Seasonal guide · Christmas
Christmas cross stitch patterns and ideas
Updated October 18, 2026
A stitched ornament or card is the kind of gift people keep for decades. The hard part is not the stitching, it is the calendar. This guide helps you pick a project that will really be finished by Christmas Eve, choose festive colours and fabric, and finish it so it is ready to hang or give.
Free Christmas cross stitch patterns
Six small Christmas charts you can download and stitch tonight. Each PDF has the full chart, a DMC thread list and a symbol key. The previews below are drawn from the same chart the PDF prints.
Christmas tree
26 × 32 stitches · 7 colours
Snowflake
26 × 26 stitches · 2 colours
Holly
30 × 18 stitches · 5 colours
Candy cane
20 × 28 stitches · 3 colours
Gift box
18 × 18 stitches · 4 colours
Snowman
18 × 26 stitches · 5 colours
Will it be finished by Christmas?
Pick a project or enter your own size. The planner counts the stitches, uses your pace and free time, and tells you the latest day to start.
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The planner adds 3 days for finishing (washing, pressing, backing or framing) and assumes full cross stitches. Backstitch and French knots add a little time.
Christmas projects by size
Sizes are typical design sizes in stitches. The finished size is shown for 14-count Aida, the most common fabric for Christmas pieces.
Tree ornaments
40 × 40 · 7.3 × 7.3 cm (2.9 × 2.9 in) on 14-count
Small motifs such as a bauble, star, robin or gingerbread figure. Stitch a set in the same palette so they look like a collection on the tree. Perfect for using up leftover floss.
Cards and gift tags
60 × 80 · 10.9 × 14.5 cm (4.3 × 5.7 in) on 14-count
Mount a small motif in a three-fold aperture card, or stitch a tiny tag with a name. Allow time for posting if they travel abroad.
Christmas stocking
120 × 190 · 21.8 × 34.5 cm (8.6 × 13.6 in) on 14-count
A big, heirloom project. The name cuff is usually stitched separately on a band of Aida, so you can personalise each stocking without restitching the design.
Advent calendar
160 × 200 · 29 × 36.3 cm (11.4 × 14.3 in) on 14-count
Twenty-four numbered pockets or one panel with numbers. It has to be ready by 1 December, so treat that as your deadline, not Christmas.
Framed sampler or wall hanging
150 × 150 · 27.2 × 27.2 cm (10.7 × 10.7 in) on 14-count
A winter village, a nativity or a 'Noel' sampler with a border. Plan at least a week extra for framing if a framer does it for you.
Cushion or table runner
100 × 100 · 18.1 × 18.1 cm (7.1 × 7.1 in) on 14-count
Repeating borders and snowflakes work well. Choose a fabric that matches your room so you only stitch the motifs, not the background.
Classic Christmas colour palettes (DMC)
Most Christmas designs use five to eight colours. These combinations are popular because they read well from across a room. Screen colours are approximate, so check real skeins before you buy.
Traditional red and green
Bright red, deep red, two greens, winter white and a warm gold for stars.
- DMC 321Red
- DMC 498Red Dk
- DMC 699Green
- DMC 702Kelly Green
- DMC 3865Winter White
- DMC 729Old Gold Med
Nordic red and white
Scandinavian style: one red, crisp white and soft greys. Works beautifully on natural linen.
- DMC 304Red Med
- DMC 3865Winter White
- DMC 762Pearl Gray Vy Lt
- DMC 415Pearl Gray
- DMC 3024Brown Gray Vy Lt
Cream and gold
Elegant and calm: creams, old gold and a soft brown outline. Lovely for angels and stars.
- DMC 3865Winter White
- DMC 712Cream
- DMC 3033Mocha Brown Vy Lt
- DMC 729Old Gold Med
- DMC 3829Old Gold Vy Dk
- DMC 433Brown Med
Frosty blue
Ice blues and silver greys with snow white highlights, ideal for snowflakes and winter scenes.
- DMC B5200Snow White
- DMC 3756Baby Blue Ultra Vy Lt
- DMC 3753Antique Blue Ultra Vy Lt
- DMC 3752Antique Blue Vy Lt
- DMC 3750Antique Blue Vy Dk
- DMC 168Silver Gray
Popular Christmas themes
Classic: Santa, reindeer, snowmen, Christmas trees, wreaths, holly, gingerbread and candy canes. Cosy and modern: winter cottages, mittens, Nordic snowflakes and simple line-art trees. Personal: family-name stockings, 'our first Christmas' ornaments and pet portraits. Our free patterns page has seasonal motifs, including a Christmas tree, snowflake, holly, candy cane, gift and snowman, each with a free printable PDF.
Free Christmas motifs →Fabric and sparkle
14-count Aida is the easiest choice and gives a good size for ornaments and cards. Red or green Aida saves stitching a background, but white and light threads then do the work, so check the contrast first. Sparkle Aida (with a metallic fleck) gives a festive look without metallic thread. Metallic thread looks wonderful but frays quickly. Use shorter lengths (about 30 cm / 12 in), a slightly larger needle, and one strand of metallic with one strand of matching cotton if your pattern allows it. A thread conditioner helps it glide.
Choose your fabric size →Finishing: ornaments, cards and stockings
Ornaments: back the stitched piece with felt and trim with pinking shears, or stitch two pieces back to back with a little stuffing and a ribbon loop. A small hoop also makes an instant frame. Cards: trim the fabric slightly smaller than the card, fix it with double-sided tape inside a three-fold aperture card and close the back flap. Stockings: stitch the design first, then sew the stocking around it. Always wash and press face down on a towel before finishing, so the stitches stay raised.
Learn the stitch types →Add names and dates
A name or a year turns a pattern into a keepsake. In the PIXVIX editor you can type text in stitch-ready fonts, add letters and frames, and see exactly how many stitches it adds before you start. Keep names short on ornaments: about 5 to 7 letters fit across a 40-stitch design.
Open the editor →Lettering for names and messages
For names, 'Noel', 'Joy' or a year, use a simple block alphabet on small pieces and save script or serif letters for larger samplers, where the curves have room. Leave one empty stitch between letters and two or three between words, and count the full width of the word before you place it, so it sits centred under the motif. Our alphabet page has stitch fonts with a live name preview and free printable alphabet charts.
Chart a name →Turn a family photo into a Christmas pattern
A pet in a Santa hat or the house in the snow makes a very personal gift. Upload a photo, choose the size and number of colours, and PIXVIX turns it into a chart with DMC colours and a thread list. For gifts, keep it simple: 20 to 30 colours and around 100 stitches wide is plenty.
How photo to pattern works →Give a pattern as a gift
Short on time? Give the pattern itself. In the PIXVIX shop you can buy a pattern as a gift: the recipient gets an email, opens it in their own account and stitches from their phone, tablet or a printed PDF. Nothing to post and it arrives in time even on Christmas Eve.
Browse the shop →A Christmas stitching calendar
September – early October
Start large pieces: stockings, samplers and anything you want framed by a framer.
October
Advent calendars (they must be ready by 1 December) and cushions.
November
Ornament sets and wall hangings. Buy all floss for big areas at once so the dye lots match.
1 – 15 December
Cards that need posting, gift tags and single ornaments.
Last week
Tiny ornaments, last-minute tags, or give a pattern as a gift.
Ready to start your Christmas project?
Pick a pattern from the shop, or turn your own photo or idea into a chart with exact DMC colours and stitch counts.
Questions
- How long does a Christmas ornament take to cross stitch?
- A typical ornament of about 40 × 40 stitches with partial coverage has roughly 1,000 to 1,200 stitches. At 100 stitches an hour that is about 10 to 12 hours, so two or three evenings plus finishing.
- What fabric is best for Christmas cross stitch?
- 14-count Aida in white or ivory is the easiest. Red or green Aida and sparkle Aida look festive but need good thread contrast. Use 16 or 18-count if you want a smaller, finer ornament.
- How do I stitch with metallic thread without it fraying?
- Cut shorter lengths, use a needle one size larger, stitch a little slower and use a thread conditioner. Many stitchers blend one strand of metallic with one strand of cotton.
- Can I add a name to a Christmas pattern?
- Yes. Plan the space first: about 5 to 7 letters fit across 40 stitches with a small font. In the PIXVIX editor you can type the name in a stitch font and place it before you start.
- When should I start a cross stitch Christmas stocking?
- Stockings are usually 15,000 to 30,000 stitches. Most people need 2 to 3 months, so starting in September or early October is safest. Use the planner above with your own pace.
- Can I give a cross stitch pattern as a Christmas gift?
- Yes. In the PIXVIX shop choose 'As a gift' at checkout. The recipient gets an email with the pattern and can stitch from any screen or print the PDF.
- Are there free Christmas cross stitch patterns?
- Yes. The PIXVIX free patterns page includes seasonal motifs such as a Christmas tree, snowflake, holly, candy cane, gift and snowman, each with a free printable PDF. You can also turn your own photo or drawing into a chart.
- What size should a cross stitch Christmas card design be?
- Measure the card window first. Design width in stitches ÷ fabric count = finished width in inches. For example, a 60 × 80 stitch design on 14-count Aida is about 4.3 × 5.7 in (10.9 × 14.5 cm). The size calculator checks other fabric counts.
- When should I start Christmas cross stitch?
- It depends on the size and your pace. As a rule, start big pieces such as stockings and samplers in early autumn, cards and ornament sets in November, and keep tiny ornaments and tags for December. The planner above gives a latest start date for your own project.