Alps in a Bottle Mountain Village Counted Cross Stitch Kit by Merejka K-319

Stitch Alps in a Bottle, a counted cross-stitch kit by Merejka — a corked glass bottle holds a snowy Alpine valley: lilac peaks glow under a pink dawn sky, cable-car gondolas climb past tiny skiers on the slopes, and a tall church tower and wooden chalets with warm lit windows sit beside a winding fenced path along a frozen lake.

A little stitcher's folklore: stitchers say a mountain picture is the best cure for a long winter — you get the fresh air and the view without the cold fingers. This one fits a whole ski holiday into one bottle.

Why this kit: if you love winter landscapes or mountain trips, this captures the magic of an Alpine evening in a compact, elegant shape; 29 DMC shades blend purples, icy blues and amber window light; and the ice-blue Aida becomes the glass, so the scene floats with no background to fill. It pairs beautifully with Winter in a Bottle (K-316).

Kit includes: Zweigart Aida 16-count fabric in ice-blue, DMC stranded cotton in 29 colors and a John James needle. The chart is digital-only through Merejka's free Fantastitch app, so you can zoom into every symbol; no paper chart is included. Frame and hoop are not included.

The design uses full and half cross stitches, backstitch and French knots, about 18,600 stitches across a 220 x 100 grid. Stitch the mountains and village inside the bottle first, then outline the glass, cork and cable-car lines in backstitch, add the knots, press lightly and frame.

Finished size: 35 x 16 cm (13.78 x 6.30 in), a tall, narrow format for a hallway, shelf or cabin wall. A lovely winter gift for skiers, hikers and stitchers who collect mountain scenes.