Free Winter Cross Stitch Patterns: Snow, Cocoa, Penguins and Christmas
By The Editorial Team·Updated ·8 min read
Here are 12 free winter cross stitch patterns, compared side by side: snow, knit hats, hot cocoa, a red panda in a cable-knit sweater, an otter in a patchwork quilt, penguins, a Christmas candle, kittens in a gift box, a Christmas robin, an elf with a fawn and Santa with a plate of cookies. Five are Christmas designs; the other seven can stay on the wall from December to February. The quickest takes about 50 to 80 hours. Start with our top picks, then read the card for each pattern. Each one is a free PDF with the 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 wide-eyed baby fox in a knit beanie, sitting on a pine branch covered in snow.
Good for: a winter wall from the first snow to the last
Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
12,422 (173 x 174)
Finished size (14-count)
12.4" x 12.4"
Colors
25 DMC
Stitching time
124–207 hours
Fabric to cut
19" x 19"
What we like
59% of the fabric stays bare, the most of the twelve, so there is less to fill.
Real snow on the branch, so it looks like winter without being Christmas.
Keep in mind
25 colors, and 10 of them are used for fewer than 60 stitches.
One color, DMC 3799, is a single stitch.
Stitching tip: Stitch the dark branch before the snow. The white sits right against brown and black, and doing the dark colors first keeps dark fibers out of the white.
A hedgehog in a knit sweater and hat, holding a steaming mug and an orange maple leaf.
Good for: a cozy chair or reading corner from November to January
Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
17,925 (148 x 183)
Finished size (14-count)
10.6" x 13.1"
Colors
17 DMC
Stitching time
179–299 hours
Fabric to cut
17" x 20"
What we like
Only 2 of its 17 colors are used for fewer than 60 stitches.
A knit hat, a sweater and a hot drink: cold-weather details all over.
Keep in mind
The maple leaf leans autumn, so it suits early winter best.
17,925 stitches, and the quills run at an angle.
Stitching tip: Stitch the hat's teal (DMC 3808) and its orange pattern in one sitting. The pattern repeats across the brim, and it is easier to follow in one go.
Santa in a cable-knit red coat holding a plate of gingerbread cookies, next to a robin in a holly teacup.
Good for: a kitchen or dining room wall every Christmas
Difficulty
Advanced
Stitches
21,285 (191 x 202)
Finished size (14-count)
13.6" x 14.4"
Colors
17 DMC
Stitching time
213–355 hours
Fabric to cut
20" x 21"
What we like
17 colors, and only 3 are used for fewer than 60 stitches.
A robin and a teacup to go with the Celtic Yuletide Robin.
Keep in mind
21,285 stitches, rated Advanced.
The white beard sits right against the dark red coat.
Stitching tip: Stitch the red coat before the beard, so red fibers don't get pulled into the white.
Which one should you stitch?
The quickest to finish: the Bear Cub with a Steaming Mug.
A winter piece that isn’t Christmas: the Baby Fox in a Winter Beanie, or the smaller Penguin in a Top Hat and Puffer Vest.
For Valentine’s Day or an engagement: the Penguin Proposal. Add names under the ice. Our Valentine cross stitch patterns have more love-themed designs.
For a cozy corner: the Hedgehog in a Knit Sweater. It matches the Bear Cub, the Red Panda with a Steaming Mug and the Otter in a Patchwork Quilt with a Mug: all four have hot drinks.
For Christmas: the Beeswax Candle with Holly is the quickest Christmas design here, followed by the Christmas Elf Hugging a Fawn. The Kittens in a Gift Box, the Celtic Yuletide Robin and Santa with Cookies and a Robin are big projects, so start them a few months before you want them on the wall.
What you need
Fabric: 14-count white Aida. Each card above says how big a piece to cut. The white snow on the Baby Fox and the pale steam on the Bear Cub both show up better on white than on cream.
Thread: DMC floss in the colors on the PDF’s thread list. The cross stitch thread guide shows how to count skeins.
A frame: a hoop is fine for the Bear Cub. For the Hedgehog, the Kittens and the Robin, use a scroll frame so you don’t crush finished stitches.
Good light: the white snow, the pale steam and the Robin’s pale colors are all easier to see in daylight.
Questions
Are these patterns really free?
Yes. Open a pattern, click “Get the Pattern”, and the PDF downloads. No account or email is needed.
Which one is the quickest to finish?
The Bear Cub. At 60 to 100 stitches an hour, its 4,749 stitches take about 50 to 80 hours. The Baby Fox and the Penguins take about 120 to 210 hours, so plan on a few months for those.
