2023 Family Ornaments Recap: A Year of Custom Holiday Stitching
Finished Pieces

2023 Family Ornaments Recap: A Year of Custom Holiday Stitching

Reflecting on My 2023 Stitch People Ornaments

Wrapping up another year of holiday ornaments always brings a feeling of accomplishment and joy. The holiday period that just passed, I stitched 11 custom ornaments, each one filled with unique details that truly make these keepsakes special.

For 2023, I added a few exciting twists. One piece was entirely done in cross-stitch, including the decorations—a fun challenge to do everything with one technique! The rest used my usual combination of cross-stitch and hand-embroidery, which allows for a greater variety of textures. I was also thrilled to create my very first Hanukkah ornaments (two to be exact), expanding beyond the Christmas themes. Here’s a quick look at some stats:

2023 Ornament Stats

  • Nine Christmas-themed pieces and two Hanukkah-themed pieces
  • 18 adults, 19 kids, and three cats ❤️️
  • Two ornaments framed in a 3" embroidery hoop and nine in a 4" hoop
  • One stitched on blue — just for funsies 🥰️


Finished Results

Below, I’ve included a group photo of all the ornaments together, as well as the above YouTube video to give you a full view of each one. Whether it’s the festive scenes, adorable faces, or small, personalised decor elements, I loved stitching every part of these pieces!

11 completed cross-stitch & hand-embroidered holiday ornaments
The 2023 ornaments I completed.

Character Highlights & Special Details

Certain details made these pieces extra meaningful this year, from the tiny faces and unique outfits to the custom decor elements that brought each scene to life. Here are a few close-up shots of some favourite features and details that really made these ornaments stand out!

A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece
A close-up part of a finished cross-stitch holiday ornament portrait piece

That’s a Wrap!

Seeing these 11 ornaments come together in a single post is a bit surreal after the many hours of stitching that went into each one. But here we are, and I’m so grateful for every opportunity to create these cherished pieces!

If you’re interested in having an ornament stitched, you don’t have to wait for the holidays—I’m always open to discussing custom designs off-season. Feel free to reach out, and we can chat about creating a unique piece that’s ready whenever you are!

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Custom Cross-stitch - Holiday Ornament

Custom Cross-stitch - Holiday Ornament

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Hi, I'm Kate 👋

About the author

In a previous life (AKA: pre-kids), I was a web designer/developer & photographer who loved to dabble in numerous arts and crafts. Now, I'm a cross-stitch & embroidery pattern designer and full-time mum to my two daughters, with adult-diagnosed ADHD and suffering with mental health issues.

Closet nerd, self-proclaimed hermit and professional procrastinator. I have a secret crush on modern architecture, brush calligraphy, sweets, pretty nails and pastel colours.

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