Avlea Folk Embroidery Bitkit Byzantine Rose - Downloadable PDF

Avlea Folk Embroidery Byzantine Rose Bitkit – Downloadable PDF Pattern by Krista West

The Byzantine Rose Bitkit is a stunning counted thread embroidery pattern designed by Krista West of Avlea Folk Embroidery, a brand celebrated for its authentic Mediterranean folk embroidery designs. This downloadable PDF pattern draws its inspiration directly from the rich artistic heritage of Byzantium, blending geometric precision with organic floral beauty in a single cohesive composition. The finished piece measures 6 x 8-3/4 inches, making it an elegant and manageable project for those new to folk embroidery traditions.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a framed or displayed embroidery piece featuring a sophisticated Byzantine Rose design. The composition centers on octagonal frames enclosing stylized Byzantine roses, each octagon banded by a flowing meander design — a classic motif rooted in ancient Mediterranean decorative art. The interplay of geometric structure and floral detail creates a layered sense of intricacy that is visually rich yet achievable for a beginner-level embroiderer. The result is a treasured heirloom-quality piece that reflects centuries of Eastern Mediterranean craft tradition.

Design Elements and Inspiration

The Byzantine Rose motif is deeply rooted in the decorative arts of the Byzantine Empire, where geometric and floral elements were frequently combined to create intricate, repeating patterns. In this design, octagonal shapes serve as the primary geometric framework, a form historically significant in Byzantine architecture and textile arts. These octagons are filled with stylized roses and surrounded by a meander border — a continuous, winding linear pattern also known in classical Greek art as the Greek key — which adds further visual complexity and a sense of movement to the overall composition.

Techniques Used

• Counted thread embroidery — the foundational technique of this pattern, where each stitch corresponds to a specific square on a printed chart, allowing precise placement of every element
• Cross-stitch (X stitch) — the primary stitch used throughout the design; each colored square on the chart represents a single cross-stitch worked on the fabric
• Working the chart from right to left and top to bottom, following the traditional counted thread method described in the pattern notes

Stitches Used

• Cross-stitch — the sole embroidery stitch employed in this design, consistent with the counted thread folk embroidery tradition; each stitch forms a neat X shape over the intersections of the fabric's woven threads

Because this is a counted thread pattern rather than a stamped or printed design, the embroiderer follows a color-coded chart to place each stitch accurately. This method is closely related to cross-stitch as practiced on evenweave and Aida-style fabrics, and is particularly well-suited to capturing the geometric precision characteristic of Byzantine decorative art.

Materials Required

• Fabric: One piece of 15-count fabric measuring 9 x 12 inches — the pattern specifically references Mikini groundcloth, a fabric imported from Greece and used in the photographed sample, which lends an authentic Mediterranean character to the finished piece
• Floss (DMC thread):
  • DMC 355 (red) — 7-1/2 yards
  • DMC 310 (black) — 9 yards
  • DMC 3012 (green) — 1 yard
• Needle: An embroidery or tapestry needle appropriate for use with 15-count fabric

Difficulty and Format

Rated as a beginner level project, the Byzantine Rose Bitkit is an excellent introduction to counted thread folk embroidery. The limited three-color palette of red, black, and green keeps the project approachable while still producing a visually striking result. The pattern is delivered as a downloadable PDF, designed by Krista West and published by Avlea Folk Embroidery under