This paper takes the“modernization”of the traditional cross-stitch as an example to deeply explore the design issues that regard“tradition”as elements in the design ecology, which is separated from visual thinking. The traditional cross- stitch has established a perceptual internal overall relationship through the practice of the producers of the past generations, rather than a“whole”joined by the forms of various parts, and it has always maintained a balance between human perception and design activities. However, influenced by the torrent of modern life, there is a phenomenon of using traditional cross- stitch patterns and crafts as elements in modern cross- stitch design, and a problem of simply jointing tradition and modernity on the surface, thus caused the design ecology to get into an unbalanced situation. This kind of design ecological problem is not limited to this field, and there is no shortage of such problems in other industries related to modern design.