Stitch a Banjo Playing Opossum Because Why Not?

I started writing this one as a designer spotlight kind of post, and then I realized when I was almost done with it that I had actually featured this designer before. It was in late 2024, so I’ll forgive myself for forgetting, but it’s worth taking another look at Mama Witch Cross Stitch. It looks like the shop has changed a bit since the last time I looked in, and you all just needed to see this amazing pattern anyway.

In the listing this one is called “whimsical opossum,” because of course it is. This little creature is sporting a straw hat and playing a banjo next to a crock of moonshine and surrounded by a wreath of pumpkins, mushrooms and other fall icons. Clicking through the images, though, I see it’s also called Possum Song, which is also pretty great.

Either way, the design is 144 by 130 stitches, which comes out to 10.29 by 9.29 inches, or about 26 by 23.5 cm on 14 count fabric.

This is not the only possum pattern offered by this shop, but you get the vibe from this one.

And to quickly check in on the rest of the shop, there are a great number of Halloween themed cross stitch patterns here, too, many with a sort of dark whimsy like mermaid skeletons, cat witches and a pumpkin-headed rider on a skeleton unicorn, to name just a few.

Another category worth noting, though it is much smaller, is “sad Victorian ghosts,” which features ghosts (sometimes in Victorian garb, sometimes not) going to the pub and the library, hanging laundry and taking a bath.

There are also a lot of Christmas designs, some sweet and some snarky, and a few creepy ones, too. Other categories include the new for 2026 “sunny patterns” (similar style motifs just with brighter colors and lighter backgrounds), as well as bookmarks and mini cross stitch designs.

[Photo: Mama Witch Cross Stitch]

Whether you’re stitching for back to school or making gifts for a book lover, these book themed bookmark cross stitch patterns are a lot of fun to stitch and to use if your next read.

Display your bookworm tendencies with the bookworm bookmark pattern from Running on Vibes. Work this one in your favorite colors (it calls for four) and you’ll always have a cute place holder at the ready.

I couldn’t resist sharing this Reading Rainbow inspired bookmark from NobshoffXstitch. If you can fly twice as high as a butterfly, you need to stitch this project. At 105 by 37 stitches, it comes out to 7.5 by 2.6 inches, or 19 by 6.6 cm, on 14 count fabric. It uses 10 colors.

And if your books come from the library, grab the hot girls have library cards cross stitch pattern from Inkspire Studio Shops. This design is available as a printed pattern or with a kit that includes the fabric, thread in 17 colors and embroidery floss.

Turn your next bookmark cross stitch project into a stash buster with this bookshelf pattern from Bloom and Stitchs. As shown it uses 18 colors but you can use whatever colors you have on hand, chosen randomly to stitch the spines of your books. The design is 26 by 79 stitches, and comes to 1.9 by 5.6 inches, or 4.7 by 14.3 cm, when stitched on 14 count fabric.

I love this sweet set of three not quite seasonal cross stitch designs with books, flowers and other little delights. The patterns are from Mango Charm Studio and each measure 37 by 113 stitches. They use 16 or 17 colors each, depending on the design, and measure about 2.6 by 8.1 inches, or 6.7 by 20.5 cm, when worked on 14 count fabric.

Speaking of book stacks, I also like this stack that’s topped with a cup of tea or coffee from The Baker and the Boys. This one is interesting because the pages on the books are just long stitches, but you could also cross stitch that space if you’d rather. The design measures 2 by 5.5 inches when stitches, or about 5 by 14 cm.

Or go full on romantasy with this lovely floral book stack bookmark cross stitch pattern from Vibes Nest Ltd. (It’s shown in a frame but you can finish it as a bookmark.) This one is 67 by 200 stitches, and uses 36 colors. On 14 count fabric it will be 4.8 by 14.3 inches (12.2 by 36.3 cm), which is a little big for a standard paperback, but you can also stitch it on a higher count fabric to make it smaller.

Have you read?

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