Different; But Not Less – New Pattern Release
Autism Awareness Day is an important one in my household. My oldest daughter is Autistic, and while parenting a child with ASD comes with its challenges, it also brings immense love, joy, and a unique perspective on the world that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
To celebrate Autism Awareness, I’ve designed a new cross-stitch pattern with the quote: "Different; but not less". This phrase, originally from Dr. Temple Grandin, resonates deeply with me—it’s a reminder that Autistic individuals are not broken or incomplete; they are simply different in their own wonderful ways.
A Pattern with a Purpose
This design features bright, geometric characters, each a little different from the others, but all fitting together beautifully—just like the diverse individuals in any community, with an excited star doing its own thing. Much like someone with Autism might do.
Whether you’re Autistic yourself, have a loved one on the spectrum, or just want to show support, I hope this piece speaks to you.
Autism is a Spectrum
One of the biggest misconceptions about Autism is that it looks the same for everyone. The truth is, Autism is a spectrum, and no two Autistic individuals experience it in exactly the same way. Some may be highly verbal, while others are non-speaking. Some may crave structure, while others thrive in creative chaos.
Understanding and embracing this diversity is so important in creating a more inclusive and supportive world.
For my daughter, she is incredibly extroverted, chatty and loving. Her favourite things in the world are school buses and robot vacuum cleaners (except when they suck the dirt into their bases!). She hyper-fixates on numbers, she meows to show she's happy and she flaps her arms when she sees me after a day at school.
For the longest time, when she was little, medical professionals consistently told me she "couldn't be Autistic" because she easily made eye-contact with others and she was extremely social. It's comments like these that put Autism into a box and people assume someone with ASD presents in only one way. The worst part about this information from these "professionals" was it felt like the only reason they were saying this was because the stigma around being Autistic was so devastating to many people.
The stigma behind Autism has lessened over the past 7 years that it has been truly on my personal radar (Just scroll through Tik Tok to get a clearer picture) but back when she was diagnosed, I was heartbroken. And I can 100% place a lot of the blame on this rhetoric that was fed to me.
Stitching & Sensory Joy
Cross-stitch is a craft of patience and repetition, which makes it a great activity for many Autistic individuals. The predictable, rhythmic stitching can be soothing, and the process of creating something beautiful can bring a great sense of accomplishment.
If you know someone on the spectrum who enjoys hands-on activities, why not introduce them to cross-stitch?* I have a wide variety of beginner-friendly cross-stitch patterns to choose from!
* Obviously, only suggest this as a potential hobby if it is safe for the person to be using needles and scissors.
Get the Pattern
The “Not Less” pattern is available now in my shop! Each purchase helps spread a message of acceptance and understanding.
If you stitch this piece, I’d love to see it! Share your progress on social media and tag me @twolittlekits. And most importantly—take a moment today to celebrate the incredible neurodivergent people in your life. 💙
