God Is Love - PDF

God Is Love Cross Stitch Pattern – Kooler Design Studio (KDS# 1236)

The God Is Love pattern (catalog number KDS# 1236) is a downloadable PDF cross stitch chart from Kooler Design Studio, Inc., designed by Barbara Baatz Hillman. This inspirational decorative piece is ideal for framing, gifting, or displaying in the home, and carries a meaningful faith-based sentiment rendered in classic counted cross stitch style. It is rated as an intermediate level project, making it well suited for stitchers who are comfortable with basic cross stitch and are ready to work with backstitching and fractional stitches.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a decorative embroidery piece featuring the phrase God Is Love. Designed as a home decoration or gift item, the finished work is intended to be stitched and then displayed — typically framed or mounted. The design has a stitch count of 72 wide by 107 high, giving it a portrait orientation that lends itself well to a traditional framed presentation.

Fabric and Materials

The design is specified to be stitched on 14 Count White Aida cloth, which is the standard recommended fabric. Aida is a woven evenweave fabric with clearly defined holes that make it especially beginner- and intermediate-friendly for counted cross stitch work. The pattern also provides finished design size references for several other fabric counts, allowing stitchers to customize the final dimensions:

• 10 Count Aida: approximately 7⅛ inches wide × 10⅝ inches high
• 14 Count Aida: approximately 5⅛ inches wide × 7⅝ inches high
• 16 Count Aida: approximately 4½ inches wide × 6⅝ inches high
• 18 Count Aida: approximately 4 inches wide × 6 inches high

Stitchers are advised to add 4 to 6 inches to each measurement when cutting their fabric to allow sufficient border for framing or finishing. The pattern uses embroidery floss, with the specific colors and symbols listed in the chart's floss and symbol listing section.

Techniques Used

This is a counted cross stitch embroidery project. Counted cross stitch involves following a gridded chart and placing stitches on evenweave fabric by counting threads or holes, rather than stitching over a pre-printed design. This technique produces precise, clean results and is a cornerstone of traditional needlework. The God Is Love design incorporates three distinct embroidery techniques:

• Full Cross Stitches – the primary stitch forming the bulk of the design, worked with 3 strands of embroidery floss
• Quarter Stitches (¼ Stitches) – fractional stitches used to create smoother curves and finer detail within the design, also worked with 3 strands of embroidery floss
• Backstitching – used for outlining, lettering definition, and fine detail lines, worked with 1 strand of embroidery floss for a delicate, precise finish

Stitches Used

• Full Cross Stitch – two diagonal stitches crossing at the center of a fabric square, forming an X shape
• Quarter Stitch – a single diagonal stitch occupying one quarter of a fabric square, used to refine edges and curves
• Backstitch – a linear stitch worked in a continuous line, ideal for outlines and text definition

Thread and Needle Recommendations

The pattern calls for standard six-strand divisible embroidery floss, with stitchers separating the strands as needed — 3 strands for cross stitches and quarter stitches, and 1 strand for backstitching. A tapestry needle with a blunt tip is the standard tool used for counted cross stitch on Aida fabric, as the blunt point slides through the fabric holes without splitting the weave