Anchor Home Sweet Home - ANC0003-41 - Downloadable PDF

Anchor Home Sweet Home Embroidery Pattern (ANC0003-41) – Beginner PDF Download

Designed by Ana Clara Bordou and published by Anchor, the Home Sweet Home embroidery pattern (design number ANC0003-41) is a charming, beginner-friendly hoop art project that brings a classic decorative phrase to life through colourful hand embroidery. The design is available as a free downloadable PDF, making it an ideal starting point for those new to embroidery or anyone looking for a quick, rewarding make.

What You Will Make

The finished piece is a decorative embroidery hoop artwork featuring the phrase "Home Sweet Home" accompanied by a vibrant rainbow motif. The design is worked within a 17 cm embroidery hoop, which also serves as the display frame once the embroidery is complete. The combination of lettering and a rainbow arc makes this a versatile piece suited to home décor, nurseries, or as a handmade gift.

Materials Required

• Fabric: Beige cotton fabric, sized to fit a 17 cm hoop
• Embroidery Hoop: A 17 cm hoop with a screw fastening
• Thread: Anchor Stranded Cotton Mouliné embroidery floss (8 m skeins), in the following shades:
  • Red #00022
  • Blue #00170
  • Pink #00076
  • Yellow #00307
  • Brown #00392
  • White #00001
• Needle: Size 6–7 embroidery needle
• Scissors
• Fabric pen – ideally one that vanishes with heat or water (the designer used a Pilot Frixion Pen); an ordinary pencil may also be used, provided all lines are fully covered by embroidery

Stitches Used

This pattern introduces three fundamental hand embroidery stitches, making it an excellent learning project for beginners who want to build a solid foundation of technique:

• Split Stitch – A versatile outline and fill stitch where each new stitch splits the thread of the previous one, creating a smooth, rope-like line. It is used here to embroider the words "Home" in two different colours.
• Whipped Back Stitch – A decorative stitch formed by first working a row of back stitch and then weaving or whipping a second thread through the stitches without piercing the fabric. This creates a twisted, textured cord effect and is used to embroider the word "Sweet" using two colours of thread together.
• Chain Stitch – One of the most recognisable embroidery stitches, forming a series of looped links that resemble a chain. It produces a bold, defined line and is used here to create the arching lines of the rainbow.

Techniques and Construction

The pattern is designed to be approachable for beginners, with clear step-by-step instructions broken into distinct sections for each element of the design.

Getting started: The printed pattern is traced onto the fabric using a light board or a sunlit window, with the design lines transferred using a fabric pen. The fabric is then secured in the embroidery hoop ready to stitch.

The Rainbow: Worked in Chain Stitch using all 6 strands of the Anchor Stranded Cotton, the rainbow is embroidered in a specific colour sequence: Red #00022, Blue #00170, Pink #00076, Yellow #00307, and Brown #00392. Each colour forms approximately one line of chain stitch, though the pattern encourages stitchers to add additional lines for a bolder, fuller effect.

The Word "Home": Embroidered twice using Split Stitch with 4 strands