Tobin 14 Count Balloon Ride Birth Record Counted Cross Stitch Kit, 11 by 14-Inch

I have been doing birth announcements for over 30 years and have done too many to count. This Tobin cross stitch looks pretty, but I'll never buy a Tobin again. The pattern is really hard to read. The symbols look similar, are all in black, tiny print and you need a magnifier to read it. I ended up enlarging the pattern on my copier. Other cross stitch makers use different color symbols which makes it so much easier to read. The Tobin thread is thin, a poor quality and they miss counted the thread so I was short thread. The canvas is thin and poorly made too. You have to be really careful to bring your needle up in the correct spot or your line looks off and you have to redo it or the end product will look tacky. I love doing and giving birth announcements, but I this one wasn't fun, it was agraviting to work on. I bought 2 Tobins and both have the same problems.

Good chart. Did not like the way the floss was separated by just it just being looped on card stock. I ended making individual "cards", labeled, and putting the floss into individual mini bags to keep it from knotting up.

This is a very cute design but as I am doing the back stitching I’ve discovered that I don’t have enough of the dark brown thread to complete all the outlining, let alone do the stitch of name and birth unfit and the French knots. Very disappointed because now I have to figure out the correct shade of dark brown to purchase at the local crafts store.

The pattern is very cute. However, as I was working it, I found that they had put two of the same color for the aqua colors instead of three different shades. Also, the green colors didn't seem to be correct. One was very bright yellowish green and didn't seem to go with the other shades. It almost seems like they ran out of the correct colors, so they just substituted with whatever they had. Disappointing!

Cross-stitching it right now for our newest granddaughter who is to arrive in October. This is the seventh birth announcement I have stitched - easy directions, so far enough floss. Picked it for the blending of colors which I think are fantastic

This was a well prepared package. The yarn was sorted well and I didn't have to guess at colors. Still working on, but going great.

This did not come with all of the colors it said it would have. I had to go shopping to get the missing colors to complete this.

I absolutely love this cross stitch....the colors are very vibrant...glad I made this purchase....fast delivery too....I was not disappointed !