Celtic Obsessions - Cross Stitch Designs by Stephanie Flynn

Company and Designer: Celtic Obsessions, an Irish Cross Stitch Design company, specializes in designing and selling Cross Stitch designs inspired by Celtic, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Cornish themes. Celtic Obsessions is located in the 'Golden Vale' of County Tipperary only a short distance away from the famous Rock of Cashel - the seat of the Irish kings. All Celtic Obsessions designs are hand designed by Stephanie Flynn.

Designer Stephanie Flynn: Stephanie Flynn uses her background in Art, Design, Medieval History, and Literature in creating her designs. Stephanie has been designing and selling cross stitch patterns since 1997. Patterns may be purchase on the Celtic Obsessions website or through craft shops in the US, Canada, Ireland, France, United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Cross Stitch Design Themes: Stephanie explains, "The most dominant designs are the Irish designs as they have proven the most popular and living in Ireland I have lots of direct inspiration for these designs although I try to keep my Welsh and Scottish designs covered as well - in respect to my heritage!"

Types of Patterns Offered: After surveying stitchers, Stephanie decided to provide patterns instead of kits because then stitchers can select their own fabric and floss. Most of the patterns are strictly cross stitch, but one design contains some black work as well. Stephanie points out, "Many of our patterns are also suitable for personalization - our baby samplers, Christmas stockings and wedding samplers come with alphabet and number charts."

Stitching Level Required: Most designs are suitable for beginning or intermediate stitchers, with only a few advanced designs in the Celtic Obsessions collection.

Stephanie Describes How She Got Started Stitching: "My stepmother used to cross stitch. I couldn't see the point at first, but then she showed me how a picture would emerge on the fabric bit-by-bit. I thought it was pretty cool and she started to teach me how to cross stitch. That was when I was 14.

I didn't, however, take up the hobby straight away. I'd always done a lot of crafts and had designed my own hand-made paper products, pottery and other forms of crafts but, even though I knew how to sew, I didn't do much with cross stitch at that stage. It wasn't until I went to art college that I started to experiment with mixed media and found I was really drawn to computer graphics.

Suddenly I found a passion for computer design and cross stitch by creating my own designs on the computer and then stitching them up in cross stitch. I didn't have much time for my new found passion though as I went to complete my degree in Medieval & Early English Literature.

Once I had completed my degree I had a good knowledge of historical studies which I applied to my cross stitch designs. Now my designs focus on my mixed heritage (my father is Welsh and mother Scottish) and living in historic Ireland with my Irish family I have lots of inspiration!"