Designer Spotlight: Stitches Sew Beautiful

Super detailed, full coverage cross stitch designs are what you’ll find at the Etsy shop Stitches Sew Beautiful. Many of the designs are created from digital art (with permission from the original artist, of course) making the designs incredibly detailed and using lots of different colors.

These are definitely projects for experienced stitches who are up for a challenge. Not all of the patterns say how many colors would be needed but as an example that did, the pretty dragon pattern shown above calls for 100 colors. The design is 300 by 400 stitches. If my math works, on 14 count fabric it would be 21.4 by 28.5 inches, or 54.3 by 72.4 cm. But it’s gorgeous and definitely worth the work for a dragon lover. (By the way this is designed by ArtMariska/Maria Szollosi.)

A lot of the patterns tend toward fantasy. There are lots of dragons, fairies and angels, but also plenty of holiday themed projects (both Krampus and Santa, and a few other holidays, too).

Other than the holiday patterns, the designs are organized by the original artist, which means browsing is in order to see what all is available and what you might like to stitch. Bill Bell offers incredibly detailed, cartoonish city scenes that become a bit of a where’s Waldo scene looking at all the details that are included. Karla Gerard’s designs have more of a folk art feel, while Sphinx Design Studio brings a steampunk flair and a bit of pop culture, with designs inspired by “Wednesday,” “Good Omens” and the like.

I guess all of that is a long way of saying sharing one photo from this shop doesn’t do it justice or allow you to explore the variety of artists and styles represented. So go check out the shop on Etsy and find something you’ll love to stitch!

[Photo: Stitches Sew Beautiful]

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35+ Sunflower Cross Stitch Patterns

If you like repeating cross stitch designs, borders you can use on other projects or as bookmarks, florals and Japanese-inspired designs, you’ll want to check out 200 Japanese Cross Stitch Designs by Saeko Endo. This collection of 200 cross stitch charts is low on instruction but big on inspiration for those who are comfortable taking a chart and running with it.

The book includes a brief introduction to the needed supplies and basics of stitching, but mostly is just photographs of finished designs and the charts that go with them. The charts vary widely in size and there can be anywhere from one to six charts printed on a single page.

Many of the designs are repeating patterns, but the chart shows a larger version so you can see how the repeats go together. Each chart has marked what portion is repeating and how many stitches and rows it includes. Other than that the charts are not numbered, but there are darker lines every five rows to help you count.

The patterns all range from one to three colors, and some include half cross stitches or back stitching, but most are full stitches.

The book is arranged into categories of motifs: geometric patterns, retro patterns, traditional Japanese patterns, floral and fauna and borders and pictorial motifs.

My favorites are the Japanese designs, many of which are recognizable from woodcuts, kimono designs and traditional shashiko embroidery. You’ll find cherry blossoms, suns, knots, and simple line designs that would be lots of fun to stitch.

There are a few pages devoted to different ways to modify charts such as changing colors, changing the way to design is repeated, flipping and rotating designs.

Other than that you’re on your own for how you actually want to use these designs. Of course they can just be stitched and framed but it might have been nice to see some of the projects stitched and staged in a way you might use them in everyday life (repeating motifs as coasters, or a bigger design turned into a pillow, for example).

Sometimes it helps to see designs used in different ways to get you thinking about how you might use them yourself. If you don’t need that creative push, this is a fine book full of patterns you’ll have fun playing with in different ways.

About the book: 112 pages, paperback, 200 patterns. Published 2025 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

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