How Do You Decide What to Make Next?

I always enjoy checking out Hannah Handmakes’ podcast, in part because I know I couldn’t talk about cross stitch for so long as consistently and well as she does, but also because she comes up with interesting topics that are important to consider.

A somewhat recent episode was about how you decide what to stitch next, and it’s a really great question. She gives a long answer (you can listen or read about in on her website) with various considerations, such as if there’s a holiday coming up you want to make something for, if you want to use your stash of patterns or supplies, how much time you have, etc.

She ends up by saying she doesn’t have a good answer, and I wouldn’t either.

For one, I don’t actually do a lot of cross stitching for all that I write about it. I probably finished two or three projects last year (though I do have a couple of fun things on the go, and lots more I wish I had time to do).

I think my answer, though, would be similar to what I would say when it comes to deciding what to knit next. Sometimes you want something specific for the season (like I really want to knit some pants right now since I’m always cold and think that might help), or you might have a ball of yarn you want to use so you go hunting for a project that will suit it. In the case of cross stitch maybe it’s you really want to make something with bright colors, and you’ve always had a thing for whales, so off you go to find a project that satisfies that need.

Because I’m a blogger and write craft tutorials (mostly knitting, crochet, cross stitch and sewing) I also think about skill level a lot and what I can do to help people who are new in a craft to be inspired to try it. I’ll build on techniques in my projects in a way most people probably don’t think about consciously, but that makes sense to me in terms of teaching.

What about you? How do you decide what to make next?

[Image by Alina Kuptsova from Pixabay]

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]

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