About this pattern
If you love traditional samplers, this one is for you. It's my Hanukkah keepsake piece, the kind you bring out of the box every year.
The words "Festival of Lights" are stitched in classic sampler letters in navy, with a Star of David on each side of the top line. Below, between two bands of golden diamonds, a nine-branch menorah stands in the middle with eight candles in a row and the shamash raised above them, flanked by a blue dreidel and a silver one.
It's 90 x 80 stitches in 7 DMC colors, about 6.4 x 5.7 inches on 14 count Aida, so it frames up nicely in an 8 x 10 frame with a mat. There's a mix of lettering, motifs and repeating bands, so it never gets boring, and the bands are a relaxing way to finish.
I designed it on oatmeal linen for an heirloom look, but antique white Aida is lovely too.
Hanukkah begins on the evening of December 4, 2026 and runs through December 12, so this is a wonderful project for the weeks before. It's also a special gift for a family who will hang it up every year.
