since there's lots of people here that like cross stitching (like me lol) I decided to look in my favorites and scrounge up some great sites for free patterns :-) hope ya like!
http://www.geckodance.com/CrossStitch/

http://www.craftfreebies.com/crossstitch.html

http://www.freepatternsonline.com/xspatterns2.htm

http://crossstitch.about.com/library/freepatterns/blfree_index.htm

http://www.allcrafts.net/needle.htm

http://www.123stitch.com/free-cross-stitch.html

http://www.craftdesigns4you.com/free.htm

and I could just keep on going lol! if you want more just yell! hope you find lots of patterns that you like and can use!

Thanks MissJamie, Those patterns are really interesting and fun.

no problem! yea I can't wait to start some of them myself! especially the hummingbird patterns! now if I could only get some thread! lol have fun doing them! ;-)

The best ideas always come when you don't have the materials-I do this all the time I buy stuff for one project then I think of something else I woudl rather do.

yeap you're right about that...I'm the same way! lol

Have you ever made your own pattern using the picture you want to copy on top of carbon paper laid over graph paper?

It is really easy and fun. My favorite cross stitch is from an old church bulletin.

Oh. I forgot to add you just trace over the picture adding or leaving out as much detail as you want.

no I haven't done that rue but I may have to try that though! thanks for the great idea! got any pictures of your projects?

I have made my own patterns for years but I have never tried the carbon paper method, sounds like a good idea. A tip for making your own patterns is to get a dry erase artist eraser, It leaves no trace of pencil line behind at all.

No I don't have any pictures. I might be able to scan it though. Let me experiment a bit with scanning it.

Ok I scanned it. It is pretty blurry but I think you can get the jist of it. I did it on 22 count so it is small fits in a 5x7 frame.

http://www.11southkitley.com/church%20bulletin%20counted%20crosstitch.jpg

wow that looks really good! I might have to try that sometime thanks! :-)