While we can’t think about autumnal cross stitch without mentioning the H-word, it’s certainly not all about the spooky season when it comes to making timely cross stitch for the fall. You can find stitching inspo in many aspects of the season, from the colors that mother nature is wearing to the foods we enjoy in these coming months. Read on to find out our top recommendations for what to stitch this fall.
Autumnal Colors
If you’re someone who loves to update your home interior on a regular basis and keep up to date with trending colors and motifs, you’ll be pleased to know that the Dulux Color of the Year 2025 fits right in with the autumnal vibe. True Joy is a bold yellow, brighter than mustard but with a slightly darker hue than lemon yellow. If you want to refresh your interiors with a new lick of paint, nothing will look nicer on your True Joy walls than some decorative cross stitch in other autumnal colors – coral, spiced terracotta, rustic chestnut, mahogany red… put these colors together and you’ll have a fall fruit bowl feeling giving bright and cheerful vibes. This large stitched piece, Autumn in New England, is an artist’s palette of fall colors and a reminder of the best the season has to offer. For a cute project, we love this Autumn sampler with plenty of sweet motifs to stitch.
Inspired by Nature
The changing of the season is poignant at any time of year, but few can fail to notice the dramatic sweep of landscapes changing from green to yellow, orange to red. Botanical fans will love this simple cross stitch chart of leaves, and skilled stitchers will enjoy trying different designs from this autumn mini collection. If you’re looking for Scandi style stitches to add a Nordic border with the feeling of fall, these cross stitch patterns would be a great choice to decorate the edge of a table runner or tote bag. There are many different patterns available, so choose a motif that appeals to you, whether it’s mushrooms, acorns, umbrellas and wellington boots, foxes and squirrels, owls and hedgehogs, maple leaves, or horse chestnuts.
Seasonal Foodie
Are you one of those who can’t wait for pumpkin spice latte to hit the coffee shops? It mightn’t be your favorite beverage, but you’re sure to know someone who fits the bill! Whoever you know who has been eagerly awaiting this popular seasonal drink, we can think of no better gift than this gorgeous pattern, which perfectly encapsulates the flavor of the season. For a smaller design, this little project could be used to embellish a tote bag, t-shirt or mug warmer for the pumpkin spice aficionado.
If pumpkin pie is more your thing, this quick stitch is easy to follow, or go full kawaii with this cute collection of pumpkin themed characters. Fall foods aren’t limited to pumpkins – pick any of your favorite ingredients and dishes to create bespoke cross stitch pieces. A hanging hoop or larger decoration will look lovely in the kitchen and can be brought out every year to boost the autumn vibe. Our favorite ideas include toffee apples, squashes, chestnuts, apples, sweet potatoes, and beets.
Halloween
We couldn’t talk about fall cross stitch without mentioning Halloween, and if cross stitch for this festival is your cup of tea, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for patterns and kits to work on this autumn. Tiny Modernist has a great variety of patterns to choose from, including black cats and witches, pumpkins and cauldrons, and plenty of haunted houses. Check out our Halloween blog post for more ideas of projects and materials to sink your teeth into.
Fabric to Match
We have plenty of fall fabrics for you to browse what would go best with your next autumnal patterns, but here are a few of our favorites. Perfect for Halloween, our Gobble Pumpkin Cross Stitch Fabric has a bright pumpkin motif that takes the hard work out of your decorative pieces. For something generically autumnal that will suit lots of different projects, we recommend Autumn Leaves Patterned Cross Stitch Fabric, which has leaves in peachy hues to russets and burnt caramel tones. For a block color that packs a punch, Pumpkin Pie - Solid Cross Stitch Fabric will give autumnal vibes. Finally, this fabric will be great for a Halloween project.
Looking Ahead
If you like to give handmade gifts at Christmas, now is a great time to think about what gifts you could be stitching for family and friends, especially if you have bigger projects in mind. Leaving Christmas stitching to the last minute not only means running the risk of not finishing in time, but if you’re rushing to get presents ready to wrap, you won’t enjoy the stitching journey as much either. So plan ahead and spend the fall enjoying the process of choosing perfect patterns to stitch some bespoke stocking fillers.