This is such a fun and creative cross stitch book! The spooky, witchy patterns are unique and full of personality, from haunted houses to quirky holiday mashups. The instructions are clear and beginner-friendly, but there’s plenty here for experienced stitchers too. A perfect pick for anyone who loves Halloween vibes or wants something a little unusual in their crafting.

This may seem like just another themed pattern book, but it really is so much more. The first part of the book is filled with pretty much everything you could want to know to get to an intermediate or even low advanced level of cross stitch. From fabric preparation, to stitch lists, to specific tools and when to use them, it gives you everything you need to know to get started. The patterns themselves are cute, and appropriately spooky. I adored the other holidays getting creeped up, especially Easterween, which is completely adorable. The end of the book gives excellent instructions on how to finish your projects as well. I thought that the little info tidbits, especially accompanied by ghosts, were great and I loved to see them. All around a great book for those cross stitchers of the spoooky variety. I read this book through NetGalley.

Glorious! Thank you, publishers, and netgalley for access to this ARC!! This one is full of the gothic dreams we stitching witches love! This title is acceptable for beginners and advanced cross stitchers alike. The patterns are so clear and easy to read. The pictures are haunting and inspiring! I love the thread color representations. This title really has it all, including patterns for those other times of the year that need a little bit more spook! A must have!

Beware: some of the text is on white font over a black background; those the size is large enough to make it very legible, it can be hard on tired eyes.

Unlike my experience with other books purported to be beginner guides, this book is a proper beginner's introduction to cross stitch projects, complete with little tips highlighted in their own little boxes ever couple of pages; the book also makes it clear that there is no need to invest in costly materials to try this craft, which is, in my opinion, the most essential element for a text that seeks to introduce someone to an entirely new-to-them endeavor.

I'll start by saying that the writing voice, which is chatty and friendly, many not be everyone's cup of tea; there are a lot of witchy puns peppered through the text that can be funny the first time and not so much the third. I found it quite delightful, because this is not a book you need to read cover to cover in one sitting; reading the introduction and first chapter (a dozen or so pages altogether), will give you a good idea of what you need to start, what is gravy to have, and what you'll get from the book.

I enjoyed reading and paging through the digital version available to me as an ARC, but I am positive the full color printed edition is absolutely lovely. The illustrations are colorful and distinct, with enough contrast to make it easy to distinguish all the elements of the designs or scenes, and the page elements laid out in a logical manner from headings to text, with said illustrations and little inserts placed in a way that doesn't interrupt the reading flow.

The charts for each project are laid out well, and in a way that will allow the beginner who starts here to transition easily to charts from other sources--the text includes measurements in both inches and centimeters, for example. All that you need to know, from finished measurement to threads colors, as well as specific explanations for aspects of each pattern, is included in each section.

Something else I'm sure novices will appreciate is that even the smallest details are explained with care, and under the gentle assumption that no one is born knowing what they don't know; from how to pull your threads from the skeins to how to protect fabric edges, the different ways to start and end threads while stitching with multiple colors, and so on, the text is detailed without being patronizing, and the illustrations will remain a solid reference to come back to when sharing this craft with other people in the future.

Furthermore, the author expands on the basics, addressing everything from finishing to beading or other embellishments, framing, fabric dyeing (natural dies for the win!), storage for both projects and supplies, and so on.

The charts and projects included here are, as one can surmise from the title and cover, are all Victorian Gothic and Hallowe'en themed, and delightful in many ways; it is actually surprising how many different colors you can use on your basic scary season designs, and still leave people with the impression of gloom and doom--in a gentle, fun manner, of course.

Please note: while the pattern section on other holidays tickled me, it must be said that it only includes Christian celebrations--which I guess is fair, since the witchy traditions referred to in the book are very much in the same vein (that is, pretty much British and USian Christian-infused folklore). Still, beware if that's not your thing, for whichever reason.

In sum, this book is truly an introduction to cross stitch, which offers readers a great entry point and a few solid projects to try out before going all-out on materials and equipment, and which will remain as a useful resource for years to come, as well as a beautiful object in its own right.

Witchy Stitching gets a 9.00 out of 10

Witchy Stitching is a wonderful book by Meg Black (The Witchy Stitcher) that has all the information within it to start a new hobby or refine your craft. The full two page spread for most patterns made it easy to see all the details, and I liked that it ranged from bookmark size to larger pieces. As well as two coloured items to multiple colours! Something for everyone's style and skill.

The addition of the Ghost Tip's and Fun Fact's throughout (and associated ghost) was a wonderful addition to make the reader feel you have a friend helping you out and explaining the information in an understandable way.

This is honestly such a fun book to read and flip through, I have gone back multiple times just to look at the pictures again or to look longingly at the completed patterns. I would suggest this to anyone wanting to do more witchy cross-stitching as it is an overall great book on the subject or just to have out as a coffee table piece.

Happy Book Birthday Meg Black!

What a book this is. I received a temporary download of the Witchy Stitching book as an advanced reader's copy from the author and Herbert Press, Bloomsbury Publishing through NetGalley. It is published in Great Britain.
This is my own unsolicited opinion about the paperback book. It's excellent in so many ways. There is a Halloween feel to the writing from the introduction forward which gives me a touch of whimsical nostalgia from the fun days of my own past. The photos displaying projects feature dark backgrounds with bright color bursting from the needlework on material. I think it's an exciting collection of projects. There are bats, pumpkins, characters and haunted houses. Oh so many designs to choose from, twenty-five patterns from framed pieces to bookmarks. Other holiday designs have been added too. (The Easter ones are my least favorite, but that's me.) It would be hard to pick a favorite project. I love the Nevermore with crows design because of the classic Vincent Price movie and Edgar Allen Poe work. That's Halloween to me. There is a Jack o'lantern duo that would be an awesome gift for a couple that loves the spooky season. Those two pieces really caught my eye. I can actually think of a newlywed couple who would love them.
There are tips and tricks, specialty stitches, terms, beading and dyeing techniques, even potential suppliers for the beginner to advanced artist. Charts with clear detail, DMC numbers with symbols, tools and accessories to help the project go smoothly. Personally, I can see these designs being used in other crafts too. Using the DMC colors with a chart a diamond painting could be worked up on an empty canvas.
This book has whimsical, detailed projects that leave me inspired. I think anyone who loves Halloween decor, beautiful stitchwork, detailed instructions and tutorials will benefit from this book. I recommend it for the individual crafter, craft group and librarian who equip patrons with quality craft books. It is appropriate for the beginner to the expert.

I really enjoyed this cross stitching book. The introduction was definitely more basic than all of the patterns were. Meaning that, if I knew nothing about cross stitching and the intro was totally new, anything in this book would have been intimidating, but I still really appreciated the introduction. Most of the people I know who stitch learned from a quick video or their local Cat Lady, so having so much how-to in one place was really great, and I did learn a few things! But also, if you're just here for the patterns, you can always skip ahead!

And the patterns in here are fantastic. There's a good variety, both in terms of style and difficulty, and they're easy to read. I've started one already and plan to gift it to my dad for next Halloween!

Witchy Stitching is a neat collection of 25 gothic/witchy themed cross stitch projects and tutorials designed by Meg Black. Released 12th Aug 2025 by Bloomsbury on their Herbert Press imprint, it's 192 pages and is available in paperback format.

This fun book or gift for all levels of experience. The first chapter provides a short but useful introduction to materials and supplies. She discusses needles, fabrics, thread counts, embroidery floss, hoops, etc. The photos are full colour and clear and the instructions are easy to follow.

The patterns themselves are arranged whimsically (for the coven, gothic gallery, halloween, and haunted holidays). The patterns are provided with stitch counts, approximate design size (in & cm), and recommended colors given with DMC numbers. The borders are very simple and some of these projects won't take long to complete and are well suited to small, sort of last minute gifts, whilst some are quite impressive and will take some time to complete (see cover photo).

Four and a half stars. Full of witchy/gothic vibes. This would be a good choice for the stitcher's home library, public library acquisition, stitching group library, or gift giving.

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

Stumbling across a post from the Witchy Stitcher on Instagram opened my mind to what cross stitch could be, and she's the one I bought my first kit from (Black Phillip). When she announced she had written a book containing all new patterns, I jumped at the chance to review it!

If you're a fan of her patterns, you're going to love the ones in here. I struggled to pick just one to do, but decided to start the hourglass with a Death Head's Moth. The patterns in the book are just as clear and easy to follow as her PDFs, including stitch counts, pattern size, and how many skeins of thread you'll need of each color. The patterns run a solid gamut from explicitly witchy, to classical goth, to whimsical pumpkins, and also holiday patterns with a Halloween twist. When my physical copy gets here, I'm definitely going to do one of the Halloween-themed Christmas patterns and the vintage-style Ferris Wheel!

The book also has a lengthy section walking you through the basics of how to cross stitch. I don't interact with the wider community much, so the two pages dedicated to common acronyms and terms was very fun. (Thinking about tearing out incorrect stitches as "frogging" has made that process more enjoyable.) The little aside about how it's totally okay to toss your project across the room on the page explaining how to do a French knot? Felt that in my bones. However, this is where my big issue lies.

While I've finished six patterns of various sizes, including a large one with over 50 colors, I'm still very much a beginner and the thing tripping me up is backstitching. Every. Single. Backstitch tutorial shows you how to backstitch across one square, and then 99.9% of patterns with backstitching want you to do it across multiple ones with no explanation as to how. (I dropped a SAL that wanted a line going diagonally across 16 squares with no one explaining how to do it!) When I saw the backstitch tutorial in here was the same as all the others, I hoped that meant the backstitching in the following patterns would only go across one box. Nope, the very first pattern has backstitching across multiple squares and it's so frustrating! Why are you asking us to do things you won't explain?

Additionally, there's a matching pair of patterns that want you to do dark grey backstitching over black squares, and I am fully convinced one of the two doesn't have the backstitching marked on the pattern. It is so, so hard to see. Maybe it's better in the physical book (I had to download a program to my computer to read the ARC that was its own nightmare to use, but that's not the book's fault).

Overall, if you're an experienced stitcher looking for a collection of gothic and witchy patterns for your home, this book is for you. If you're still a beginner, some of these patterns are going to test and try you, but they're all beautiful and worth your while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Herbert Press for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book, I'm definitely going to purchase it to have and share with friends! I've been cross-stitching for 20 years and I still learned new techniques and tips. The instructions were clear and I loved the additions and fabric colouring techniques. The patterns were easy to follow and super fun.

The book is so much more than I expected. It has enormous amount of information and helpful tips about finding supplies, stitching itself and finishing the projects. Even experienced stitchers would find a lot of helpful stuff there. The projects are so much fun. Everything is nicely organized and well done and very clear. The designs are in the author's signature style. The projects range from small ones like a bookmark. to larger pictures. The images are more fun than scary or gory. There is even a section of designs for other holidays, like Easter, Christmas and Valentines, with ghosts and witchy things in the holiday's colors. I highly recommend the book.

I got a digital copy of the book from NetGalley

This is an excellent cross stitch book, chock full of color charts for 25 creepy projects. There are both quick-and-easy projects, and more complex, involved works. Many of the projects have a vintage look to them, which I LOVE. There are even charts for spookying-up other holidays like Easter and Christmas.

It's a must-have for stitchers who like things a little bit darker.


Many thanks to Herbert Press and NetGalley for the ARC. My review is of the physical book - it's spectacular!

WOW!!
You could tell this book was such a labor of love because there was so much detail PACKED into this book.

I will start by saying I have been a Witchy Stitcher fan for a good handful of years now. They were the first cross stitch designer Ive found that was not afraid to dive fully into the dark aesthetics which at the time seemed so niche in the cross stitch world. This book holds true to what they do best.

I want to start off that this book has a heavy emphasis on instructional. About 1/4th goes through everything, and I mean EVERYTHING you need to know about getting started into cross-stitching. I would say if you are an advanced stitcher, a lot of the information would not be new to you. I would say it would be mostly geared to new beginners to confident beginners/transitioning intermediates stitchers. Very through and in depth descriptions, steps, pictures and diagrams from supplies to adding embellishments.

One of the things that stood out the most to me while going through it was how on theme everything was. Of course this includes the patterns, the font style, the color palette etc. What really pulled it all together was all the little art motifs nearly on every page and each one unique with such personality to bring the open spaces on the pages together. I also really appreciated all the little witchy and spooky puns randomly put into all different situations of context. With the dash of personal fun facts throughout as well, this all together really felt like the book was a small extension of the designers personality.

When it comes to the patterns, in my personal opinion and as a long time follower of this designer, there wasn't anything "ground breaking" or anything you wouldn't already expect. They all feel similar to many pieces already available. In fact, a lot of them would make some great companion pieces. They are all small to small/medium size charts with most using around 12 colors and under. There was only 1 chart using up to 18 colors. Another reason I feel this is a more beginner book because the supplies needed feel really manageable.

As far as technicalities, the cross stitch charts and standard information is all there and neatly organized. The charts themselves feel large enough to see all details clearly. There are even greyed line portions of the chart to indicate where to line up the pattern since they are all mostly spread across 2 pages to combat confusion. With the step by step tutorials, they are numbered clearly to coincide with corresponding pictures of the step.

If I really had to comment on anything, it's difficult, because other than everything so far mentioned will be personal preference. So that being considered, my personal preference is I just wish there was at least 1 or 2 patterns that had a little "pizzaz". I saw that mention of beads and beadwork in the beginning and I know it was stated there weren't any patterns in the book with beads, but I kind of wish there was. Or the mention of metallic threads and floss, I would have loved to see a small project utilize some to make it feel like a unique exclusive Witchy Stitcher pattern you can only find in the book. Obviously those techniques require a little more technique and knowledge of cross stitching so I understand why something like that wouldn't be included when the overall skill level seems to be for "everyone".

All that being said, I truly do love this book. I did get the advanced copy from Netgalley, but I've had it preordered for weeks now and do not regret one bit having this book in my craft book collection when it comes out. Absolutely recommend ESPECIALLY if you're a visual learner and/or you are someone who wants a truly gothic and witchy collection of patterns.

Firstly, I am a big fan of Meg, aka The Witchy Stitcher. When I was a new stitcher, I found her Etsy store and her website, and have purchased multiple patterns from her. She is wonderfully talented, and has dozens and dozens of lovely horror/Halloween/witchy/gothic patterns.

The new book is perfect for newbies and experts alike. The author carefully describes the different types of fabric, threads, needles, needle minders, hoops/frames, scissors, how to deal with extra fabric, stitching stands, and the other little odds and ends you will undoubtedly need throughout your stitching. She then teaches how to read a cross stitch pattern and prepare your fabric, add extras like beads, dyeing fabric, and more. For those already in the know, there are 25 gorgeous patterns, and yes, I have already marked which ones I want to create once I buy the physical book.

With loads of information and dark puns, this is THE book for creepy cross-stitchers everywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA | Herbert Press for the e-ARC!

Having done needlework for more than 50 years, I found this book delightful and informative. It not only provides some interesting and cool patterns for the Samhaim/Halloween season, but also provides valuable basic and advanced cross-stitching information and instructions! I'm looking forward to adding a few of these patterns to my TBS backlog, and highly recommend it for both beginner and advanced switchers!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are several designs I would be interested in making. I appreciate how many bookmarks there are as well as how many designs lend themselves to rectangular frames. It feels modern, fun, and for all ages. This book does not give off grandma vibes that I get from so many books that are heavy on the rounded designs for hoop display. Patterns provide stitch count and approximate skeins used for each color of DMC threads and show the color and a symbol on the graphs for clarity. Plenty of information is given on how to choose materials, complete stitches, and finish and display projects. There is even some unique information such as dying material using coffee or tea. Overall, a very cute and informational book for those who enjoy witchy and/or Halloween decor.

I have always been fascinated by cross stitching. I have debated for years on trying to attempt it. While I did enjoy the thorough details, I think this book has made my decision....maybe at a later date. I don't have the time to focus long enough for the amount of time and dedication to create one of these at this time.

However, that is not giving this book the justice it deserves. Meg's book is filled with 25 various hauntingly beautiful patterns. I think based on the way they present this book, that anyone from any stage of talent in cross stitching, beginner to advanced, can all find patterns that they can not only enjoy but create with ease.

I particularly enjoyed the Ghost Tips, and the high definition images of each pattern both as a template and as a completed project.

Okay this book is STUNNING!! Not only are the instructions beginner friendly but they are also clear and concise. As a cross stitcher of over 10 years, I appreciate the time she took in this book to make sure you know basics like how to do each stitch and then beyond like how to dye your fabric and give it a distressed look. Super cool techniques that I will be using on these projects! The quality of the patterns is top notch. Also, the little ghost drawings are ADORABLE! My favorite part of this book is that the background of what items mean in cross stitch like black cats etc. I was super intrigued reading these sections and it felt like more than just a craft book because of this. I highly recommend this to anyone into creepy or witchy cross stitch and am looking forward to what’s next for her!

Meg has really outdone herself with Witchy Stitching. As the introduction states, it is more than just a collection of patterns but an excellent reference for anyone looking to enter the world of cross stitch. It provides all the instructions someone might need to jump right in, from what materials are available to how to stitch, into reading patterns, how to form stitches, and then into the wonderful patterns themselves. She even provides instructions on washing and finishing projects! The patterns are spectacular. I thought I liked the gothic/witchy patterns until I got to the Haunted Holidays and saw the gingerbread men! Thanks so much allowing me to glimpse into this beauty.

I loved this book. First of all, the author gives lots of clear directions on how to cross stitch for the beginner. I was really impressed with all of the projects that are included. I am planning on starting with a bookmark and moving on from there. Each one of the designs is beautiful and unique. There is even a section at the end that puts some Halloween fun into some other holidays. If you love Halloween and cross stitch, this is a must buy.