DMC Thérèse De Dillmont Carnations - PAT1709 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Thérèse De Dillmont Carnations Embroidery Pattern (PAT1709) – Free Downloadable PDF

This free downloadable embroidery pattern from the DMC Library – Bibliothèque DMC presents a stunning Carnations (Œillets) design, inspired by the legacy of Thérèse De Dillmont, the celebrated needlework authority whose encyclopaedic works have guided embroiderers for generations. The pattern is rated advanced in difficulty, making it an ideal project for experienced embroiderers looking to challenge their skills and produce a richly detailed botanical piece.

What Is Being Made

The finished piece is a detailed carnation floral embroidery — known in French as œillets — rendered in a multi-tonal colour palette that captures the layered, ruffled petals characteristic of the carnation bloom. This type of botanical embroidery has a long tradition in European needlework, and the design reflects the refined, classical style associated with the DMC Library heritage collection. The result is a decorative embroidered panel suitable for framing, mounting, or incorporating into textile projects.

Colour Palette and Thread Shading

The pattern includes a detailed colour guide (diagramme en couleur) alongside a technical chart (diagramme technique), enabling precise thread placement across the design. The colour references identified in the pattern are:

• A2
• B1
• C2
• A3
• B4
• A5

These coded references correspond to DMC embroidery threads, the brand's signature stranded cotton being the standard choice for this type of detailed needlework. The multi-step colour coding across the A, B, and C groupings suggests a sophisticated approach to thread shading and tonal gradation, which is essential for recreating the naturalistic depth and dimension of carnation petals. Advanced embroiderers will appreciate the nuance required to blend these tones seamlessly.

Materials Required

The pattern specifies the following tools and materials:

• Needle: No. 12 embroidery needle — a fine gauge needle well suited to detailed surface embroidery work on closely woven fabric
• Thread: DMC stranded embroidery cotton in the colour references listed in the colour guide

While the PDF content references the needle size explicitly, embroiderers should also prepare an appropriate evenweave or linen ground fabric typical of this style of classical botanical embroidery, along with an embroidery hoop or frame to maintain even tension throughout the work.

Techniques and Stitches

As an advanced-level pattern from the DMC Library collection, the Carnations design is expected to employ a range of refined surface embroidery techniques consistent with the Thérèse De Dillmont tradition. Classical DMC botanical embroidery of this type typically draws upon:

• Satin stitch — used to fill petal shapes with smooth, lustrous coverage, worked at precise angles to reflect light evenly across the thread surface
• Long and short stitch — the cornerstone technique for achieving naturalistic thread painting and tonal blending across the layered petals of the carnation
• Stem stitch — commonly used for outlining stems, leaf veins, and defining the edges of floral elements with a clean, rope-like line
• Split stitch — often used as a foundation padding layer beneath satin stitch areas, or as a fine outline stitch in its own right
• French knots — potentially used for textural detail within the flower centres or decorative accents

The inclusion of both a colour diagram and a technical chart within the five-page PDF indicates that the pattern provides comprehensive visual guidance for stitch placement, direction, and colour sequencing — all critical factors when working an advanced botanical design of this complexity.

About the DMC Library and Thérèse De Dillmont

Thérèse De