Badger Cross-Stitch Patterns: A Flower Delivery, a Wizard and a Mug of Cider

A badger is a good animal to stitch: that black-and-white striped face reads clearly at any size, even in a few rows of stitches. We now have three badger patterns, and each one puts the same animal in a very different scene. Here’s how they compare, so you can pick the one that suits your wall and your season.

The Badger with a Peony

The newest is the Badger Carrying a Peony Blossom: a badger walking upright through clover, a pink bloom almost as big as itself slung over one shoulder. It finishes 10.4“ x 12.3“ on 14-count, and at 12,811 stitches in 14 colors it’s the quickest of the three to finish. It’s also the only one that isn’t tied to fall — there are no leaves turning and no hot drink, so it works as a spring or summer piece. About half the grid is bare fabric, which keeps the pink flower and the dark fur crisp.

One detail sets it apart from the other two: its outlines and face stripes are DMC 939 navy rather than 310 black. On the fabric it reads as near-black, but the face looks a little softer than the other badgers.

The Woodland Badger Wizard

The Woodland Badger Wizard wears a pointed hat woven from twigs, berries and autumn leaves, with a patchwork cloak and a satchel. It’s the tall one: 129 x 224 stitches, finishing 9.2“ x 16.0“, nearly twice as high as it is wide. That shape suits a narrow wall between two windows or the side of a bookcase. It has the most colors of the three (19), mostly because the cloak is shaded with seven different browns, and at 17,851 stitches it’s also the biggest. It’s rated Intermediate — the browns are forgiving, since your eye goes straight to the face.

Badger’s Spiced Brew

Badger’s Spiced Brew is a badger hugging a glass mug of amber cider on a wooden table, with a cinnamon stick visible through the glass. It’s the smallest outline here, 9.3“ x 11.0“, but don’t let that fool you: only 20% of the fabric is left bare, so it comes to 15,818 stitches. That density is why it’s the one badger we rate Advanced. It’s a fall-to-winter piece for a kitchen or coffee corner.

Which Badger Is the Biggest Project?

Finished size and stitch count don’t line up here, which is worth knowing before you buy fabric:

• Badger Carrying a Peony Blossom: 10.4“ x 12.3“, 12,811 stitches, 14 colors, Intermediate
• Badger’s Spiced Brew: 9.3“ x 11.0“, 15,818 stitches, 14 colors, Advanced
• Woodland Badger Wizard: 9.2“ x 16.0“, 17,851 stitches, 19 colors, Intermediate

The peony badger has the largest frame size and the fewest stitches, because half of it is open fabric. The cider badger is the smallest frame and the slowest per square inch.

Our Recommendation

If this is your first badger, start with the Badger Carrying a Peony Blossom: it has the fewest stitches, and the big blocks of pink and charcoal are easy to count. If you want a fall piece instead, the Woodland Badger Wizard is the gentler choice — it’s longer, but the Spiced Brew’s dense glass and cider shading is harder work. Before you start either of the bigger two, our guide to planning a large cross-stitch project covers how much floss and fabric to buy, and when you’re done, see finishing and displaying your stitching for framing a tall piece like the wizard.