How to Cross Stitch Repeat Patterns

by Kelsey Moore September 16, 2026

If you like keeping busy but hate reaching for your phone, try out one of our geometric repeat slow-stitch kits! Inspired by the vestment patterns in icons of the hierarchs of the early Christian Church, our kits are simple counted cross stitch that have a modern look but ancient roots. These analog stitch kits are great for beginners and experienced stitchers and make a useful finished item. When the 3.75" squares are done, they can make a set of coasters or a frameable art that are a beautiful addition to any home or office. The kit or the finished product is a unique gift for men and women alike!

Cross stitch is an analog and portable hobby for passing the time or keeping with you as a fidget tool. This kit is appropriate for any age person, and is a more masculine project for boys and men who would benefit from this calming hobby (instead of the typical kits found in craft stores). Our cross stitch patterns have a simple chart that does not require counting every stitch, so the repeat is easily memorized and makes the activity something you can do while visiting with people, spending time in thought or prayer, being a passenger, or watching kids play sports.

Learn more about these Eastern Orthodox Christian patterns and the Holy Hierarchs at the end of this page!

Kit Includes (purchase here):

cross stitch pattern charts
4 precut 14-count Aida cloth squares
4 DMC embroidery floss skeins
small scissors
cross stitch needle
threading tool
4 sewing pins
4 precut polyester felt backing squares
zipper bag
embroidery stickers

Notes:

The finished patterns are 3.75" square on 14-point Aida cloth.
In the pattern, each blue square is one cross stitch.
Aida cloth is nice and stiff, the patterns are hand-sized, and cross stitches are going into existing holes, so you do not need an embroidery hoop.
For all stitches, use two strands of embroidery floss. Here is a handy resource for how to cut a piece of floss and separate the strands. If you use the loop method to start each new length of thread, you'll only separate one strand then double it over.
Beginners: here is a great tutorial to get you started!
These patterns are based off of groups of four cross-stitches making one "block". Within these blocks you'll find a good way to work is a modified Danish method like this:

To Embroider the Zipper Bag:

Choose stickers and stick on the bag.
Use the sewing needle and thread provided in the kit to cross stitch or back stitch through the bag and the sticker, following the pattern or words on the sticker. Only blue is provided in this kit, but embroidery floss comes in every color and is inexpensive (Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, etc.)
When the design is complete, wash the sticker off in water. (You will need to scrub it with your fingers to get all the sticker residue off, and it might take a couple washes to completely come off.)

Pattern Instructions:

Begin the design with the frame, stitching four rows away from the edge all the way around. Count to be sure that the outer row of the frame is 54 X's wide by 54 X's tall. You could work in groups of four (or more) as suggested above, or work straight across or down for a whole row of slants in one direction, then come back crossing each stitch, then repeat. A third option, my favorite, is to work slants all the way around the square to be sure it is 54 x 54, then go back the opposite direction to cross the slants, then repeat for the second row of the border inside the first.
Continue with the pattern inside the frame. You might find that working blocks in vertical or horizontal rows works best, working diagonally across the square, or working one cross motif at a time.

To Make Coasters:

When the pattern is finished, fold the Aida cloth toward the back along the border so that there is no white peeking out past the blue border. Fold the corner tips perpendicular to the corner so that the tip is pointing to the center of the square. Fold the sides down so that the corner "miters" and looks like you are making a paper airplane.
Align the felt square to the back and pin the felt and Aida cloth together along the folded edges or from the points toward the middle. This is a fiddly step and it will not hold very well; this is just to keep the layers from shifting as you stitch around the edge. You could also choose not to pin it and just keep tucking it in and keeping the felt straight as you sew, looking ahead to be sure the corners match up.
Stitch the felt to the Aida cloth with a blanket stitch all the way around, using the cross-stitched holes down the center of the border. At the corners, pinch the Aida cloth inside the felt as you secure it with stitches.
Enjoy your coaster! If it gets dirty, you can hand wash it, smooth it out flat to dry, and iron it smooth (on the Aida cloth side).

To Make a Set of Framed Art:

The finished design is 3.75" square. Look for a set of square frames; the Dollar Store is a great resource. Trim the Aida cloth to fit the frame, if necessary. Tape the finished work into the frame.
You could also finish the coasters and hang them on the wall without a frame.
Hang and enjoy!

More about Hierarchs and Patterns:

The Orthodox Christian hierarchs (bishops) from the time of Christ through the 5^th Century A.D. were pivotal in establishing the “right dogma” (or, “ortho-doxy”) of the Church. When these saints are depicted in iconography, their garments are illustrated with geometric repeating cross patterns. In icons, the colors for these patterns are typically black, or dark blue (likely a faded black), and white. Sometimes there are colors used that refer specifically to the saint, such as green for St. Patrick or red for St. Nicholas, contrasted with a lighter shade of the main color. Some patterns have been associated more with certain saints than others, as seen by repeated use of the same pattern with the same saint in many icons, such as the nested cross for St. Basil the Great.

The patterns used for hierarchs are beautiful representations of the longsuffering and steadfast theological work these Holy Fathers accomplished and make meditative patterns for cross stich. One can stitch and pray, keeping one’s hands, eyes, and mind focused on steadfast order and the symbol of the Cross. So far we have found over 30 patterns and variations among the icons of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Look for our cross stitch kits and quilt patterns to increase over time as we convert the painted patterns into patterns for crafting!