Fall Embroidery Patterns Free: Leaf and Acorn Hoop for Beginners

Size: design about 4.2 x 4.2 in (11 x 11 cm), for a 6 in (15 cm) hoop

Fabric: a 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm) square of cream or natural cotton or linen-cotton, washed and pressed

Threads: DMC 6-strand embroidery floss, one skein of each colour; use 2 strands throughout. Lengths are the 2-strand thread you stitch with, with spare, cut in 18 in (45 cm) pieces:

- DMC 3826 Golden Brown: about 24 in (61 cm)

- DMC 920 Medium Copper: about 95 in (241 cm)

- DMC 3853 Dark Autumn Gold: about 56 in (142 cm)

- DMC 435 Very Light Brown: about 38 in (97 cm)

- DMC 801 Dark Coffee Brown: about 21 in (53 cm)

- DMC 938 Ultra Dark Coffee Brown: about 20 in (51 cm)

Notions: 6 in embroidery hoop, size 7 embroidery needle, water-soluble fabric pen or a light pencil, scissors

Stitches: running stitch, satin stitch, backstitch

Transfer

Print the template page at 100% (actual size) and measure the 1 in scale square; if it is not exactly 1 in, check the print setting. Tape the template to a window, centre the fabric over it and trace every line and outline with the pen.

Put the fabric in the hoop so it is drum tight, with the screw at the top.

Stitch guide

Running stitch: Bring the needle up on the line, go down 1/8 in further along, come up again 1/16 in on, and repeat, so you get even dashes with gaps between them.

Satin stitch: Fill the leaf with straight stitches laid side by side across its width, from one edge of the outline to the other, close enough that no fabric shows; start in the middle of the leaf and work out to each tip so the angle stays even.

Backstitch: Bring the needle up one stitch length along the line, go down at the start of the line, then come up one stitch length ahead of your last stitch and go back down into the end of it, so the stitches touch.

The leaves are wide: if a satin stitch would be longer than about 3/8 in, bring the needle down in the middle of it and work that row as two shorter stitches, so the thread cannot snag.

Order of work

1. Stitch the dotted golden-brown ring around the design in running stitch. DMC 3826, 2 strands.
2. Fill the two side leaves with satin stitch in copper, stitching straight across the leaf from edge to edge. DMC 920, 2 strands.
3. Fill the tall middle leaf with satin stitch in gold the same way. DMC 3853, 2 strands.
4. Fill the two acorn nuts with satin stitch in light brown, stitching across them. DMC 435, 2 strands.
5. Fill the two acorn caps with satin stitch in dark brown, stitching from side to side, so each cap overlaps the top of its nut. DMC 801, 2 strands.
6. Backstitch a midrib up the middle of each leaf, on top of the satin, and the two curved stems from the leaves down to the top of each acorn cap. DMC 938, 2 strands.

Finishing

1. Rinse the fabric in cool water to remove the pen lines, roll it in a towel and press it face down on a soft towel.
2. Put it back in the hoop centred, tighten the screw, and trim the fabric to 1 in outside the hoop.
3. Run a running stitch around that edge, pull it up at the back like a drawstring, and tie off.

Counts: 43 running stitch dashes in the ring, 3 satin-stitch leaves (2 copper, 1 gold), 2 acorns (satin nut and satin cap each), 5 backstitched lines (3 midribs, 2 stems).