This embroidered poinsettia card was stitched using the eight point star pattern (see the link at the bottom of this page). I used dark pink and red to resemble a variegated poinsetta. After stitching the petals, I outlined them with silver embroidery thread. I also added silver peel-offs around the edge of the circle and to the corners of the card.
To make the card, Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to 5 3/4" x 5 3/4". Use a circle cutter to cut a 4 3/4" hole in the center of the scrapbook paper. Center the scrapbook paper on a 6" x 6" card blank and glue it down. Print out the pattern and center it inside the circle on the front of the card. Using a paper piercer, pierce all of the dots in the pattern through the card stock (Make sure you are only piercing one layer!). Remove the pattern and stitch as follows:
Star points: Stitch up at the innermost point, count clockwise ten holes (not counting the one you started in) and stitch down. *Stitch up at the next hole clockwise from your previous down stitch. Count counter-clockwise 10 holes and stitch down, count one hole clockwise and stitch up, count clockwise 10 holes and stitch down. Repeat from * until you have stitched all the way around. When you are done each hole should have two threads coming from it.
Center: Round 1 - The inner center star is stitched from the center-most hole in each star point. Sitich up in any hole. *Count clockwise 3, stitch down, count clockwise 1 stitch up, count counter-clockwise 3, stitch down, count clockwise 1 stitch up. Repeat from * all the way around.
Center: Round 2 - The second layer of the center stitching is done in the second holes in from the tip of the star point (2 holes per point). Stitch up at any hole. *Count clockwise 5 holes stitch down, count clockwise 1 stitch up, count counter-clockwise 5 stitch down, count clockwise 1 stitch up. Repeat from * all the way around.