Reddit mentions: The best cross-stitch books

For online resources to get you started, you can check out about.com's cross stitch site and go to that tutorial to get started from scratch. As for videos, a simple YouTube reveals a lot of them, I'd watch a few to see what style of instruction you like and who is easier to understand. If you'd like a physical book, I like The Cross Stitcher's Bible. However, if you're a tactile learner like me, you may prefer looking up nearby needlework shops and finding out about group times to come in and talk to people who can give you hands-on help (and make new friends in the process).

The about.com link has a short list of items. I'm not an embroidery hoop person-- I learned how to hold my fabric taut between my fingers and get a feel for how the thread and fabric work together. However, you may find that you like using the hoop for small projects, so that may be something you'd want to play around with at a needlework shop with someone's help.

I prefer dedicated needlework shops over Hobby Lobby or Michael's, both because I like supporting local, independent stores and because the people there don't tend to be experts in one particular area. At needlework shops, that's all they do, so you'll get people who really care about cross stitching and will give you the best help. Sometimes, though, Hobby Lobby or Michael's is all you have around you, and I understand that.

Good luck, and have fun! I'm just getting back into it myself after a long break, life has been crazy the last few years and I'm now in a position to start back up again and budget for it accordingly.

It's a very easy hobby to get hooked on. :-) There are several pattern sites out there that I like. First, for geeky games stuff, try the Sprite Stitch Forums. There are tons of sprite patterns and ideas there for free. For huge, fancy projects I like Heaven and Earth Designs. Their patterns are not free (for the most part), but they go on sale regularly, and if you send them a photo of your finished piece for their gallery, they'll give you another pattern of the same price for free. About.com Also has some pretty good, simple free patterns.

If you're interested in picking up any books, the two I use most frequently are 2001 Cross Stitch Designs and 365 Alphabets. The first has a ton of motifs that can be used individually for ornaments, cards, and other gifts, or combined to make larger patterns. The second is great for personalizing stuff. Hope these help!

I purchased one and I cannot recommend it. It's on polyester fabric, which I find incredibly hard to work with for surface embroidery, it doesn't hold tension very well and you can't pick out mistakes without leaving holes in the fabric. You'd also have to purchase floss, needles, and a hoop, which are generally provided in many other kits.

I'd recommend something like a Studio MME kit or Penguin & Fish kit, which are both inexpensive, include all you need but scissors, and can give you a feeling on whether you like surface embroidery techniques.

If you really do want to do the mandalas, I would recommend buying an even-weave linen and tracing a pattern from a coloring book as /u/DanikaMoffatt suggested. While this is far more elaborate than any beginner would do, for some ideas on how this kind of project can work, you might want to look at Mary Corbet's Secret Garden embroidery project.

For a first project, I would do running stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch, and maybe the occasional French knot. However, there are no embroidery police and you should do whatever you want.

My favorite all-purpose beginners' embroidery stitch guide is the Leisure Arts' Embroidery Pocket Guide which is a plasticized fold-in, much like old auto maps in the pre-GPS era. I always carry it in my workbox, because whenever I get confused about a stitch, it's just a source of great diagrams on how all the major stitches are supposed to work, and being laminated means that I don't have to worry about ruining it.

Here are some of my personal favorites:
http://mochimochiland.com/shop/when-tessellations-roamed-the-earth/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/steotch?ref=pr_shop_more

http://clubjade.net/?p=12185

http://handeyemindmouth.blogspot.com/2011/01/han-solo-cross-stitch-pattern-available.html

(If you haven't noticed yet I'm obsessed with Star Wars)

http://www.thedomesticscientist.com/?page_id=407

http://fishmousestitches.blogspot.com/2010/12/finished-trilobite-sampler-and-free.html

Also, I just bought this book of cross stitch motifs and it has some cute/nerdy stuff that isn't just your run-of-the-mill rabbits and flowers and typical old lady cross stitching. I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440309256

Also, if you don't already know about it craftster has a ton of great forums with people's completed projects and some great user-submitted tutorials. It's worth perusing for some ideas.

And finally, geekcrafts is a great.

I've found a number of good patterns on Pinterest. There is this book, https://www.amazon.com/RSN-ESG-Blackwork-Essential-Needlework/dp/184448551X and if you by chance live in the Bay Area, the San Francisco School of Needlework and Design has classes. I really enjoy it but need a magnifier to do it because my eyesight is pretty good with glasses, but the weave on the fabric is pretty small.

The only official designs was a company by the name of Nomis. They came out with team logos for the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB. Nomis created both the mini logos and Frameups, which are the much larger designs. They can be hard to find, however, Amazon has one on the Mini's up right now for 10.99:

http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Stitch-Minis-Carolyn-Lowy/dp/B0062P6RGS.


I double checked mine and the Blackhawks are in both. :)


PS: Great team, btw. I love Brandon Bolling! :)

Adding “botanical” or “botanical print” may help.

For gardener friends I typically gift a Véronique Enginger design. The French Needle has several kits available.

LoLaLotta Shop has similar designs to Véronique Enginger on Etsy.

If you want to recreate the herb pattern you found with flowers, your best bet may be to check, likely older, cross stitch books. You can add text to label each plant. Your library may be a good source of books. Some examples from Amazon are here, here, and here.

The metacarpals I know that is really a few bones but when I was in Medical Assisting school and learning all the bones, I loved that word. Thanks for the contest and Happy early Birthday!

I'm doing a scene of emperor penguins, the one on the cover of this book. Only I'm stitching it on fancy fabric because it's a wedding gift for a friend, and that provided justification to buy the good stuff that I was drooling over for months. ;) I think it looks like a cloudy sky and the sparkly bits look like falling snow.

So much black and gray and white though...

• $5 or less [funf] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008D51K30/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=26SWLD702LW5B&coliid=I2XIJA5WNF24QC)
  
  
• $4 or less [vier] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007S642BW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1JZ9YT455ZCAF&coliid=I3EFVE3RT0B1TU)
  
  
• $3 or less [drei] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067Y5KWG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3QH9B9F3D6INE&coliid=I1GH2SFYKRPRZ7)
  
  
• $2 or less [ zwei] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FSKVIE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1JZ9YT455ZCAF&coliid=I11SIIP9P8XP1N)
  
  
• $1 or less [eins] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDD3OB8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1JZ9YT455ZCAF&coliid=I2RWXM5VYIMVF5)
  
  
• [I just love this hippie patterned one so cute[ (http://www.amazon.com/Hippie-Chick-Hootie-Stitch-Pattern-ebook/dp/B00BRZEX8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395366887&sr=8-1&keywords=hootie+patterns)
  
  Thanks for the contest :)

That is really nice! I doubt I could do something that complex! Here's the Star Trek book... I'm doing the first one that says Enterprise Sweet Enterprise.

I've been playing The Sims (in 3D thanks to my laptop that I didn't know had that feature) and playing with the digital sketch pad my DH got me for Vday... let's see if that helps me get through!

Edit: words

I love this book - it has all sorts of little motifs, including country flags! If they're too small for your coaster, you could do a block of four stitches for every single stitch in the pattern.

Mega Mini Cross Stitch: 900 Super Awesome Cross Stitch Motifs https://www.amazon.com/dp/1910904384/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gSqCCb44N0VRX

These plants - they are clean air plants, and come in 4 inch pots, so they don't take a lot of space. Good for most homes (and, not asking, but they also make self aerating pots that hold more water without water logging roots - that's on my wishlist too - a good add for later when you need to move your plants to a larger pot - plus the extra room for more water means less likely to die from lack of - though I am scatterbrained and still need a reminder on my phone for my plants at home that aren't in my space and easily noticeable- my work plants, though, they thrive!)

Edit: adding more stuff cause I just saw that you ok'd it in the comments, and the one about you and hot sauce (I, too, now am subscribed to r/spicy so thanks to u/lolpengi), and your hobbies in another comment - I have hot sauce and a TON of interesting or gorgeous cross stitch patterns

Bravado Hot Sauces - I have wanted to try the ghost pepper blueberry ever since I saw it on Hot Ones

Cross stitch links:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LQ88NX0/?coliid=IMMZVTQPNAVR1&colid=3RPZNJ3MGKMVY&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1576877558/?coliid=I3UA7SIN42VHH2&colid=3RPZNJ3MGKMVY&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07JZ9TS5Q/?coliid=I3OXO5QU33B3WD&colid=3RPZNJ3MGKMVY&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1632504537/?coliid=I1FX6SRBT2TI91&colid=3RPZNJ3MGKMVY&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00WEM5RDW/?coliid=I8EZR5Q6262UT&colid=3RPZNJ3MGKMVY&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Happy Birthday to both you and your mom!

I would love this Hooties Pirate Pattern for $1.99

womb liberation!

I personally like to look through books to get a starting point then come up with a variation. Here are a couple of books with good small patterns in different styles (though all Japanese):

• Makoto's Cross Stitch Super Collection - Note, you can buy this used cheaply.
  
  
• Tiny Cross Stitch Designs (Japanese)
  
  
• Wildflower Garden by Kazuko Aoki

If your niece has shown an interest in learning, then it's more likely that she will have the patience to give it a go. You could start with some super simple little motif patterns - stuff like this maybe. If she enjoys that, then she could move up to those cute kits you got her. I think I started when I was about 8, and would have had no problems doing those kits. Probably the hardest part is learning to count and space your stitches.

There are the three heavy hitters for pattern books for subversive cross stitch:

Feminist Cross Stitch

Subversive Cross Stitch

Improper Cross Stitch

You can also find a TON of projects on Etsy to gift your match.

If you want to do something cheaper or less, stitchers can always use more floss (310, White, Ecru, 666 are some key numbers/colors to look for) and aida (cross stitching fabric). Feel free to check out our gift giving guide for other ideas!

What about å book with a lot of small patterns, like https://www.amazon.com/Mega-Mini-Cross-Stitch-Awesome/dp/1910904384/. Or make a "kit" with some of the great patterns from; https://parvumautomaton.wordpress.com/welcome/free-patterns/star-wars/

Definitely. Carousel Horses in Cross Stitch: Beautiful Projects for Every Month of the Year
ISBN-13: 978-0806988375, ISBN-10: 0806988371

https://www.amazon.com/Carousel-Horses-Cross-Stitch-Beautiful/dp/0806988371

I did not know what a degu was, so thank you for introducing me to these cute critters. There are a few illustrative patterns in the "Furry Friends" section of the book Picture Your Pet in Cross Stitch by Claire Crompton. You might also reach out to the creator of this deviant art photorealistic "Degu Montage."

edit: a word

There's a decent book on how to create blackwork patterns by Becky Hogg. As far as I know, there aren't any software programs yet that have the thread thickness variations included. The fills though you can find pretty much everywhere when you google blackwork fills. Link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/Blackwork-Essential-Stitch-Guides-Becky/dp/184448551X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405434706&sr=8-2&keywords=blackwork

This book

I have a copy and love it.

I got this book from Amazon, but your local library system may have it. It has a good section of flowers. There are some pattern books that are all flowers too, but I don't know much about them

2001 Cross Stitch Designs : The Essential Reference Book https://www.amazon.com/dp/069620780X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NQhSybRJT5HTA

Highly recommend this book, written by a guy! mr x stitch

Alphabet from Better Homes and Gardens' 2001 Cross Stitch Designs : The Essential Reference Book.

Technically, it’s a work I progress since I’m making a whole square of motifs. But I got the design out of here.

I found this pattern in this book I bought to help me learn how to cross stitch:

The Mr X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1782214240/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GnIVBb62PQD3N

Based on some back searching, I think the pattern can be found here as well

https://www.amazon.com/Picture-your-Pet-Cross-Stitch/dp/1446300021

I have a book, “Mega Mini Cross Stitch” by Makoto Oozu. It has just what you’re looking for. I got it on amazon.

ETA link:

https://www.amazon.com/Mega-Mini-Cross-Stitch-Awesome/dp/1910904384/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DEUSEF4NJPQX&keywords=mega+mini+cross+stitch&qid=1574037626&sprefix=Mega+mini+%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-1

I already had Tardis' pattern, you can get it here https://cloudsfactory.net/10th-doctor-and-rose-tyler-doctor-who.html

Ladybug comes in this book I just bought https://www.amazon.com/Mega-Mini-Cross-Stitch-Awesome/dp/1910904384

Via a Pinterest picture matching search, I think I found it. This is from a Claire Crompton book called “Picture your Pet in Cross Stitch”

Link on Amazon

I built the pattern from this cross stitch book:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/1910904384/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=A1DT36E5O0B045&psc=1

Pattern by me, incorporating elements from this book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Trek-Cross-stitch-Explore-Crafting/dp/1476718660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372620603&sr=8-1&keywords=star+trek+cross+stitch

Self-drafted pattern - the client I made this for wanted a block style font and some flowers to soften the message. Got them both from this book!