Review: Cross Stitch with Cattitude

It’s no secret that I’m a cat person (I even shared a collection of black cat cross stitch patterns in honor of my favorite black cat, Baron) so when I saw that a book full of cat-themed cross stitch patterns existed I had to check it out immediately.

Cross Stitch with Cattitude by Emma Congdon includes 20 designs inspired by our feline companions, or should I say the cats that are gracious enough to put up with our human nonsense in exchange for food.

The patterns are colorful, sarcastic and full of cattitude, from sentiments like “feed me and tell my I’m pretty” to “you work and I judge” to “hiss off” and “how about no” for those days when we just don’t want to deal with humans. (You can see a few of the patterns on the Amazon listing for the book.)

The designs are mostly from the cat’s point of view but a few take the human’s side, for instance saying it’s not that we’re crazy cat ladies so much as everyone else are crazy people persons.

There are also a few designs that include different cat faces and activities more than text, which is a lot of fun. The different cats on the “purrsonalities” sampler could be stitched individually on a card or as a mini design for a cat-loving friend.

Each pattern includes a stitch count and size and tells you what kind of fabric was used. The charts are large, taking up either two or four pages, and all the DMC colors are listed with the pattern (there’s also a conversion chart if you like different thread).

The book is also filled with sarcastic notes from the cats, which, if you’ve ever met a housecat, will sound familiar.

If you’re a cat lover or you know a cat lover you’d like to stitch for, this book is a lot of fun and will let you create colorful, snarky and sweet cat cross stitch designs.

About the book: 112 pages, paperback, 20 patterns. Published 2023 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price

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45+ Free Disney Inspired Cross-Stitch Patterns

If you’re a fan of detailed and colorful cross stitch patterns, Design for Cross Stitch might have a pattern you want to try. This Etsy shop is based in Spain and has more than 50 designs with a focus on animals, holidays and landscapes.

I’m just going to start with the first pattern that caught my eye when I visited the site, which is this Sakura by the Lake project. This pattern is 200 by 200 stitches and the whole background is stitched, so it’s definitely not for a beginner, but it’s stunning and would be amazing to make for someone who loves Japan. Despite the detail it only uses 24 colors. Worked on 14 count fabric it will measure 14.64 inches, or 37.19 cm.

There are a few other landscape designs, including a canal in Venice and a few cabins in the woods.

The shop also has some cute animal cross stitch, with big, round faces and often holding a warm beverage. Holiday projects focus on Christmas and Halloween. Most of the patterns have a cute, chibi-like feel, but there are some that are more detailed and realistic as well. Take for examples the flower patterns, which are full of details and soft colors.

You’ll also find some fun bookmark cross stitch patterns with a watercolor feel, as well as some that look kind of like paint pouring turned into stitches.

If this sort of stuff sounds like fun to you, check out their Etsy store at Design for Cross Stitch.

Do you have a favorite cross stitch designer who I haven’t featured yet? Let me know in the comments or share more about them by clicking on “suggest a DIY” at the center top of the page and let me know the details. I’d love to share the designers you’re enjoying with a wider audience.

[Photo: Design for Cross Stitch]

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