Day of the Dead sugar skull with flower eyes and heart cross stitch pattern

47 × 50 stitches 6 colors 3.4 × 3.6 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 × 3.6 in; 14-count has 14 squares to the inch)
Needle: Tapestry, size 24
Thread: 6 DMC colors, 2 strands at a time (DMC is the thread maker whose color numbers charts use)

Your thread palette: 6 threads ↓

DMC 3865 Winter White
DMC 310 Black
DMC 3853 Dark Autumn Gold
DMC 3810 Dark Turquoise
DMC 321 Red
DMC 553 Violet

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.

Download free PDF

About this pattern

A sugar skull for the Day of the Dead, looking straight at you. The skull is white with a black outline. A red heart sits on the brow between two purple diamonds, each eye is a black socket in a ring of orange and teal petals, and the nose is a black upside-down heart. A teal diamond marks each cheek, and a wide row of teeth runs across the jaw. The left half mirrors the right exactly. Full crosses only. It is 47 by 50 stitches and uses six thread colors.

47 stitches wide by 50 high: 1,734 full cross stitches in 6 DMC colors (Winter White 3865, Black 310, Dark Autumn Gold 3853 and 3 more).

Finished size by fabric count
Fabric	Inches	Centimeters
11-count Aida	4.3 × 4.5	10.9 × 11.5
14-count Aida, or 28-count over two	3.4 × 3.6	8.5 × 9.1
16-count Aida, or 32-count over two	2.9 × 3.1	7.5 × 7.9
18-count Aida	2.6 × 2.8	6.6 × 7.1
22-count Hardanger	2.1 × 2.3	5.4 × 5.8

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 3865 Winter White	975	Find it
X	DMC 310 Black	396	Find it
▲	DMC 3853 Dark Autumn Gold	144	Find it
+	DMC 3810 Dark Turquoise	138	Find it
■	DMC 321 Red	55	Find it
O	DMC 553 Violet	26	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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New to cross stitch? How to cross stitch

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.