starting from January you will receive every month, for 12 month, the monthly pattern directly in you downloadable products folder!

The kit option will include:
- Digital pattern

Per-orders will start tomorrow, December 5th. As it is a pre-order, please allow 7/10 days before shipping. For the EU customers, as you know we had to add the new EU VAT to our digital products, so I suggest you to login before purchasing: in this way you will see the pattern price including your local taxes.

We will be glad if you'd like to join us in this trip around the world!

Image Courtesy of GEEKitty

You can find the full tutorial HERE