Free Large Cross Stitch Patterns for Your Next Big Project
By The Editorial Team·Updated ·8 min read
Here are 12 free large cross stitch patterns, compared side by side. Each one has more than 17,000 stitches and finishes at 9 inches or more on 14-count fabric. The easiest has only 7 colors. The two biggest, the Gingerbread Cottage and the Gnome, are full scenes of 40,000 stitches each and take a year or more. Start with our top picks, then read the card for each pattern. Each one is a free PDF with the full chart and the DMC thread list.
How we compared them: every number on this page is read from the pattern's own chart, the same one in the free PDF. Stitching times assume 60 to 100 stitches an hour. All of them use full cross stitches only.
A gray wolf standing among pine trees in lavender, sage green and navy.
Good for: your first pattern over 15,000 stitches
Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
17,408 (180 x 178)
Finished size (14-count)
12.9" x 12.7"
Colors
7 DMC
Stitching time
174–290 hours
Fabric to cut
19" x 19"
What we like
Only 7 colors, the fewest of the twelve by far.
Every color covers a large area. None is used for fewer than 60 stitches.
Keep in mind
17,408 stitches: about 175 to 290 hours.
Large flat areas show uneven stitches more than busy ones.
Stitching tip: Make every top stitch cross the same way. On the 3,688 stitches of DMC 932 (light antique blue), a few crosses going the wrong way catch the light.
A smiling child with both arms around a shaggy red-brown Highland cow.
Good for: a farmhouse kitchen or a gift for a child's room
Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
21,244 (151 x 205)
Finished size (14-count)
10.8" x 14.6"
Colors
16 DMC
Stitching time
212–354 hours
Fabric to cut
17" x 21"
What we like
Rated Intermediate, not Advanced.
16 colors, and only 1 is used for fewer than 60 stitches.
Keep in mind
Only 31% of the fabric is left bare, so there is a lot of fur to fill.
Three of the browns (DMC 434, 436 and 437) look alike.
Stitching tip: Stitch the fur in rows across the chart, one brown at a time. You change thread less often and a wrong stitch shows before it gets buried.
A cream kitten in a black witch hat, blowing a kiss next to a skull, pumpkins and old books.
Good for: an experienced stitcher who wants one project for the whole year
Difficulty
Advanced
Stitches
37,299 (256 x 238)
Finished size (14-count)
18.3" x 17.0"
Colors
22 DMC
Stitching time
373–622 hours
Fabric to cut
25" x 23"
What we like
One of the most detailed here: 37,299 stitches.
A big Halloween centerpiece that fills a wall.
Keep in mind
373 to 622 hours of stitching.
The main navy, DMC 939, covers 11,767 stitches: about 7 skeins.
Stitching tip: Stitch the face first: the blue eyes (DMC 931 and 3761) and the pink nose (DMC 3778). Once the face looks right, the long navy areas feel easier.
A gnome on a stool hanging a bauble on a small tree, in a wooden kitchen with shelves, a candle and a starry window.
Good for: a kitchen or dining room every December
Difficulty
Advanced
Stitches
40,000 (200 x 200)
Finished size (14-count)
14.3" x 14.3"
Colors
25 DMC
Stitching time
400–667 hours
Fabric to cut
21" x 21"
What we like
40% of the stitches are one brown (DMC 898), which is relaxing stitching.
A complete scene with no bare fabric.
Keep in mind
40,000 stitches.
Needs 41 skeins, including 10 of DMC 898.
Stitching tip: Stitch the small objects on the shelves before the brown wood around them.
Which one should you stitch?
Your first big pattern: the Wolf in a Pastel Forest. It has only 7 colors.
Big, but not Advanced: the Child Hugging a Highland Cow or the Woodland Badger Wizard.
For a tall, narrow wall: the Woodland Badger Wizard or the Penguin Chick in a Winter Beanie.
For a nursery: the Elf Child and Owl on the Moon.
For a cozy bedroom: the Otter in Pajamas with a Lantern.
For Christmas: the Celtic Yuletide Robin or the Christmas Elf with a Gift Wagon. Each takes many months, so start well ahead.
The biggest challenge: the Gingerbread Cottage in a Snowy Forest or the Gnome Decorating a Christmas Tree: 40,000 stitches each, with no bare fabric.
What you need
Fabric: 14-count white Aida. Each card above says how big a piece to cut. Most need a piece 20 inches or more on one side. That is bigger than many pre-cut packs, so check the size before you buy.
Thread: DMC floss in the colors on the PDF’s thread list. Buy every skein of the main colors at the same time, from one dye lot. The cross stitch thread guide shows how to count skeins.
A scroll frame or clip frames: a hoop this big presses rings into the stitches you have already done.
A printed chart you can mark: color over each finished 10 x 10 block so you never lose your place.
Questions
Are these patterns really free?
Yes. Open a pattern, click “Get the Pattern”, and the PDF downloads. No account or email is needed.
What counts as a large cross stitch pattern?
On this site, anything over about 15,000 stitches. That is usually 9 inches or more on 14-count fabric. How to plan a large cross stitch project shows how to work out the fabric, thread and time before you start.
How long does a large pattern take?
Most people stitch 60 to 100 stitches an hour. So 17,000 stitches is about 170 to 280 hours, and 37,000 is about 370 to 620 hours. The two 40,000-stitch scenes take about 400 to 667 hours. Time yourself for one hour to get your own number.
Can I make the design smaller?
Yes. Stitch it on 16-count or 18-count fabric. The cross stitch fabric guide shows how the count changes the finished size.
