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Embroider a Winter-Theme Tea Towel as a Christmas Gift

Embroider a winter scene onto a pink flour-sack tea towel to create a pretty Christmas gift for a friend.

What You Need:

Water-soluble marking pen
Pink flour-sack towel
Embroidery hoop
Embroidery needle
DMC embroidery floss: 1 skein each of white, brown (3863), dark green (367), light green (369), burgundy (815)
White four-hole buttons: one 3/4 inch, one 1 inch
Tree and snowman pattern

How to Make It:

Download the pattern from DIYideas.com/towel.
Using a water-soluble marking pen, trace the pattern onto the towel, centered and 2-1/4 inches from the bottom (front) edge. Use a full strand of floss for all embroidery.
Place the design in the embroidery hoop and then work white running stitches for the snow mounds, brown satin stitches for the tree trunk, and long, thin dark green cross-stitches across the width of the tree.
Referring to the photograph, add five or six light green straight stitches diagonally over the cross-stitches (the stitches will get shorter as you work your way from the bottom to the top of the tree). Note: When working the tree, do not carry your embroidery threads across the back of your work.
For the snowman, attach buttons at Xs on the pattern using embroidery stitches to secure them. Use burgundy cross-stitches in the holes of the large button. Use burgundy straight stitches for the mouth and brown French knots for the eyes in the holes of the small button.
Carefully press the finished piece.