Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Designer Spotlight: Max Stitches Art

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Max Stitches Art is an Etsy shop based in Ukraine that’s full of gothic, dark and witchy designs you’re sure to love if that’s your vibe. 

The biggest section in the shop is called new, which isn’t super helpful for knowing what’s in there, but if you give it a browse you’ll get a sense for what the shop’s designs are like. Which, again, is dark (lots of these designs are literally dark because they’re shown stitched on dark fabric).

You’ll find weird things like a turtle with a terrarium on its back, a mushroom that’s really a UFO with a tractor beam for a stem, a jackalope and a cat dressed as Dracula. 

One of my favorites, though it is hard to pick, is this reading frog (I’ve been on a bit of a frog and toad kick lately because they’re basically my life coaches). The pattern is 80 by 86 stitches and uses 18 colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to 5.71 by 6.14 inches, or 14.51 by 15.6 cm. 

The biggest more specific category covers animals, and again there’s a big range of projects, including a snake or a frog in a jar, a cat on the toilet reading the newspaper, a snuggly hedgehog in a sleeping bag, a ship in a bottle with an octopus and much more. A separate section is for insects, with lots of moths and ladybugs among others.

You’ll also find a lot of Christmas patterns in a similar style, with aliens, bottles, dinosaurs, cyrptids and ghosts heavily featured. There are also special sections for ghosts and skeletons, but they definitely aren’t exclusive to Halloween.  

There are also witchy designs, funny quotes, kitchen themed items and more. 

Check out all the designs at Max Stitches Art on Etsy. If you love it there’s also an option to buy the whole store!

[Photo: Max Stitches Art]

Have you read?

Backpack Cross Stitch Patterns

These backpack cross stitch patterns aren’t like the backpacks you would use for school, but they might inspire you to go on a different sort of adventure, and pack your sense of humor. 

When it comes to funny cross stitch, this Adventure Awaits rubber ducky cross stitch pattern from Relaxing Hobby Studio is super cute. It uses nine colors and measures 52 by 75 stitches, which comes out to about 3.8 by 5.4 inches, or 9.7 by 13.8 cm, on 14 count fabric. 

I also love this little pigeon adventurer from Happy Cross Stitchers. Actually, with hoodie and sneakers this pigeon does look like he’s ready for school! This one measures 88 by 138 stitches and uses 13 colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to about 6.2 by 9.8 inches, or 15.97 by 25.04 cm.

This sleepy cat is ready for an adventure as soon as they wake up from their nap. This sweet design from MoonLit Patterns features a kitty curled up on a backpack and wearing a knight’s helmet. This project uses 19 colors and measures 130 by 130 stitches. That makes it about 9.3 inches square, or 23.6 cm, when stitched on 14 count fabric. 

Or stitch up this backpack filled with flowers from Owl and Thread. This looks like just the bag you’d want to have for a walk in the forest or a spring meadow. The design is 71 by 90 stitches and uses 32 colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to about 5 by 6.4 inches, or 12.9 16.3 cm.

I also like this kind of watercolor look girl with a backpack pattern from StitchALong Studios. You can change the color of hair and clothes as you like. As shown it uses 20 colors and is 90 by 132 stitches. That’s 6.375 by 9.375 inches, or 16 by 24 cm, if you work on 14 count fabric. 

If you’re looking for a design with more of a fall or winter look, check out this girl with a backpack wearing a hat and coat from GlamourXStitch. At 150 by 150 stitches, this one uses 26 colors. It comes out to 10.71 inches, or 27.2 cm, on 14 count fabric.