Free Beginner Cross Stitch Pattern: Your First Little Heart

Your first cross stitch should be small, cheerful and impossible to get lost in. So here’s a free beginner cross stitch pattern I charted for exactly that: a little red heart, 19 x 16 stitches, 3 colors, no confetti and big, clear symbols. You can stitch it in an evening or two.

Below you’ll find the chart, what you need, how I’d stitch it in order, and how to finish it in a hoop. It’s the same kind of heart my grandmother started me on, many years ago at her kitchen table.

If you’ve never stitched before, keep my complete beginner guide open in another tab. It explains every step in more detail.

Meet the free beginner cross stitch pattern

Size	19 x 16 stitches (193 stitches in total)
Finished size	about 1.4 x 1.1 inches on 14 count, 1.7 x 1.5 inches on 11 count
Colors	3: DMC 321 (red), DMC 498 (dark red), DMC Blanc (white)
Stitches	full cross stitches only
Time	about 2 to 5 hours for a first project

You’re welcome to save the chart image or print it. Print it bigger if you like (150 percent is comfortable). Mark each stitch with a highlighter as you go.

Why it’s perfect for a first project

• It’s small. You’ll finish before you get bored or stuck.
• Big blocks of color. Most of it is one red, so you can stitch long rows without changing thread.
• No confetti. No single stitches floating on their own. Even the white shine is a little group of five. Here’s what confetti is, if you’re curious.
• Full stitches only. No backstitch, no French knots, no fractions.
• Symbols that look different. A circle, a triangle and a square. You won’t mix them up at 10 pm.

If symbols and grid lines are new to you, my guide to reading a cross stitch pattern explains what everything on a chart means.

What you’ll need

• 14 count aida, white or cream, about 5 x 5 inches. (11 count works too and is easier on the eyes.)
• DMC stranded cotton: 321, 498 and Blanc. One skein of each is far more than enough. Any similar red, dark red and white will do.
• A tapestry needle, size 24 for 14 count or size 22 for 11 count.
• A 4 inch embroidery hoop. It holds the fabric and becomes the frame later.
• Small scissors.
• Optional: a highlighter for the chart and a needle minder.

Not sure what all of these are? My cross stitch supplies guide covers each one, without the extras you don’t need yet.

Get your free PDF (The Hearth Letter sign-up)

The chart above is yours to use right now. If you’d also like printable PDFs with color and black and white charts, join The Hearth Letter. You’ll get my free patterns, including the First Stitches Heart and a little folk star ornament, plus my one-page beginner cheat sheet with strands, needle sizes and the stitch itself on a single page.

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Stitch-along: how I’d stitch it, in order

1. Find the center of your fabric. Fold it in half, then in half again, and pinch the creases.
2. Find the center of the chart. Follow the red arrows on the edges. Where they meet is the middle.
3. Put the fabric in the hoop, drum-tight but not stretched out of shape.

4. Thread 2 strands of red (321). Use the loop method so there’s no knot: cut one strand about 36 inches long, fold it in half and thread the two cut ends. It’s explained step by step in how to start cross stitch without a knot.
5. Stitch the red first, starting from the center. On this heart, the center of the chart is a red square, so you can start right there. Work along the row, then the rows above and below.
6. Stitch in rows. For each row, make all the half stitches ( / / / ) going one way, then come back and cross them ( \ \ \ ). Every top leg should lean the same way.
7. Add the dark red outline (498). Count from the red you’ve stitched. The outline sits right against it, so it’s easy to place.
8. Finish with the five white stitches (Blanc) in the top left bump. They make the heart look shiny.
9. End each thread by sliding the needle under 3 or 4 stitches on the back, then trim.

Miscounted a stitch? Don’t panic. Here’s how to fix cross stitch mistakes without hurting your fabric. And if your thread looks thin or too thick, check how many strands to use.

Finishing it in a hoop

The easiest finish is to leave it in the hoop it was stitched in:

1. Gently hand-wash it if it needs it, and press it face down on a towel. See how to wash cross stitch.
2. Put it back in the hoop, centered and tight. Point the screw at the top.
3. Trim the fabric at the back to about 1 inch, then run a gathering stitch around it and pull it closed, or glue it down neatly to the inner ring.
4. Hang it by the screw with a ribbon.

My full guide on how to finish cross stitch in a hoop has photos of each step and a few neater options. A little heart in a 3 or 4 inch hoop also makes a sweet gift tag or ornament.

Your next three patterns

Once your heart is done, try one step up at a time:

1. A few more colors: the Red Mitten ornament, 32 x 40 stitches with 5 colors.
2. A bit bigger: the Heart Wreath, 44 x 44 stitches with 5 colors.
3. A little shading: Cat in a Mug, 44 x 50 stitches with 8 colors.

You can also browse all my beginner-friendly patterns or the free patterns page. And whenever you’re stuck, the beginner’s guide to cross stitch is there to help. Welcome to the hoop. I’m so glad you’re here.