Alphabet sampler cross stitch pattern

About this design

Alphabet samplers were how children once learned both letters and stitches. This one has all 26 capitals in a clean, simple font, set in four rows: A to G in DMC 3712 Salmon Medium, H to N in 3768 Gray Green Dark, O to U in 3052 Green Gray Medium and V to Z in 3042 Antique Violet Light. A dotted line of 3782 Mocha Brown Light runs across the top and bottom, and a double wave band near the bottom finishes the design.

How to work it

Stitch one row of letters at a time, centring each row with the chart’s centre arrows. The letters are one stitch thick, so each is quick, but it is easy to drift by one stitch between letters; count the gap after every letter. The letters also make a handy reference for adding names to other designs.

Finishing ideas

At 49 × 55 stitches the design is about 3.5 × 3.9 inches (8.9 × 10.0 cm) on 14-count Aida and 2.7 × 3.1 inches on 18-count. Frame it for a nursery or a classroom, or stitch only the letters you need for a name.

Colour plan

DMC 3712 Salmon Medium does the most work, 31% of the 508 stitches, followed by DMC 3052 Green Gray Md at 21%. Every colour is used at least 41 times, so there are no tiny one-off details to hunt for. 81% of the grid is left empty.

Working notes

119 squares stand alone in their colour, with no same-coloured neighbour along a side; stitch those as you pass rather than starting a new thread for each. The busiest row changes colour 46 times.