Cross stitch, but make it cool.
XStitch is the world's leading modern cross stitch magazine. Not the teddies-and-twee-florals kind. The design-led, artist-driven, frame-it-with-pride kind. We exist to prove that needlework is contemporary culture, and we have spent over a decade doing exactly that. If you have ever wanted to stitch something you would actually hang on your wall, you are in the right place.
Who is behind it?
XStitch was founded by Jamie Chalmers, better known as Mr X Stitch, also known (not entirely by accident) as the Kingpin of Contemporary Embroidery.
Jamie picked up his first cross stitch kit in 2003 and got hooked on the quiet, meditative rhythm of it. The problem was that almost nothing on the market reflected his taste. So in 2008 he launched the Mr X Stitch website to champion the bold, rude, beautiful and downright clever side of needlework that nobody else was showing.
Since then he has:
- Built Mr X Stitch into one of the most recognised contemporary needlecraft platforms in the world
- Curated stitch-based exhibitions across the UK and Ireland, including PUSH Stitchery
- Written The Mr X Stitch Guide to Cross Stitch
- Exhibited internationally as a designer in his own right
- Hosted NeedleXChange, the in-depth interview podcast with the best textile artists on the planet
- Judged the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery and appeared on national TV and radio championing the craft
In short: if there is a conversation about modern needlework, Jamie is usually in it, and often started it.
Why XStitch beats every other cross stitch magazine
Most cross stitch magazines are stuck in 1995: kittens, cottages, filler features and pages of adverts. XStitch is built for the modern stitcher who wants better.
Here is the difference, plainly:
- Design first, always. Every issue is themed and curated, with only the strongest patterns making the cut. Quality over quantity, every time.
- Real artists, real relationships. We have worked with more than 90 independent designers from around the world, giving you patterns you genuinely cannot get anywhere else.
- No adverts. No filler. The magazine is made for readers, not advertisers. Every page earns its place.
- 30 issues and 500+ original patterns deep, and counting. That is an archive, not a one-off.
- More than a magazine. Interactive digital issues, charts in multiple formats, clickable designer links, and a collaborative playlist for every issue so you have a soundtrack while you stitch.
- A global stitch family. Readers in dozens of countries, united by the simple idea that needlework deserves better.
We are the only contemporary cross stitch magazine doing this properly, and the work speaks for itself.
What you get
Themed digital issues you can buy and stitch instantly, original patterns from a world-class roster of designers, and a back catalogue worth getting lost in.
Buy single issues, grab a bundle, or get the lot with an All Access subscription to The Vault.
Join the modern stitch movement
If you care about design, want patterns you are proud to display, and fancy being part of something with a bit of bite, XStitch is your magazine.
Modern cross stitch for rebels and romantics. Welcome to the family.