Designer Spotlight: Bombastitch

If you like your cross stitch patterns full of pop culture references, you’re going to want to pay a visit to Bombastitch’s Etsy shop. This shop based in Indiana specializes in patterns pulled from TV and movies, and with a side of snark to boot.

What’s not to love?

Since I mention it, let’s take a look at the movie/TV section, which has everything from the Eye of Sauron to the Blues Brothers. Star Wars, Dexter and The Princess Bride, to name a few.

And since it’s almost Valentine’s Day as I write this, let’s look at that Princess Bride pattern, which says “Wuv, Twoo Wuv” in honor of the priest with the weird accent who “marries” Buttercup and Humperdink. The pattern is worked in three colors and measures 63 by 60 stitches. That’s about 4.5 by 4.25 inches on 14 count fabric, or 11.4 by 10.8 cm.

There’s also a bunch of stitched portraits of famous characters, including Steve Martin from “The Jerk,” Walter White from “Breaking Bad” and Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and David Tennant and the 10th Doctor, to name a few.

You’ll also find a collection of seasonal Godzilla patterns, a bunch of sugar skulls, and some sarcastic word art, including such gems as what’s up chicken butt (with a rooster stitched on as well) and no worry beef curry.

There are a couple of state outlines with the word love in them, but I don’t know if this is a project that’s ongoing or abandoned. If you happen to be from Texas or Indiana, though, you’re in luck.

How about some anatomically correct cross stitch patterns? As of this writing there’s a heart, a set of lungs, a brain, a skull and facial muscles.

And that’s not even everything! But if this hodgepodge of design shoutouts has piqued your interest, check out Bombastitch on Etsy. If you stitch up one of their patterns, I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Bombastitch]

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Designer Spotlight: Stitch Riot Designs

If you like seasonal samplers and cross stitch patterns with a primitive twist, you’ll enjoy the collection from Curious Carrie Designs.

You’ll find alphabet designs, biscornu, patriotic projects and more. The summer category is the largest on the storefront, with Americana and floral designs. There are also categories for the other seasons and more general designs.

One of my favorites is this pretty sunflower cross stitch pattern, which is shown styled as a biscornu but it wouldn’t have to be. The pattern features sunflowers and bees and a little beehive. It uses 12 colors of floss and each side of the pattern is 51 by 51 stitches, which comes out to 3.64 inches or 9.2 cm square.

I love the fabric she used for the sample, which she actually dyed purple herself, but it would also be pretty on a purchased light blue or other color if you don’t want to dye your own.

There’s also a whole set of themed biscornu with a four letter word on one side (crow, home, love and snow, to name a few) along with a seasonal pattern on the other side.

The shop has a rather small selection at around 90 patterns as of this writing, but it’s a nice collection of traditional looking designs heavy on samplers and biscornu designs, so if those are things you like you’ll want to be sure to check it out. Visit Curious Carrie Designs on Etsy to see all her pretty designs.

Are you a designer or do you have a favorite cross stitch designer who hasn’t made it into the spotlight yet? (You can see all the featured designers in the craft businesses category on the page.) Let me know in the comments, or you can submit more detailed information by clicking on “suggest a craft” at the center top of the page.

[Photo: Curious Carrie Designs]

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