Free Cross Stitch Alphabet 9
"Thanksgiving"

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to craft something special for the enjoyment of your family and friends. The fun is in the giving, the crafting...the stitching!

I designed Alphabet 9 letters with Thanksgiving in mind, stitching 12 different blessings to be thankful for. Add more of your own. I can imagine each one stitched on a napkin or place mat to be used at your holiday dinner table.

You may even stitch Thanksgiving phrases at intervals around the edge of you holiday tablecloth. If that doesn't put you in the holiday spirit...

Of course, these letters will work for other occasions or purposes with just a change of floss color. It would also work for a sampler.

"Thanksgiving"
Click here to enlarge

Click here or on the picture above for a printable PDF pattern for Alphabet 9. A new window (or tab) will open so you can keep your place here.

Or, for jpeg versions of this pattern:

Click here for letters.

Click here for the blessings.

Click here for the legend.

In the design example of alphabet 9

This pattern is stitched on 14-count Aida using DMC floss.

• 2 strands for cross stitches and partial stitches
• 1 strand for backstitches

Description:

• Block letters, standard/straight

Characters Included:

• Upper Case Letters
• Lower Case Letters
• Numbers
• Punctuation

Height:

• The upper case letters are 8 stitches high.
• The lower case letters without ascenders or descenders (ex: a, c, o) are 5 stitches high.
• The lower case letters with only ascenders (ex: b, d, h) or only descenders (ex: g, p, y) are 8 stitches high.

Width:

The letters in Alphabet 9 have varying widths. The upper case letters range from 3 to 9 stitches, with the majority falling in the 4 to 6 range. The lower case letters range from 2 to 7 stitches, with most ranging from 3 to 4.

Stitch complexity

• Full cross stitches
• 3/4 cross stitches
• Backstitches

Learn any unfamiliar stitches by clicking on the above links or on the "How To..." button on the left menu of the Better Cross Stitch Patterns Home page.

How to fit text into a design

Stitch each word in a rich fall color, or stitch them all in a single color. Embroider one word after another (separated by a single, centered cross stitch dash) in a continuous line to form a border around a tablecloth or table runner. Then remember to use them again at Christmas.

Experiment with the spacing between the letters. In the examples, "FAITH" and "LOVE", the individual characters are clearly separated. However, in "HOME" and "GRACE", the letters are closer together. Still others use a combination.

Some characters show an alternate way to stitch the upper portion (a, g, p, q). These are charted directly above the letter. Pick the one you like, or alter the letter designs in other ways. Even these subtle changes serve to make your cross stitch piece unique.

For more help on selecting and adapting cross stitch alphabets, click here. Read "The 123's of the Counted Cross Stitch Alphabet" on that page to learn how to select and adapt cross stitch letters to the available space.

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Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!