Halloween Kitty Cup - #12283-KH

Halloween Kitty Cup Cross Stitch Pattern #12283-KH by Artecy Cross Stitch

The Halloween Kitty Cup is a charming and detailed counted cross stitch design published by Artecy Cross Stitch, with the original artwork created by Kayomi Harai and the cross stitch adaptation designed by Tereena Clarke. This downloadable PDF pattern brings together the whimsical, beloved style of Kayomi Harai's cat illustrations with the timeless craft of cross stitch embroidery, resulting in a festive Halloween-themed piece that is both decorative and rewarding to stitch. The design is rated as intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent project for stitchers who are comfortable with counted cross stitch and ready to work on a larger, multi-page design.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a finished cross stitch embroidery featuring a Halloween kitty cup motif, adapted from the distinctive and widely admired cat artwork of Kayomi Harai. The completed piece is sized generously, making it well suited for framing as seasonal wall art or as a standout Halloween home décor item. The design measures 152 stitches wide by 198 stitches high, giving it a substantial presence on fabric. Depending on the fabric count chosen, the finished dimensions vary:

• 14 count fabric: approximately 11 inches wide by 14.5 inches high (28 cm x 37 cm)
• 16 count fabric: approximately 9.5 inches wide by 12.5 inches high (24 cm x 32 cm)
• 18 count fabric: approximately 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches high (22 cm x 28 cm)

Stitchers can adjust the final size simply by selecting a different fabric count — a higher count produces a smaller, finer finished piece, while a lower count yields a larger result. The pattern is flexible and can be worked on any fabric type, colour, or count the stitcher prefers.

Techniques Used

This is a counted cross stitch embroidery pattern, one of the most popular and enduring forms of needlework. Counted cross stitch involves placing stitches over a grid of fabric holes, following a charted pattern to build up an image stitch by stitch. Because the design uses only full cross stitches — with no partial stitches, quarter stitches, or three-quarter stitches — the stitching process is straightforward and consistent throughout, which contributes to the intermediate rather than advanced difficulty rating. This makes the pattern accessible to stitchers who have moved beyond beginner projects but may not yet be experienced with complex specialty stitches.

The pattern is a multi-page chart, and the recommended approach is to stitch one page at a time, working outward from the centre of the design. Pages are aligned using corner indicators and include a shaded grey three-row overlap between adjoining pages to help stitchers maintain accurate placement — this overlap area should not be re-stitched. Finding the centre of the design is achieved by locating the arrows marked at the top and left-hand sides of the chart, then following them to their intersection point.

Stitches Used

• Full cross stitch — the sole stitch used throughout the entire design, keeping the technique clean and consistent

Because only full cross stitches are used, stitchers of an intermediate level will find the pattern approachable despite its size and colour complexity. The large stitch count and 40-colour palette are what elevate this beyond a beginner project, requiring careful colour management and attention to the chart rather than advanced needlework techniques.

Materials: Thread, Fabric, and Tools

The pattern calls for 40 DMC cotton embroidery floss colours, reflecting the rich, detailed palette typical of Kayomi Harai's original artwork. DMC is one of the most widely available and trusted brands of cotton embroidery thread in the world, and using DMC floss ensures excellent colour consistency and coverage. The recommended strand count for stitching is two strands of floss per stitch, which provides good coverage and a neat, even finish on standard aida or evenweave fabrics.

The pattern is compatible with a range of fabric options:

• Aida cloth — available in 14, 16, and 18 count, this is the most common fabric choice for counted