Cross Stitch for the Year of the Ox

Through the years I have shared a lot of cross stitch patterns for a lot of different occasions, but one thing I haven’t shared a lot of is cross stitch patterns related to graduation. Which is weird, because it’s a big deal, just the kind of thing you might want to commemorate in stitching.

While I’m on the hunt for some more graduation cross stitch patterns to share, check out Cross Stitch Celebrations: Graduation by Mollie Johanson. This book includes more than 35 project with a learning or graduation theme, perfect for making gifts for a graduate or a favorite teacher. 

The book includes a quick overview of supplies and instructions for getting started cross stitching, how to read a pattern and how to finish a project. Since there’s a lot that’s customizable in these designs, there are also notes about planning your design and choosing the best fabric for your project. It also includes ideas for how to make the projects extra special for the graduate, from simple things like changing the graduate’s skin and hair color or the color of the gown to adding their name and class of year, using school colors or adding the school name or area of study.

It’s organized into sections with main design elements, borders and mini motifs you can mix and match to make your project. The main elements include a graduation cap and scroll, a graduate in cap and gown (with options for standing, sitting in a wheelchair or tossing their hat), a stack of books, an open laptop and a medal.

Border options are sparkle confetti, ribbons, scrollwork, books, tassels and a ribbon. The mini motifs are things like apples, music notes, a globe, a plant, a painter’s palette and a stethoscope, to name a few, that can be added in based on the graduate’s interests or major. There are also three alphabets with letters and numbers and a set of extra large numbers you can use to add personalization to your designs.

If you need a little more guidance when it comes to what kind of project you want to make, there are also projects in the back of the book including a scroll wall hanging, a mortarboard decoration, a pennant and a greeting card. There are other ideas for gifting cross stitch that aren’t shown as full tutorials but give you ideas including a framed piece of art, a piece to decorate a journal and a bookmark.

If you want to make something special for a graduate in your life, this book has a lot of options and includes encouragement for making the designs your own and altering the person to make it look more like your graduate. This is a fun book that will get a lot of use if you’re in that stage of life where people are graduating around you.

About the book: 96 pages, paperback, 35+ patterns. Published 2023 by Walter Foster Publishing. Suggested retail price $19.99.