"Beloved"
Cross Stitch Alphabet Pattern 33

Cross Stitch Alphabet Pattern "Beloved" features elegant black letters outlined in gold metallic. A red heart is tucked into the curves.

Don't use ordinary letters to express extraordinary feelings!

When a cross stitch alphabet pattern is successful, it communicates more than words. It's the same concept graphic designers use when they design a corporate logo.

If the shape and color and size of letters didn't matter, we would see only one typestyle in the printed materials we read, one font on our digital devices, and the same lettering every visual place where words are used.

But it does matter.  And it's just as true for the letters we cross stitch.


Designing Cross Stitch Alphabet Pattern "Beloved"

It was the New Year, and like most stitchers, I was already thinking about upcoming opportunities to cross stitch. Next holiday in line . . . Valentine's Day! Now everyone knows that I'm not afraid to use hearts in my cross stitch designs. But this year I wanted something a little different.

I remembered how, a month earlier, Mom received a beautiful throw pillow. It was black velvet, trimmed in gold, stating simply "Merry Christmas" in deep red letters. The combination of colors and lettering was luxurious and refined, and it stood out from the typical bright and flashy holiday decor.

 I wondered if I could capture that same feeling with a new cross stitch alphabet. I wanted letters worthy of our best expressions of love.

Cross stitch alphabet patterns are among the most sought-out designs. They allow the you to create unique keepsakes with poems, quotes and lyrics that are especially meaningful.

What looks good on the screen doesn't always translate, so with a couple of letters designed, I took out fabric and floss. To my delight, the gold-trimmed black letters looked even better than they did on my computer. I tried several shades of red to find just the right one.

Then, like most women, other priorities (aka kids, husband, meals, housework, homework, etc. etc.) take me away. My newest cross stitch alphabet pattern goes unfinished and into a folder entitled "Love."

That was two years ago!

I came across the folder during my website redesign, and I decided not to wait until next Valentines' Day to complete it. We live in uncertain times, and we should take every chance we have to tell that special someone how much they mean to us.

Click here for a printable PDF pattern of "Beloved Cross Stitch Alphabet 33."


"Beloved" Cross Stitch Alphabet Pattern Specs

When stitched on 14-count Aida, with DMC floss:

  • 2 strands for cross stitches
  • 1 strand for backstitches

Description:  Graphic letters, standard/straight.

Characters Included:

  • Upper case letters (some letters have two style options)
  •  A taller, slimmer set of lower case letters
  •  A shorter, rounder set of lower case letters
  •  Two sets of numbers, one with hearts and one without
  •  Punctuation (some with and some without hearts)

Height:

  • The upper case letters are 18 stitches high.
  • The tall set of lower case letters without ascenders or descenders (ex: a, c, o) are 10 stitches high.
  • The lower case letters with only ascenders (ex: b, d, h) or only descenders, (ex: g, p, y) are 18 stitches high.
  • The lower case "j", with descender and a dot above, is 26 stitches high.
  •  The shorter set of lower case letters without ascenders or descenders (ex: a, c, o) are 7 stitches high.
  •  The lower case letters with only ascenders (ex: b, d, h) or only descenders, (ex: g, p, y) are 10 stitches high.
  •  The lower case "j", with descender and a dot above, is 13 stitches high.

Width:

These letters have varying widths. Most of the upper case letters are 10 to 12 stitches wide. The majority of the lower case letters are 5 to 8 stitches wide.

Stitch Complexity:

If you are unfamiliar with any of the stitches, follow the instructions and diagrams by clicking on the links above.

Floss: 

Use the same colors reflected in the cross stitch alphabet pattern, or substitute ones of your own.

If using fabric with a different thread count, you may need to adjust the number of strands of floss you'll use. To help you decide, check out our tutorial on "Coverage".


How to fit text into a design?

Learn how to select and adapt cross stitch alphabet patterns by clicking on the "Alphabet 123s" button on the left menu or click here.



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