Read the details carefully. This kit includes everything you need, including instructions in four languages.

Think about this. It is stitched on black fabric and looks like a lot of colors. A beautiful piece. I would not recommend it for a novice stitcher. Try a couple easier projects first.

Oh, please don't do this. I'm afraid you'd be discouraged, and we all want you to be encouraged to go further... like onto this in a couple years!!!! Try a small pattern from Lizzie Kate, or a booklet from this site or a store. Use DMC thread. Nothing fancy, and you'll be flying high soon enough. Step up gradually. And remember....most of us started as youngsters and never quit.

Everytime I see a new clerk in a store, I have patience and tell them that we all start a new job every once in a while and it takes time to get to know the routine. (I was a retail manager for MANY years.) Same with a new hobby, or rediscovering an old hobby. It takes time. (I couldn't macramé a pot hanger today if I wanted!!) Baby steps. I don't want to discourage you from trying, but it would be best if you reacquaint yourself by starting on something smaller. Just holler back if you need any of us!!

I am with momcat on this one. I have this kit right now. I have had it for probably a year. It is on 14 count Aida cloth which is what we would call a "standard" size for cross stitch. However, the fact the cloth is black makes all the difference. I have been stitching for many years and would also recommend that for your "first time out" you get used to the water in the shallow end of the pool first! I also feel it would be to your advantage to do something smaller on a light color Aida. I think your reward will be greater because you will not become frustrated trying to see the black fabric. This is "tricky" even for those of us who have done this for ages. I wish you the best of luck. If you walk forward in this craft in a logical way I hope you learn to love it as we all do. Many of us will admit that we are "addicts". Come back to the chat room and let us know what you decided!! Have a great day!!

I did this and it is gorgeous. However, it took me 6 months, it has a lot of blended threads (one strand of one color and the second strand of another color) and the pattern is printed on two pages with the division running right through the madonna's face and body. I wasn't very experienced at the time and getting the stitches right while flipping back and forth was very difficult and resulted in a lot of frogging. Also the background is stitched too. The backstitching of the fingers and faces also is more difficult than most. Please wait until you have done more stitching before tackling this. If you have the experience, you will love this pattern. But if you try it before then, you will be soooo frustrated.

I have to agree with what the others have said. This is not a project for a beginning stitcher. The black fabric alone will make you frustrated. This is a project for an intermediate to advanced stitcher. We here want you to enjoy this hobby. Go to the link on the left that says cross stitch kits. After you click on the link it will show you a link to beginner kits. I would start with one of those and work your way up to harder projects. That way you won't get upset as you stitch. Welcome to this chat room, and come back often to let us know how you are doing.

Princyphili,
I agree with all the other ladies. If you are a beginner, this design would cause so much frustration, you might not want to do counted cross stitching. You might want to think of a smaller easier kit with 4-6 colors of floss and a 14 aida fabric that comes with the kit to "get your feet wet."
If you really love this more difficult kit, you might want to consider purchasing it and making it one of your "long-term" goals. We ladies DO want you to succeed and feel the pleasure of creating such beautiful stitchwork as we do. To do so, all of us had to learn to "walk" until we got enough experience to "run". Little House Needleworks and Lizze Kate have some beautiful smaller kits that would help you get started. Once you do, all the ladies (and gent) stitchers on this "chat" messageboard would be willingly to assist you and answer your questions while you are stitching and if you have any problems that may crop upl :)