Backstitch Simple Cross Stitch Font
Plain, single-line capitals and numbers stitched in backstitch, like neat printed handwriting on the fabric.
Backstitch Simple alphabet chart
Capitals and numbers at the Small size, where each letter is 7 stitches tall. Each line is one or more backstitches between grid holes, with a bold grid line every 10 stitches. This is exactly what the text generator produces.
Swipe sideways to see the whole chart.
Small, Medium and Large
The generator has three stitch sizes. Medium and Large are the same letters with every line doubled or tripled, so the shapes stay identical and simply stitch up bigger. The generator starts at Medium.
| Size | Letter (stitches) | Height on 14-count | Height on 18-count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 7 tall | 0.50 in (1.3 cm) | 0.39 in (1.0 cm) |
| Medium | 14 tall | 1.00 in (2.5 cm) | 0.78 in (2.0 cm) |
| Large | 21 tall | 1.50 in (3.8 cm) | 1.17 in (3.0 cm) |
How much text fits in a frame
Planning a verse, poem or recipe? These are the approximate characters per line (counting spaces) and the number of lines that fit on 14-count Aida, leaving a 1 in border all round. Allow about six characters for an average word and its space.
| Frame | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 × 7 in | 6 per line, 8 lines | 3 per line, 4 lines | 2 per line, 2 lines |
| 8 × 10 in | 12 per line, 12 lines | 6 per line, 6 lines | 4 per line, 4 lines |
| 11 × 14 in | 18 per line, 18 lines | 9 per line, 9 lines | 6 per line, 6 lines |
Where Backstitch Simple works best
Backstitch lettering is the traditional way to add words to a finished cross stitch picture: a caption under a cottage, a quote across the bottom of a floral, or names and a date on a wedding sampler. Backstitch Simple does that job with clean, even strokes that never compete with the stitching around them.
Because a line takes far less room than a filled letter, it is also the easiest way to fit a longer verse or poem around a motif. For more on stitching lettering in backstitch, see the backstitch alphabet guide.
Stitching Backstitch Simple
Every line runs from one grid hole to another, straight or on the diagonal, so it can be worked with ordinary backstitch in one or two strands. Stitch the backstitch after the cross stitch so it sits on top.
It has capitals and numbers; anything typed in lowercase is stitched in capitals.
Stitch your own words in Backstitch Simple
Type a name, date or a whole verse into the cross stitch font generator, pick a size and thread colour, and it builds the chart for you, ready to print as a PDF or open in Pattern Keeper. Backstitch Simple is free for everyone.
Open Backstitch Simple in the generatorSimilar fonts
Choosing between styles? The cross stitch fonts guide compares them and covers sizing and cursive lettering.