You’ve spotted a festive design you love, and you’d like it finished and on the wall by December. The worry is picking something too hard, or too big, and ending up with half a reindeer on Boxing Day.
This guide to Christmas cross stitch kits for beginners shows you how to tell whether a kit will suit you before you buy it. Then we’ll point you to the gentlest first projects in our Christmas cross stitch kits collection, all packed by our team in Warwickshire.
What Makes a Christmas Cross Stitch Kit Good for Beginners?
Four things decide whether a kit feels relaxing or like hard work. Check these before anything else:
- Size: this is measured in stitches, not centimetres, and a first project should be small. Our hoop-sized Christmas designs are around 70 stitches square, while our large ones run to between 160 and 205 stitches along the longest side. That’s the difference between a few weeks of stitching and several months.
- Number of colours: every colour means another thread change and another symbol to keep track of on the chart. All of our beginner Christmas kits use six to eight shades, and we’d suggest no more than ten for a first kit.
- Fabric count: choose 14 count aida. It’s the usual count for first kits, and the holes are big enough to see without squinting. There’s more on this below.
- Types of stitch: some kits mix in backstitch, French knots or fractional stitches. They’re all learnable, but a first project is easier with full cross stitches only, and that’s what every kit in our Christmas range uses.
What should be in the box? A good kit means you can sit down and start without a trip to the craft shop. Ours come with:
- Zweigart fabric, in a piece large enough to stitch and display your design
- DMC stranded cotton, pre-sorted on a card thread holder so you’re not untangling skeins before you start
- A needle
- A colour printed pattern
- Full, easy-to-follow instructions
A hoop isn’t included as standard. You can add one to our small kits when you order, or choose one from our hoops and stands. Plenty of people stitch happily without one.
Product pages are full of numbers. Using our Cosy Christmas Jumper kit as the example, this is what each one tells you:
- Stitch count: 75 x 71. The design is 75 stitches wide and 71 stitches high. To work out the finished size, divide the stitch count by the fabric count. On 14 count aida that’s 75 ÷ 14 = 5.4 inches wide and 71 ÷ 14 = 5.1 inches high, or roughly 13.7 x 13.0cm. On 16 count, the same design comes out at roughly 11.9 x 11.2cm. The sample is shown in a 6 inch hoop.
- Shades: 6. Six colours of DMC stranded cotton, which is the joint lowest in our Christmas range.
- Fabric: white aida. The listing tells you the fabric colour. It matters more than you’d expect, as you’ll see in the next section.
- Pattern: A4. Our small kits come with an A4 colour chart. Most of our large kits use A3, which is easier on the eyes but a sign you’re looking at a much bigger project.
- Stitches: full cross stitches only. If a listing mentions backstitch, French knots or quarter stitches, the kit will take a little more practice.
Most good kit listings give all five. If one leaves out the stitch count or the number of colours, ask the seller before you buy. Once you know what to look for, you can size up any kit, ours or anyone else’s, in a minute or two.
Choosing Your Fabric: Count and Colour
Count is the number of squares per inch on aida, or threads per inch on evenweave. The higher the number, the smaller the stitches and the smaller the finished piece.
- 14 count aida: the easiest to see, and the usual choice for a first kit
- 16 count aida: smaller, neater stitches, good once you’re confident
- 18 count aida and evenweave: finer still, better kept for a later project
Some of our larger kits also come on 28 or 32 count evenweave. You stitch over two threads instead of one, so 28 count works out the same size as 14 count, but the holes are much harder to find.
Colour is the one people don’t think about. White aida is the easiest to work on because every hole is clear. Several of our Christmas designs use coloured fabric instead: navy for Believe in Magic and Stitch into Christmas, grey for Gingerbread Cottage and Peace Dove, and pale blue for Let it Snow Penguin. They look lovely, but darker fabric makes the holes harder to spot, especially in the evening.
If you fall for a dark design, lay a white cloth or pillowcase across your lap while you stitch. The white shows through the holes and makes them much easier to see.
Counted vs Printed Christmas Cross Stitch Kits: Which Suit Beginners?
Shop around for a festive kit and you’ll come across two types.
- Counted kits give you blank fabric and a separate chart. Each square on the chart is one stitch. You count the squares and stitch the matching holes on your fabric.
- Printed kits, also called stamped kits, have the design printed onto the fabric in ink that washes out when you’ve finished. You stitch over the printed marks.
Printed kits look simpler, and lots of beginners assume they’re the only easy option. In practice, counting on 14 count aida with full stitches only is very manageable. Every Christmas kit we sell is a counted kit, and we don’t sell printed ones.
Counted kits have a few advantages, for example, your fabric stays clean, there’s no ink to wash out, and you keep the chart, so you can stitch the design again for someone else next year.
A couple of habits make counting easier:
- Start in the middle. Fold your fabric in half both ways to find the centre, then match it to the centre of the chart.
- Count twice before you start a new colour. Everyone miscounts now and then, including us, and unpicking a few stitches is part of the hobby.
For a fuller comparison, read our guide to counted vs stamped cross stitch.
The Best Christmas Cross Stitch Kits for Beginners in Our Range
For a first project, these four tick every box: small, few colours, white 14 count aida and full stitches only.
- Cosy Christmas Jumper: six shades, 13.7 x 13.0cm on 14 count. It has the joint fewest colours in the range, which makes it our first choice for a very first kit.
- Snow Flurry: seven shades, 13.2 x 12.7cm on 14 count.
- Crackling Fireplace: eight shades, 11.6 x 12.3cm on 14 count, and the smallest of the four.
- All is Bright: six shades, 14.0 x 13.4cm on 14 count, designed by Emma Congdon of Stitchrovia.
If none of those quite suits, Season’s Greetings is another gentle option, with six shades on white aida, and it’s also designed by Emma.
Each one sits in a 6 or 7 inch hoop, which you can add when you order, and once it’s finished it’s ready to hang as a decoration. You’ll find more first projects among our beginner cross stitch kits. If you’d like to turn a small motif into something to post, our tutorial on making a cross stitched Christmas card shows you how.
Ready for Something Bigger?
Once you’ve finished a small kit, our large designs are well within reach. They use the same full cross stitch, and what they ask for is time rather than new techniques. You’ll find them in a separate collection on our site because of their size, not because the stitching is harder. If you’re a confident beginner who’s happy to stitch into the new year, you could even start here.
- Stitch into Christmas: an Advent-themed countdown on navy fabric that can be made into a wall hanging. It uses 14 shades and measures 24.1 x 37.0cm on 14 count.
- 12 Days of Stitchmas: inspired by the carol, in 13 shades on white.
You can compare all our larger designs in one place, or browse our full range of cross stitch kits for adults.
Prefer some company? Our Christmas stitch-a-long, Gingerbread Lane, is released in five parts through the autumn, with the final part out on 19 November. Each part is emailed to you as a PDF, so the kit doesn’t include a printed pattern. If you join part-way through, you still get every part released so far, and there’s no pressure to keep up. Our guide to what a cross stitch-a-long is explains how it works.
How Long Will It Take? Planning Around Christmas
Everyone stitches at a different pace, so any exact number of hours would be a guess. A more reliable way to plan is:
- Start your kit and stitch for two or three sessions.
- Look at the chart and estimate roughly what fraction you’ve done.
- Multiply up, then add a week or two for washing, pressing and framing.
As a rough guide, one of our hoop-sized kits is around 20 to 50 hours of stitching, so a month or two of regular evenings. A large design can be 100 to 200 hours, which is several months.
Little and often works better than a marathon session the weekend before. To hit your deadline:
- Aim for mid-December, not Christmas Eve. Finishing always takes longer than you think, and if it’s a gift you’ll need posting time too.
- Starting in November? Choose a small kit. A hoop-sized design is realistic at this point, but a large one probably isn’t.
- Let a big kit be next year’s decoration. There’s no rule that says it has to be finished this year. Start it now, enjoy it through winter and hang it next December.
Buying a Christmas Kit for a Beginner
Buying for someone who’s never stitched? A few quick choices will get you to the right kit.
- Not sure if they’ve stitched before? Choose a small kit on 14 count aida. It suits a first-timer and it’s still a relaxing project for someone with experience.
- Choose a kit, not a pattern. Many of our designs are also sold as PDF patterns, which are digital downloads with no fabric or threads. For a gift, you want the box.
- Add a hoop. Someone new to cross stitch won’t have one, and it makes the kit ready to start on Christmas morning.
- Buying for a child? Our children’s cross stitch kits aren’t Christmas themed, but they’re designed for younger stitchers. Older children can often manage one of our small Christmas kits with a bit of help, and our guide to cross stitch for kids has tips on getting them started.
For more present ideas, we’ve rounded up the best Christmas gifts for cross stitchers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are your Christmas cross stitch kits suitable for first-time stitchers?
Yes. Every kit in our Christmas cross stitch kits collection uses full cross stitches only, so there are no backstitches or French knots to learn. The small, hoop-sized designs are the easiest place to start. Our larger designs use the same stitch. They just take longer, so they make a good second project, or a slow winter one if you’re feeling confident.
What are some good small Christmas cross stitch kits for adults?
Our small Christmas kits are hoop-sized, around 13cm square on 14 count aida, and designed with adults in mind. Cosy Christmas Jumper, Snow Flurry and Crackling Fireplace are good places to start. We don’t sell standalone mini kits, but some of our smallest designs, such as Christmas Gonk, are available as PDF patterns. You’ll find the full range in our cross stitch kits for adults.
What is the easiest Christmas cross stitch for a beginner?
Look for white 14 count aida, as few colours as possible and full cross stitches only. Cosy Christmas Jumper ticks all three, with six shades on white aida. All is Bright and Season’s Greetings are just as gentle, also with six shades on white. For more first projects, have a look at our beginner cross stitch kits.
Are printed Christmas kits easier than counted ones?
Printed (or stamped) kits take away the counting. Even so, counted kits on 14 count aida are very manageable for beginners, especially with full stitches only. Counted kits also leave you with clean fabric and a chart you can use again. All of our kits are counted. Our guide to counted vs stamped cross stitch goes into the differences in more detail.
Does a Christmas cross stitch kit come with a hoop?
Not as standard. Our kits include fabric, pre-sorted threads, a needle, the pattern and instructions. You can add a hoop to our small Christmas kits when you order. Most offer a 6 or 7 inch option, and a few offer the 6 inch only. Our larger designs don’t have a hoop option, but you can pick one up separately from our hoops and stands.
How early should I start a Christmas cross stitch kit?
Start a small kit by the end of October to have it finished and framed by mid-December, and allow extra time for posting if it’s a gift. Large designs take several months, so start them in the spring or early summer, or treat them as next year’s decoration. If you’re following our Gingerbread Lane stitch-a-long, the final part is released on 19 November.
How can I teach myself cross stitch before Christmas?
Start with a small kit and our step-by-step guide to how to cross stitch for beginners. Our cross stitch tutorials page covers the basics too, from finding the centre of your fabric to finishing off your threads, and the same instructions come in every kit. If you get stuck, our [Facebook group]([ADD URL]) is always happy to help.
What if I run out of thread?
We include generous amounts of thread to allow for minor mistakes, and most people have some left over. If you do run short, email support@caterpillarcrossstitch.com. We may be able to arrange extra thread, or a full replacement thread card, for you to buy. If the kit was short because of our mistake, we’ll send the missing thread free of charge. You’ll find more help on our FAQs page.
Ready to Start Stitching?
Christmas cross stitch for beginners mostly comes down to choosing well. Pick a small design, start on 14 count aida, and don’t worry about doing it “properly”. The back of everyone’s work is messier than they let on.
You can see every design in our Christmas cross stitch kits collection. If you’d like to try a few stitches before you commit, our free cross stitch pattern eBook is a good place to practise.
And if you get stuck, pop into our Facebook group. There's always someone happy to help, and we'd love to see your progress.
Happy stitching!
