Create a mixtape for Valentine’s: Retro cross stitch design

Woo that special someone the old-fashioned way. You might be thinking ‘cassette tapes, do they still make those?’, and the answer is: Yes! And they’re making a comeback. Love them or hate them, there’s something romantic about receiving a homemade mixtape, even if sometimes you do have to wind them back up with a pencil.

To make your mixtape extra special add your very own cross stitch cover using these bright and retro cross stitch motifs of colourful tapes. Once you’ve stitched it onto your aida, it’ll slip right into the cassette tape case!

Made up of four designs, you can arrange them any way you like on your aida, as long as the aida is the same dimensions, or slightly smaller than a cassette case. The standard cassette case measures approximately 4.25 x 2.75 inches.

The designs are all made using whole cross stitch and a little backstitch, so are simple to stitch and you can work up each motif in just a few hours. This project is also great for stash busting, as you can mix up the colours of the tapes using any threads you might have left over from another project.

These retro cross stitch designs were created by Cheryl McKinnon and were originally published in The World of Cross Stitching magazine issue 279. They are part of a set of 40 retro motifs and if you would like the full set you can purchase a digital edition of the magazine. Here’s a sneak preview of the rest of the set:

Retro cross stitch pattern

Key features of retro cross stitch

• Stitch time: Approx. 2-3 hours each
• Stitch Types: Cross stitch, backstitch
• Ease of Stitching: Beginner

What you’ll need to make the retro cross stitch

• 14-count aida
• Threads: Stranded cotton as listed in the key
• Needle: Size 24 tapestry needle
• Extras: Cassette tape case

Download retro cross stitch pattern

Download the PDF pattern

Make it retro with your next Valentine’s gift

A mixtape is a low-cost and old-fashioned romantic way to impress someone special. Give them a mix of your favourite tunes that you think they’ll love, complete with their own cross stitch tape cover.

Keep it sweet this Valentine’s day with cute cross stitch

If you want to go the extra mile with your Valentine’s Day stitch, work up this adorable panda cross stitch designed by Sosae and Dennis Caetano.

Cheryl McKinnon

Cheryl is a cross stitch designer from Canada. It was her grandmother and mother who stitched traditional needlepoint, petit point, and cross stitch, and their work first motivated her to begin practicing Cross Stitch. In her designs, she keeps the traditions alive whilst employing bright colour palettes, bold graphics, and uses retro themes to illustrate her love of vintage style. Cheryl showcases and sells her cross stitch patterns on her website the Tiny Modernist, where she shares tips and other useful cross stitch knowledge. Cheryl also has an amazing Instagram page where you can find all her latest designs and plenty of cross stitch inspiration.

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