Sleeping Beauty - PDF Cross Stitch Pattern

Sleeping Beauty Cross Stitch Pattern by HugSandwich – Downloadable PDF for Beginners

The Sleeping Beauty pattern by independent designer HugSandwich is a downloadable PDF cross stitch pattern that brings a charming, storybook-inspired scene to life on fabric. Designed with beginner stitchers in mind, this pattern offers an approachable yet rewarding project for anyone looking to explore the world of embroidery through counted cross stitch.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a finished embroidered design depicting Sleeping Beauty, a classic fairy tale subject rendered in HugSandwich's signature illustrative style. The completed piece measures 6.93 inches wide by 4.00 inches tall, spanning a stitch count of 97 stitches wide by 56 stitches tall. This compact, horizontal composition makes it ideal for framing, mounting in an embroidery hoop, or incorporating into a handmade gift or home décor project.

Fabric and Materials

• Fabric: The pattern is designed for 14 Count Aida cloth, the most widely available and beginner-friendly evenweave fabric used in counted cross stitch. The 14-count designation means there are 14 stitches per inch, giving the finished piece a clear, well-defined appearance without requiring extremely fine needlework skills.
• Needles: A standard tapestry needle (typically size 24 or 26) is recommended for use with 14 Count Aida, as its blunt tip glides easily through the fabric's pre-formed holes without splitting threads.
• Thread: Counted cross stitch patterns of this type are traditionally worked with six-strand cotton embroidery floss, typically used two strands at a time on 14 Count Aida for full coverage and a neat finish. The pattern's symbol key references multiple colors, suggesting a palette that brings the Sleeping Beauty scene to life with varied tones and shading.

Techniques Used

This is a counted cross stitch pattern, meaning the stitcher follows a charted grid where each symbol on the chart corresponds to a specific thread color and stitch placement on the fabric. Rather than tracing a printed design onto the cloth, the stitcher counts squares on the chart and holes on the Aida to position each stitch accurately — a method that produces crisp, consistent results and is highly forgiving for beginners.

• Full cross stitch: The primary technique used throughout the design. Each cross stitch is formed by working two diagonal stitches over one fabric square to create an X shape. On 14 Count Aida, each stitch is worked over one count (one intersection of warp and weft threads).
• Symbol-based color coding: The PDF chart uses a variety of symbols — including characters such as æ, Ÿ, Ô, ², ~, ¾, Õ, T, h, !, and others — each representing a distinct thread color. Stitchers match symbols on the grid to the corresponding floss color listed in the pattern key.
• Grid navigation: The chart is marked with numbered columns (visible at intervals of 10 stitches) to help stitchers locate their position on the fabric easily, a standard feature that makes counted work more manageable for beginners.

Stitches Used

• Cross stitch (full cross): The foundational stitch of the entire design, used to fill all colored areas of the pattern. Each stitch covers one square of the 14 Count Aida grid.

Pattern Format and Design Details

The Sleeping Beauty pattern is delivered as a downloadable PDF, making it instantly accessible after purchase with no shipping required. The chart is presented in a grid format with clearly differentiated symbols to distinguish between the multiple thread colors present in the design. The variety of symbols visible in the chart — spanning light and dark tones, accent colors, and background fills — suggests a scene with meaningful depth and detail despite its beginner-appropriate scope.

The design's stitch count of 97 x 56 stitches keeps the project manageable in terms of time commitment, making it an excellent choice for newer stitchers building confidence, or for experienced stitchers seeking a satisfying smaller-scale project. The horizontal format and fairy tale subject matter lend themselves beautifully to display in a standard rectangular frame or an oval hoop