Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

The “Secret” to Finding Great Cross Stitch Patterns

by

cross stitch designers on etsy

There are a lot of cross-stitch patterns online. There are even a lot of free cross-stitch patterns online. Some of them aren’t great, and some of them are clearly copyright violations (because someone took a picture from a book and posted it to a website or on Pinterest), but you can still find some good things.

But if we’re being honest, the best source for cross-stitch patterns on line is probably etsy.

Yes, you’re going to have to pay for patterns you get from there, but that’s just good karma. It takes time and money to create patterns, so if you like them you should send a little monetary thanks to the designer.

Need help navigating the tons of amazing designers on etsy? Check out this great post from Sew What Alicia all about cross-stitch designers on etsy. I’ll bet you’ll see something you like.

Do you have a favorite cross-stitch designer on etsy? Or are you a designer who sells on etsy? We’d love to know about it!

[Photo: Sew What Alicia.]

Next Pattern:

Comments

  1. Go to Library books sales or Salvation Army for Cross Stitch books. I find a lot of pattern books at these places.

  3. I’m also a designer who sells online via my own website and on Etsy and have some really big projects like the Periodic Table of Elements and Flags of the World that my customers love. I love supporting other designers and Etsy is the best place to find a huge range of amazing designs.
    My shop is at http://www.etsy.com/shop/hollyshobbiesuk and I’d love you to tell me what you think x

  5. One of my favorite French designers who is not unfortunately on Etsy is Marie-Therese Saint Aubin!

Have you read?

Crow Cross Stitch Patterns

In all my years writing about cross stitch, I don’t think I’ve ever had a post dedicated to crow cross stitch patterns. That’s a shame, because crows are cool, and they’re a great motif to use in the fall that has a bit of a Halloween/spooky vibe without necessarily being all pumpkins and ghosts (though we have some of that, too). 

Actually, these little crow cross stitch patterns from LaSelva Design could be up in the house year round, especially if you’ve made friends with crows or are trying to cultivate your own murder. This set of four patterns is each worked in four colors, and they’re shown in 3-inch hoops, though they vary in size a little bit. 

This Art Nouveau crow from Needle Lot Designs is stunning and reminds me a bit of a tarot card. It would be the perfect thing to stitch for a witchy friend. It measures 74 by 98 stitches, which comes out to 5.25 by 7 inches or 13.4 by 17.8 cm on 14 count fabric. It uses 14 colors and has no backstitching. 

Or keep it monochrome with PandoraXstitch‘s cross cross stitch pattern. I love how this one looks like a woodcut, and it shows you that even stitching in a single color you can make something really interesting. This design is 283 by 284 stitches, which is a little more than 20 inches or 51.5 cm not quite square on 14 count fabric. The pattern includes measurements for other counts if you want to make it a different size. 

The Book of Lost Keys design from Haunted Frames feels a little more Halloween, but it doesn’t have to be. It tells the story of a mama crow whose baby is locked in a cage, but the mama has the key. The design is shown worked on 18 count fabric and measures 109 by 79 stitches. That’s 6.1 by 4.4 inches, or about 15.5 by 11 cm. It uses four colors of regular floss as well as gold metallic floss. 

Speaking of more Halloween, I love this spooky cake stand featuring a crow and other characters from Ulysses Blue Stitching. You’ll find a creepy cake, eyeball in a jar, owl, ghosts and more haunting this house. It uses nine colors and measure 109 by 143 stitches. That’s 7.4 by 9.8 inches or 19.78 by 25.94 cm on 14 count fabric. 

I also like this kind of folk art crow (or raven as the pattern calls it) sitting on a pumpkin from MIYAstitch. This one measures a manageable 71 by 81 stitches and uses seven colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to a little more than 5 by almost 6 inches (or 13 by 15 cm). 

Another pumpkin and crow pattern (this time with a witch hat) comes from My Lovely Embroidery MB. This dare I say cute design uses seven colors as well ans is 81 by 80 stitches. That measures 5.79 by 5.71 inches, or 14.7 by 14.51 cm, on 14 count fabric. This one uses full and three-quarter stitches as well as French knots.