Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments

If you want to have a craft-filled tree, one great way to do that is to cover it with cross stitch ornaments. These little projects are usually pretty quick to stitch and fit into small hoops you can nestle into branches or hang on your tree. This collection of mini patterns that are perfect for cross stitch Christmas ornaments are a great place to start.

This pretty set of patterns from Lucky Cross Stitching is described as snowflakes but they remind me of quilt blocks. Either way, they’d be a pretty addition to your tree. Each design is about 40 by 40 stitches and uses three colors. I also like that instead of a hoop these are backed with felt and stitched around the edges, which to me gives them even more of a homemade look.

If you like the look of gingerbread or have a rustic looking tree, these designs from NARAxStitchPatterns would be a great addition. They include 10 designs that all look like gingerbread and fit in 3-inch hoops. Each pattern is around 41 by 41 stitches and uses three or four colors.

The mostly green and red designs from Cherry Merry Store are great if you use those colors a lot in your decor. These are a little larger, at 60 by 60 stitches, which makes them a little more than 4 inches/almost 11 cm (they would fit in 5-inch hoops). Each one uses 3 colors.

Monograms are a fun addition to the tree, and you can make them for everyone in the family (they make great gift bag tags, too). This set fits in 3-inch hoops and they use two colors. These would be pretty in a variegated thread, too. You can get the pattern from Cross Stitch Wow.

Lagodargento Shop has a set of 6 small cross stitch patterns (only a couple are shown here) that would be fun for ornaments. They fit in 4-inch hoops and include designs such as a tree, presents on a sleigh, reindeer, gingerbread man, candle and hat.

I also love these snowglobe cross stitch patterns from Cute Patterns by Maria. There are eight patterns in the set, and you can work them individually as ornaments or put a few together to make a bigger design as shown here. Each individual pattern is 40 by 45 stitches and across all the globes, 33 colors are used.

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Snowflake Cross Stitch Patterns

One of the most common supplies for cross stitch, aside from fabric, needles and floss, is an embroidery hoop. A hoop isn’t needed for every project, and indeed there are some stitchers who prefer not to use them at all. I generally don’t use a hoop when I’m working on a small cross stitch project, especially something that’s shape isn’t conducive to using a hoop (like a bookmark).

But embroidery hoops can be really helpful for cross stitch because they hold your fabric at an even tension, which allows you to stitch more evenly without any more work on your part. It’s great for beginners to use hoops because the tension on the fabric can both help make your stitches more even and make the holes in the fabric a little easier to see.

I’ll admit to always just buying whatever hoop is available in the right size when I’m ready to start a project without giving it much more thought than that. But there are things you should consider when choosing among the different kinds of hoops, which Caterpillar Cross Stitch covers in their great guide to embroidery hoops.

The post walks you through wooden, plastic, spring tension and flexi hoops (which I’ll admit to having never heard of; they’re made of vinyl and plastic apparently), as well as Q-Snap frames, which aren’t really hoops because they’re made of plastic tubes that you snap together in the size and shape you need.

It also covers what size hoop you should use for the project you’re working on and how to actually use a hoop in the right way.

Whether you’re new to cross stitch or more seasoned, you’re sure to pick up a tip or a product to try in this post, so go check it out over at Caterpillar Cross Stitch.

Do you have a favorite kind of embroidery hoop to use for cross stitch, or do you go without? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo: Caterpillar Cross Stitch]

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