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The Mr. X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch
If you think you know what cross stitch is, look again! Jamie Chalmers, aka Mr X Stitch, shows you how to cross stitch using simple step-by-step instructions and also takes you to the frontiers of cross stitch design. The book is aimed at stitchers of all abilities, from absolute beginners looking to learn a new craft to embroiderers and cross stitchers who want to do something different in cross stitching. For many, cross stitch conjures up images of cute kittens and country cottages, but this book shows people that theres a different side to cross stitching that its an art in its own right, and will encourage them to be a little braver with their art.
Jamies writing style is fun, entertaining and highly inspirational. The book aims to appeal to men as well as women, encouraging one and all to take up the ancient craft. It teaches the basics of cross stitching, including information on materials, tools, techniques and colour blending, but also puts Jamies own individual spin on it, with urban flavours and the introduction of different materials such as glow-in-the-dark threads and stitching on metal. As well as providing exciting designs to stitch, there is guidance on how to create cross stitch designs of your own, for example by using photographs and other images for reference.
Jamie also showcases the work of other contemporary cross stitchers who are pushing the boundaries of their craft, and introduces more than 20 stunning cutting-edge projects to make, showing that beauty, innovation and 'craftivism' are alive and kicking in this inspirational book.
Jamies writing style is fun, entertaining and highly inspirational. The book aims to appeal to men as well as women, encouraging one and all to take up the ancient craft. It teaches the basics of cross stitching, including information on materials, tools, techniques and colour blending, but also puts Jamies own individual spin on it, with urban flavours and the introduction of different materials such as glow-in-the-dark threads and stitching on metal. As well as providing exciting designs to stitch, there is guidance on how to create cross stitch designs of your own, for example by using photographs and other images for reference.
Jamie also showcases the work of other contemporary cross stitchers who are pushing the boundaries of their craft, and introduces more than 20 stunning cutting-edge projects to make, showing that beauty, innovation and 'craftivism' are alive and kicking in this inspirational book.
- GenresCraftsNonfictionArt
128 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 22, 2018
If you’ve never stitched before, hurry up and get this book because it’s for you. If you stitch every day, hurry up and get this book because it’s for you! There is something in here for everyone and it’s well worth a read. I can’t wait to stitch “I’m An Addict” because the first step in recovery.... wait; who wants to RECOVER?!! (I’m still stitching it)
December 27, 2021
Very good book with some very unique designs. He gives you some good advice and tips on doing cross stitch. It also has some very fun and funky designs for those who are looking for something a little bit different then the traditional designs you usually find in books. I think this book would be good for semi-beginners as in this isn't your first project or only book on learning, but you do want to step up your game and try something a bit different and slightly harder. It also might give some inspiration to those who have been doing cross stitch for awhile and just need some new ideas, like using glow in the dark threads to make a picture look different in the dark than it does in daylight.
August 5, 2017
Do Not for one minute be surprised that this is a Cross Stitch book by a man…
After all. nearly all the best designers are men.
Jamie Chalmers Cross Stitch book is filled with good advice and techniques to get your creative juices flowing and with very descriptive words such as ‘stitchgasm’ this book gives a contemporary look at a craft that has been loved for decades.
The first thing that grabbed me about Jamie’s work, was his craft box. He has a wicked collection of scissors of which I am rather quite envious.
Fabric, Threads and ‘Gizmos’ are covered and even before we take a look at the projects on offer, this book is a realm of information and stitching wisdom. If you think you have seen it all, then this fabulous book will a complete surprise. The section on colour is beautiful, and did you know about ‘Glow in the Dark’ thread??? Well !! I didn’t and I cannot wait to give it a go…… Perfect for children’s rooms don’t you think?
Jamie gives interviews with Cross Stitch ‘Outliers’, They talk passionately about their craft and I was inspired by such creative people.
There is so much in this book, you get a lot for your money. I would soon run out space if I talked about it all.
One thing I must mention is the ‘Mona Lisa’ pattern..it is stunning…and it’s not just aida that Jamie uses to stitch on.
This is an amazing book, and as an avid crafter and book collector is one I highly recommend. It really is a book with a difference...Oh and I really want one his badges. I love Mr X stitch.
After all. nearly all the best designers are men.
Jamie Chalmers Cross Stitch book is filled with good advice and techniques to get your creative juices flowing and with very descriptive words such as ‘stitchgasm’ this book gives a contemporary look at a craft that has been loved for decades.
The first thing that grabbed me about Jamie’s work, was his craft box. He has a wicked collection of scissors of which I am rather quite envious.
Fabric, Threads and ‘Gizmos’ are covered and even before we take a look at the projects on offer, this book is a realm of information and stitching wisdom. If you think you have seen it all, then this fabulous book will a complete surprise. The section on colour is beautiful, and did you know about ‘Glow in the Dark’ thread??? Well !! I didn’t and I cannot wait to give it a go…… Perfect for children’s rooms don’t you think?
Jamie gives interviews with Cross Stitch ‘Outliers’, They talk passionately about their craft and I was inspired by such creative people.
There is so much in this book, you get a lot for your money. I would soon run out space if I talked about it all.
One thing I must mention is the ‘Mona Lisa’ pattern..it is stunning…and it’s not just aida that Jamie uses to stitch on.
This is an amazing book, and as an avid crafter and book collector is one I highly recommend. It really is a book with a difference...Oh and I really want one his badges. I love Mr X stitch.
July 18, 2022
A unique approach to cross stitching, more for fun or art than tradition or craft. It's very visually appealing, formatted kind of like a magazine special, and there is lots of info about new cross stitch ideas, technology that will help you make patterns, and different techniques to use in everything you make. In the world of cross stitch books, this one stands out with unique perspective and advice.
January 24, 2022
There are maybe 3... maybe 4 types of books about cross stitch, narrowly construed. There are total beginners' guides, going over the fundamentals and presenting some easy patterns. There are reference books—although this is more for embroidery than cross stitch—that show all the different techniques. Then there are pattern books that assume you know the fundamentals and are mostly just printed patterns from the designer. Then there are meta books about the craft as embedded in the human world, like the history of the craft or the therapeutic effects of crafting and so on.
What makes this book both great (and vexing) is that it crosses just about all of these categories. It goes over the very basics from materials and basic stitches. There are many reference photos of actual stitches to help you figure out anchoring and the knots. There are also plenty of original patterns in this book, and they are really original, with glow-in-the-dark floss, a few that emphasize negative space, and one that is meant to be displayed backside only! I'd say that the book is worth it for those ideas alone, as he really demonstrates the art of cross stitching, in the strictest sense of the term, the really creative use of the toolset to do and say something new. There are also interesting interviews with real life stitchers, and some sober moments of reflections about misogyny in crafting and the idea of craftivism. So this book has a lot to offer, and is a lot of fun to read through.
On the other hand, it's a bit hard to see who the intended audience for, and there's no single stitcher that this is going to benefit or satisfy the most. For the beginner: he surely takes you through the fundamentals and teaches you more than enough to get started. But, then the very first full pattern you encounter is the artsy one you're supposed to display backside-up. That's odd, and going to be overwhelming for the newbie. The second pattern is an enormous 6x6" flower with 14 colors and 4,000 stitches, which is gorgeous, but I would not recommend for a beginner (let alone the advice to stitch on black). For the intermediate stitcher: the dozens of pages on the fundamentals could be skipped. For the advanced stitcher: he definitely raises the bar on pattern creativity here, like I said above, but he still doesn't take you to the most advanced corners of the craft, for example he describes parking and then tells you to go search youtube for an example.
To be clear: this is definitely the "if you had to get someone one book on cross stitch", this would be it! It touches a little bit on everything. And the guy has run a magazine for a long time, which I'm sure has a ton more wisdom to give, so this might just be seen as the entry point to getting into the magazine. I just think there's plenty of room for improvement (and a sequel would be totally welcome).
What makes this book both great (and vexing) is that it crosses just about all of these categories. It goes over the very basics from materials and basic stitches. There are many reference photos of actual stitches to help you figure out anchoring and the knots. There are also plenty of original patterns in this book, and they are really original, with glow-in-the-dark floss, a few that emphasize negative space, and one that is meant to be displayed backside only! I'd say that the book is worth it for those ideas alone, as he really demonstrates the art of cross stitching, in the strictest sense of the term, the really creative use of the toolset to do and say something new. There are also interesting interviews with real life stitchers, and some sober moments of reflections about misogyny in crafting and the idea of craftivism. So this book has a lot to offer, and is a lot of fun to read through.
On the other hand, it's a bit hard to see who the intended audience for, and there's no single stitcher that this is going to benefit or satisfy the most. For the beginner: he surely takes you through the fundamentals and teaches you more than enough to get started. But, then the very first full pattern you encounter is the artsy one you're supposed to display backside-up. That's odd, and going to be overwhelming for the newbie. The second pattern is an enormous 6x6" flower with 14 colors and 4,000 stitches, which is gorgeous, but I would not recommend for a beginner (let alone the advice to stitch on black). For the intermediate stitcher: the dozens of pages on the fundamentals could be skipped. For the advanced stitcher: he definitely raises the bar on pattern creativity here, like I said above, but he still doesn't take you to the most advanced corners of the craft, for example he describes parking and then tells you to go search youtube for an example.
To be clear: this is definitely the "if you had to get someone one book on cross stitch", this would be it! It touches a little bit on everything. And the guy has run a magazine for a long time, which I'm sure has a ton more wisdom to give, so this might just be seen as the entry point to getting into the magazine. I just think there's plenty of room for improvement (and a sequel would be totally welcome).
September 25, 2018
The Mr X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch is a decent enough starter book, though it is light on technical information. Written in an informal, more modern style, the book is certainly more welcoming to younger generations than a lot of what is on the market. The included patterns are also more contemporary, and there's an excellent section on designing your own patterns!
December 28, 2022
-3 stars.
more of a how-to book. none of the patterns interested me.
-suggests the john james twin pointed quick stitch needle. it has an eye in the middle and two ends.
-suggests the daylight company slimline LED lamp. its a UK company though so it costs twice as much in the US.
-suggests pcstitch as the program to use to design your own cross stitch patterns.
-Embroidery as Therapy: most of us know crafts make us feel good. anyone who's tried a craft and stuck with it for a while will realize that there's something profoundly soothing about the combination of mindfulness and creativity. although the evidence is scarce, there's an increasing amount of research into the positive benefits of craft on mental health and wellbeing. a 2013 study by dr jill riley from cardiff university interviewed more than 3500 knitters and concluded that "knitting has significant psychological and social benefits, which can contribute to wellbeing and quality of life. as a skilled and creative occupation, it has therapeutic potential..."
the results showed that knitters felt happier and calmer after a session with the needles, and that there was some evidence of higher cognitive functioning among frequent knitters. in other words, the process of crafting not only soothed people, but it kept their brains sharper as well! on top of that, neuroscientists suggest that repetitive motions engage the same nervous systems that relate to the fight-or-flight response, easing pressure on those systems and helping us manage moderate stress. while we might not need to flee from death in the same way as our biological ancestors thousands of years ago, the same systems exist within us and process our anxieties; anything that alleviates that tension is a good thing. for many people the pleasure of completion and the consequential rise in self efficacy - how we feel about performing tasks - is also a critical part of their wellbeing, and a simple way to diffuse fear of failure when getting things done. if you can finish a cross stitch, you're able to finish other things, and so it goes. lastly, there's a school of thought that suggests that handcrafts can lead to the production of dopamine, the feelgood chemical in our brain. what's not to love? as the modern world continues to barrage us with stresses and strains, it's important to realize that cross stitch (as well as most other handcrafts) can bring us pleasure on a number of levels and can actually be used as a tool for positive development and boosting your sense of wellbeing.
more of a how-to book. none of the patterns interested me.
-suggests the john james twin pointed quick stitch needle. it has an eye in the middle and two ends.
-suggests the daylight company slimline LED lamp. its a UK company though so it costs twice as much in the US.
-suggests pcstitch as the program to use to design your own cross stitch patterns.
-Embroidery as Therapy: most of us know crafts make us feel good. anyone who's tried a craft and stuck with it for a while will realize that there's something profoundly soothing about the combination of mindfulness and creativity. although the evidence is scarce, there's an increasing amount of research into the positive benefits of craft on mental health and wellbeing. a 2013 study by dr jill riley from cardiff university interviewed more than 3500 knitters and concluded that "knitting has significant psychological and social benefits, which can contribute to wellbeing and quality of life. as a skilled and creative occupation, it has therapeutic potential..."
the results showed that knitters felt happier and calmer after a session with the needles, and that there was some evidence of higher cognitive functioning among frequent knitters. in other words, the process of crafting not only soothed people, but it kept their brains sharper as well! on top of that, neuroscientists suggest that repetitive motions engage the same nervous systems that relate to the fight-or-flight response, easing pressure on those systems and helping us manage moderate stress. while we might not need to flee from death in the same way as our biological ancestors thousands of years ago, the same systems exist within us and process our anxieties; anything that alleviates that tension is a good thing. for many people the pleasure of completion and the consequential rise in self efficacy - how we feel about performing tasks - is also a critical part of their wellbeing, and a simple way to diffuse fear of failure when getting things done. if you can finish a cross stitch, you're able to finish other things, and so it goes. lastly, there's a school of thought that suggests that handcrafts can lead to the production of dopamine, the feelgood chemical in our brain. what's not to love? as the modern world continues to barrage us with stresses and strains, it's important to realize that cross stitch (as well as most other handcrafts) can bring us pleasure on a number of levels and can actually be used as a tool for positive development and boosting your sense of wellbeing.
August 30, 2017
This is a fantastic book! I have been a longtime Mr X Stitch fan, and have attended a couple of his workshops, so getting my grubby mitts on a copy of this was a no brainer and I was not dissappointed.
In his fun and chatty style, Jamie talks through the basics, as well as introducing more complex designs, and includes interviews/features on some really interesting, cutting edge stitch designers. The in depth analysis of how stitch/thread count affects the finished item (I adore that pineapple), and his advice about colour choices make this a must have book in my opinion. Cute, but never cutesy designs and great content.
In his fun and chatty style, Jamie talks through the basics, as well as introducing more complex designs, and includes interviews/features on some really interesting, cutting edge stitch designers. The in depth analysis of how stitch/thread count affects the finished item (I adore that pineapple), and his advice about colour choices make this a must have book in my opinion. Cute, but never cutesy designs and great content.
November 16, 2024
This is a really unique and interesting cross stitch book. I'd never heard of the author, but the book's cover intrigued me, especially the Mona Lisa and the colourful flower. There is an introductory section with explanations of fabric, tools and thread, and a how to cross stitch guide with step by step pictures. Then there are chapters on colour, glow in the dark (with some super cool patterns), more than a hobby, pattern design and thinking outside the hoop. There are over 20 patterns included and introductions to several cross stitchers who have used their hobby as art forms. The only thing I didn't like was the author's use of Wikipedia definitions for things.
May 19, 2025
I've read a bunch of cross stitch books but this is likely the first I've read by a male author and the look is really different. (I wouldn't say it's overall masculine but the others often skew very, very feminine.) Besides the basic materials and techniques, there are tons of tips and sidebars and extended explanations of motives and inspirations. So, much more than just how-to. (Maybe too much text for me...) I really appreciated the spotlight on different artists and their work even though I wasn't drawn to any of the projects.
February 10, 2022
I think what is intriguing is the idea of a bald headed man, heavy set, looking like a biker dude, sitting on a train, cross stitching. Some interesting information about cross stitching, including how to, and some new modern patterns, that perhaps even 'guys' might be interested n having a go at. Nice to see a 'bloke' having a go at what is currently predominantly a female hobby. Suitable for teens and adults.
March 23, 2019
Good basic instructions, interesting projects. The detailed analysis of how a pineapple project changes depending on size, count, and number of colors (adjusted with design software like PCStitch) was extremely illuminating. My main quibble is that he describes a "laying tool" in the gadgets section, but never explains how you use it to do what he describes. His website is www.mrxstitch.com
September 7, 2018
This was a really good book if you are wanting to get started or even learn more about the world of cross stitch. It has a variety of patterns and info on what you need to get started and also some alternatives ideas as well. Its a enjoyable book.
September 9, 2018
My daughter is really into cross stitch. At 4 she just liked filling graph paper square by square, so, honestly, this is no surprise. I’ve been making her patterns based on pixel art, but it’s so great to have this beautiful book of amazing patterns, ideas, and inspiration.
December 18, 2019
A nice primer on the possibilities of cross-stitch. I thought it was an interesting read, but I'm glad it wasn't any longer than it was. Some good tips for those without access to FlossTube, or those interested in designing their own patterns (I am not).
September 12, 2017
I wish this book had been around when I learned to stitch 10 years ago!
February 19, 2018
Fun book with some good information and really fun looking patterns. I wish there would have been a little more explanation on a few things, some types of stitches were mentioned but not described.
October 30, 2019
This is a modern take on crossstitch and inspiring enough to convince me to revisit a medium I had thought I had outgrown
August 22, 2020
Nice patterns, nice tips. Only 2 patterns i would do myself, so not worth buying it
November 13, 2020
I'm glad I borrowed this from the library (I had to interlibrary loan it). Not my style, nothing I was tempted to stitch.
February 23, 2021
Some different ideas for Cross stitcher's - worth dipping into
November 2, 2023
I wasn't looking for cross-stitch designs or instructions, although they are both good! This has great information about supplies and materials. Also, good ideas for displaying.
April 13, 2022
Interesting projects, with a helpful tutorial of what to consider when designing patterns. I’ll be coming back to this one.
April 23, 2019
Meh. I was expecting more from him. I’ve been following his IG for quite awhile which got way too political for me. It has a few cross stitch patterns in it but nothing I’m dying to stitch. Save your money and check it out from the library.
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June 23, 2018Resource book with cross stitch patterns.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews