Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Graduation Cross Stitch Patterns

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I recently shared a review of a book full of graduation cross stitch patterns and noted that I haven’t shared a lot of graduation cross stitch patterns before. So let’s take a look at some in case you have a graduate this year.

Keep it simple with this personalized mortarboard and diploma design from Little Apple Stitchery. You can add the graduate’s name, school and the year of graduation, or put their name at the top and their school, major (if graduating from college) and year at the bottom. As shown the design is 119 by 119 stitches, which comes out to about 8.5 inches/21.5 cm square.

Favorite Gnome has a cute graduation gnome, and you could personalize the color of the gown and/or the balloons to the school colors of the graduate. As shown it uses 21 colors and comes out to 8 by 7 inches/18.5 by 17.1 cm on 14 count fabric, with a stitching area of 102 by 94 stitches.

This word art graduation cross stitch pattern from New England Artsncraft is available as a pattern only or a kit that includes floss, fabric and a needle as well as the instructions. (The pattern is printed and shipped, not a digital pattern.) The project is 9.6 by 9.1 inches, or 24.3 by 23.3 cm on 14 count fabric and uses two colors.

The design from Elchka Cross Stitch doesn’t have a place for personalization, but it’s still a nice project for someone graduating. It  is 93 by 87 stitches, and it’s about 6.6 by 6.2 inches, or 16.9 by 15.8 cm.

Cross Stitch of the Sea offers this lovely design of a graduation cap sitting on a stack of books with flowers. It’s 150 by 135 stitches, which is 10.71 by 9.64 inches/27.21 by24.49 cm on 14 count fabric. It uses 40 colors but is all full cross stitches. 

If you know a girl who is graduating, these last two might be for you. The Graduated pattern from PuntAGOpetitePattern shows the back of a graduate with long brown hair, but you can change the color of the gown and the hair as needed. If you want a custom color pattern written for you, you can contact the designer.

And Skylark Cross Stitch has this pretty design perfect for a girly girl graduating in her heels. It uses 25 colors and four blends and has full and half cross stitches, back stitch and small back stitch, but if you’ve got the skills this is a beautiful one to make!

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Book Review: 200 Japanese Cross Stitch Designs

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.