Free Christmas Scandi style cross stitch pattern designs

Recently on the blog I shared some free mini Christmas cross stitch designs which I've been having fun with for some Christmas crafting. Today I'm sharing an alternative colour scheme for the designs - a red and white Scandi inspired version of the Christmas pixel art patterns. 

These designs could either be used individually or the design could be used in its entirety as a finished piece. Because the background is white the black backstitch is very important to highlight the pictures, and I would recommend using two strands of black thread for the backstitching.

I've been using these mini patterns with Hama beads and they work really well. Because there are 24 designs they would also be perfect for a homemade Advent calendar, perhaps stitched on to individual gift bags or used to decorate the front of a plain wooden Advent calendar with boxes. As a cross stitched design they would also make great Christmas cards using one or several different pictures.

Click to download as .pdf - Scandi style mini Christmas cross stitch designs

If you are interested in other Christmas crafts with a red and white theme then you might also enjoy seeing my other Scandi craft tutorials:

Scandi inspired Hama bead bauble decorations

Red and white themed Hama bead Christmas coaster 

Scandi inspired Hama bead battery tea light lanterns

Scandi inspired Christmas crafts using Hama beads

I love the red and white Scandi style at Christmas, so simple yet you can create so many different variations on a theme. Regular readers of the blog will know how much I enjoy crafting with Hama beads, and over the last couple of years I've designed several different Hama bead Christmas crafts with a Scandi feel, using red and white beads. I've rounded them all up here in case you are looking to update your decor this Christmas!

Related post - Ironing tips for Hama beads

Scandi inspired Hama bead mat

I use this mat for my daily hot chocolate at Christmas time. It's made with a simple Hama bead red and white striped base, then I used red and white embroidery thread to mark out some different designs. The holes in the Hama bead design are perfect for trying out some cross stitch and other simple stitches, and I love the contrast in textures and colours. The mat is perfect for both hot and cold drinks.

Scandi inspired Christmas baubles using Hama beads

These Hama bead baubles are really easy to make, and although I've provided some patterns in my post you can create a huge number of variations. They are designed to have a ribbon tied around the top and then they can be hung from the Christmas tree, or you could string them to create some Scandi Christmas bunting for the mantlepiece.

Hama bead Scandi inspired battery tea light holders

Note - these Hama bead candle holders are designed for battery tea lights only - it would be very dangerous to use them with real candles!

This simple wrap design is a perfect way to add a bit of interest to your battery tea lights and they look so pretty with the light shining through the holes created by the Hama bead design. Again, there are so many options for different patterns and designs.

If you enjoyed these Scandi themed crafts using Hama beads then you might also like some of my other Hama bead Christmas crafts. You can find a full round up here - Hama bead Christmas crafts.

Scandi inspired Hama bead Christmas mat

I've often looked at Hama bead projects and thought that they would make a great base for cross stitch, so I decided to experiment a little by making a small Hama bead mat and seeing how well cross stitch would work. I was really pleased with the result!

I wanted to create a Christmas, Scandi inspired design, so I used red and white beads to make a large base for the mat. When ironing the base you need to make sure that you don't over iron and there are still nice big holes in the beads that you can easily fit your needle through. I also like to place large flat pieces underneath something heavy, like a pile of books, while they are still warm. This means that when the beads cool the piece will remain flat and not warp.

Related post - Ironing tips for Hama beads

Then you just need to stitch your design through the beads using embroidery floss! Be aware that it can take quite a bit of floss to complete the design. I googled for Scandi inspired images to get some inspiration.

The back of the piece looked quite messy when it was finished, so I used a small piece of felt on the reverse side, glued into place. This also helps to make sure that all the ends are secure. Just be careful to choose a shade of felt which matches the mat, as it may show through the holes.

 Now I have a lovely little mat which makes a great festive coaster for my Christmas hot chocolate!

If you liked this craft, you might also like my Scandi inspired Hama bead battery candle holders which are designed to hold battery powered tea light candles.

I also designed some Scandi inspired Hama bead baubles for the Christmas tree with a free pattern!