A Definative History of Cross Stitch

The history of cross stitch has been a staple of embroidery for nearly 3000 years, and in that time has gone through multiple dips and resurgences through the last two millennia. However a lot of confusion and misinformation still surrounds the potted history of cross stitch of this embroidery staple, so without further ado, we have scoured sourcebooks, articles, and magazines to cover the definitive history of cross stitch.
Our story starts back in Egypt, as far as we know…

The History Of Cross Stitch

500AD

The first known embroidery
Stories have past down the generations from all kinds of cultures that state embroidery and embellishment were core parts of what made humans human. Decorating our clothes is a way to show our history and how we differ from animals. And with this, we have many examples of embroidery from long ago.
The oldest known example is from a 1964 Russian dig that unearthed garments embellished with ivory beads and proto-embroidery from 30,000 BC.
But for our first true example of embroidery, we need to go to Egypt, where in around 1860 a dig found 3 tombs. Inside one, of what is believed to be a wealthy slave owner from 500AD, was a series of well-preserved linens with embroidery of coins and wall paintings. In addition, there were frescos detailing tapestries and other embroideries; proof that this was not a one-off.
Whilst this is the first known example of embroidery, many scholars believe that embroidery came to Egypt from China.

 

618 – 900AD

The first record of the movement of embroidery
Oddly, whilst the first known evidence of embroidery being developed is unknown, during the 6th to 8th century records from both the Chinese (Tang Dynasty) and the Russians began to detail a vast movement of embroidery across the globe. Ledgers of the time detail that tea was often traded for produce, including embroidery.
We do know that by the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) embroidery had become so developed within these dynasties that they had their own forms, mostly stitched on silks, which we have great records showing the journey of embroidery across the silk road. Therefore, many believe, which is yet to be proven, that embroidery started in modern-day India or Persia and traveled West into China, then beyond.

900 – 1100AD

The Bayeux tapestry
Unlike most tapestries of the past, which are based around the Silk Road, the first western-known embroidery is the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the events of 1066AD in Britain. This was not done in silk, and showcased lots of new forms of stitch in Britain; including the over-under, a basic form of a cross stitch.

 

1100 – 1492AD

The invention of counted cross stitch
Whilst up to this point crossed stitches had been used, there was no specific reason to use them in the way we now assign to counted cross stitch, instead simply being an embellishment (normally of stars). However, in the Islamic states, traditionally made hemp cloth cross stitches were used to create a small repeating pattern in a grid. This is the only known origin of true cross stitch, but there are suggestions that Palestinian cross stitch (known as Tatreez) and cross stitches from Ukraine/Belarus may have developed at the same time.
Wherever the original cross stitch started, the practice of gridding embroideries quickly moved across Europe, the Baltic States, and into Japan. You can follow a basic timeline of pieces on the Victoria & Albert Museum on their website, although this mostly starts from the 16th century.

1492 – 1509AD

The blackwork revolution
Cross stitch was still incredibly rare, but this gridded embroidery technique is where the history of cross stitch truly starts. Under the influence of Arab civilizations, Spain started to become obsessed with a style of geometric embroidery called blackwork.

1509AD

Cross Stitch brought to Britain
Whilst counted embroidery had grown in popularity in Europe over the last few hundred years, England had stayed out of it, focusing on their own form of embroidery.
However, Catherine of Aragon the first wife of Henry VIII, who was a Spanish princess married for economic power, brought with her the pastime of blackwork.
It’s not known if Henry VIII truly loved the embroidery, however, there are many paintings from the 24 years of marriage they shared showing detailed blackwork on their clothes. This was usually on their collars and cuffs, which were heavily starched linen fabrics; somewhat of a precursor to aida fabric. In addition, silk was rarer in England than on the continent, so we see the use of wool as threads.
As Henry’s power continued to expand, both into mainland Europe where he commanded large areas of what is modern-day France, but also in trade with other nations, the court of the king was replicated by anyone who could, resulting in a glut of counted embroidery styles on starched linen, in wool.

 

1524AD

Counted Cross Stitch Books started to be published
The scene was finally set, with the counted embroidery becoming a major pass time for the upper classes, and tools to help them stitch were brought in. The most notable of which were counted cross stitch books, including objects to include in samplers.
The first known counted cross stitch book was published in Germany, and whilst there is no surviving copy of this book, we do have many references to its existence.
At the same time, however, other books were printed in Europe and England, with the well-known grid pattern we still use for cross stitch now. However, the books were only printed in black ink, meaning the color choices were up to the stitcher.

1570 – 1600AD

Mary Queen Of Scots
Surviving examples of cross stitch samplers from this period are extremely rare, however, there are two very well-known examples.
The first is from Mary, Queen of Scots, and Bess of Hardwick who stitched the Oxburgh Hangings, one of the best-known early examples of needlework embroidery in Britain, and mostly stitched in counted cross stitches.
The second example is from Jane Bostocke, in 1598 which is the earliest known sampler to include a date; parts of which were in counted cross stitch.

 

1600 – 1700AD

Printing presses working overtime
During the 16th century, printing presses churned out cross stitch books, which even started to become one of the first mainstream publications within England, with many books such as this one from the Smithsonian Library being released and distributed. However, many people at this time could not afford books, so many people took to stitching motifs from memory or physical examples, picking pieces they liked. This is the basis of what we now call cross stitch samplers.

1700 – 1914AD

Education, German wool & the sewing machine
Whilst counted cross stitch had only grown up until this point, the 17th century would see its first dip in popularity.
There were two main reasons for this:

– The first was German wool imports, which after suffering from a lack of internal demand, started exporting. The English in particular was market was flooded with cheaper and poorer quality wool threads, which in turn lowered the desirability of the finished pieces of cross stitch (and is probably why we see so few examples from this period and before).
In Europe, the cheap wool sparked petit point, beautifully vibrant cross stitch in miniature. This in turn led to massive volumes of designs being produced and sold on their own; meaning middle-class stitchers could own cross stitch. With colorful prints, the lack of reading knowledge meant it was finally available to the masses.

– In 1828 the first domestic sewing machine was invented and sold. Whilst these were initially very expensive, they brought with them the lack of value in hand embroidery and the launch of the arts and crafts movement in England.

But despite these hardships for the hobby, not all was bad.
In fact, the major cross stitch companies we still see today; DMC threads, Anchor threads, and Zweigart, all started. DMC and Anchor threads started to take advantage of slightly more desirable cotton from North America to make their threads rather than using cheap German wool, and Zweigart created aida; the first fabric specifically manufactured for counted cross stitch (although it was called java cloth at the time).
Finally, cross stitch in North and South America started to develop into its own form of embroidery.

 

1914 – 1960AD

The World Wars
After cross stitch started to struggle, the next few decades saw a massive change in world events.
The breakout of the First World War caused cotton prices to soar worldwide, and thread was classed as a luxury item, not to be used by the mass public. As a result, all embroidery was simply too expensive to create.

In 1918 women were given the vote in England, which came with an increase in working hours, with less time spent on leisure activities. Cross stitch at this time had a small resurgence, but prices meant access for the mass public was still very limited.

In 1939 the Second World War brought strict rationing across many countries, limiting cotton, silk, and wool once again. For an already marginalized hobby, embroidery was once again not on the menu. Men were sent to the front lines, and women moved into the land army, meaning no one had time for any hobbies.
Interestingly, there was one exception to this. During this time prisoners of war were often finding themselves with nothing to do. As a result, cross stitch and embroidery became a pastime in PoW camps.
A very interesting example of a cross stitch made from threads of his bedding was made by an English PoW. It featured pro-Nazi imagery, and as a result, was taken to other PoW camps as proof of obedience. Little did the Nazis know, but stitched within the border were pro-English, and anti-Hitler sentiments.

A fantastic in-depth article can be found on Make, with an interview by the PoW; Major Alexis Casdagli.

1960 – 1980AD

The 60’s resurgence
For 300 years cross stitch had been slowly pushed out, with popularity wavering, however after rationing was ended, and fabrics were cheaper, free time was abundant, and time-saving tools came to average households, the 60s saw women in particular having more free time. Cross stitch once again rose in popularity, with new materials, new designers, new ways to stitch, and new ways to share works.

 

1980 – 1990AD

The commercial boom
Whilst the 60s marked the start of the return for cross stitch, it wasn’t until the 80s and 90s that it really hit its stride as the modern cross stitch we know today. Sure, there were slightly fewer stitchers out in the world, but invention was the name of the decade.
First came new fabric types in plastic canvas, and rayon threads, then came cross stitch guilds, both in person and through early computer networks, and finally, came the kits book and magazines era.

For the first time, magazines were seen on shelves, there were stores devoted to cross stitch, and you could pick up books for cheap; but of high quality. This meant that cross stitch became ever more complex, and varied.

1990 – 2000AD

Rise of the counter tradition
An increase in sub-cultures before and during the millennium allowed a new, modern cross stitch to form. Video games, pop culture, and subversive samplers were in stark contrast to traditional works, boosted by the availability of cross stitch magazines of every theme.
The counter-tradition once again brought cross stitch to a male hobby with a subculture known as the manbroiderer.
In addition, the increase in home PCs allowed for home pattern-making software to be developed in your own home, with cross stitch design becoming something anyone could achieve with ease.

In turn, however, traditional cross stitch also still blossomed in its own right; but it was straddling a line with big corporations. Major players like Disney would invest in cross stitch patterns and even custom Winne the Pooh threads. With it came slightly higher prices for these premium kits.

2000 – 2010AD

The great recession
Whilst this new form of cross stitch was bubbling under the surface of corporations being involved in the hobby; some pushback appeared.
At first, designers would use home software to create their own patterns, based on existing IP, unofficial and just shared with friends on dedicated cross stitch forums, but this all ended as a new platform called Etsy entered the scene.
Etsy allowed designers from anywhere on the globe to create patterns and sell them to others, meaning for the first time, crafting could become a hobby. But it also became a place where unofficial patterns could be brought and sold.

This just so happened to drop at the very instance a global recession hit.
As the so-called ‘Great Recession’ started, personal finances were strained. This created the perfect breeding ground for home crafts, with retailers like John Lewis reporting a 17% increase in craft sales over a year.
And this, combined with the ease and cheapness of cross stitch patterns from Etsy meant cross stitch was once again popular; arguably its most ever, even if it was a little short-lived.

 

2010 – 2020AD

The inter-years
For a time, cross stitch was super popular, but modern audiences are exposed to so much more now, and it once again dropped in popularity.
To combat this brands like DMC brought out new thread ranges like Etoile threads, but popularity continued to wane.

2020AD – Now

The big squeeze
Finally, cross stitch is in its most recent era, with the impact of pandemics and isolation once again leading to a little surge in cross stitchers, with increased focus on mindfulness and mental wellbeing.

We don’t know what we’ll see in the future of cross stitch, but for now, it’s been a crazy 3000 year history of cross stitch.

Happy stitching,
Lord Libidan

Sources

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“Threads of History by Jo Verso” TheCrossStitchGuild.com | Accessed 2019
“Cross-Stitch” | Wikipedia.com | Accessed 2025
Sebba, Anne | “Samplers: Five Centuries of a Gentle Craft” | Weidenfeld and Nicholson | 1979
Colby, Averil | “Samplers” | B.T. Batsford Ltd | 1964
Don, Sarah | “Traditional Samplers” | David & Charles | 1986
Beck, Thomasina | “The Embroiderer’s Story: Needlework from the Renaissance to the Present Day” | New York: David & Charles | 1995
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“Introduction to Berlin work” | Trc-Leiden.Nl | Accessed 2018
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“Hobbycraft sews up strong sales” | The Daily Telegraph | Telegraph.co.uk | Accessed 2010
Hunter, Clare | “Threads of Life: A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle” | Sceptre | 2020
“DMC History” | Dmc-usa.com | Telegraph.co.uk | Accessed 2017