I have never sketched out my own pattern before. I’ve only bought patterns or found them for free online. I figured I would try it. This is what a blank canvas used for cross stitch looks like:

canvas

Lots of tiny squares with holes at each corner. So graphing paper is the perfect tool to help me because it will make things easier to draw. I have decided to try to make a paw print with a R in the middle of it for Rusty!

It’s important to know that the size of the squares on my graphing paper are big so the finished cross stitch will actually be quite small.

Another reason why I decided to draw my own cross stitch pattern is because I have this mess of thread left over from previous projects that I wanted to put to use.

my thread mess

I started with drawing the R.

After staring at Rusty’s paws for what seemed like a long time, I decided the part surrounding the R will look like an upside down heart with the point chopped off.

upside down heart

Next I needed the four little guys to go around the pad. I went with ovals but with angles instead of rounded edges to make the stitching easier.

paw

The next thing I did was unnecessary, but when you get a cross stitch pattern, there is usually a symbol that represents the color you need to stitch for that square. So I made my own key.

with symbols

Now I have a pattern to make the paw print! Eventually I will turn it into an ornament. Maybe I should put the year on it?