Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Designer Spotlight: The World in Stitches

by

The thing that drew me to The World in Stitches’ Etsy shop was all the bright and cheerful color. The shop, which is based in the UK, has a header (as of this writing anyway) that shows four different colorful geometric patterns in rainbow colors, which definitely got my attention.

One of them is the Spectrum Mandala pattern shown above, because you might as well see what I am talking about. If I’m counting right it uses 10 colors and it is all whole stitches, but it might not be the best for completely novice stitchers. The design is 165 by 165 stitches, which works out to 10.3 by 10.3 inches, or 26.2 by 26.2 cm, on the recommended 16-count fabric.

Head to the colour and geometrics section of the shop if you want to see more patterns like this. You’ll find colorful geometric hearts, mandalas, hot air balloons, lanterns and more.

One thing to note about this shop is that they sell digital patterns as well as kits, so just be aware of what you’re ordering, especially if you don’t happen to live in the UK.

If you are willing to ship, though, they do have a cute collection of beginner’s kits including a Santa, penguin, a few hearts and other designs.

There are quite a few Christmas and Halloween themed designs if those are things you are into.

On the whole these designs are colorful and cheerful, often using bright rainbow colors or harmonious pastels. It’s hard to look at them and not smile, which I think will be the reaction when you stitch them as well. Some of them are smaller and relatively easy for new stitchers, while others include a lot of detail and colors that are better for folks further along on their cross stitch journey.

Either way, check out all their offerings at The World in Stitches.

[Photo: The World in Stitches]

Have you read?

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]