Hobbies
Free Printable Counted Cross Stitch Patterns On The Internet by Julia Wigham
[Mar 03, 2008]
We all know that the Internet is changing the way we work, play and relax. For all the needle work lovers, free printable counted cross stitch patterns have become very popular on the Internet. Needlework companies offer certain patterns at no cost and cross stitch enthusiasts around the world love to upload their own patterns to share with others.
Large thread manufacturers like DMC and small one-person design companies all offer patterns that you can download and stitch, whatever your skill level or subject of interest. Many are provided in Acrobat PDF format that can be read with a free program normally found on most home computers or easily downloaded from the Adobe website if needed. Other sites offer a free viewer that enables you to read charts designed with commercial software such as PC Stitch.
Michaels craft store is one that offers several patterns and uses the free printable cross stitch patterns as a way to get people on to their web site. There are over 100 patterns with some that are pure cross stitch and some that combine cross stitch projects with other crafts. Often these are the same patterns that they have given away at their store or sometimes they get the free patterns from cross stitch supply companies.
One site, DLTK (http://www.dltk-kids.com/type/crossstitch.htm), offers a whole section of free printable counted cross stitch patterns for children. The patterns offer step-by-step instructions on which fabric to choose and basic instructions on how to cross-stitch. While they are geared towards kids, beginning crafters would also find them useful. In addition to general items like flowers and animals, it also has many seasonal and holiday patterns.