There is something magical about sharing a stitching experience with a wonderful community of stitchers. One really fun way to do this is by joining a Stitch-a-long (SAL). Just thinking about all the possible stitch-a-longs starts to give me shivers. I love so many of them and there just isn’t enough time to join and participate in all the amazing options out there. These are great alternatives to in-person stitching groups, although if one was available in my area I would so be down for a gathering of cross-stitchers each week to share fun, advice and maybe a cup of tea or wine. However, I live rurally and the opportunities available in my area are rather slim, so stitch-a-longs offer a super fun way to fill that void.
Stitch-a-longs usually come with a Facebook group to sign up to and share your journey with others stitching the same pattern. Stitch-a-longs are generally made up of a number of slowly released sections or parts and you don’t know what the entire pattern looks like until you’ve finished stitching. They can come in just a few parts spread over a few weeks or come with 12 parts spread over a full year. One thing is certain, curling up in a warm cozy spot with a cup of tea and a great cross stitch project is a requirement and getting to share that comfort and joy with others makes the experience twice and awesome.
In honour of the wonderful thing that is the SAL, we’ve searched the web to find some of the most amazing stitch-a-longs to join right now.
Paid Stitch-a-Longs
Lola Crow Stich-a-Longs – The first stitch-a-long to mention in our list has to be by Lola Crow. This designer regularly releases new sting-a-lings that are always fun and amazing. With a slightly gothic spooky feel to them these are a great stitch and the patterns are always full of fun details. Currently there is a presale for their up coming Christmas SAL.
Modern Folk Embroidery – If you want to create a master piece at the end of a full year of stitching, then this is the SAL for you. Modern Folk Embroidery offer the most beautiful and intricate patterns. Despite the size of this piece it is only done with full stitches so suitable for any stitching level. They also have additional or alternative options for this design that can be purchased from their store as well.
Climbing Goat – This designer has put out a number of good quality stitch-a-longs and this is no exception . Featuring beautiful photograph patterns taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, this is a must get SAL for any astronomy fan in your life. In the end you produce an heirloom piece with some amazing images! This stitch along is not for beginners though and features fractional stitches, backstitch and some French knots.
Caterpillar Cross Stitch – This designer has a beautiful collection of adorable stitch-a-longs that you can check out and join. New patterns are being released regularly so make sure to check out their site to see what is new often!
Available on Etsy
Just a quick search on Etsy and you will find a wide selection of stitch-a-longs and some of these are amazing! This si a short list of the ones that are available but either I’ve participated in them myself or they caught my eye!
SapphireMTHandcrafts – This designers patterns are so fun to stitch and if you are a book lover then this is one to watch on Etsy for sure!. I just finished her Anne of Green Gables SAL and I’m so thrilled with the outcome. It is one I am happy to frame and display and it was so fun to revisit one of my favorite childhood classics. Among some of the other SALs she has put out are The Chronicles of Narnia, Frankenstein, Little Women, Pride and Prejudice and more. So keep your eye on her store to find out what book she will cover next.
Sewing Starfish – This looks like a fun one for all you magic and fantasy lovers out there. A wizards inventory must be full of magical and fun items to stitch and discover.
Ingleside Imaginarium – Another designer with fantasy and whimsical patterns in their inventory. They have several stitch-a-longs in their store that look fun and magical. Another one to continually check back on since they release new SALs regularly.
Stitchonomy – With a ton of options and new patterns and stitch-a-longs available through the course of the year, this is a beautiful modern designer to watch.
Free Stitch-a-Longs
Peppermint Purple – If you think you might enjoy Blackwork and want to give it a try, this would be a great place to start. Each year they run a free SAL that is such a beautiful example of their gorgeous designs. Don’t be fooled by the name, their Blackwork is not all black at all, although feel free to alter the colour to suit your tastes! This free SAL is released in small parts each week over the full year and for a free option it is by far one of the best and most beautiful available.
Fox and Rabbit – This is a fun little pattern that is in the style of a more traditional sampler. It’s a fun and great option if you are looking for a free SAL to join. They run the full year and all the previous parts are available for download on their page until the end of the year. A new SAL starts each January so if you want to start fresh, that would be a great time to revisit their site and join the new SAL.
The Steady Thread – Another Blackwork stitch-a-long, this one is incredibly versatile and offers an endless array of options for designing and putting together your pattern. They also release these SALs yearly so if you want to start from the beginning along with the group then take another look in January.
Pixel Prime – Calling all video game fans, this one is for you! Paying homage to video game fans and video game creators, this designer has attracted so many fans of their own with a new SAL each year featuring some favorite charactors and themes from our video game past. This one has been on my list for awhile. I have teenage kiddos who would adore having this on the wall.
Stitch-a-longs are so popular these days and for a great reason. There are so many wonderful reasons to try one. Just enjoying the mystery of not seeing the full pattern, or the motivation of getting a new section in your email regularly to keep you on track. Plus having a group of stitchers working on the same pattern to chat with is a wonderful experience. Hopefully our list of favorite stitch-a-long picks both paid and free will give you some ideas and options to investigate and if you’ve never tried one before give it a go!
