Today I have a couple of simple strawberry cross stitch patterns for you. They could be used in all sorts of different ways. You could stitch one directly onto a t-shirt or pocket using dissolvable cross stitch paper, or use one for a jam jar cover like I have. They would be sweet embroidered onto the corner of a napkin or a cushion or tray cloth. Or how about a row of them on a bookmark?

I’m going to launch into one of my long background stories now, do feel free to just scroll on down to the pattern if you want to skip my ramblings, I don’t mind!

I used to do a lot of cross stitch back in the 80’s and 90’s, I sold a range of kits at craft fairs (before the days of Etsy and the Internet!) and had some of my designs published in magazines. My cross stitch story all started with this strawberry design in 1981 when I was 11 and in the first year of secondary school. Back in those days we did Metal Work for half the year and then Needlework for the other half. These days they call it Textiles I think but it was still Needlework back in the early 80’s! In Metal Work I spend a full 6 months making an oval shaped keyring with my name engraved on it. When we switched to needlework I was much more in my element. In 6 months I made a skirt and matching waistcoat in dark green fine needlecord and then a tray cloth embroidered with strawberries. Going through some of my old craft books the other day I came across my original strawberry design. Bless, look at my 11 year old writing!

I thought it would be nice to convert the design to a version that I could share with you here. I don’t have the tray cloth any more. I know my mum had kept it for years but I don’t remember what we did with it when we went through all her stuff.

I designed 2 different strawberries and for the life of me I can’t be sure which one I used for my traycloth back in the day.

Here they are in a ‘designed on computer’ version for you!

You can work from the chart above, right click on the photo and copy and paste it or click the button below to download a printable version.

I stitched up the strawberry on the right here and turned it into a little strawberry jam jar cover.

I used DMC threads, 606 for the red, 973 for the yellow and 704 for the green on a 14 count white Aida fabric with 2 strands of thread throughout. It would be a great project to use up small lengths of whatever colours you like or have though. It’s a small motif so it doesn’t take too much of any colour.

Worked on a 14 count aida fabric the finished strawberry measures 3cm x 2.5cm (just over 1” x 1”)

So there you have it, a 39 year old strawberry cross stitch design revived! Maybe you’ll find it just right for something! Wouldn’t it be sweet on the pocket of a little girls dress or skirt?

If you love strawberries you might like to see this collection of strawberry themed crafts too.

Julie

I’ll be sharing this project at these link ups