Poinsettia Embroidery Pattern Free: Easy 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 cream, natural or white 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 3346 Hunter Green: about 117 in (297 cm)

- DMC 321 Red: about 218 in (554 cm)

- DMC 815 Medium Garnet: about 21 in (53 cm)

- DMC 666 Bright Red: about 107 in (272 cm)

- DMC 725 Medium Light Topaz: about 17 in (43 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, 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 every leaf and bract outline, the vein lines, the centre dots 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.

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.

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.

Where shapes overlap on the template, stitch the one underneath first (leaves, then large bracts, then small bracts) and lay the next satin stitches over it, so no fabric shows between them.

Order of work

1. Stitch the dotted gold ring around the design in running stitch. DMC 729, 2 strands.
2. Fill the three green leaves (the long pointed shapes showing below and to each side of the flower) with satin stitch, stitching across each leaf from edge to edge. DMC 3346, 2 strands.
3. Fill the five large bracts (the big red petals) with satin stitch in red the same way. Where a bract overlaps a leaf, stitch the bract over the leaf. DMC 321, 2 strands.
4. Backstitch one dark red vein down the middle of each large bract, from near the centre out about three quarters of the way to the tip (5 veins). DMC 815, 2 strands.
5. Fill the five small bracts, which sit between the large ones, with satin stitch in bright red, on top of the large bracts. DMC 666, 2 strands.
6. Make the centre: seven yellow French knots, one in the middle and six in a ring around it, on top of the bract bases. DMC 725, 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 green leaves, 5 large red satin bracts each with 1 backstitched vein, 5 small bright-red satin bracts, 7 yellow French knots in the centre.