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Why Are Cross Stitch Alphabet Patterns So Hard to Come By? 26 Aug 2:13 AM (3 days ago)

We’ve all been there. We need a quick cross stitch alphabet to add to our pattern, or sign our work, or add a monogram. But when we go looking, we can only find heavily ornate designs or massive letter patterns. Etsy and Pinterest are great, but when you need to scroll for an hour to find something even slightly usable, you start to wonder: how did we get here?

To make things even worse, you swear it was never like that in the past… Or was it?

Well, it was better in the past. And today, we’re going to look into why, and what we can do about it!

The Free Pattern Problem

One of the greatest things about online cross stitch communities is that they allowed pretty much anyone to host patterns. Couple this with cheap or free pattern generators, and you have a glut of patterns that are inconsistent in quality, inconsistent in size, inconsistent in name, and most of the time you have to stitch it to even work out what you’re stitching (how did we live before pattern previews?).

So now, if you want any pattern, you have to search half a dozen websites to find something even semi-workable, then you have to think about its quality, and then you have to think about if it will even work in the space you’ve got!
It’s no wonder platforms like Etsy really hit it off; with a single place, people can search for patterns and mostly trust the quality too. However, as time goes on, we can trust places like Etsy less and less…

The “Everything” Problem

So where do we go now?
Well, the obvious choice is those directory sites with a bazillion patterns, or a book offering you 100+ patterns.

And some of these are OK; in fact, most of the books are. However, it brings in another issue: decision paralysis.

The problem with so many patterns, all kinds of the same, with barely any difference between them, is that we simply can’t pick one!!!
Most of us feel this same issue with the hoard of cross stitch patterns we’ve amassed over the years, some even kitted up. But where is the one that excites us right now?

The Size Problem

So you finally find it! And… it’s the wrong size…

You see, whilst there are patterns out there, they tend to skew towards the large or the multi-color, or the fancy. This makes sense; most designers are out there to sell a pattern, not a single 4×4 letter. But it also gives us another issue; what if we want to make a sampler, or sign our work?

Massive ornate patterns just don’t work in every situation.

But as time moves on, and online stores change towards the movement of selling patterns rather than giving them away free (whatever happened to free pattern sites?), we find ourselves searching longer and longer for what we need.

What Makes A Good Alphabet Collection?

OK, so now we know the bad, let’s talk about solutions.

There are websites, and there are books out there offering great collections of cross stitch alphabets. But they are rare. In reality, you want a few things:

• A curated collection of different styles
• A guarentee of quality
• Consistent sizing
• Plain, mono-color letters
• A logical order

There are collections too, but many are old, out of print, or hard to find. A particular favorite of ours is Cross Stitch Letters Bible by Valerie Lejeune. A fantastic book that was published in three languages with over 844 quality alphabet patterns. But good luck finding this book for less than $300!

Cross Stitch Letters Bible

By Valerie Lejeune

An enormous, out-of-print reference of 844 alphabets and number sets in different fonts and sizes, a genuine holy grail for stitchers who love lettering.

Search on eBay

Is There A Future?

Well, I hope so!
I’ve been working hard to offer free cross stitch alphabets, and I’m working on a new solution too; a massive cross stitch alphabet book filled with a bunch of patterns that are plain, sized, mono-color, and of high quality.
Hopefully, I’m not the only one either.

This isn’t just a problem for cross stitch alphabets, but it does feel more pronounced when looking for alphabets. I just hope cross stitch designers, maybe helped by AI, can offer quality resources that cross stitchers actually want and need, rather than just getting a quick buck in!

Happy stitching,
Lord Libidan

The post Why Are Cross Stitch Alphabet Patterns So Hard to Come By? appeared first on Lord Libidan.

Is “The New Cross Stitcher’s Bible” Actually Any Good?” 19 Aug 2:56 AM (10 days ago)

It doesn’t matter who is rounding up cross stitch books; there is one book that always appears: Jane Greenoff’s New Cross Stitcher’s Bible. Even our own list of best cross stitch books does. But in every review you see for the book, there is always a negative, always something holding it back from that big 5/5 score.

So I have to wonder, is this actually the essential manual it claims to be? Or does its reputation simply keep on dragging it back to those best of lists?

I own a copy, in fact two (long story), and I have used it, and will continue to use it. But at the same time, I also have my reservations about it. And I find myself agreeing with some of those non-perfect reviews.

What the book gets right

Let’s start with the good stuff; what the new cross stitcher’s bible does right.
Much like the “cross stitcher’s bible” before it, Jane takes a technique-first approach instead of a book of pattern collections. There are patterns, of course, most of which are outdated now (originating from the original 2000s book), but it is all about the way to stitch.
It genuinely tries to give you step-by-step advice on how to stitch, on tips Jane has picked up along the way, and it does it VERY well.

Being honest with you, there aren’t many books that go into the depths that Jane does here; featuring non-standard stitches, edging, framing and everything in between. It honestly puts our cross stitch guides to shame.
And it’s for this reason that it earns its place in my stitching library.
I have, and no doubt will again, come across a new stitch I don’t know or can’t remember, or need advice on how to do that little thing no one really ever speaks about.
And for that, this is a perfect book.

The complexity problem

But here also lies the problem.

The biggest gripe about the book is those tutorials, those tips and suggestions.
For many, mostly beginners, those stitches are just plain confusing. Why does someone need to know all of these fancy stitches when all they want to do is learn how to thread a needle and do the basic stitch?

And I have to agree here; this book is not for beginners. If you want that kind of book, something like The Mr X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch is better; clearly targeted at beginner stitchers, with only those guides that beginners need to know.
Yet, almost without a doubt, the new cross stitcher’s bible is lauded as a cross stitch book for everyone. And this just isn’t the case…

For me, this is an intermediate to advanced stitcher’s book. And a great one at that. If you want to branch out to new stitches, or make your own patterns, or do edging, or stitch on things other than aida, this is the book for you. But if you don’t know what a petit stitch is, or why you would pick a specific needle size, then you’re just not going to have a good time with this book.
In fact, I suspect people give up before even trying based on the amount of tutorials alone!

And then you have the other side of the very same coin. People often complain about it being too light, and note that it’s not as useful as other resources out there. And honestly, I do get this. But I also think it might be a timing thing.

Back in 2000 when the original bible came out, there were no flosstubers or online communities or tiktoks where you could learn, question, and see others do it.
Back then there were only books like this.
Now, you can get 100 YouTube videos up within 30 seconds showing you in detail how to do every stitch you could ever want, in HD, in any language, and from a dozen angles.

Back when this book came out, it was better than we had before; it was a genuine resource.
But now, it has next to no images, no alternative ways to explain things, no animations or videos.

For the new generation of stitchers, it just doesn’t scratch that itch it did for the “old guard” of cross stitch.

Where’s Jane?

Finally, we look at Jane herself. For those who don’t know her (she isn’t that active anymore), she was a prolific cross stitch designer, writer, blogger, and founder of the Cross Stitch Guild. For many, she is the biggest celebrity cross stitch has. There’s a reason I started this post with her name; she draws people in, even to this day.

So where is she in this book?
There is next to no designs of her own, no previews of her work on display, and no mention of how she would do it, or those personal touches a lot of cross stitch books have.

Now, this isn’t a major concern in most cases; it is a tutorial book after all. But it’s also a tutorial book built on her name, built on her authority and reputation as a designer.
So to see no designs and barely any patterns, it feels like this could have been written by anyone…

Verdict: who should actually buy this

So what is my honest take?
I love this book. Can’t get enough of it, to the point where I own multiple editions.

But it isn’t going to be that one catch-all book I can recommend to every cross stitcher. For beginners, it’s either too sparse or there are too many guides. For intermediate stitchers, you might prefer online tutorials. And for advanced stitchers, you might know it all already.

I’m not the first to bring this up. In fact, the reason I’m writing about it today was that I saw yet another Reddit or Facebook post questioning it as the “bible” it seeks to be. People are offering other books instead, or singing its praises, or simply stating it’s not worth the money. And all of those thoughts are kind of my own. I’m torn between it being great, and it being simply not enough.
For me, it really depends on who is getting this book.

You see, this was a book of its time. The single best resource that existed in 2000.
But now, it has that nuanced factor.

I would still recommend it, let’s be clear. But I would always state that it ‘might’ be a good book for a cross stitcher.
All I know is it’s good for me.

The New Cross Stitcher’s Bible

By Jane Greenoff

Difficulty: X to XXXX

★★★★★ 4/5 (Our rating)

A staple in many cross stitchers’ collections, the Jane Greenoff Cross Stitch Bible has been updated a number of times over the years, and covers everything from the very basics to complex theories and stitches. It can be a great learning resource, but may not be great for beginners in today’s world.

Buy on Amazon

Is there a good alternative?

The thing is, Jane know this. In fact, back when the New Cross Stitcher’s Bible was out of print for a while, she created a new book; The Stitch Book.
And this solved so many of the issues the bible had.

It includes much better images, it has great guides, its simple to use, clear and every page is a new stitch.
Yes, it does include things far beyond cross stitch, but I think that this book, is a perfect example of a cross stitch bible.

The Stitch Book

By Jane Greenoff

Difficulty: X to XX

★★★★★ 4/5 (Our rating)

An embroidery book containing every stitch known to man, and a perfect compendium for any stitcher. The guides are simple, clear, and have great illustrations to help you understand them.

Buy on Jane Greenoff

 
Happy stitching,
Lord Libidan

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