Learn how to cross stitch on single crochet with this complete tutorial by Nana’s Crafty Home!

My Beginner Coffee Cup Cozy pattern uses single crochet stitches for a simple, beginner-friendly crochet pattern.

I wanted to add a touch of color to my cup cozies so I decided to add a couple of different cross stitch designs to give them a Fall themed touch.

So I designed an apple and a pumpkin and wanted to show you how to add these designs to the cozy by using the simple cross stitch embroidery technique. In fact, cross stitch embroidery is one of the easiest forms of embroidery to learn! Cross stitch is comprised of X-shaped stitches in embroidery but it is so easy to add to single crochet fabric!

In fact, I have already used cross stitch in one of my previous pattern releases – the Christmas Blessings Stocking. I did a complete video tutorial for the stocking which included how to add the cross stitch but I felt that this technique really needed its own tutorial.

I have a new FREE apple themed cup cozy printable you can print as well. You can click on the image below to print your free apple cup cozy insert or it is also included if you purchase the complete set of the Beginner Cup Cozy which includes 2 cup cozy printables + the apple & pumpkin graph patterns + the crochet patterns for the pumpkin curly vine and apple leaf. Or you can scroll down to the bottom of this post to grab them for free!

I really enjoyed designing these for my cup cozies and I envision a new cross stitch pattern for each season next year.  Let me know if you would like to see additional designs.

You could even use these designs to dress up simple crochet washcloths or coasters as well.

In my opinion, cross stitch is the simplest way to add a color work design to a crochet project.  Cross stitch is the first form of embroidery I learned as a child and I still love cross stitch today. 

When you are adding cross stitch to single crochet you want to decide how large each X stitch will be for your design.  Will you be working your stitch around one single crochet from one row or will you work around 2 rows of single crochet, etc.

Since my cup cozies are so small it makes sense to only work around one single crochet stitch from one row.  

When you are working your cross stitches you will be working around a single crochet stitch.  You are inserting your tapestry needle in the natural gaps that are creating while crocheting single crochet stitches.

I have a complete photo tutorial below to show you this technique as well as a complete video tutorial which you can find here or on my YouTube Channel.   Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to get notified whenever I post a new video.

When you are deciding where to place the design, it will help if you mark the corner of the first row where your graph would be the widest.  This will help you see if you like the placement of your design.

I used Stitch Fiddle to design my pumpkin and apple designs and I have a complete tutorial for how to use Stitch Fiddle for creating your own designs if you want to get creative and make up your own.  A free service that is really easy to learn!  However, you could certainly go the low-tech route and free hand on graph paper with colored pencils to create your design.

You will want to work your graph from one corner of your row to the other corner on the same row.  You will work one bar going in the same direction for the entire row.  Then, you will work the top bar of your X’s going back.  This keeps your top and bottom bars going in the same direction throughout your project which gives your finished project a more professional appearance.

If you were working a cross stitch design with a word I would recommend working each letter of the word from the bottom to the top and then moving on to the second letter of the word, etc. until complete.

These coffee cozies are the perfect project to practice this new technique as well – small with only minimal color changes!

You can find the free graphs below at the bottom of this post for both the pumpkin and apple. If you would like to purchase the ad-free PDF of the Beginner Coffee Cup Cozy + free Fall themed Cup Cozy printable + graphs for the pumpkin and apple I have those all available together.

For this tutorial I am using combinations of cotton worsted weight yarn in different colors but this technique can be used with any yarn – experiment with different size weights to see what suits your project best. The Beginner Cup Cozy base is made with Paintbox Cotton Aran yarn*.

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself. This post may contain affiliate links that if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. 

Purchase the ad-free pdf of Beginner cup cozy for a small fee which includes the Pumpkin & Apple Cross Stitch graphs + Fall & Apple themed cup cozy printables.  Thank you so much for supporting my work! 

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You may also like the following free patterns by Nana’s Crafty Home:

You may also like the following at Nana’s Crafty Home:

1. Beginner Cup Cozy free crochet pattern
2. Tapestry Crochet Tips & Tricks Tutorial
3. Crochet sturdy Romanian Cord Tutorial

Cross Stitch on Single Crochet Tutorial

Abbreviations

ch = chain
sc = single crochet
st(s) = stitch(es)
hdc = half double crochet
sl st = slip stitch

Begin by threading your needle with your desired weight yarn or thread.  

Insert your needle from the back of your work into the gap on the left corner of a sc stitch, pull yarn through but leave enough yarn on the back side of your work to weave in.  Insert needle into the top right corner of the same sc stitch from the front to the back side of your work.  This creates the first bar of your first X.

Insert your needle from the back to the front side on the bottom left corner of the next sc stitch in the row and repeat.  Continue working the first bar of each X stitch for that entire row.

Once the row is complete, insert needle from back to front of work in gap on the right bottom corner of the last sc stitch.  Insert needle from front to back in gap at top left corner of same single crochet stitch.  This creates your first complete X stitch.

Continue repeating across row, completing each X stitch for that row.

Then move on to row 2 repeating same steps as before following your graph.

You may need to thread more yarn on your needle as you work through your graph.  Just leave long enough tails of yarn to weave in and secure each one.

This technique works best if done on a project where the back side will be hidden as it will get a little messy back there.  Best if used for the front side of a pillow or wall hanging – not great for a blanket unless you are going to be adding a backing to it.

Pumpkin Curly Vine

With Color Green, ch 10.

Row 1:  3 sc sts in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch to end.  Fasten off.  Sew to stem at top of pumpkin.  Weave in remaining end.

Apple Leaf

With Color Green, ch 3.

Row 1:  sc in second ch from hook, 6 hdc in last ch, now working on other side of ch, sc in last ch, ch 2, sc in second ch from hook, sl st join in first st.  Fasten off, weave in ends.  Sew to top of apple near stem.  

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