Anchor Aromatic Plants - Hand Towel Borders - Thyme, Juniper and Wormwood - 0060044-00901_07 - Downloadable PDF

Anchor Aromatic Plants Hand Towel Borders – Thyme, Juniper and Wormwood Embroidery Pattern

This free downloadable PDF embroidery pattern from Anchor, designed by Anchor Studio, presents three beautifully detailed hand towel border designs inspired by aromatic herbs and plants: Thyme, Juniper, and Wormwood. Each border is intended to be stitched along the edge of a hand towel, transforming a simple household item into a charming, botanically inspired textile piece. The pattern is rated Easy to Intermediate in difficulty, making it an accessible project for embroiderers who have a basic familiarity with hand embroidery techniques.

About the Designs

Each of the three borders features a distinct aromatic plant rendered in delicate embroidery, with dimensions carefully sized to suit standard hand towel borders. The designs are compact yet detailed, capturing the natural character of each plant through thoughtful colour selection and precise stitchwork.

Thyme Border

The Thyme border measures 37 x 6 cm, making it the longest of the three designs. It evokes the fine-leaved, bushy nature of the thyme herb through a carefully chosen palette of Anchor Stranded Cotton colours. This design uses a soft, naturalistic colour range to suggest the delicate foliage and tiny blooms associated with this beloved culinary and aromatic herb.

• Dimensions: 37 x 6 cm
• Anchor Stranded Cotton colours used: #23, #226, #241, #246, #271
• Thread quantity: 1 skein of each colour (8m skeins)

Juniper Border

The Juniper border measures 35 x 6 cm and captures the distinctive needle-like foliage and dark berries of the juniper plant. The colour palette leans into deeper, richer tones to reflect the evergreen and berry-laden nature of this aromatic shrub, creating a striking and elegant border design.

• Dimensions: 35 x 6 cm
• Anchor Stranded Cotton colours used: #148, #162, #246, #876, #1076
• Thread quantity: 1 skein of each colour (8m skeins)

Wormwood Border

The Wormwood border measures 31 x 6 cm and reflects the silvery, feathery appearance of this distinctive aromatic plant. The colour selection includes softer, more muted tones alongside gentle greens and neutrals, giving the design an ethereal, botanical illustration quality.

• Dimensions: 31 x 6 cm
• Anchor Stranded Cotton colours used: #226, #241, #246, #288, #290, #302
• Thread quantity: 1 skein of each colour (8m skeins)

Techniques and Stitches Used

The primary embroidery technique used across all three designs is Backstitch, a fundamental and versatile hand embroidery stitch well suited to creating clean outlines, fine details, and flowing botanical lines. Backstitch produces a solid, continuous line of stitching that is ideal for rendering the stems, leaves, and delicate structures of plant-based designs.

How Backstitch Works

As described in the pattern instructions, Backstitch is worked from right to left. The needle is brought up through the fabric from underneath, a single stitch is made down through the fabric to the right, and the needle is brought out again a double stitch length to the left. The thread is then pulled through, and a stitch is made back to the right where the thread first emerged. All stitches should be kept the same length for a neat, even result. This technique creates a strong, precise line that is perfect for the intricate outlines and botanical details found in these aromatic plant designs.

Materials Required

The pattern calls for the following materials:

• Thread: Anchor Stranded Cotton, 8m skeins, worked with