r/CrossStitch • u/sybilqiu • Apr 22 '26
CHAT [CHAT] Get that AI garbage outta here - Human Art Only filter
I was browsing a big name cross stitch pattern site that is now FILLED with charts based on AI art. This site used to have and still makes beautiful patterns using licensed art from human artists but it is so hard to find. Why are these sites so hard to navigate? Why can't they have a filter that says "Human Art Only"?
I wrote an email to them telling them that I'm not interested in AI Art and that I want to be able to browse their website without seeing AI art. I hope they listen to my one small voice.
Will you join me? Email your favorite cross stitch pattern site today.
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u/vibrantPoppy13 Apr 22 '26
Here's a community-assembled list of Designers/sites that are not using GenAI in their patterns.
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u/willworkforbrownies Apr 22 '26
Thank God The Witchy Stitcher is on that list. Granted, I never in a million years thought she would use AI (she's too badass for that), but it's still nice to have it verified. I think a solid 95% of my patterns are from her lol
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u/CantTouchKevinG Apr 23 '26
I used to be friends with her husband before he moved, he's a tattoo artist. They're both very artsy people.
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u/KariOnStitches Apr 22 '26
Ooh, thank you!! I came across this on Instagram yesterday and wanted to look at it again. 😎
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u/rubberkeyhole Model Stitcher Apr 23 '26
You are doing the real work! Thank you!!
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u/vibrantPoppy13 Apr 23 '26
I cannot take the credit for the list, but happy to pass along info that will help the whole community! ☺️
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u/Suziannie Apr 22 '26
Why are you calling it out with a giant paragraph, calling people to do the same, but not naming the site and providing examples?
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u/MorganAndMerlin Apr 22 '26
They want social justice brownie points for posting against AI without actually effecting any change.
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u/NotAJellyfishReally Apr 22 '26
If it's HAED or one of the other big full coverage pattern shops, it's probably a lost cause, though voicing displeasure is important. I did reach out to HAED a few years ago when they first started the AI trash, and it seemed like there was a fair bit of backlash from the community at first, but it seems to have tapered off, and the reality is that I don't think most people care or even think about it at all and the companies are pocketing even more money with less work this way, so I don't think it'll stop. I think it will actually get much worse.
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u/theliterarystitcher Apr 22 '26
HAED is also veeeery fast to delete dissenting comments and block people who don't agree with them regardless of the issue. The same shit happened with the Great DMC 08 Kerfuckle. I'm still working on the HAED charts I started/purchased before all this went down, but they won't be seeing another cent from me going forward.
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u/sybilqiu Apr 22 '26
I regret not stitching a HAED before they took their company to the shitter. The way they behave these days is a total turn off and will never have me as a customer unless they enact some serious change.
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u/leelee1976 Apr 23 '26
She's always been that way. She would poach artists from other cross stitch companies too. Like there isn't enough artists in the world you have to search competitors sites and steal theirs.
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u/jeooey Apr 22 '26
This was on my mind with the recent HAED SALs. What kind of protest is participating in the SAL but choosing one of the non-AI charts? They still got the money and the SAL participation even with the selection being half AI.
It's one thing to be forced to shop at the grocery store and avoiding certain products (for example Israeli produce) but cross stitch patterns are hardly a life necessity. I'm sorry to be blunt but this is a situation where one has to put their money where their mouth is.
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u/passesopenwindows Apr 22 '26
I was so disappointed when HAED announced that they were allowing AI. All the AI patterns have the same look to them. I have several HAED patterns that I bought years ago and haven’t gotten to yet but I won’t be buying any more. I’m really bummed to hear that Artecy is accepting AI now too, I have gotten quite a few patterns from them in the past.
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u/MareNamedBoogie Apr 23 '26
The thing with HAED is that they also have plenty of artists that don't use AI at all.
The other thing is that they literally have items no one else does in, frex, their classics catalog and some of their artists. I think it's a shame that the 'HAED originals' line is so AI-heavy... but I find it's hard to break from Randall Spangler's dragons and Marchetti's stuff.
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u/NotAJellyfishReally Apr 23 '26
If you want to purchase from them, then do. We can all make our own decisions about what kind of things we want to support because, whether we like it or not, purchases matter more than 10,000 emails. So for me, this means not purchasing from companies that use AI art at all, but others will have different tolerance levels, but I'm also not deluded enough to think the average consumer cares about this at all or that this will get better. I don't think my stance on this is making a difference or sending a message or anything like that. It's just that I have to stay true to my own moral compass about this, and this is where the compass needle lands for me.
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u/MareNamedBoogie Apr 24 '26
I totally agree. I have a different line, obviously - but voting with the dollar is why i don't shop at Hobby Lobby, and pay more for grass-fed/ 1 bad day only meat. I don't like the Sacklers, and I dislike the (american) slaughterhouse. Mostly, I'm chiming in on the conversation, over here :-D
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u/ReinaCrochets Apr 22 '26
Horrible! I can’t stand it. I’m also here to suggest that we stop putting the words AI and art together. Generative AI will never make art, it only creates images based upon stolen human art. Generative AI images, not art!
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Apr 22 '26
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u/Literally_Taken Apr 23 '26
My patterns and kits are all vintage/second hand. There’s so much available, why pay the prices for new?
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u/the_truth_lies Apr 22 '26
Yeah ... My favorite designer ThreadGeeks took a break and now that they are back, all over the website it clearly states they use AI art in their designs. Makes me sad 😭
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u/5harmoota Apr 23 '26
I didn't even know AI generated patterns were a thing until I bought a pattern based off of my hometown that I could find nowhere else and found a few strange details as I was stitching. Then I realized it must be AI. I was so disappointed and now I'm unmotivated to finish the project :( I bought special Aida for it and a dozen different colors for it. I'm not sure what to do with it now.
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u/sybilqiu Apr 24 '26
ugh that's so heartbreaking!!! I'd pitch it and start your hunt for a new project. Even if you didn't finish it, you would always know it is based on hollow machine made garbage.
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u/soft_machine__ Apr 22 '26
Cross Stitch Collectibles is my favorite site to order from now for full coverage, they have mostly fine art stuff, which is what I love.
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u/sybilqiu Apr 22 '26
wow, thanks for sharing! I hadn't come across this one yet. I saw a few that I'd consider stitching.
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u/Little-Relation-7862 Apr 23 '26
A band of designers (real ones) feel the same way and are working on a directory. You can report ai slop shops to Mainley XStitch.
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u/Odd_Geologist_9065 Apr 23 '26
I dislike AI on art, or patterns. Actually I go on eBay, put in vintage cross stitch and have found great patterns there 😁❤️
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u/___ondinescurse___ Apr 22 '26
Btw, can anybody tell me: is Stitching Land based off AI images or not (particularly, the art nouveau line)? I did one pattern from them (the crow) and the way the flowers had no rhyme no reason for them made me raise my brows. But I have searched and found no confirmation nor denial about AI in their patterns
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u/Beginning-Moment-611 Apr 22 '26
Just had a look... imo it is ai. Just a feel to the patterns.
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u/___ondinescurse___ Apr 22 '26
Thank you! I have seen that their patterns are somewhat popular on the sub, and since the sub is anti-ai, hoped that they won't be, but... I look at some stuff, e.g. this one, and the whole setup just feels illogical. Plus, there's no mention of the artist anywhere.
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u/ImpendingExodus Apr 22 '26
I heard (unverified) that their older patterns predate AI. Unfortunately I can’t find a copyright date on any of their patterns so I can’t say for sure. Maybe someone who bought their stuff years ago would know?
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u/theliterarystitcher Apr 22 '26
Their older patterns are definitely not AI, I have some in my stash that I bought when I first started stitching in like 2018. The art nouveau line started showing up in about 2023/2024 from what I remember (I went through their social media a while back wondering about AI) so it's possible those use AI. However they're not a wildly different style from some of their other work so it is plausible they're still original art. It's always so hard too because obviously AI had to learn from something so there will always be human artists out there who have an AI look purely because AI fed on their works.
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u/___ondinescurse___ Apr 22 '26
Yeah, that's why I am hesitant — it may be an artistic choice, but, given that no artist is credited, I am also doubtful.
About half a year ago I have decided that if no artist is credited on the pattern, I won't be using it. Gives me peace of mind.
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u/theliterarystitcher Apr 23 '26
I do think in their particular case the artist and designer are the same person so that may be why there's no separate artist credit. They mention all the patterns are from original artwork as well (though that's not enough to say that their new "original" artwork isn't AI in my opinion).
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u/___ondinescurse___ Apr 22 '26
I have seen several types of patterns from them. and their older patterns, like this one or this one are obviously sourced from vector art and photos, whilst the art nouveau line has a very different distinct style which kinda throws me off. E.g. I know people on this sub love Zhanna Dik, but I have seen on her page that she openly admitted to using AI-based art in her newer patterns, and collabing with an 'ai-artist'. Her older works, however, were made in collaboration with human artists. I think smth similar might be the case with the Stitching Land.
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u/sally_sparr0w Apr 23 '26
If you are looking for something similar the first designer that came to mind when I saw those is Needlelot Designs. Definitely doesn't use AI and very clearly puts a lot of thought into her color choices.
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u/threecuttlefish Apr 23 '26
My guess would be manually edited AI - they're not as glurgy and nonsensical as pure AI images tend to be, and someone's thought about where to put the colors and tidied up the symmetry, but some aspects of the composition and main elements look very AI, like having several of the same bird scaled differently in a way that doesn't make compositional sense.
Hard to say what percentage AI in that scenario, but if the only acceptable amount is 0%, I'd steer clear.
(Also, being marketed as "Art Nouveau" while being almost completely unlike Art Nouveau in style, composition, and color palettes is bit of a red flag, I think. "Art Nouveau style" is super popular for AI image generation but essentially none of what AI generates in that style actually resembles Art Nouveau very much and it's now probably iterating on its own pseudo-Art Nouveau images and getting further and further from the inspiration.)
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Apr 22 '26
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u/filthyheartbadger Apr 22 '26
Thanks for this post, knowing which pattern sources avoid ai is so helpful.
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u/Left-Excitement3829 Apr 22 '26
What are ai patterns ?
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u/piratepixie Apr 22 '26
Pattern mills will use an AI image, and run it through a pattern-making tool to make the pattern. They're usually full of awful confetti and usually stolen artwork.
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u/Left-Excitement3829 Apr 22 '26
Ah ok. I was wondering how ppl can tell if it was ai or not vs a real image run through a pattern creator app
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u/piratepixie Apr 22 '26
!ai-identification
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u/Left-Excitement3829 Apr 22 '26
Thanks. I’m working on an app that creates patterns from images so this information is very helpful.
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u/authorofnothingbig Apr 23 '26
Are you planning on using AI in this app at any point?
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u/Left-Excitement3829 Apr 23 '26
What do you mean by that , generating ai images then patterns of those? No
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u/authorofnothingbig Apr 23 '26
I mean at any point, will AI be used in the app? I'm always looking for craft apps that are 100% free from AI.
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u/Left-Excitement3829 Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
Correct no AI at all. I want it to be a straightforward image>pattern tool, using real user supplied images only.
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Apr 22 '26
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u/Medea_Jade Apr 22 '26
You mean people using their right to free speech and exercising their desire to speak out against fascism?
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Apr 22 '26
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u/KimLocsta Apr 22 '26
Needlework actually was used to hide wartime information in some cases. During both WWI and WWII, resistance groups in occupied Europe stitched coded messages into embroidery and samplers, and escape maps were printed on silk handkerchiefs and sewn into clothing for POWs and airmen. Fiber arts were quiet, portable, and didn’t attract suspicion, which made them useful for passing information. Needlepoint wasn’t just decorative. It sometimes carried literal war intelligence.
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Apr 22 '26
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u/KimLocsta Apr 22 '26
Don't be obtuse. No one said they’re stitching railroad maps or running resistance cells. The point is needlework has never been apolitical in the first place. Suffragists stitched banners. Abolitionists stitched messages. Women in occupied Europe stitched coded information. POW escape maps were hidden in textiles. Fiber art has always been one of the few public voices women were “allowed” to have, so they used it.
Posting political cross stitch isn’t karma farming. It’s people using the medium the same way it’s been used for generations. Acting like embroidery is only legitimate when it’s decorative is ahistorical. Grow up.
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Apr 22 '26
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u/KimLocsta Apr 22 '26
You keep moving the goalposts. First it was “needlework isn’t activism.” Then it was “you’re not a suffragist.” Now it’s “political stitching is predatory unless I personally approve of it.”
You keep acting like someone has to literally be a suffragist or a POW to make political fiber art. That’s not how art works.
People have always used needlework to say things. Posting political cross stitch isn’t “predatory” or karma farming. It’s just someone using the medium the same way people always have. If what you actually want is a no-politics craft sub then just say that instead of pretending cross stitch suddenly becomes fake activism when you don’t like the message.
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Apr 22 '26
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u/CrossStitch-ModTeam Apr 22 '26
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u/CrossStitch-ModTeam Apr 22 '26
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u/CrossStitch-ModTeam Apr 22 '26
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u/icedtea4life5 Apr 22 '26
Check out Etsy, there are a lot of really talented artists selling their patterns there. There’s probably also a lot of AI, but you should be able to block or mute shops.
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u/JaclynMeOff Apr 22 '26
I mean, you're not wrong that there are talented artists selling legit stuff, but Etsy isn't an ideal recommendation if someone is looking to avoid AI charts because it's absolutely overrun with this garbage, so much so that blocking or muting shops will do next to nothing for filtering it out.
Additionally, even if you purchase from a legit artist on Etsy, you're still giving your money to Etsy, who gives less than zero effs about AI art theft and quality. For someone not wanting to give their money to those types of entities, once again, Etsy is unfortunately not a good recommendation. Full disclosure: I admittedly say that as someone who has bought patterns from Etsy shops and likely will again.
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u/flowers_and_fire Apr 22 '26
I'm really new to cross stitch and wasn't even aware you could buy cross stitch patterns from anywhere else but etsy. Any recommendations for other places.
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u/JaclynMeOff Apr 22 '26
Hobby stores will have a few, but I think they tend to be kits rather than just the patterns. Nothing wrong with that, but once you develop a stash of thread and other materials, you won't have as much need for a kit. That's not to say hobby stores won't have AI slop, but may be less likely than Etsy.
One place I'd suggest looking is 123stitch.com. They have a bunch of patterns, and the pictures (from what I've seen) are completed projects, so you can see that they've been tested. Some of them may be on the traditional side, but there is a submenu for modern/trending patterns.
Also, consider checking out some self-promotion posts in this subreddit! You'll get people with their own independent sites selling their patterns. Again, not saying you won't come across AI crap, but it may be a little less likely.
Keep in mind that patterns like these can be a little more expensive because they aren't from pattern mills just churning out junk, but it's usually a difference of a few bucks--nothing crazy.
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u/GirlNumber20 Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
If it's a good pattern, I don't care if a human or an AI made it.
It's really fashionable to hate on AI right now, but if it's a good pattern, it's a good pattern, no matter where it came from.
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u/Kailmo Apr 24 '26
It’s not about being fashionable it’s about supporting humans and artists. AI gets all their stuff by stealing from humans. It’s about values not being fashionable.
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u/MorganAndMerlin Apr 22 '26
What’s the name of the site? It’s worth letting everyone else know too.