Optical illusion tumbling blocks, 3D cubes in blue cross stitch pattern

48 × 56 stitches 3 colors 3.4 × 4.0 in on 14-count

A PDF for 14-count on US Letter paper: overview, symbol charts and thread list. Change the count or paper

You will need

Fabric: 14-count Aida, cut 10 × 10 in (the design is 3.4 × 4.0 in; 14-count has 14 squares to the inch)
Needle: Tapestry, size 24
Thread: 3 DMC colors, 2 strands at a time (DMC is the thread maker whose color numbers charts use)

Your thread palette: 3 threads ↓

DMC 3752 Very Light Antique Blue
DMC 939 Very Dark Navy Blue
DMC 931 Medium Antique Blue

Want to make it yours? opens this chart in the pattern maker, where every stitch can be changed too. Or download it just as it is.

Fabric count and finished sizeCount is the number of squares per inch. Higher count makes the same design smaller; the stitches and thread colors stay the same. Sizes shown are the stitched area; allow extra fabric for finishing.

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About this pattern

The tumbling blocks optical illusion: flat diamonds in three shades of blue that read as a stack of cubes lit from above. Every cube has a pale blue top, a medium blue left face and a dark navy right face. The panel is stitched from edge to edge with no bare cloth inside it. Rows of three whole cubes alternate with rows of two whole cubes and a half cube at each side, ten whole cubes in all, and a last row of three pale tops runs along the bottom edge. The pattern repeats every 16 stitches across and every 24 down, so it can be carried on to any size. Full crosses only.

48 stitches wide by 56 high: 2,688 full cross stitches in 3 DMC colors (Very Light Antique Blue 3752, Very Dark Navy Blue 939, Medium Antique Blue 931).

Finished size by fabric count
Fabric	Inches	Centimeters
11-count Aida	4.4 × 5.1	11.1 × 12.9
14-count Aida, or 28-count over two	3.4 × 4.0	8.7 × 10.2
16-count Aida, or 32-count over two	3.0 × 3.5	7.6 × 8.9
18-count Aida	2.7 × 3.1	6.8 × 7.9
22-count Hardanger	2.2 × 2.5	5.5 × 6.5

Sizes are the stitched area. Add about 3 inches (7.5 cm) on every side when you cut your fabric.

The fabric color changes the preview only: every cross matches your chart.

Thread list & pattern notes

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“Find it” opens a search for that thread on Amazon, in a new tab. Floss Field is not affiliated with DMC or Amazon.

Symbol	Thread	Stitches	Buy
●	DMC 3752 Very Light Antique Blue	960	Find it
X	DMC 939 Very Dark Navy Blue	864	Find it
▲	DMC 931 Medium Antique Blue	864	Find it

Suggested DMC colors. Screen colors are approximate. Previews show the exact chart.

Print the chart (opens the PDF in a new tab)

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Count is the number of squares to the inch: 14-count fabric has 14, and a higher count makes the same design smaller. DMC is the thread maker whose color numbers most charts use.