Hi! I’m Alina from Ukraine — the author of every pattern at Stitching Stories.
I’ve been in love with cross stitch for over twenty years, starting with a tiny butterfly on a scrap of Aida. Like everyone, I began by stitching other people’s charts — in the evenings, after work, with my favorite shows on in the background. But over time I realized that what excited me most wasn’t repeating designs, it was creating them. I wanted patterns that didn’t exist anywhere: cozy cottages buried in peonies, gentle Halloween ghosts, forest paths you remember from childhood.
A little over two years ago I finally turned a twenty-year hobby into my work — that’s how Stitching Stories by Alina was born. Today, pattern design is my main occupation. Every design starts as a hand drawing; then I build the DMC palette — sometimes that takes longer than the drawing itself, because the shade of a sky or a petal has to be exactly right. And I always test the chart before it reaches you: there should never be a single “lost” stitch in the file.
What you get in every PDF:
- a full-color chart and a black-and-white symbol version — stitch whichever way you prefer;
- a complete DMC thread key with numbers and quantities;
- fabric recommendations and finished-size guidance.
Twenty years in the hoop taught me the main thing: a good chart is one you enjoy spending evenings with, not one you fight against. That’s exactly the kind I try to create.
Nothing makes me happier than photos of finished pieces that stitchers send me. If you’ve stitched one of my designs, please show me — it truly makes my day! You can find me on Instagram and Etsy, and if you have a question, drop me a line through the contact page. I reply within 24 hours.
With love in every stitch,
Alina