Traditional African Clothing β Cross Stitch Pattern
This is a PDF product πββοΈ
You can download it right after checkout!
Traditional African Clothing β Cross Stitch Pattern
π Celebrate African Heritage & Traditional Dress
Honor the rich diversity and beauty of African culture with this Traditional African Clothing Cross Stitch Pattern collection. Featuring authentic traditional garments for both men and women, this pattern celebrates the vibrant textiles, distinctive styles, and cultural heritage of African dress traditions.
Whether you're creating portraits that reflect your African heritage, honoring cultural traditions, designing diverse family portraits, or simply appreciating the beauty of traditional African clothing, this pattern gives you the tools to stitch with cultural authenticity and respect.
π What's Included:
Women's Traditional Clothing:
- Gele - Traditional head wrap/head tie
- Buba - Loose-fitting blouse
- Pele - Shoulder wrap/shawl
- Iro - Wrapper skirt
- Additional traditional women's garment patterns
Men's Traditional Clothing:
- Kufi Cap - Traditional brimless cap
- Dashiki - Colorful loose-fitting tunic
- Boubou - Flowing wide-sleeved robe
- Additional traditional men's garment patterns
π― Perfect For:
- Honoring African heritage and cultural identity
- Creating culturally authentic family portraits
- Celebrating African traditions and special occasions
- Educational projects about African culture and dress
- Diverse and inclusive portrait designs
- Gifts for those celebrating their African roots
- Cultural appreciation and representation in cross stitch
π Pattern Details:
- π₯ Format: Digital PDF download - instant access after purchase
- π Page Size: 8.5" x 11" format
- π Women's Garments: Gele, Buba, Pele, Iro, and more
- π Men's Garments: Kufi cap, Dashiki, Boubou, and more
- π¨ Traditional Styles: Authentic African clothing patterns
- π¨οΈ Printing: Printing at home for personal use is allowed
- π Companion Patterns:Β These patterns build off of the foundations of Β Do-It-Yourself Stitch People, which contains instructions, patterns, and resources for creating your own custom cross-stitch family portrait pattern designs and explains Stitch Peopleβs signature mix-and-match philosophy.
π About Traditional African Dress:
African traditional clothing represents the incredible diversity of the continent's many cultures, regions, and ethnic groups. From the vibrant colors and patterns of West African textiles to the elegant draping of traditional garments, these clothing styles carry deep cultural significance, history, and identity. Each garment tells a story of heritage, celebration, and cultural pride.
π Our Commitment to Cultural Respect:
The creation of these patterns is meant to be an inclusive, open-hearted expansion of the Stitch People pattern collection. All research for cultural-wear patterns was performed with care and respect by the Stitch People team. We have made our best effort to be comprehensive and respectful in representing the traditional garments referenced in these patterns. Any errors or omissions are unintentional.
π¨ Floss Color Disclaimer: As discussed in Do-It-Yourself Stitch People, every family portrait is entirely unique and so making floss color suggestions won't apply to every situation. I encourage you to utilize your own creativity and enjoy the process of color matching to photos to make selections appropriate to the families, memories, and scenes you choose to build with these patterns! You can do it!
π₯ DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: This is a PDF pattern delivered instantly after purchase. No physical items will be shipped.
π Usage Rights: This pattern is for personal use only and may not be copied, shared, or resold. It is intended solely for the purchaser.
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Some of our books are still in stock at our warehouse in Salt Lake City, UT. If you order a book in stock at the warehouse (indicated on the product page) it'll typically ship within 1-2 business days via the shipping method you choose at checkout. Tracking numbers will be sent out once your package hits the mail stream!
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Shipping rates for products at our Utah warehouse are calculated in real-time at checkout. Within the US, books can be shipped via USPS Media Mail, often in the $5-6 range (though it does take 8-10 business days to arrive). For customers not in the United States, shipping rates do not include any customs/tariffs/duties due when your package arrives in your country, and any such additional fees are the responsibility of the customer.
Print on Demand
Some of our books (and soon, all!) are part of our new Print on Demand program! This means the books you order will be printed and shipped from near where you live, anywhere in the world! This takes 2-3 weeks, and you can use the PDF version in the meantime βΊοΈ This makes it cheaper for our customers outside the US, and simplifies our logistics so we can keep prices low! If the closest printer to you is outside your country, any duties/customs/tariffs imposed on your order are the responsibility of the customer.
PDF (Digital) Products
Once you complete checkout, you'll get immediate access to any PDF products in your order! And you'll have lifetime access to these files π
If you're unhappy with your order, send us an email at hello@stitchpeople.com and we'll make it right! Refunds are given on a case-by-case basis, and we're generous with store credit and exchanges!
Got questions? We've got answers π
How soon will my order arrive?
Any PDF products in your order will be available for download immediately after you complete your purchase!
For books in our Print on Demand program, you can expect to receive your book 2-3 weeks after placing your order. Your order is printed at and shipped from the printing facility closest to you.
For books still at our warehouse in Salt Lake City, UT, books typically ship within 1-2 business days. Orders are shipped via the method you choose at checkout, and tracking information will be available once your package hits the mail stream!
Please note: Media Mail, while the cheapest option, can take 8-10 business days to arrive, and the tracking can be spotty. It's a great, reliable option, but the tracking can't always be trusted.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes! For books in our Print on Demand program, those orders are printed at and shipped from the printing facility closest to you, significantly reducing shipping times and costs!
For books still at our warehouse in Salt Lake City, UT, international shipping can be pretty hefty, but it's an option if you'd like it!
Please note: We don't collect or charge any customs duties, import taxes, or VAT (Value Added Tax) on international orders at checkout. Any such fees imposed by your countryβs customs office are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Please check with your local customs authority before you place your order if you have any questions.
What's your return policy?
If you're unhappy with your order, send us an email at hello@stitchpeople.com and we'll make it right! We offer refunds on a case-by-case basis, and we're also generous with store credit and exchanges! We're pretty chill people, so as long as you're not trying to take advantage, we'll be accommodating!
Can I sell my finished portraits?
What you CAN sell
You're more than welcome to sell finished, cross-stitch pieces you've stitched using our patterns! Yes, this means you can open a shop and take commissions to stitch someone's family π If you do, we'd love a shout-out! Something like "Inspired by Stitch People" is greatβit lets people know about Stitch People without suggesting an affiliation.
What you CAN'T sell
We kindly ask that you don't sell patterns you've designed with Stitch People patterns, or based on the Stitch People style, in any form. (considered "derivative works"). That starts to encroach on our intellectual property (copyright), which is sort of the magic sauce that makes our business work. If you have questions, or would like to discuss designing Stitch People style patterns in collaboration with us, you can reach out to us at hello@stitchpeople.com.
How long will I have access to my digital products?
As long as we're in business! And we're not planning on going anywhere anytime soon! π Even if we update our website or change platforms, you'll always be able to access your digital products from your account. So whether your laptop dies, you drop your iPad in the pool, or your phone is run over by a gang of 4-year-olds on tricycles, you can always come back to your account and re-download!
All we ask is that you don't share your digital products with others who haven't purchased them!
Who's behind Stitch People?
Lizzy and Spencer Bean! Back in 2011, Lizzy saw the idea for cross-stitch portraits in a Martha Stewart Magazine, but didn't like the designs, so she made her own! That year, she made the first Stitch People portrait of her own familyβLizzy, mom, dad, husband, sister, and brother-in-law, and the combined 6 pets between them!
From there, Lizzy started taking commissions online, stitching hundreds of portraits over several years. Then in 2014, Lizzy published the 1st edition of Do-It-Yourself Stitch People book (now in it's 2nd edition!) and that started the next chapter of Stitch Peopleβdesigning patterns so other stitchers could make their own portraits!
We're still publishing patterns, many of which are collaborations with other talented stitchers! If you're interested in collaborating, send us an email to hello@stitchpeople.com!
