Oriental Cross Stitch Kits

Oriental cross stitch covers a wide span of Asian design, and the kits here reflect that rather than one country. Japanese motifs are the best represented - geishas, bonsai, cranes, bamboo and fans - alongside Chinese calligraphy characters and portraits from across Asia.

RIOLIS makes the largest part of the range. Their kits are counted cross stitch worked on cotton fabric or Zweigart aida, and they use wool and acrylic yarns rather than stranded cotton, which gives a slightly softer, matt finish than a standard cotton kit. Needleart World, Lanarte, DMC and Design Works Crafts make up most of the rest, and those follow the more familiar aida-and-stranded-cotton pattern.

Every kit is counted rather than printed, so you work from a colour chart and count the squares. Fabric count, finished size and exactly what the kit contains are listed on each product page, as they vary between brands.