Nivelle, The Winter's Secret
There is a kind of magic that belongs only to winter.
It arrives softly, after the last leaves have fallen and the world has grown still. The fields sleep beneath their silver blankets, the forests hold their breath, and even the rivers seem to whisper more quietly beneath the frost.
This is the hour of Nivelle.
She walks the silent paths of winter, keeping watch over the hush that settles over the earth. Where others see only cold, Nivelle sees rest, shelter, and the quiet work of becoming. Beneath the snow, roots gather strength. Beneath the ice, water waits. Beneath the silence, the world is dreaming.
At her side is Sevrin, a white owl with watchful eyes and a gift for noticing what others miss. He is the first to sense the small secrets hidden in winter's stillness - a forgotten wish, a sleeping hope, a thought not yet ready to bloom. With gentle care, Nivelle gathers these tender things and keeps them safe until their time has come.
For winter was never meant to be empty.
It is a season of pause, of breath, of hidden wonder.
And Nivelle has always known what the snow tries so softly to tell us.
Not everything beautiful must bloom at once. Some things become magical in the quiet.
Part of our Petite Muses collection, Nivelle is created with a lighter, more graphic approach to stitching. Her elongated silhouette, flowing lines and expressive negative space allow atmosphere and form to tell the story, while a carefully limited palette keeps the design elegant and approachable.
Worked entirely in DMC, she is designed to be a lighter, quicker stitch while still carrying the distinctive mood and storytelling of Cross Stitching Art.
📱 Pattern Keeper & Markup R-XP Compatible
Your personalized digital PDF chart includes both color and black-and-white versions and is compatible with Pattern Keeper and Markup R-XP, so you can track your progress digitally while stitching. Delivered directly to your email, typically within 10–15 minutes after purchase.
Each chart is personalized with a watermark featuring your name to help protect the original design. Thank you for supporting original artwork!
Finished Size: 6.7” × 9.4” or 17 × 24 cm on 32 or 16 count Aida or linen
Finished Size: 7.6” × 10.7” or 19 × 27 cm on 28 or 14 count Aida or linen
Finished Size: 5.9” × 8.3” or 15 × 21 cm on 18 count Aida
Stitched Area: 107 x 150
Total Stitches: 3,898
Total Colours: 8
Total Skeins: 8
Please add 2-5 extra inches on each side for framing to the finished size.
🎨 Materials used: DMC Stranded (D)
D27 (White Violet) - Stitches: 561 - Skeins: 1
D153 (Violet VY LT) - Stitches: 339 - Skeins: 1
D157 (Cornflower Blue VY LT) - Stitches: 295 - Skeins: 1
D340 (Blue Violet MD) - Stitches: 569 - Skeins: 1
D798 (Delft Blue DK) - Stitches: 498 - Skeins: 1
D799 (Delft Blue MD) - Stitches: 279 - Skeins: 1
D809 (Delft Blue) - Stitches: 506 - Skeins: 1
D823 (Navy Blue DK) - Stitches: 851 - Skeins: 1
Recommended Fabric:
Nivelle is designed to shine against medium to medium-dark, cool-toned fabrics. Smoky slate blue, muted steel blue, and soft blue-grey are particularly beautiful choices for capturing her quiet winter magic.
For hand-dyed fabrics, I recommend gentle, subtle mottling rather than strong colour variations or busy patterns. Choose a shade that provides sufficient contrast for the delicate icy highlights, pale backstitch details, and deep midnight-blue hair.