Gingerbread Village

This is my beautiful Gingerbread Village that I have stitched from patterns designed by Thea Dueck of Victoria Sampler in Canada. I started making this village in 2012 and have added one or two each year since then.



On this page I'll provide some key tips for those starting out, links to all my blog posts about making this village, and close up photos of each of the cottages I've made.

1. Key tips
I have previously bought my 28 count hand dyed Antique Almond Cashel linen from Anita Little Stitches in Texas, USA. However, people are telling me that it's not made anymore and they recommend 28 count Gingerbread linen from Picture This Plus, or Speculaas hand dyed fabric from Country Stitch in New Zealand.   Just be sure it's 28 count or your village will be tiny!

The Gingerbread Village patterns are available from some local needlework shops, or www.123stitch.com or directly from The Victoria Sampler as PDFs. 

Sadly The Victoria Sampler closed at the end of 2021, and I don't think accessory packs are no longer available.  They were great because the special beads and buttons are part of what makes these houses so beautiful. 

I use DMC B5200 stranded cotton for all the white stitching (rather than Krienik Silk Mori as specified in the patterns).  These cottages each use a lot of white, and the DMC stranded cottons are a lot cheaper than Krienik.  I also buy matching Perle 12 and Perle 8 in B5200.  Note B5200 is brighter than Blanc / white.  They are not the same colour.  Be sure to ask for B5200.

I'm a member of a Facebook group called Victoria Sampler Chat Group and the people there are very helpful. Anyone can ask to join.

I put base plates on each of my cottages, even if they are not specified in the pattern.  I feel it finishes the cottage nicely, and allows a place for me to record my name and the year I made it.

I have written a blog post explaining how I assemble these 3D cottages (called "finishing"). Click here for my latest tips and tricks for finishing.




2. Links to my blog posts
Below is a list of links to all my blog posts about making my village.  Hopefully you will find them useful.

Dec 2013 - The Gingerbread House and the Gingerbread Church

April 2014 - Gingerbread Bakery progress

15 August 2014 - assembling the Bakery

17 August 2014 - The House, the Church, the Bakery and the Candy Cane cottage all finished

August 2015 - Gingerbread Haunted House is finished

Nov 2015 - Finishing tips

Nov 2015 - the village to date, including the Haunted House

Dec 2015 - the Christmas Tree Etui

Dec 2016 - the Gingerbread Quilt Shop

Dec 2018 - the Gingerbread Needlework Shop

Dec 2019 - Updated finishing tips for the Gingerbread Village

Jan 2020 - The Gingerbread Retreat Cottage

Now I'm ready to make the Gingerbread Flower Shop.


3. Photos of each of my cottages

Gingerbread House

Gingerbread Church

Gingerbread Bakery


Candy Cane Cottage


Gingerbread Haunted House

Gingerbread Christmas Tree Etui

Gingerbread Quilt Shop


Gingerbread Needlework Shop


Gingerbread Retreat Cottage


the biscornu and scissor keep

a little stocking decoration



6 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for the finishing tips. The visual guide is great! How do you feel about the quilt shop pattern? My concern is that it does not fit into the "Village" concept and it would look out of place.

RachelA said...

Wendy, these are just exquisite! Thanks for sharing, I have never seen them before. I gave up cross stitch years ago (when patchwork and now quilting took over) as I was bored with the designs, but maybe I need to have a look again! I am always on the look out for things to do sitting in the evening. My La Passa is way off being finished, but I have almost put the last stitches in the 4th large rosette, so feel I am on the downward slide now. That's the theory until I look at and count how many small rosettes there are!!!! I'm loving doing it and have taken great inspiration from yours and your mother's quilts. I love to see what you are always working on.Thanks again for sharing so much. Off to have another closer look at all the detail on these houses.

Racheal said...

Hi, What size are the houses roughly, i'm trying to get some perspective of them.

Kim said...

I rarely succomb to using the now over-used word "awesome," but these truly are awesome. Eye feast, not just candy!

Elizabeth Rivera said...

You do remarkable work, you have such an eye for matching fabrics I would be scared to match. You neutrals aren't neutrals in the real world, but then how you use them they become neutral. WOW. Then you do this magnificant Gingerbread Village. LOVE IT! Thank you for sharing your vision.

Natureluvr57 said...

SO BEAUTIFUL. Thank you for the hints and tips. I'm hoping to buy them this coming year but will have to wait and see how the economy will be. Not too optimistic. Finishing seems sensible enough but the hardanger is scary as can be. To do all that work and make one little mistake or more would be awful but it does add to the beauty. Maybe I'll have to try a small hardanger ornament first. I'm working on my Farmhouse Christmas and want to finish it first. I have 2 out of 9 finished. I put it aside in 2018 when my precious dog passed away. Took a long time to get my crafting mojo back after that. Merry Christmas.