Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

How to Help Cross-stitchers in Ukraine

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The news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has left a lot of people wondering what they can do to support Ukrainians during this terrible time. While of course giving money directly to relief agencies is always a great way to help from afar, a lot of crafters online have been wondering about purchasing digital patterns from Ukrainian designers as a way to directly support individuals doing the crafts we love.

There is some reasonable worry that the banking system isn’t working normally right now, so any payments that are made through Etsy or other places might not reach the designers right away, but it’s also true they will need support for a long time to come.

So if you’d like to buy some patterns from Ukrainian designers, there’s a list on Reddit that can get you started. Laura Chieko at Tarsier Stitches has started a Google doc that includes links to Ukrainian relief organizations and Ukrainian cross stitch designers, with emphasis on those who have been sharing their experiences before and during the invasion. (You can also search for shops on Etsy that are based in Ukraine if you want more options.) She also has a video talking about why she wanted to share this information on YouTube.

I’ll be sharing more designers from Ukraine in the coming weeks but the pattern shown above is from Cloudlet Art, which is based in Ukraine and has several designs based on the Ukrainian flag. Check them out on Etsy.

[Photo: Cloudlet Art.]

Download a free pattern from the DMC website.

(You can also search for shops on Etsy that are based in Ukraine if you want more options.)

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Labubu Cross Stitch Patterns

For some reason I missed out on the beginning of the Labubu trend (my teen isn’t into it) but now that I’m seeing it everywhere it seems like a good time to look into Labubu cross stitch patterns. 

These creepy cute little monsters show up in all sorts of cute outfits, which makes them fun to stitch for a Labubu lover of any age. 

In cross stitch the pink Labubu seems to show up the most often. You can stitch up this one with a slightly sinister face from MK Cross Stitch Shop. This one is 23 by 43 stitches and uses eight colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to 1.64 by 3.07 inches, or 4.17 by 7.8 cm. 

There’s also this fuzzy little monster from Alya Cross Stitch, which uses six colors on a project that’s 100 by 169 stitches. 

Or try this lovely little Labubu with a flower in its hair. This one is by Stitch Heart UA, and would be perfect for a little kid’s room or as a decoration for spring. It measures 93 by 128 stitches, which comes out to 6.6 by 92. inches/16.9 by 23.3 cm on 14 count fabric. It uses 17 colors and 5 blends.

If you want to just stitch the faces, I like this collection of Labubu heads to cross stitch in different pastel colors. This design from Stitched by Sophie AUS has 23 colors and measures 120 stitches square. That comes out to about 8.6 inches or 22 cm square on 14 count fabric. 

Or you can make a little collection of different characters with this set from Sampler Cross Stitch. Stitch one or stitch them all. Each one is 30 by 60 stitches, or 2.57 by 4.57 inches/6.5 by 11.6 cm. 

How about a Halloween themed Labubu? I love this one from Handiwork of Natalie, who also has some other themed Labubu cross stitch patterns. This one is 66 by 99 stitches and uses 12 colors. It suggests cross stitch fabric that’s 4.75 by 7 inches or 12 by 18 cm.