Anchor Modern Landscape - 0022500-00003-11 - Downloadable PDF

Anchor Modern Landscape Embroidery Pattern – Downloadable PDF by Cheryl McKinnon

The Anchor Modern Landscape is a free, downloadable PDF embroidery pattern designed by Cheryl McKinnon and published under the Anchor brand (Design No. 0022500-00003-11). Rated as a beginner level project, this pattern offers an accessible introduction to counted cross stitch embroidery, making it an ideal starting point for newcomers to the craft while still producing a visually striking finished piece in a contemporary, modern style.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a Modern Landscape design — a decorative embroidered artwork rendered in a clean, contemporary aesthetic. The finished piece is worked on a white 14-count Aida fabric and displayed within a 7-inch embroidery hoop, making it suitable for framing or hanging as wall art. The modern landscape style typically features simplified, graphic representations of natural scenery, using bold blocks of colour and geometric shapes to evoke hills, skies, and horizons in a stylised way.

Techniques Used

The pattern uses counted cross stitch as its sole embroidery technique. Counted cross stitch is a form of hand embroidery in which X-shaped stitches are placed on an even-weave or Aida fabric by counting threads or squares on a printed chart. The stitcher follows a grid-based chart — provided in full-page format optimised for tablets and phones — to position each stitch accurately. Because the design is rated beginner level, no advanced techniques such as fractional stitches, backstitching, or blended threads are required, making it straightforward to follow even for those new to the craft.

Stitches Used

• Cross Stitch (full cross stitch, 1 strand) — Every colour in the design is worked using a single strand of Anchor Stranded Cotton over one square of the 14-count Aida fabric, creating a fine, detailed finish appropriate to the modern, graphic style of the design.

Materials Required

The pattern specifies the following materials:

• Fabric: White Aida, 14 count — a stiff, even-weave fabric with clearly defined holes that make it easy to count and place stitches accurately, ideal for beginners.
• Thread: Anchor Stranded Cotton (Art. No. 4635000), 10 m skeins, used one strand at a time. The design calls for 18 colours in total:
  • #00001, #00293, #00306, #00324, #00326
  • #00006, #00008, #00085, #00086, #00087
  • #01070, #00274, #00168, #01066, #00225
  • #00227, #00246, #00683
• Needle: Round-end embroidery needle, size 24 — a tapestry-style needle with a blunt tip designed to pass through the holes of Aida fabric without splitting threads.
• Embroidery hoop: 7-inch hoop, used to keep the fabric taut and even during stitching.
• Scissors: For trimming thread ends neatly.

Pattern Format and Accessibility

The Anchor Modern Landscape pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF, making it immediately accessible after download. The chart is provided in a full-page format optimised for tablets and phones, allowing stitchers to zoom in and navigate the grid digitally with ease. With its manageable colour palette, single-strand working method, and beginner difficulty rating, this pattern from Cheryl McKinnon and Anchor is a welcoming and rewarding project for anyone looking to explore modern cross stitch embroidery.