In Christian churches, the Cross is the dominant symbol. Throughout the ages, crosses have been used to adorn all kinds of ecclesiastical and church embroidery. While a cross can be simple enough to draw, the embroiderer often looks for ways to tastefully embellish the symbol. Here’s a collection of cross patterns for the hand embroiderer. They can be used not only on church goods, but also on personal family items, from Bible covers to baptismal gowns.
Click on the individual cross to view a larger image. Right click on the larger image to save it to your computer. You can rescale the image to any size you want once you save it to your computer. If you don’t know how to rescale in a graphics program, print the image and shrink or enlarge it on a photocopier.
Most of these crosses lend themselves easily to goldwork and all of them are suitable for filling or outlines using silk or any other embroidery thread.
Interested in more church patterns? Check out Church Patterns: Book One – a collection of over 120 patterns in a 38-page PDF, suitable for church embroidery, and also for other arts & crafts endeavors (appliqué, paper crafts, painting – you name it!).
Thank you!!
You’re welcome!
Let me know if there’s anything particular you’re looking for, and I’ll see if I can find it for you!
Very interesting, thank you.
thanks, this is a lot of help for a school project i am doing
I am so glad I found your website. It is so helpful and fascinating. I am looking for decoration for white church linens and the cross patterns are excellent. Can you put on the site something simple in the way of a celtic cross to embroider in outline, or a dove crossing the centre of a cross, or a scallop shell or other baptismal motif? That would be great!
Thank you.
Do the cross patterns on your site have names? ~Thanks
A fantastic website. I am designing my daughters first Irish dance dress and have been looking everywhere for some simple celtic designs that can be used for machine applique/embroidery. Your knotwork monograms are just what I have been looking for – thank you!!
Hi! I love your site! I am a Physician and I’m looking for an arts and crafts/”Frank Lloyd Wrightish” entire alphabet that I can use to HAND embroider my nameon my new lab coats. Any suggestions? I would be willing to buy the pattern. Thanks! Michelle O.
Hi, Michelle – How about using a font from your computer? There’s one out there – it could be on your computer, even – called “Stylistic SF” that has the arts-and-crafts kind of look to it. I found an image of it here: http://www.fonts101.com/search/stylistic+sf.aspx if you want to take a look at it. You can always google “stylistic font” to find out where to get it, if you like it. If that doesn’t quite suit, try other artistic font sources, like Fontrcraft’s Scriptorium. They have a whole selection of arts-and-crafts style fonts here: http://www.fontcraft.com/fontcraft/2008/12/31/arts-crafts-collection/#axzz1HiBsp2T2 Anyway, once you find the font you like, then do your name “layout” for your lab coat right on your computer, print it, and either trace it, or use something like Transfer-eze (you can read about it here: https://needlenthread.wpengine.com/2010/12/transfer-eze.html). Hope that helps! ~MC
Hi Mary,
I just discovered your wonderful website/blog and immediately subscribed. I’m especially grateful for your video on the stem stitch as I’m left handed and was having considerable trouble getting it to look right. Your explanations are so clear. Now these cross motifs are just what I need to embroider on my grandson’s baptismal stole.
Looking forward to many happy hours of stitching! Thank you so much.
Help please, I have asked before about 1 week ago, I am looking for baptismal shell pattern. Please let me know if you have one or if not do you know where I can find one Thank you
Hi, Linda – I don’t have one here on the website, but what I would do is search the Internet for “shell symbol” or something like that – if you look for black and white clip art, you can probably come up with just the shape you need, and then modify it or trace it as is for your design. Hope that helps! – MC
This is a small selection of great music I listen to, written from my own
perspective as a fan and a user, with the aim of inspiring others to listen too.
Just a few evenings ago we were at a meeting with other volunteers to find out more about RSVP:
the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. It is a very capable digital audio editor, that has multiple options for remixing and refining the various sounds you can create.
I need very basic crosses sutable for stem stich or cross stitch to be used with waist canvas to be used on church linens
I am recovering from a stroke
Thanks for good site. I was looking for a simple cross for a chalice veil and got one without any problem and when I printed it off it was exactly the size I needed. thank you.
How do you transfer the designs to the linen? What have you found to work best and washes out? Many thanks!
Tudo que Mary Corbet posta é perfeito. Obrigada por nos disponobilizar tantas orientaçoes.
Do you have an Eastern Orthodox cross pattern?
If not, would you be able to recommend a stithery book that does also include the traditional Eastern Orthodox cross.
Our Easter is the following Sunday after Protestant Easter because of Passover.
Thank you,
Darlene Vukovich McKnight
I have your first book of Church Patterns. Have you published Church Patterns, Book 2? I am doing more and more embroidery for the Episcopal Church we attend. It has historic roots – established by the Oneida Tribe before the area became Wisconsin, Holy Apostles is the oldest church in what later became Wisconsin.
Hi Victoria, I don’t have a volume 2 ready yet, though I do have one in the works. It will likely be a while, though! I’m glad you are finding good use for volume 1!
I am redoing the kneeling rail cushions and the other needlepoint cushions around the altar in a 190 year old Anglican church and I am looking for different designs to use. There are 4 side chairs 16″D x 19″W x4″ Thick Cushions. A bishops chair 15″ D x 21″ W x4″ Thick a kneeling cushion 9.5″ Dx21″wX4″ Thick and a back cushion 21’W x 28″ Tall x 1″ Thick. the kneeling rail cushion is in 3 sections 32′,43″, 32″ Long x 11.5″ W x 3.5″ Thick. Finally there is 1 side chair 29″w in the front, 26″w at the rear and 25″ deep. the current base color is a deep red but I am open to changing this.
The church is dark wood with light cream walls the floor is dark wide pine. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Louis T Claytor