Bold alphabetFree Cross Stitch Alphabet Patterns
Four complete alphabets we drew for StitchJam, each with A to Z and the digits 0 to 9: a tiny five-stitch font for dates, chunky block capitals, a classic serif for samplers and a curly script for names. Print the charts free and spell anything.
- A to Z plus 0 to 9
- Four letter styles
- Free printable PDF
4 free patterns
Script alphabet
Serif alphabet
Small alphabetHow to use these patterns
- Pick an alphabetChoose the style by height: small for dates and labels, bold for words seen from afar, serif for samplers, script for names on gifts.
- Print the sheet or borrow lettersPrint the whole alphabet sheet to keep beside your hoop, or open it in the editor and copy just the letters you need into your own design.
- Stitch your wordsChart a name or a short quote letter by letter, leave even gaps, and change the letter color to suit your project.
Four styles, four heights
Each alphabet is charted on one sheet, with the capital letters in one color, the digits in another and a decorative frame worked in backstitch around them, three colors in all. The fonts are our own, drawn stitch by stitch, so the letters line up on the grid instead of being shrunk from a computer typeface.
The Small alphabet is 3 to 5 stitches wide and 5 tall, made for dates, initials and labels where space is tight; the whole chart is 45 by 32 stitches. Bold letters are 6 by 7 block capitals that read from across a room. The Serif alphabet is 7 by 9 with little feet on the stems, the traditional sampler look. Script is a hand-drawn italic about 9 by 10, with curls and tails for names. Stitch them into anything you make by hand.
How wide will my name be?
Add up the widths of the letters plus one empty stitch between each pair, then divide by the fabric count. With the Serif alphabet, a four-letter name such as EMMA is about 4 x 7 + 3 = 31 stitches, a little over 2 inches on 14-count aida. The same name in Bold is about 27 stitches, and in Script closer to 40, since the italic letters are wider and need room for their tails.
Long names or phrases add up fast. A 12-letter phrase in Serif is close to 95 stitches, nearly 7 inches on 14-count. If a word will not fit, drop to the Small alphabet or to a finer fabric such as 18-count. The fabric size calculator turns any stitch count into inches or centimeters.
Spacing letters and lines
Good lettering is mostly good spacing. Leave one empty stitch between letters and two or three between words. Narrow letters such as I and 1 can look lost next to wide ones like M and W, so look at the word as a whole on the chart before you stitch and close up gaps that look too big. Between lines, leave at least two empty rows for Small and Bold, and three or four for Serif and Script so tails and curls do not touch.
Center each line by counting its total width, finding the middle stitch, and lining it up with the middle of your fabric. Sketching the words on graph paper, or placing them in the editor, saves unpicking later.
Building a name or quote in the editor
Open an alphabet in the editor and you can copy letters, move them onto a blank canvas and arrange a name, a date or a short quote. Change the letter color to any DMC floss in the key; one color for the whole word is the classic look, but a different color for the first letter makes a nice monogram.
If you just want to type words and get a chart, the cross stitch text generator does the spacing for you. The alphabet charts are better when you want full control, such as fitting initials into a flower wreath or adding a year under a design from the free cross stitch patterns.
Ideas for letters and numbers
Birth announcements with a baby's name, date and weight; wedding samplers with two names and a year; a house sign with a family name; a short quote for a friend's desk. The Small alphabet fits across a narrow bookmark or under a tiny motif. Bold letters suit cushions and wall hangings. Script names make sweet ornaments when stitched on a small round of aida and backed with felt.
Numbers matter as much as letters: a date under a sampler, a house number, or the year on a Christmas ornament. Every alphabet here includes the digits 0 to 9 in the same style.
Questions
Is there a free cross stitch alphabet A to Z?
Yes. All four alphabets on this page are free to print and include every capital letter from A to Z plus the digits 0 to 9. Each PDF starts with the color chart, repeats it in black-and-white symbols on the following pages, and ends with a DMC key. No sign-up is needed. The letter shapes are original StitchJam fonts, yours to stitch into your own pieces.
How do you cross stitch letters?
Stitch letters the same way as any chart: one full cross per square, counting from the grid. Start with a letter in the middle of the word so the line stays centered. For very thin lines or small curls, some stitchers outline letters in backstitch with one strand, which keeps them crisp.
What is the best font size for a cross stitch name?
For a name on a small gift or bookmark, letters 5 to 7 stitches tall are easy to read. For a sampler or a framed piece, 9 to 10 stitches tall looks more traditional. Bold block letters around 7 stitches tall stand out on cushions and signs.
Can I make my own cross stitch font?
Yes. Draw each letter on a grid of the same height, keep strokes the same width, and test the most common letters together before charting the whole set. You can do this on an empty grid in the pattern designer, then save and print your own alphabet chart.
How do I center words in a cross stitch design?
Count the total width of the line, including the gaps between letters and words, and find its middle stitch. Line that stitch up with the center of the fabric or the design above it. Do the same for every line, and use the bold ten-stitch grid on the chart to keep count.
Do these alphabets include lowercase letters?
These four charts are capital letters and numbers only. Capitals are easier to read at small sizes and suit names, dates and short phrases. For a different look, the text generator offers its own fonts and does the spacing automatically when you type.
Every pattern here is an original StitchJam design or a public-domain source named on the pattern. Colors are DMC or bead brand numbers; on-screen colors are approximate. Free for personal use and gifts.