Year of the Dragon Cross Stitch Patterns

The coming new year is the year of the dragon in Chinese astrology, so let’s celebrate with some year of the dragon cross stitch patterns.

The green dragon cross stitch pattern from Creative House Pattern (via Etsy) also features the year prominently, with a landscape worked into the numbers and the dragon perched on top. It’s not super traditional, but still fun. This one is 112 by 84 stitches and uses eight colors.

I always love the Chinese New Year patterns from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery, and the year of the dragon one is no exception. Include the year at the top or leave it off for a decoration you can pull out every 12 years! The pattern actually comes with all the numbers so if you want to personalize it with the birth year of a dragon in your life that would also be fun.

For a more traditional Chinese dragon look to your year of the dragon cross stitch, try this pattern from The Art of Cross Stitch on Etsy. The pattern is worked in three colors and measures 6 by 8 inches on 14 count fabric (80 by 103 stitches).

Or make this gorgeous red and gold dragon from Care Cross Stitch. It comes out to 8 inches/20.3 cm on 16 count fabric and uses three colors. I think this would look especially cool if you used metallic thread for the gold circle around the outside of the project.

You can also stitch the zodiac symbol for a dragon rather than the dragon itself, as in this pattern from Holly’s Hobbies UK. This one uses a single color and is about 50 by 50 stitches, or 3.6 inches/9 cm square on 14 count fabric.

And if you want a project that will last you the entirety of the year of the dragon, check out this amazing dragon from Unconventional X-Stitch. At 317 by 516 stitches and a whopping 87 colors, this project would be a true labor of love but such an amazing work of art to have in your home through the year of the dragon and beyond.

If you’re looking for a ton of easy cross stitch designs to use for Christmas projects, look no further than Claire Crompton’s The Ultimate Cross Stitch Christmas Collection, which includes more than 500 charts for tiny stockings, angels, ornaments and much more.

The book covers the materials you’ll use to create the projects, how to add beads and other embellishments, stitching techniques and instructions for finishing projects shown in the book.

You’ll find ideas for using the patterns such as making greeting cards, ornaments, wall hangings, napkin rings and patches, as well as ideas for adding stitching to ready made or semi-homemade gifts. There are also tips for framing and hanging projects, making an advent calendar and designing your own Christmas sampler.

The charts are arranged by theme like Christmas classics (bells, horns and candles), garlands including stockings and mittens, Christmas carols, advent motifs with numbers to make your own calendar, St. Nicholas, nativity projects, snowmen, Santa’s sleigh, snowflakes and snow themed projects, Shaker-style Christmas designs, Santa’s helpers and reindeer, tree decorations, snowy scenes, robins and other birds, angels, Christmas trees, penguins, baby’s first Christmas, Victorian-inspired designs, sweets and treats, Christmas flowers, child themed patterns, stitches for gift tags, fairies, bears both teddy and otherwise, 12 days of Christmas patterns, projects to work on linens for the table, sentiments for cards or other projects, and several sets of alphabets and numbers you can use to design your own projects.

There’s a really cute parcel alphabet that has the letters on presents and there are also elves and a Santa worked in, which would be cute for a project for a child or to make a sign for your house.

Patterns are shown several to a page with one key for all of the projects. The projects don’t say how big they are so you’ll have to count stitches on the chart and figure out how big they will be based on the fabric you are using.

Still, this is a nice, large collection of holiday themed cross stitch designs, which is great for people who like stitching projects big and small for Christmas.

About the book: 112 pages, paperback, published 2026 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

Have you read?