Flower Cross Stitch Patterns: From Easy Tulips to Shaded Roses
Flowers are the most popular subject in cross stitch, and they come at every level, from a five-stitch daisy to a shaded rose with thirty colors. This guide sorts flower cross stitch patterns by difficulty, explains what makes one harder than another, and helps you pick a first flower to stitch.
What makes a flower pattern easy or hard
- Number of colors. A flat flower uses two or three colors. A shaded one uses several shades of each color.
- Shading. Roses and peonies have many overlapping petals, so their charts scatter close shades next to each other.
- Back stitch. Fine outlines, stems, and veins add detail and add time. See how to back stitch.
- Fractional stitches. Quarter and three-quarter stitches smooth out curves. They are harder on Aida.
- Size. A bigger chart is not harder stitch by stitch, but it takes longer to finish.
Flowers by difficulty
| Level | Flowers | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | Tulip, daisy, simple five-petal flower | Blocky shapes, two or three colors, no shading |
| Medium | Sunflower, poppy, lavender, pansy | More colors, a few shades, some back stitch |
| Harder | Rose, peony, bouquets, wreaths | Many close shades and overlapping petals |
Popular kinds of flower patterns
- Single flowers for a small hoop or a card
- Bouquets and vases for a framed picture
- Wreaths and borders that frame a name, a date, or a short verse
- Botanical studies that show one plant with its leaves and buds
- Small repeating flowers for bookmarks and bands. See cross stitch bookmarks.
Choosing colors
Flower patterns often use two to four shades of one color, from light to dark, to give the petals depth. Lay the skeins next to each other before you start, and label them, because close shades are easy to mix up. Stitch in daylight when you can.
You can change the colors of any counted pattern. A red tulip works just as well in yellow or purple. See our cross stitch thread guide.
Fabric for flowers
White or cream 14-count Aida suits most flower patterns. Pale flowers can disappear on white fabric, so try a light blue, gray, or natural fabric for white daisies and pale pink blossoms. Read more in our cross stitch fabric guide.
A first flower to stitch
Start with our free tulip. It has 117 stitches and two colors, pink and green. Download it from free cross stitch patterns.
Design your own flower
Flowers are a good subject for a first design, because nobody expects two flowers to match. Sketch one on graph paper and follow how to make your own cross stitch pattern.
