How to Cross Stitch a QR Code

During the peak of my holiday-cross-stitching-and-quarantine projects, I ended up making a QR code to pair with a tiny cross stitched recreation of a house. The QR code linked to the street view of the house, and it was a beautiful way to round out what felt like a small gift into a more polished final product. The idea had been inspired while waiting to grab a beer from a local shop, and seeing the QR codes on their tables, and thinking "hey, I could stitch that". Granted, I was working on four gifts at that point, and most things I saw either made me think of the work I had left, or ideas for the work ahead.

I think this project is a really easy, customizable, memento/personal touch to gift or add-on to any project. You can cross stitch codes to make into patches for clothes or bags, to hang behind counters, or as small christmas ornaments for people who will be into that kind of thing.

This is a really easy project for beginner stitchers, and there are links at the end of this Instructable for people inspired to stitch for the first time!

Aida Cloth (for this, I used 14-count)

Embroidery Floss (any color is possible, but contrasting your thread with your fabric as much as possible will yield better results)

A hoop (I used a 4-in hoop for stitching, though you can also use a 3-in hoop, photo of that later on)

Optional: graph paper and a writing utensil

For the sake of this project, I'll be using the code or the bar I mentioned in my opening anecdote. If you are using a url, I encourage you to use one of the many online generators, which you can find on google.

If you have a printer, this can be as easy as printing out the QR code you make, and tracing a grid pattern over it. You can move onto the next step from here.

If you feel comfortable enough stitching while looking at a picture on a computer, more power to you. You can move on to the next step.

If you live in a shoe box apartment (like me), don't own a printer (like me), and prefer paper patterns (like me), you can get some with graph paper, and can transpose your 'pattern' like I show here.

Using the QR code I have photographed above, I filled in the boxes on the graph paper to reflect the same pattern. Each box is corresponding to the pattern of the QR code, and you can see it produces an 29 BY 29 square 'pattern'.

Each box corresponds to a "stitch" in the pattern. You can work across in rows, like I show here. I started in the top left corner of the pattern, working in rows across, and then down.

Note: you can see in the last image of this step, I cheated a little, and also stitched the first column down to use as a guide.

For first time stichers, it really is as easy as making slashes, going back, and making many little x's. There are additional resources at the end of this to help you get started.

As a reference, I like to cross out the completed rows in a lighter colored marker as I complete them. It makes the pattern easier to look at, and easier to keep track of where you are.

This is a good point to stop and check and make sure your pattern works. It is still easy to make changes before finishing or framing however you want!

Once you have completed all the internal stitches, you can test the pattern using your phone to see if the QR code registers. If not, you should back stitch around the edges of the code in order to create the contrast box sometimes needed for phones to register your pattern. I have had mixed luck, and find it really depends on the individual code.

Part of the beauty of this project is how many different ways you can use your code from here! I am partial to framing my pieces in the hoops they were made, but you can also explore other ways to stitch your code onto something else! Framing instructions and inspiration are linked below in additional resources.

A solid beginners guide with diagrams for people new to cross stitch

A solid video tutorial for people new to cross stitch

A video tutorial for back stitching

My FAVORITE cross stitch maker's tutorial for how to frame pieces in their hoop

This Instructable offers a bunch of other options for framing pieces in their hoop

Other inspiration for what to do with your finished piece: make it into pins, patches, ornaments, or decorative pillows! Frame in any frame, frame it in the hoop, these make great gifts, et al.