Cross-Stitch Treasures for Children

by Joan Elliott

A charming collection of child-themed cross-stitch designs by an industry master, this book features 27 patterns and four alphabet charts that can be easily adapted for different fabrics and appeal to different levels of expertise. From a personalized birth sampler and whimsical nursery decorations to nameplates for toddlers' rooms and small motifs for cards and gift bags, all stages of childhood are covered in these bright and lively projects that make fun use of familiar themes. Whether creating DIY delights for the family or a meaningful gift, the easily read, black-and-white charts and basic cross-stitch instructions ensure that any level of needleworker can access the enjoyable designs.

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Joan Elliott is a freelance cross stitch designer with many of her designs published in leading cross stitch magazines, as well as the books listed here.

Her blog is here:
http://joanelliott.wordpress.com/

Her official design site is here:
http://www.joanelliottdesign.com/

Reviews

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not many patterns, but the patterns are large and it would be easy to extract elements to create your own designs, as encouraged by the author. The book has really good, clear pictures of what the finished products could look like.

Only downsides for me were 1) the patterns were a bit too old-fashioned for my tastes, and, 2) the gender stereotyping. For example, the "For the Girls" pattern says "Make a Wish" (encouraging passivity) and the "For the Boys" pattern says "Follow Your Dreams" (encouraging action). There's no need to classify toy trains as "for boys" and kittens "for girls", etc. The patterns could have easily been presented without projecting gender restrictions onto them.