FREE Cross Stitch Pattern - Set Your Mind On Things Above

I LOVE hot air balloons. Absolutely LOVE! 

I grew up in a small town in Ohio not too far from Canton and the Football Hall of Fame. Starting in 1985, they introduced a BalloonFest as part of their week long festivities celebrating the new inductees to the HOF. 

It began at a small baseball field with just a few balloons. My mom took me (a shy, awkward, nerdy kid) and we watched them unroll the balloons, inflate them, launch them, and then we jumped in our car to chase them. What magic! Sometimes they came down in neighborhoods, sometimes farm fields. We'd see their spotter cars ahead and their crews would ask the residents to come out and help guide the balloons down and roll them up. Just sheer magic for my shy, introverted soul. 

My Mom and me. 1993.

My Mom and my sister. 1993.

I believe now they have over 70 balloons and it is combined with a huge food fest. Click HERE if you are in the area and want to see it this summer!

So I've wanted to stitch up some hot air balloons for years and I sketched and stitched up the first version of these in 2019. My daughter was almost 3 at the time and helped my draw one too!

I finally made a full pattern this year and have it ready to release today on my mom's birthday. I'm sure she would be so proud.

When I was finalizing this (yesterday! lol), I just knew I had to add a cat. 

My mom loved dogs and horses, but cats seemed to always find their way to her! At one point when I was little, we had adopted and rescued 9! NINE! So I added an orange tabby as a teeny stow-away in honor of Jonah, one of my favorites. (We also had Noah and Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego!)

Me reading Little House on the Prairie with Jonah. 1985.

Here is a close-up of that part of the pattern. Just 2 half stitches for the ears and 2 french knots for the eyes. Too cute! 

Balloon Cat detail

So enjoy and may we keep our eyes looking up in these crazy times!

*** Click here for the COLOR chart. ***

*** Click here for the Black & White chart. ***

If you have any issues with viewing/printing the chart, message me on Instagram.

I have been so blessed by all of the free patterns that designers have offered over the years and I enjoy sharing mine for free (though still under copyright!!!), but if you would like to send a tip or "buy me a coffee," you can do that here... www.buymeacoffee.com/annmakesthings 

Tag me on Instagram if you stitch this up @AnnMakesThings and use the hashtag #SetYourMindxstitch

The balloons are also cute stitched individually for a little bunting banner or for a greeting card or small pillow!

Supervisor fell asleep on the job! Again!

Thanks so much!

Have a blessed day,

:) Ann

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Colossians 3:1-4 ESV

FREE Cross Stitch Pattern - Behold the Birds

Who wants to stitch some tiny birds with me in January??? 

Behold the Birds Cross Stitch pattern by AnnMakesThings

Birds have always a source of inspiration for me. Over the last 15 years, sitting and watching them has been a comfort and place of peace for me. And over the last 4 years as I returned to cross stitching, I have LOVED stitching teeny birds.

When I was designing my "Our Father" pattern (click HERE), I began by designing a little cardinal and then a bluejay and then a goldfinch and then a ruby throated hummingbird and then.... 

The birds on that pattern changed to my signature rainbow colors, but I still wanted to use my original designs. Thus "Behold the Birds" from Matthew 6 was born. 

What a wonderful passage (see text below). This year has been so very difficult, but I am continually amazed at how the Lord has provided for us. So amazed! He cares for each of us so much... especially when it doesn't feel like it. 

And LOL at me again for designing most of these on my phone in Google Sheets. 

I hope you enjoy this pattern. And what a timely reminder that if He takes care of the birds, how much more will He take care of us!! 

Correction: Finished pattern size on 14 count aida is approximately a 5.5" square.

Copyright applies to all of my patterns. Paper or digital charts cannot be reproduced, copied, or sold. Items made using my charts cannot be sold. Thank you for following international copyright law.  

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE COLOR CHART ***

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE BLACK AND WHITE CHART ***

Haha! Edited to add a list of the birds for those not familiar!!

1st row: Cardinal, Blue Jay, Goldfinch, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Black-capped chickadee. 2nd row: Baltimore oriole, Junco, Bald Eagle, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin. 3rd row: Mourning Dove, Rose-breasted grosbeak, Tufted Titmouse, House finch, and Red-winged Blackbird.

As always, colors can be substituted with what you have in your stash. For the fabric, I love using the light blue Zweigart from Hobby Lobby.

For some great deals on my other Cross Stitching favorites, check out my Amazon list HERE.

Over the last two years, I have been so blessed by the free patterns that designers offer and I want to share mine for free as well (hey, copyright law still applies though!) but if you feel so inclined to want to buy me a coffee, here is a link to do so. Absolutely NO pressure!

So who wants to join me in stitching some colorful birds this winter? Tag me on Instagram if you do @AnnMakesThings or use the hashtag #BeholdTheBirdsxstitch

Have a blessed day, stitchy friends!

:) Ann

"Behold the fowls of the air: for the sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like on of these."

Matthew 6:26-29

My Favorite Stitching Supplies from Amazon

We don't have a Local Needlework Shop near us and the 3 major craft store chains are a bit of a drive, so often I love the ease and convenience of shopping at Amazon.

My Amazon favorites by AnnMakesThings

Below are my favorite cross stitching supplies from there.

(I am a member of the Amazon Affiliate program and earn a small commission on any purchases made through these links at NO additional cost to you.)

Honestly, the prices for DMC floss and aida on Amazon are outrageous and I usually find the best deals at Hobby Lobby or Walmart. But below are items I have purchased from Amazon and truly love using in my daily stitching.

Neck light

Needles DMC gold size 26

Needles DMC gold size 24

Needles John James gold size 26

Needles John James gold size 24

Scissors

Pilot FriXion Erasable Pens

Be blessed, 

Ann :)

FREE Cross Stitch Pattern - Snowflakes Pattern

Happy 5 days until Christmas! If you need a super quick, last minute pattern to cross stitch, I may have the one just for you.

I designed these snowflakes to replace the top border of last year's "All the Trimmings" stitch-along by Fat Quarter Shop. Their full pattern can be downloaded from Kimberly's website HERE.

I shared these on my old blog, but since I have this shiny, new blog and a fancy, new Cross Stitch program (PC Stitch), I thought I'd share it here too.

Copyright applies to all of my patterns. Paper or digital charts cannot be reproduced, copied, or sold. Items made using my charts cannot be sold. Thank you for following international copyright law.  

** CLICK HERE FOR PDF SNOWFLAKE PATTERN **

These would be cute as individual ornaments. Let me know if you make it by tagging me on Instagram. I'm @AnnMakesThings over there!

Have a fantastic day and remember, Jesus is the reason for the season! 

:) Ann

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, 

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." 

John 3:16

I'd love for you check out some of my Amazon favorites HERE. 

FREE Cross Stitch Pattern - Our Father and Stitch-along

I am so excited!!!

Our Father cross stitch pattern by Ann Dreyer

Last December, I remember thinking "I want to stitch something holy." And I mentioned it on Instagram. I found a few patterns but not THE one. A few months later, my sweet friend and I were messaging back and forth about various patterns with scripture. She asked if I knew any with The Lord's Prayer. I didn't, but a quick search revealed several beautiful ones, but again, not THE one. 

By summer, I was imagining it and trying to sketch it out. I designed a font in Google Sheets. Lolol. After a rough draft on StitchFiddle, I finally purchased a cross stitch program and got the text finished. 

And then it sat for a month. 

I designed patterns for a dozen North American birds and a few flowers. And finally over the last few weeks it came together. (And those North American birds are on hold for my next design!) 

Sorry, I like stories and details. Anyhow, here it is! I'm so excited to share the pattern that I haven't even stitched it up yet!

**CORRECTIONS: 

* Text color will take at least 3 skeins of DMC 208. 

* The charts below have had corrections to the green birds (missing top crest stitch) and the colors of the outer borders of 1st and last line of text. Feel free to use whatever color goes well with your fabric/floss choices.  

*I apologize for any inconvenience!

Copyright applies to all of my patterns. Paper or digital charts cannot be reproduced, copied, or sold. Items made using my charts cannot be sold. Thank you for following international copyright law.  

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE COLOR CHART ***

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE BLACK AND WHITE SYMBOLS CHART ***

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE LARGE PRINT COLOR CHART ***

Details:

• Please use the hashtag #OurFatherSAL on Instagram so I can see your work!
• I plan on starting the day after Thanksgiving, Friday the 25th, and hope to finish it by Christmas. (update: lololol it is June 19th and I'm still not finished.) I'd love for you to join me.
• One condition though! This must be kept stress-free, fun, relaxing, and as a time to talk to our amazing Father with the words that Jesus so graciously gave us. Deal?
• Pattern size and colors are on the last page of the pdf documents. And if you're an aida girl like me, this *should* finish to fit in an 11x14 frame. 
• That reminds me... Like I said, I haven't stitched this and it is my first big pattern. I've quadruple checked it, but if you find a spelling mistake or chart error, please let me know so I can correct it. Thanks!
• Message me on Instagram @AnnMakesThings if you are having trouble opening the charts. 
• Please feel free to make this in your own colorway or as a 1 color sampler.
• Also, the colors on the chart/screen are NOT quite accurate to the actual floss skein colors, but I based the design off of the true skein colors. Aren't they yummy??

Make sure if you are using 208 for the text that you get enough skeins from the same dye-lot. The one labeled "208." was slightly darker. I used about 2.5 skeins for mine.

If you can't get # 16, I think using 704 as the lighter green and maybe 702 as the darker would work.

If you stitch this and share on Instagram, please use #OurFatherSAL or tag me @annmakesthings so I can see it.

I'm believing that this will bring us ALL peace and comfort during the holy season.

(And psst... even though it's free, it is still copyrighted so don't steal it, ok?!)

:) Ann

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." - Luke 2:10-14 KJV

FREE Cross Stitch Pattern - Christmas Santa Kitty Cat

Hello friends! I am back with another tiny cross stitch pattern!

Last week I finished the Christmastime Mystery Stitch Along by Fat Quarter Shop (click HERE for a link to Kimberly's adorable, free pattern). I added a little stocking from last year's stitch along and noticed that there was some space above the hot cocoa mug. So I asked my co-designer (my 6 year old daughter) what I should put there. "CATS!!! And a cat on the line and a cat by the mittens and a cat over there.....!"

She had me at cats! But I did hold myself back and only added one to look like our crazy kitty, Bolt.

Copyright applies to all of my patterns. Paper or digital charts cannot be reproduced, copied, or sold. Items made using my charts cannot be sold. Thank you for following international copyright law.  

Click *HERE* for the free PDF and feel free to change the colors to match your own cat! Tag me on Instagram so I can see it.

FYI, I couldn't figure out how to make the backstitched whiskers print black on the pattern so they could be seen better, but hopefully it is clear enough. I also did a white backstitch around the green eyes to make them stand out.

Also the sweet community over on the Instagram seems to like my Christmas colors so below are the colors I used in this piece.

48 variegated pink

601 solid pink (for mug and hat)

906 dark green

907 lighter green

842 light brown

b5200 snow white

3843, 3844, 3845 blues

169 gray

I hope you enjoy this little pattern. Have a blessed day.

:) Ann

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

2 Corinthians 3: 17 NKJV

I'd love for you to check out some of my Amazon favorites HERE.

FREE Cross Stitch Pattern - Granny Squares Mini Blanket

So excited to finally share this pattern! 

I love to crochet but have misplaced my crojo since 2020. 

Fortunately that's when I began to focus on little, portable, car-line-friendly cross stitch projects. Then I decided to combine the two and create a crochet granny square pattern done in cross stitch. 

I designed it back in the spring of this year and chuckled when a fabulous, famous designer released a granny square pattern a month later. (Actually I was pretty discouraged, but later realized that they were actually rather different from each other.) So at last here is MY pattern! 

The fun thing is how you can customize it with your own colors and how many squares you decide to do: 1 huge one, 4 together like mine, or 9 or 100! It is up to you. 

The first one I did in my favorite color palette, but I have added 2 more versions. Look at those yummy colors!!! (For my Instagram friends, these colors are in my Lori Holt "Flea Market Flowers" and in my Jeannette Douglas "Mini Bouquet Sampler." 

One with jewel tone colors.

And one with fall or 70's colors.

Now for the patterns. I'm new to sharing pdf's on Blogger, so please comment below (or on Instagram) if you have trouble opening or downloading any of these. 

**Click on the diagram below of the colorway you would like for a FREE pdf of the FULL pattern and floss numbers.** 

Copyright applies to all of my patterns. Paper or digital charts cannot be reproduced, copied, or sold. Items made using my charts cannot be sold. Thank you for following international copyright law.  

and

and

I hope you enjoy them. Tag me on Instagram if you make one so I can see it! @annmakesthings

And stay tuned... I have an extra special, big pattern I've been working on and hope to do a stitch-along with it in November!

Have a blessed day!

:) Ann

"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."

Numbers 6:24-26 KJV 

I'd love for you check out some of my Amazon favorites HERE.