Anchor Embroidered Dish Towel - ANC0003-63 - Downloadable PDF

Anchor Embroidered Dish Towel – ANC0003-63 by Arorua

This charming Embroidered Dish Towel is a free, downloadable PDF embroidery pattern designed by Arorua and published by Anchor under design number ANC0003-63. Rated Easy, it is an ideal project for beginner embroiderers looking to add a handcrafted, decorative touch to everyday household linens. The finished embroidered motif measures 20 x 6 cm, making it a compact and satisfying project that can be completed relatively quickly.

What Is Being Made

The project transforms a plain linen or cotton dish towel into a beautifully decorated kitchen accessory through hand embroidery. The embroidered design is worked directly onto the surface of the towel, creating a functional yet artistic piece suitable for home use or as a handmade gift. Because the base fabric is a ready-made dish towel, no sewing or fabric cutting is required — the focus is entirely on the embroidery itself.

Materials Used

• Base fabric: A linen or cotton dish towel (not supplied with the pattern)
• Thread: Anchor Stranded Cotton (8m skeins), using the following colour references:
  • 01035
  • 01034
  • 01032
  00387
  • 00013
  • 00009
• Embroidery hoop – to keep the fabric taut and even while stitching
• Scissors – for trimming thread ends neatly
• Embroidery needle – a No. 5 needle is specified for this project

Anchor Stranded Cotton is a six-strand divisible thread, meaning embroiderers can separate the strands to achieve different thicknesses and textures. The pattern specifies the exact number of strands to use for each element of the design, as referenced in the accompanying sketch within the PDF.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The pattern uses classic hand embroidery techniques worked on a woven fabric ground. An embroidery hoop is recommended to maintain consistent tension across the dish towel fabric, which is especially important when working on loosely woven linen or cotton. The PDF includes a detailed sketch that indicates which stitches and how many strands of Anchor Stranded Cotton to use for each section of the design.

As is typical with Anchor embroidery patterns at this level, stitches are likely to include a combination of surface embroidery techniques well-suited to decorative textile work on household linens. Beginner-friendly stitches commonly featured in Anchor dish towel designs include:

• Backstitch – for outlines and fine detail lines
• Satin stitch – for filling solid areas of colour smoothly
• Stem stitch – for curved lines and flowing motifs
• French knots – for textural detail and small accent points

Refer to the stitch diagram within the PDF for the exact stitches specified for design ANC0003-63, as the sketch provides the definitive stitch and strand guide.

Thread Care and Washing Guidance

All Anchor threads are produced in accordance with Oeko-Tex standards, and colour dye lots adhere to Global fastness standards. However, the pattern advises that — particularly with darker colours — excess dye may remain on the thread after purchase. To minimise any potential bleeding of dye, it is recommended to wash finished embroidered items at the hottest temperature appropriate for the fabric, following Anchor's specific thread washing instructions. This is an important finishing step to ensure the longevity and colour stability of the completed dish towel.

Skill Level and Accessibility

Rated Easy by Anchor, this pattern is perfectly suited to beginner embroiderers. The small design size, limited