Review: Cute Kawaii Cross Stitch

Kawaii is a style that has taken over around the world, and it is found in lots of different crafting genres, too. Kawaii cross stitch patterns are usually small, colorful and have smiling faces to add to their adorableness.

Sosae and Dennis Caetano, the designers behind Trellis and Thyme, have collected more than 400 cute little cross stitch designs in their book Cute Kawaii Cross Stitch.

There’s a brief introduction to cross stitching at the beginning of the book, but it’s mostly about the patterns, which are organized into general themes (a few of the patterns included are listed just to give you a taste):

Fruits and veggies like watermelon, fig, banana, jalapeno, carrot, button mushroom, leek, strawberry and corn
Sweet treats such as a rootbeer float, banana split, gumball machine, frosted cupcake, doughnut, churros and a fudge sundae
Yummy food, which includes things like a blueberry muffin, soft-boiled egg, hamburger, burrito, Sriracha, salad, kimchi, shrimp cocktail and toast
In the kitchen, with such options as a teacup, blender, microwave, pitcher of juice, frying pan, mixer, wok and French press
Adorable animals like a narwahl, hedgehog, mouse, iguana, tiger, giraffe, guinea pig and unicorn
Spring themed designs such as a bluebird, potted fruit tree, tulip, watering can, chocolate bunny, wheelbarrow, rain boot, birdhouse and dragonfly
Summer projects like a sailboat, camper, roller skate, little island, crab, tent, grill, flamingo and lighthouse
Projects made for fall such as a pumpkin, bubbling cauldron, mushroom, apple pie, witch’s hat, smore, apple bushel, haunted house and a pumpkin spice latte, of course
Winter designs including a plum pudding, Christmas tree, sleigh, holiday sweater, snowman, a lightbulb-style ornament, snow globe and gingerbread man

Each design is charted in color and a key at the side of each page shows the DMC number for each color used. Each design also indicates the full size of the project (most are meant to fit into 3-inch hoops) and skill level. Patterns are raked easy, medium or advanced, but the more complicated ones mostly just use more colors, they’re not actually that hard to stitch.

If you love kawaii designs, little cross stitch patterns or stitching everyday and holiday objects, you’re sure to enjoy the array of projects found in Cute Kawaii Cross Stitch.

About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 400 patterns. Published 2023 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

35+ Sunflower Cross Stitch Patterns

I love mini cross stitch patterns any time of the year, but they’re especially nice as we head toward the holidays and you might want to make some last-minute gifts. Mini Christmas cross stitch patterns are super cute as ornaments, or you can make them into bookmarks, little pins, add them to napkins, or whatever else you might like to add a bit of cross stitch to.

They’re also great because they’re usually sold as a set so you’re getting a bunch of patterns you can use together or separately all in one.

For example, Cross Stitch by Coconut has a collection of 100 mini holiday cross stitch patterns, which would be so cute stitched as a whole bunch in a sampler style, or as the border of another project, etc. Most of the individual designs are around 20 by 20 stitches and will take less than an hour to stitch up.

If 100 patterns sounds a little overwhelming, try Stitchonomy‘s mini collection, which has 30 tiny designs. I love the variety in this little collection, which has everything from Santa to a mug of hot chocolate, a Christmas pudding and a snow globe. The largest ones in this set are 31 by 31 stitches.

Purple Kitty Yarns has a collection from an old Coats & Clark leaflet designed by Barbara Swanson (and used by permission) that includes a couple of cute borders, ornaments, a wreath and other cute stuff.

These minis from Cross Stitch Inn Shop are meant to be ornaments, but you could use them for other little projects as well. It includes 16 patterns, all of which are smaller than 2 inches. The most complex ones use seven colors, but most only use two or three.

And these cute little projects from X Cross Stitch Pattern X on Etsy are all meant to fit in three-inch hoops. The largest size is around 35 by 35 stitches, and several of these are more winter than Christmas so you can use them as decor even after the season is over.

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