Snowflake Embroidery Pattern Free: Easy Winter 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 or white 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 3755 Baby Blue: about 24 in (61 cm)

- DMC 3842 Dark Wedgwood: about 62 in (157 cm)

- DMC 3761 Light Sky Blue: about 29 in (74 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 every line and dot 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.

Start each branch stitch from the same hole in the spoke, so the two arms of the V meet in a clean point.

Order of work

1. Stitch the dotted pale blue ring around the design in running stitch. DMC 3755, 2 strands.
2. Backstitch the six spokes in dark blue, each from the small gap around the centre dot straight out to its end. DMC 3842, 2 strands.
3. On every spoke make the two V-shaped branches in dark blue: at each branch dot on the spoke, one straight stitch out to each of the two branch ends (4 stitches per spoke, 24 in all). DMC 3842, 2 strands.
4. Make one light blue lazy daisy petal at the end of every spoke, its base touching the spoke end and its tip pointing outward. DMC 3761, 2 strands.
5. Make a light blue French knot on each of the six dots between the spokes near the centre. DMC 3761, 2 strands.
6. Make one dark blue French knot on the centre dot last. DMC 3842, 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, 6 backstitched spokes, 24 straight-stitch branches (4 per spoke), 6 lazy daisy tip petals, 7 French knots (1 centre + 6 around it).