Yesterday, I cried on your collective shoulder about my impractical approach to planning an embroidery project – particular a project for a prayer book cover that went awry.
Now it’s time to change tack – to set out on a new, much simpler course! And to that end, here’s the embroidery design that I’ll be using for this semi-quick project that has to be finished in about two weeks.
This hand embroidery design featuring a cross, grapes, and wheat can be used for all kinds of finished items. Think: Bible cover, prayer book cover, bookmark (in a reduced size), even the front of a greeting card. In fact, you’re not limited to hand embroidery with any of the free embroidery patterns here on Needle ‘n Thread – they’d translate well into any of your personal craft projects!
So, here’s the design, and I’ll tell you how I’m going to stitch it. You’ll also find a handy-dandy PDF printable below, to make it easy to save and print out for your own projects.
This embroidery pattern is a very simple cross shape, with a little swirl of wheat and grapes – and one large grape leaf – around it.
The cross can be stitched in any neat line stitch. I’ll most likely be using stem stitch, as it always looks nice.
I won’t be filling the cross in – it will just be an outline.
The large leaf will be long and short stitch, with stem stitch veins.
The stems will be stem stitch (boy, that’s a surprise!).
The longer leaves will most likely be satin stitch, though I might work those with a stem stitch filling, to keep them a little flatter and incorporate some shading.
For the wheat, the kernels, which are represented by the small straight lines up the center, mostly in groups of three, will be worked in bullion knots, and the little hairy bristles…well. Surprise! They’ll be in stem stitch.
The grapes will be in satin stitch, in different shades of purple.
I’ll be using DMC cotton.
And there’s a chance I might work a very tiny outline of gold around the outside of the cross.
That’s it.
Amen.
Voilá.
Done.
Except, well… it isn’t actually done, is it? But it’s a heck of a lot simpler than Plan A!
Cross, Grapes and Wheat Embroidery Pattern Printable
Here’s the handy dandy PDF printable, in case you want to journey forth and embroider your own book cover, Bible cover or what-have-you. If you choose “no scaling” or a similar option on your printer, the design will print at approximately 4.5″ high. You can enlarge or reduce to suit your personal project needs.
The red dashed lines crossing the center of the design mark the actual pattern center.
Cross, Grapes and Wheat Embroidery Pattern – PDF
Looking for More Embroidery Patterns?
You can find heaps more free hand embroidery patterns right here on Needle ‘n Thread! If you’re itching to stitch something but don’t know what, browse through the Patterns page – maybe something there will tickle your Muse!
