Folk Art Christmas Tree

Folk Art Christmas Tree Cross Stitch Pattern by Artecy Cross Stitch

The Folk Art Christmas Tree is a charming downloadable PDF cross stitch pattern designed by Tereena Clarke for Artecy Cross Stitch. The original artwork is based on an image copyright of Red Koala via Vectorstock, translated here into a beautifully bold and graphic needlework design. This pattern captures the warm, handcrafted aesthetic of folk art tradition, making it an ideal seasonal stitching project for anyone who loves festive home décor with a rustic, artisanal character.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a finished embroidery piece depicting a folk art style Christmas tree, measuring 164 stitches wide by 197 stitches high. Depending on the fabric count chosen, the completed piece ranges in physical size:

• 14 count fabric: approximately 12w × 14.5h inches (30cm × 37cm)
• 16 count fabric: approximately 10.5w × 12.5h inches (27cm × 32cm)
• 18 count fabric: approximately 9.5w × 11h inches (24cm × 28cm)

The finished piece is well-suited for framing as seasonal wall art, or for use in a range of festive home décor projects. Its folk art character gives it a timeless, handmade quality that works beautifully alongside traditional Christmas decorations.

Techniques Used

This is a cross stitch embroidery pattern, one of the most accessible and widely practised forms of counted needlework. Cross stitch involves placing X-shaped stitches on an evenly woven or Aida fabric by following a charted grid. Each square on the chart corresponds to one stitch on the fabric, making it straightforward to follow even for those new to the craft.

The Folk Art Christmas Tree pattern uses only full cross stitches — no fractional stitches, no quarter or three-quarter stitches are required. This makes the design particularly approachable and is one of the reasons it is well-suited to beginner embroiderers. The absence of partial stitches means there is no need to split fabric threads or navigate complex stitch angles, allowing stitchers to focus on building confidence and rhythm.

The pattern instructions also reference backstitch as a technique (suggested with one strand of floss), which is commonly used in cross stitch to add fine outlines, detail, and definition to a finished design. Backstitch creates a continuous line by working stitches backwards along the stitching line, and it can add a crisp, illustrative quality to the finished piece.

Stitches Used

• Full cross stitch — the primary and only counted stitch used throughout the design, worked with two strands of floss
• Backstitch — referenced in the pattern instructions for detail and outlining work, worked with one strand of floss

Materials

This pattern is designed to be worked on counted evenweave or Aida fabric, and the instructions note that it can be worked on any fabric type, colour, or count the stitcher prefers. Common choices include white, cream, or coloured Aida cloth in 14, 16, or 18 count. A higher fabric count will produce a smaller, finer finished piece.

The colour palette for this design is notably simple: the pattern uses just one DMC cotton colour. DMC is the industry-standard brand for stranded cotton embroidery floss, widely available and known for its consistent dye quality and broad colour range. Using a single colour makes this pattern especially economical and beginner-friendly, as there is no need to manage multiple thread colours or follow a complex colour-change chart.

The recommended thread usage is two strands of floss for cross stitches and one strand for backstitch, which is standard practice in cross stitch and produces a neat, balanced coverage on the fabric.

A tapestry needle — a blunt-tipped needle with a large eye suited to counted embroidery — is the appropriate tool for this type of work, used alongside an embroidery hoop or frame to keep the fabric taut and even during stitching.

Pattern Format and Instructions

The Folk