The tone of this book and photos of the stitched patterns are upbeat, sweet, and cute. Beginning and mid-level cross stitchers will find much to like here. The projects include clear making-up explanations, and hobbyists who come to cross stitch to find joy in this pastime will be an excellent audience for this book. The patterns themselves are not reproduced in the e-galley, and thus it isn't possible to speak to ease of use, layout of design, appropriateness of symbol choice, etc. Rating is given for the material around the actual projects. The text and photos, though, are charming.

The book is filled with many projects with empowering and inspiring words. Most of the projects are less stitch intensive, where you embroider the words and some decorative elements, not the whole space, so the projects are manageable for a busy person. I was very glad to see that all of the charts were actually stitched out on fabric, and turned into projects, from framed pictures to bags and pillows. So many cross stitch book only show you simulated pictures that were made by computer, and people didn't actually make them.
There are charts with DMC thread numbers and they give reference to the exact fabric they used. They included some simple instructions on how to do cross stitch. It is all cross stitch and some back stitch, but they also have you make some super tiny cross stitch over one thread instead of over the usual two threads - I only spotted this in one project and it is a tiny area in the house's window.
I love the messages in the projects, and I love how they look like.



I received a free digital copy of the book from NetGalley

I received this craft book in exchange for an honest review, which has not altered my opinion.

This is a beautiful book, the designs and the meanings and explanations behind them are so sweet and inspiring. I can’t recommend this enough and I loved that the book explained the different types of stitches and knots. Not to forget, it also walked us through how to make the finished stitches into more than just a single cloth but an actual project as well!

“Inspired Cross-Stitch” by Gail Bussi is filled with lovely, inspiring counted cross-stitch patterns that will be a joy to create. All of the patterns use a similar color palette of soft, soothing colors that complement each other and will look perfect with cottage or shabby chic décor. This book includes 30 full-color patterns plus four different alphabet fonts for stitchers who want to create their own words or quotes.

There is a short tutorial on stitches at the beginning of this book if one needs it, but these patterns are not overly complex and totally appropriate for a novice stitcher. The motifs are on the small side, which makes for a project that can be accomplished in just a few sittings.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Rowman & Littlefield, and Stackpole Books for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely book filled with sweet inspiration and hope. The designs are well written. The colors are soft, I may mix that up a bit for my decor. Overall a beautifully designed book.

Very nice colorful pattern that are small enough to crossstitch in a few days. The patterns are very organized and easy to read. I recommend this book of patterns to those who love to crossstitch.

I got this book because, like many other people, I started cross-stitching in the pandemic and want to learn ALL THE THINGS! Which is why I chose this book.

The patterns are beautiful and thoroughly explained and illustrated.

I'm not much of a person to enjoy tales of inspiration etc (although I am in no way judging the author or those that find these things enhance the experience) but I am really impressed by the beauty of the patterns.

I wish there had been more alphabets as Gail Bussi has created such beautiful ones (such as in the Keep a Rainbow in the Sky) and I would have liked to have seen more of them!

I'm so excited to have received this ARC. I had previously pre-ordered the book and am now so excited for my hard copy to arrive in a few months. The patterns are easy to read, not overly complicated or large, and absolutely beautiful! Definitely will be making a few gifts from these patterns!

This is a wonderful cross-stitch book that tells you what materials you will need to complete any of the patterns in the book. It then describes how to read the patterns. Each pattern is simple to follow, and will take from a few days to a few weeks at most to complete. The book is divided into 3 sections- Inspire, Create, and Connect. Each design is a counted cross-stitch design, and the colors of DMC floss are listed for each project. Each project is photographed beautifully in color. At the back of the book, there is a chart for each letter of the alphabet, so that you may design your own cross-stitch design, or add a name to one of the designs already provided. This is an excellent book for novice and experienced stitchers alike.

This is a lovely book with some simple cross stitch patterns. Most patterns are sayings like “start small and always dream”. The biggest complaint for this book is that the photos of completed projects are a bit hard to see. The sewer used a lot of pastel threads on natural color fabric and it all blended together. Some patterns with greater contrast would be nice. This cross stitch book is for those who love the shabby chic esthetic.

Inspired Cross-Stitch is a tutorial guide with designs plus alphabets for DIY motivational sayings designed by Gail Bussi. Due out 1st Sept. 2021 from Rowman & Littlefield on their Stackpole Books imprint, it's 166 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This collection is filled with small pastel designs and inspirational sayings which can be done in a short amount of time or combined into larger pieces. The design aesthetic is sweetly whimsical and a bit traditional. They would make good embellishments for gifts or clothing (using waste canvas to stitch the design). The individual element would also make nice small projects on sachets, towel edgings, or other small pieces.

Each project includes suggested fabric, design stitch counts, and approximate size on the recommended fabrics. The author has included suggested finishing directions. The charts are in color with symbols, along with DMC thread and color name equivalents. Most designs have only a handful of colors, so substituting different (darker or brighter) colors shouldn't pose any difficulty.

The book includes a thumbnail gallery index as well as a very (very) short general how-to tutorial.

Four stars. It would make a good choice for library acquisition or home use.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Cathartic, Deeply Inspiring, and Engaging Mindfulness at its’ core, Gail Bussi’s “Inspired Cross-Stitch” reminds you to “See the Possibilities,” while gently allowing you to find healing, by “restoring your grace and building your strength” through your creative side, as well enjoying the serenity, peaceful introspection and renewal of well-being.

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley. #InspiredCross-Stitch
#EngagingMindfulnessAtIts’Core
#InspireCreateConnect

The layout was very readable. The photos gave great detail to the patterns. The charts are really easy to read. Overall, it is a wonderfully put-together look. It's just not my aesthetic.

This book has 30 cross-stitch designs for beginners on up. The charts are easy to read and the colors are easily customizable to your needs. Bussi offers a variety of finishing techniques so you can be sure to make your project useful for you. The only drawback for me would be that all the designs definitely have a vintage/country feel to them. I was hoping for something a little more modern.

I like the fact that there are different stitches used at the beginning of this book with examples. These are cute designs, but the only one I might ever make is "live your passion" or "do it with heart." I like the darker color ones instead of the ones with all the pastels, so some of the others would be cute to make if I can swap out the thread colors.

Loved this! I’ve been wanting to cross stitch for awhile now and this was the best thing to kick start my new hobby. It’s very motivating and informative. I’m excited to get started

This is a cute little book of cross stitch ideas for pillows, decorative hangings and gifts. They seem easy enough for even beginners todo, as they aren’t super complicated or huge and overwhelming. They have some cute sayings like “Together is the best place to be.” Some are in sampler form like from the 80s and the colors are very pastel, but you could easily adjust them to your own liking.
Overall, this isn’t a book for advanced stitchers, and since I picked up cross stitching again after many years due to the pandemic, this is good for practicing my skills again.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

The designs are great for beginners or even experienced stitchers looking for simple projects they can work up quickly. The charts are presented in a clear, easy-to-read style as the instructions and thread charts. It would be a good idea to include the selections for alternative thread brands but this isn’t really an issue as the stitchers perfectly free to adjust the colors of threads used in the designs.

This is a great addition to a stitcher’s library and even makes a great gift! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher and Net Galley but the thoughts expressed are my own.

This is a nice little cross-stitch book with different projects that can be completed quickly, especially if you are short on time. Several of the patterns of the book are inspiring enough to get me out of my crafting rut. 😊


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

A cute collection of cross-stitch patterns. There were a couple I would like to stitch up, though I would move away from the pastel color-scheme that predominates.