How to embroider Simple Cross Stitch Flowers : 5 easy examples

When you have problems in life, sometimes you prefer to deal with them squarely, chin up, but at times you will do anything to forget about them. There is no magic remedy that can give a temporary amnesia than working on a cross stitch design. When you painstakingly count your threads and make your x stitches, trying your best not to make a mess of the lovely design you started, you forget your worries for a little while.

I did that this weekend and found it quite cathartic. I started with one flower and then went on to do some more.

How to start working on your own Cross stitch flower design 

A love of flowers or something equally cute is necessary for cross stitching. And there is no other particular qualifier needed – no need to have previous experience as an embroiderer at all to work these cross stitch flowers.

The x stitch of the cross stitch is one of the easiest stitches in embroidery and anyone can do this continuously as long as she or he wants and fill the design adequately. You need to be able to focus your mind, though, and this may be very hard for some but not impossible – I can vouch for that.

You can find a detailed tutorial on how to start cross stitching for a beginner as well as the different variations of the cross stitch here. 

Ready your cross stitching supplies

You need even-weave fabric / aida /canvas to make cross stitch flower designs – these are fabric with woven threads visible on them; a tapestry needle ( medium sized needle with a blunt tip) and regular embroidery floss and a hoop to keep the fabric taut.

Find your flower designs

This is the easiest part of embroidering cross-stitch flowers. Flowers are everywhere around you. Find some flower drawings from books on flowers or embroidery design books.

The Usborne Little Book of Flowers

Or take a photo from your own garden.

Check out this post on the different sources for inspirations to find your own designs for cross stitch embroidery or any embroidery and easy way to design cross stitch patterns.

Roughly draw the design on the fabric . The picture below is meant to be a Magnolia flower – my apologies if you do not think so.

Decide on the shading you mean to give – select the floss accordingly. You can mark on the fabric with a coloring pencil so that you are clear on the colors.

Start embroidering your cross stitch flower

Thread your needle with 3 to 6 strands of floss. The professionals separate the strands first and then keep them together before threading them on the needle. The thread is not doubled – a small tail is left at the near the eye of the needle – which is adjusted and stretched as you stitch.

Instead of Knotting (which leaves ugly bug like things on the back of your work) you can just leave a 1 inch tail of floss as you start and then when you make subsequent stitches make them over this tail. ( Or try the methods shown here to start embroidering without leaving thread knots )

My favorite method of cross stitching is to do it in a straight line – make the first slanting lines of the x stitch first to fill a row and then come back and make the second crossing lines – this method is easier to fill designs than making one off cross stitches.

Bluebells

Simple work always result in the most beautiful effect.

Poppy

A poppy flower is quite the easiest to draw.

Just draw 4 petals and fill with red embroidery floss – the center is reserved for black and a smidgen of golden yellow.

Pansy

This is a pansy flower, one of the most prettiest and versatile flowers out there.You can find more ways to embroider a pansy flower here.

Tulips

Tulips are very easy to make with cross stitching. Make a rectangular block with 7 across and 4 down. Make three cross stitches on top – at the center and at the corners. Make a row of 5 cross stitches below the rectangle you have stitched – make three more stitches under this and then finally one – your tulip will be done. Stitch the stems and the leaf.

Related posts : hand embroidery flower stitches ; 10 super easy floral designs for embroidery.