2001 Cross Stitch Designs: The Essential Reference Book (Better Homes and Gardens) (Better Homes and Gardens Crafts) Paperback – September 1, 2004

I was looking for new patterns for my mother and she absolutely loves this book! She has a hard time seeing patters now, and the fact that this comes in colors makes it so much easier. She’s is super excited and so are we! The patterns are beautiful, larger and easy to follow. Great buy! I’m getting myself one too!

I was looking for a cross stitch book that had a cornucopia of various smaller patterns that could be combined together to create designs, could be added into other patterns, and would be easy to edit in order to meet personal preferences. I also wanted a range of sizes from tiny to medium patterns, but nothing too large. This book EXCEEDED my expectation in those areas and provided a greater variety than I had anticipated.All patterns are shown completed and in color. All patterns are in color. The back of the book contains information on the basics of cross stitch, specialty stitches, and patterns/instructions for making specific types of items from stockings to buttons. There is also a table of contents and an index to help find the patterns you are looking for. My only issues, and they are rather small, is that some patterns are repeated in the book, but only a handful. They are repeated because they fit on multiple categories. My other issue is that they did not include enough patterns, but no book has enough for an avid cross-stitcher ;-)Here is a complete list of the types of patterns in this book with each title representing an entire page of patterns:RosesYellow and White flowers (from daffodils to sunflowers)Pink, Red, and Orange flowers (from fuchsia to hibiscus)Container flowers (in pots, baskets, tea cups for each season)Purple flowers (morning glories to crocus)Flowers of the month (all 12 months)Wildflowers (from waterlilies to dogwoods)kids, school, and toys (from painting to noah's ark)Fantasy (from dragons to fairies)Baby (bubble bath to baby animal stuffed toys)Baby toys (from blocks to pull toys)Mother Goose (from BoPeep to cow over the moon)Teddy bearsFun Stuff (from stuffed dinos to ballerina cat)Wedding and Anniversaries (Doves to brides)Hearts and Flowers (2 pages)Valentines (cupid to love birds)Stockings and Christmas SweetsChristmas SentimentsHoliday greenery (poinsettia to Christmas trees)Holiday traditions (Christmas light border to candles)Religious Christmas (angles and nativity)The Twelve Days of ChristmasSantas (2 pages)Winter (Snowmen and snowflakes)Floral borders (2 pages)Heart bordersGeometric bordersMonogram and Name Patterns (2 pages)Christmas bordersOther borders (from Easter to Halloween)Country and Nature borders (carrots to whales)House and Garden (Seed packets to hot chocolate)Country Living (lantern to pie)Country fun (weather vane to goose)Patriotic (from uncle Sam to political party animals)State flowers (over 4 pages)Halloween (pumpkins to ghosts)Fall and Winter Holidays (thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa)Spring Holidays (Easter and St. Patty's Day)Fruit and BerriesMother Nature (more fruits and insects like butterflies)Mother nature fall (more foods, fall leaves, and animals)Wildlife (toucans to tree frog)Pets (parakeet to goldfish)Farm and Forest animals (chicken to squirrel)Alphabets (9 pages)Needlework (from sewing machine to knitting)Sports and Hobbies (Fishing to Bowling)Professions (nurse to teacher)WOW that is a lot! No wonder the original hardback sale price was $34.95.

This book had great pics and very easy to read charts!

I had this book and thought I had lost it - this book is wonderful for beginner cross-stitchers - and continues to be a great help - whether to recheck the how to on certain stitches - of to get some great alphabet and border designs - as well as some really cute designs. As it turned out I found the book the day after I ordered this - but my daughter is getting the itch to cross-stitch and so will be giving her this book as a gift.

The patterns are too simple. It would have been nice if few more detailed and complex designs were included. Like birds in flight with wings extended.

I am so glad I bought this book. I was hesitant because the price seemed high but it is worth it. Such a wealth of patterns and subjects! This book is a must-have for anyone who wants to design their own cross stitch projects. Additionally it is a lovely book with heavy glossy beautifully colored pages.

Purchased for my sister and she loves it.

Great book

The designs are very pretty and loads of it.

This is a pattern book - I used the patterns to make cross stitch items.

wir sind sehr zufrieden.besser wäre es wenn es in deutsch wäre, aber es gab es nur in English

Tiene muchos patrones muy interesantes para aplicar con otros o por sí mismos

This guy s a beautiful book with everything you knees to know including different stitches and how to do them, how many strands of floss to use, patterns and colour photos of them completed. Explains about different Aida fabric, styles, techniques. Everything you need to know. I highly recommend this book!