Candy Cane Embroidery Pattern: Free Beginner Christmas Hoop

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 white or cream linen 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 729 Medium Old Gold: about 24 in (61 cm)

- DMC 321 Red: about 116 in (295 cm)

- DMC 987 Dark Forest Green: about 25 in (64 cm)

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

Stitches: running stitch, backstitch, straight stitch, detached chain (lazy daisy), French knot

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 the two cane outlines, every stripe line, the holly leaves, the berries and the ring 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.

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.

Straight stitch: One single stitch: come up at the inner end of the line and go down at the outer end, keeping the thread smooth and not too tight so it lies flat.

Detached chain: Also called lazy daisy. Come up at the base of the petal, go back down in the same hole leaving a loop, come up at the tip of the petal inside the loop, and go down just outside the loop to tack it in place.

French knot: Come up where the knot goes, wrap the thread twice around the needle, hold the wraps snug with your other hand, and go down right next to where you came up, pulling the thread through slowly.

Order of work

1. Stitch the dotted gold ring around the design in running stitch. DMC 729, 2 strands.
2. Backstitch the outline of each candy cane, starting at the bottom: up one side, round the crook, back down the other side and round the bottom. DMC 321, 2 strands.
3. Work each red stripe as three slanted straight stitches side by side, from one edge of the cane to the other. DMC 321, 2 strands.
4. After each red stripe, work one slanted green straight stitch halfway to the next red stripe (or the end of the cane), on its template line. DMC 987, 2 strands.
5. Between the canes, work the three holly leaves in detached chain (lazy daisy): one to the left, one to the right and one pointing up. DMC 987, 2 strands.
6. Add three red French knots for the berries where the leaves meet. DMC 321, 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, 2 backstitched canes, 22 red stripes (66 straight stitches), 22 green stripe stitches, 3 lazy-daisy holly leaves and 3 red French-knot berries.