DMC Woodland Fawn Embroidery Pattern - PAT2098 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Woodland Fawn Embroidery Pattern (PAT2098) – Free Downloadable PDF

The DMC Woodland Fawn embroidery pattern (also known by its French title Cerfs des Bois) is a charming nature-inspired design from the DMC Library – Bibliothèque DMC. This free downloadable PDF guides embroiderers through the creation of a detailed woodland fawn motif, stitched to a finished design size of approximately 16 cm x 16 cm. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an ideal project for stitchers who have moved beyond the basics and are ready to work with a multi-colour palette and refined line work.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single embroidered panel featuring a woodland fawn — a young deer rendered in soft, naturalistic tones. The design is well-suited for framing as wall art, mounting in an embroidery hoop display, or incorporating into textile projects such as cushion covers or tote bags. The finished piece has an organic, illustrative quality that reflects the earthy, nature-focused aesthetic of the DMC Library collection.

Techniques Used

The Woodland Fawn pattern primarily uses the following embroidery technique:

• Backstitch (Point Arrière): The sole stitch specified in the technical chart, backstitch is used throughout the entire design to create the flowing outlines and fine detail work that define the fawn's form, facial features, and surrounding woodland elements. Backstitch is a foundational hand embroidery technique in which each new stitch is sewn backward to meet the end of the previous stitch, producing a continuous, solid line. It is particularly effective for rendering curves, fine contours, and intricate illustrative details.

Because the design relies entirely on backstitch line work, the visual complexity and depth of the finished piece come from the careful use of a 12-colour thread palette rather than a variety of stitch types. This approach makes the pattern an excellent exercise in colour placement and thread management for intermediate embroiderers.

Stitches Used

• Backstitch – used throughout the entire design for all outlines and detail lines

Colour Palette and Thread Codes

The pattern uses 12 colours of DMC Eco Vita Naturally Dyed Organic Wool Thread (DMC Eco Vita Fil de Laine Organique Teint Naturellement). The full list of thread codes required is as follows:

• 708 – 1 skein
• 103 – 1 skein
• 102 – 1 skein
• 002 – 1 skein
• 006 – 1 skein
• 710 – 1 skein
• 609 – 1 skein
• 402 – 1 skein
• 502 – 1 skein
• 707 – 1 skein
• 703 – 1 skein
• 001 – 1 skein

Each colour is used at a quantity of 1 skein, with the stitch count and skein quantities calculated specifically for the 16 cm x 16 cm design size. Only 1 strand of thread is used at a time, which produces fine, delicate line work consistent with the illustrative style of the design.

Materials Required

• Thread: DMC Eco Vita Naturally Dyed Organic Wool Thread – a sustainably produced, organically dyed wool thread that gives the finished embroidery a soft, natural appearance with warm, earthy tones
• Needle: Embroidery needle, size No. 1–5
• Fabric: Embroidery fabric of your choice (referred to in the pattern as toile