Eight Rules to Help You Design Your Own Samplers

Many stitchers eventually reach a point where they don’t just want to follow a pattern; they want to design one. It’s the natural next step after years of working from charts. You start to see what you’d do differently. You wonder how motifs are chosen, how colors balance, and how the whole layout comes together.

Designing your own sampler is easier when you have an understanding how samplers are built and learning to make those design decisions yourself. When I first began creating original samplers, I relied heavily on trial and error. Over time, I developed a simple set of rules that keep every design balanced, coherent, and enjoyable to stitch. The little Poinsettia Sampler below is one of the samplers that illustrates balance vertically as well as horizontally and as you can see, red and green are the predominant colours, signifying the Christmas season without expressly mentioning it. 

Think Like a Designer

Once you grasp the framework of sampler design, you can experiment confidently with themes, stitches, and colors, and you’ll begin to see why some samplers feel calm and graceful while others seem crowded or off-balance.

If you’ve ever felt the pull to create something uniquely yours, start here. These rules will help you think like a designer. They’ll guide your first sketches, your fabric choice, and the way you plan each motif. You’ll soon find that designing a sampler is one of the most rewarding parts of the needlework journey. There are so many different and valuable elements to designing, but here are eight general ideas I keep as rules when designing a cross stitch sampler layout for Victoria Sampler:

1. Begin With a Theme and Size

Every sampler begins with an idea. A season, an event, or even a feeling can spark your theme. I recommend always choose one guiding idea to influence your next choices in  colors, motifs and stitch choices. This one idea can just be how to express your love of a floral garden, or how happy your mom will feel when she receives a Mother's Day Sampler made specially for her. This is your personal guiding idea, and it needs to stay with you to help you make all your future choices, including fabric and floss colours. 

When your sampler has a clear purpose, it tells a stronger story. Decide what your sampler will express, whether it is a season, event, or mood. Decide the approximate size. Every element, from motifs to colours, should reflect that theme and enhance it. All of my designs began with a personal reason. Some were created for the students in a teaching retreat event, some with the thought of a particular friend, some to celebrate a season or holiday in a my own personal way. 

Example: My “Heirloom Birth” sampler focuses on specialty stitches, and a soft pastel palette that is focused on bother girls and boys. This sampler was created with my own two daughters in mind. 

2. Map Out Your Main Sections:

Before adding a single motif, sketch out your main sections (often 3 or 5 sections) on paper. I have been known to sketch on a napkin or a scrap I find to hand! Most samplers look best when divided into these visual “chapters.”

Balanced 'bands' or blocks of one type of stitching, help the eye move easily down through the design and prevent overcrowding. Roughly sketch each main motif placement before stitching. Adjust spacing early rather than unpicking later. I often use a 3:2 ratio for section height and width. It gives each area room to breathe and keeps the sampler from looking too mechanical.

I usually also choose a strong motif or scene to anchor each section or band, but then I build supporting motifs around it. This results in a variety of vertical sizing that is most pleasing. You will find that if you maintain a rigorous vertical size to each section, you will not achieve that lovely natural feel. A layout that’s slightly varied in spacing feels natural. 

Example: In “I Love My Cat Sampler” the 1 floral cross stitched band and two cross stitch bands of cats, tie the piece together visually. The hearts in the Hardanger and in the supporting bands of lace emphasize the emotional ties.

3. Balance Motifs and Text Vertically

Imagine a vertical line through the center of your fabric. Arrange motifs so weight and detail feel even on both sides. Include one or two motifs that ground the design, such as a scene with a house and tree, or a bouquet. These anchors at top and bottom give structure and draw the viewer’s eye to the heart of your sampler. You can have an imbalance in one anchor, as long as you have an opposite imbalance in the other anchor.

Visual idea: Sketch a mirror line through your draft to check balance.

4. Alternate Dense and Open Areas

A good sampler breathes. Alternate filled rows or bands with lighter, open stitching. The beauty of sampler design also lies in texture. This is where specialty stitches come in. Mix flat stitches with raised or specialty stitches to add dimension.

For example, placing a cross stitched vine with flowers and leaves next to a band of Satin Stitches, Rhodes, or pulled stitches, gives variety to the overall effect. Texture catches the light and makes the sampler feel alive. I usually also combine 3 different bands of specialty stitches together, to form one unit of the design. 

Example: In the "Christmas Village" Sampler, the design has large areas of open linen with occasional specialty stitched snowflakes sprinkled throughout, that offer rest between busier cross stitched motifs.

5. Repeat Elements for Unity 

Repeating colors, shapes, or stitches helps unify your design. A color that appears in several places ties a design together. I like to repeat one accent, maybe a light blue or soft grey, through different motifs to keep the sampler cohesive and unified. Repeating patterns of similar but not the same specialty stitches, gives the eye a sense of continuity and structure.

Example: In the "Thanksgiving Sampler" I have repeatedly used pumpkin, rust and green colours to enhance the autumn theme. The lettering is also a shade of rusty grey- brown, and makes the entire sampler a cohesive whole. However, there is one colour that stands out, a soft sky blue, and that gives a unique twist to this sampler design. 

6. Work in Proportions

Plan the height of each band or motif so the eye moves comfortably down the piece. Avoid making one area visually heavier than the rest. Perfect balance can feel static so I often add a small asymmetrical detail, like a bird off-center or a vine that bends differently, to give a touch of life and movement. Place strong colors deliberately so that darker tones pull focus toward your key motif, and lighter tones create flow and elegance.

Visual idea: Divide your layout into thirds to keep proportions natural.

7. Design with Finishing in Mind  

Use a digital cross stitch design app to plan your edges, hem allowances, and framing space before stitching begins. Designs that are beautiful but impossible to finish neatly, cause endless frustration. Once the main sections are settled in your mind, add your verse(s) or name and date. Words need to complement the design, not compete with it. A centered or framed placement usually feels most natural, but you may want to keep the words in the upper third of your sampler to emphasize it's importance.

Example: In the Scary Stitches pattern, there are three different finishes possible. A box top, a booklet of all the specialty stitches used, and a nametag. 

8. Edit Ruthlessly Even While Stitching

When in doubt, take something out! Removing one border, color, or motif often improves the composition instantly. Re-arranging your ideas, on paper is easier, but even if you've already stitched your first idea, removing any stitching you don't like, will let other stitches shine.  

Create Your Own Sampler

Creating your own sampler is like composing a piece of music. The rhythm, repetition, and flow feel the same when you're designing a sampler. Now that you have the framework, it’s time to put it into practice. Start small. Choose a simple subject like a floral band, a monogram, or a favorite verse, and build around it. Limit your palette to six or seven colors so you can focus on layout, not endless thread choices. Once you’ve practiced, you’ll develop your own style and learn when to bend it.

Sketch your sampler on graph paper or use basic charting software. Don’t worry if your first layout looks rough; that’s how every designer begins. Move motifs around until they feel balanced. If a section looks heavy, shift a border or change the scale of a motif. You’ll be surprised how quickly your eye learns what works.

Let's Get You Started

Once you have a basic layout, test-stitch a small section. Seeing your design on fabric will reveal proportion issues that aren’t obvious on paper. Adjust spacing, add texture, and try new color blends. Each change teaches you something valuable about design flow. When I started designing, I used to stitch 'swatches' of my proposed stitches and colors in the margin of my fabric. (always use more fabric for a design than you plan, so you can be versatile). I could visualize the results better that way, and I could be more confident going forward. 

When your first sampler is complete, take notes. What stitches did you love? Which parts felt awkward? Every project adds to your personal design vocabulary. Over time, you’ll stop copying and start composing.

Most of all, trust your taste. You already know what appeals to you, you’ve maybe stitched it for years. These basic ideas give you structure, but your instincts bring the design to life. With a bit of practice, you’ll discover that designing your own sampler isn’t mysterious at all. It’s just another way to tell your story in thread on linen.

Written by Thea Dueck: designer, teacher and founder of the Victoria Sampler. A professional needlework designer and a recognized authority in specialty stitches. She loves sharing the joy of samplers and specialty stitches.