When it comes to creating custom cross stitch gifts, personalized cross stitch portraits are often right at the bottom of the list. You don’t get to keep them; they might not be appreciated, and in the worst cases, can be a bore to stitch. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, portrait cross stitches are a great way to make a simple, thoughtful gift that is personalised in all the right ways.
Why Cross Stitch Portraits Are Timeless Keepsakes
Personalized cross stitch gifts are always a tough one to crack. Whilst designs that feature wedding dates are a safe bet, many people either simply don’t appreciate a cross stitch with some cross stitched words on it, or don’t understand the work that goes into making a customised cross stitch.
But portraits are a little different. Portraits are quick and easy to make, and due to being 100% custom and personal, are often savoured.
Martha Stewart was one of the first to think about cross stitch portraits, with designs you can still download, and she highlighted how something small and simple can be one of the most touching gifts. You had to think about the people, think about what they wear, their other family members, their hobbies, and their homes, etc.
It’s due to this that cross stitch portraits are the unsung hero of custom and personalized gifts.
And why you should try your hand at them!
How to Make a Cross Stitch Portrait
OK, so now you’ve been bitten with the portrait bug, how do you go about making a cross stitch design that will reflect the person?
You’ve got two options: creating your own pattern from scratch, or using a pattern book.
Creating Your Own Portrait Pattern
The first option is probably what you’re thinking when I say custom cross stitch; firing up some cross stitch software and importing a photo, and it doing its thing. And yes, you can do this, but actually, I would suggest you DON’T do this.
You see, you’ll get a pattern, but it’ll be huge, filled with confetti stitch and unless you have the dithering sliders set perfectly, will probably look pants when stitched (this is how bad cross stitch patterns happen after all!).
So instead, I would recommend thinking about your image from the ground up. Do you need full colors? Does it need to be huge? Does it need to be detailed?
In most cases, no!
I’ve stitched a few cross stitch portraits in the past, including my Gordon Freeman Portrait Cross Stitch, and that’s a small stitch, with limited colors, and not detailed at all!
These are the type of patterns that can really stand out and don’t have to be complicated to make.
Left: Benedict Cumberbatch Portrait by Kyle Books
Middle: Gordon Freeman Portrait by Lord Libidan
Right: George Bush Portrait by Emily Gallardo
There will be a bit of a learning curve here, as you will need to design your own image to start, but it will definitely be worth it, and will avoid you stitching an epic cross stitch for years!
Portrait Pattern Books
But there is another way. A way that allows you to stitch something custom and designed, but without the headache: pattern books.
Since Martha Stewart’s blog, a few cross stitch portrait books have come out, and they’re all great. The most well-known is Stitch People, who offer books on the people themselves, backgrounds, and hobbies (and they even credit Martha Stewart with the idea!).
Or you can pick up the equally popular Pixel People on Etsy.
These pattern books offer base models you can pick clothes for, pick locational backgrounds, and pets, etc, to really make it personal. And best of all, they’re small and should only take a weekend to design and stitch up! Definitely worth it.
The Secret Third Option: Get Someone Else To Design It
However, if you’re still not sold, or just don’t want to go about making your own cross stitch pattern, you can get custom portrait cross stitch patterns from Etsy in a variety of styles. Simply send them a photo and they’ll make the pattern for you.
You can even look into getting custom cross stitch kits if you want all the threads too!
Tips for Turning Photos Into Cross Stitch Heirlooms
When it comes to making anything personal, we would suggest you follow these three tips:
Always make sure it will be appreciated
Some people just don’t care for cross stitch. They must be crazy, but it happens! So make sure you’re stitching something up for someone who will cherish it, rather than bin it!
Stitch something on the small side
It might feel a little quick for you, but stitching small is a clever idea.
If they love it, you can always stitch something bigger in the future; now you know they’ll appreciate it.
And if they hate it, no worries, it didn’t take you long!
Make sure its something you want to stitch
Cross stitching should be able you first and foremost. So make sure that whatever you’re stitching, you want to stitch it.
Have you tried cross stitch portraits? We’d love for you to link them down below, and we might feature some on an upcoming post!
Happy stitching,
Lord Libidan
Explore all our cross stitch guides to master everything from basics to advanced techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn any photo into a cross stitch portrait?
Yes. By using cross stitch software, or even free online cross stitch software, you can turn any photo into a cross stitch portrait. Or follow a pattern using parts like Stitch People.
How long does a cross stitch portrait take to complete?
Depending on the type of pattern you choose, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few months of work.
What’s the best fabric count for cross stitch portraits?
In order to make sure the design isn’t too large, 14 count is suggested as the best count for cross stitch portraits.