DLTK's Crafts for Kids
St. Patrick's Day Cross Stitch Patterns

Two beginner cross stitch patterns for children to make for Saint Patrick's Day (or other "good luck" or "rainbow" themes)!  The shamrock pattern works well as a bookmark on 11 or 14 count aida cloth (though those counts are a bit harder for the kids to use as the stitches are smaller).  They also make nice pictures on plastic canvas or 6 count aida (terrific for beginners!).

The words on the Shamrock project requires backstitching.  If you're just starting to learn cross stitch, you can skip the words.  (You can just cut the words off the pattern template before giving it to the child).

To learn more about cross stitching, check out our "How to Cross Stitch" directions.

When I do these projects with the girls, I encourage them fill in the white backgrounds with white cross stitch instead of leaving it unstitched.  The long rows of single colored stitches are terrific practice.  But it's completely up to you!  It does make the project take a lot longer.
 

Materials:

• printer,
• paper,
• embroidery floss (see the template for recommendations for the colors needed)
  • feel free to substitute colors!
     
• Aida cloth with a low number (6 count Aida is 6 stitches per inch while 10 count is 10 stitches per inch...  The lower the number, the bigger the project ends up being and the easier it is for a beginner to complete)
  OR
• plastic canvas.
   
• embroidery hoop (a must! unless you're using plastic canvas).
   
• needle (20 or 22 work well, but any that fit 3 strands of floss will do).
   

Instructions:

• Print out the template of choice (we have two different templates to choose from).
   
• Fold cloth in half and then in half again to find the center.
   
• Place hoop around cloth.  Start as close to center as you can.
   
• Cut about 18 inch pieces of floss and divide in half (so you have 3 strands of floss to work with).
   
• Start cross stitching!  To learn more about cross stitching, check out our "How to Cross Stitch" directions.
   

Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
   
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).
   

Shamrock Template    (color)   or   (B&W)

Rainbow Template       (color)   or   (B&W)

Printable version of these instructions