Clown Cross Stitch Patterns

Clowns are guaranteed to raise a smile. Adults and children enjoy clowns, giving clown cross stitch patterns a universal appeal.

Different Types of Clowns

One of the attractions of clowns to cross stitchers is the fact that there are so many type and variations. Very simple patterns are available for quick and easy projects, while more complex patterns can challenge even the most experienced stitcher.

Traditional ‘White Face’ Clowns

These are probably the typical clown character. The white faces, large red nose and painted eyes are all distinctive characteristics. Combine this with the funny clown suits and the huge clown shoes and you have the classic clown. A cross stitch design featuring a clown's head can be a good choice for a beginner cross stitcher. Experienced crafters will find that this design is relatively quick, as the large expanse of white with simple shapes is simple to work.

The traditional circus clown will make a great greeting card design, suitable for birthdays, good luck wishes and general messages.

Pierrot and Harlequins

These characters are known for their distinctive costumes. The Pierrot is often portrayed looking wistful in white. The Harlequin is known, of course, for the harlequin outfit rich in colored diamond shapes. These characters can make lovely cross stitch designs, with the detail in their costume making a design that will appeal to cross stitchers looking for a challenge.

Many people collect Pierrots or Harlequins. A cross stitched gift such as a wall hanging, cushion cover or even a small bookmark can make a very personal and thoughtful present.

Where to Buy Clown Cross Stitch Patterns

Most cross stitch designers will offer a clown pattern or two. These are available either in kit form or as a chart. Cross stitch kits provide you with everything required to make the design, this includes the canvas, instructions, cross stitch thread or floss and even a needle! Buying the chart on its own is obviously a lot cheaper, however the cross stitcher will then need to buy the different materials to make the design. This can be a great way for an experienced cross stitcher to use up odds and ends of thread, and alter and adapt the design if required.

Cross stitch designs can be purchased from local craft stores, as well as specialist needlecraft outlets. There are also many websites which focus completely on cross stitch designs and materials.

Some great examples of clown cross stitch designs can be found at some of the websites listed below:

• 123Stitch.com has beautiful Pierrot and Harlequin designs.
• ColeshillCollection.co.uk features a clown design suitable for children to undertake.
• Crosstitch.VictorianClipArtDelite.com includes some unusual Victorian clown designs.

Online stores can be great fun to browse. They often a wide range of designs, and some feature galleries and forums where cross stitchers compare notes and experiences.

Some cross stitchers, however, enjoy going into a store to buy their patterns and materials, preferring the ‘hands on’ approach to purchasing. Colors in particular are never quite accurately represented on a computer screen.

Online stores often supply charts and designs electronically. Typically, this means that they will email the chart which means that they can be saved on the computer and printed at leisure. Cross stitch charts are often delivered in a .pdf format, and the free Adobe Reader software is required to open and read the chart.

Free Cross Stitch Patterns

There are a number of websites that offer free cross stitch patterns. These free patterns are often offered as a taster of the work of a particular designer. Below are some sites which offer a wide range of designs free of charge:

• FreePatternsOnline.com has a range of cross stitch patterns broken down by category.
• FreeXStitch.com has a directory of websites offering free designs.
• Cross-Stitching.com has a range of different designs for free and to purchase.

Finally, if you design your own clown chart as a free pattern alternative, don't be tempted to include blue on the face. Clowns rarely use blue face paint. In the world of clowns, this is regarded as bad luck!