Vegetable Patch - PDF

Vegetable Patch Pillow – Cross Stitch Pattern by Kooler Design Studio (KDS #2112)

The Vegetable Patch Pillow is a charming counted cross stitch design created by Linda Gillum for Kooler Design Studio, Inc. (catalog number KDS #2112). Published in 2018 as part of the Kooler Classic Charts collection, this downloadable PDF pattern guides embroiderers through stitching a decorative pillow featuring a lively vegetable patch motif. The finished piece is intended as a home decoration, making it a wonderful addition to a kitchen, dining room, or country-style interior.

Design Overview

The design captures the warmth and color of a garden harvest, rendered in a rich palette of greens, oranges, reds, pinks, and earth tones. The stitch count is 166 stitches wide by 167 stitches high, producing a nearly square composition that translates beautifully into a pillow front. The finished dimensions vary depending on the fabric count chosen:

• 14-count Aida: approximately 11¾ inches wide × 11⅞ inches high
• 16-count Aida: approximately 10⅜ inches wide × 10⅜ inches high
• 18-count Aida: approximately 9⅛ inches wide × 9¼ inches high

Stitchers are advised to add 4–6 inches to each measurement when cutting fabric, allowing sufficient margin for framing, finishing, and assembly into a pillow.

Fabric and Materials

The pattern is designed to be stitched on 14-count White Aida cloth, the most commonly recommended fabric for this design. Aida is a woven cotton fabric with an evenly spaced grid of holes that makes it ideal for counted cross stitch, especially for intermediate-level stitchers who appreciate clear stitch placement. Higher fabric counts (16 or 18) can be used to produce a smaller, more refined finished piece with finer detail.

The thread called for is DMC stranded cotton embroidery floss, a widely available and colorfast thread. The pattern uses a total of 30 DMC colors, encompassing a broad spectrum that brings the vegetable garden scene to life. Key colors include:

• Greens: DMC 563, 702, 704, 772, 986, 991, 992 — used for foliage, stems, and vegetable bodies
• Oranges and yellows: DMC 721, 722, 743, 744, 3854 — suggesting carrots, squash, or warm harvest tones
• Reds and pinks: DMC 899, 917, 3607, 3609 — likely representing tomatoes, beets, or floral accents
• Blues: DMC 797, 932 — providing contrast and background interest
• Browns and earth tones: DMC 738, 801, 3371, 3863 — grounding the design with natural, soil-inspired shading
• Neutrals and light tones: DMC Blanc, 818, 3770 — used for highlights and pale vegetable flesh tones
• Black: DMC 310 — used for outlining and definition
• Dark red/brown: DMC 920 — adding depth to certain design elements

Techniques and Stitches Used

This is a counted cross stitch pattern, meaning the stitcher follows a printed chart grid rather than a pre-printed fabric design. Each square on the chart corresponds to one cross stitch on the fabric, and symbols within each square identify the DMC color to be used.

Full Cross Stitch

The primary stitch throughout the design is the full cross stitch, worked using 3 strands of DMC floss. A full cross stitch is formed by making two diagonal stitches that cross at the center of a fabric square, creating the classic X shape. Using 3 strands on 14-count Aida gives good coverage and a slightly textured, bold appearance appropriate for a decorative pillow.

Backstitch