Magnolia And Petals in DMC - PAT0027 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Flower Power – Magnolia and Petals Embroidery Pattern (PAT0027)

Magnolia and Petals is a free, downloadable PDF embroidery pattern from DMC, part of their Flower Power series. Designed for intermediate embroiderers, this elegant botanical design depicts a magnolia bloom with delicate petal details, rendered in a tall, slender composition measuring approximately 8.3 cm × 20.5 cm. The pattern is available in three distinct colour options, allowing stitchers to personalise the finished piece to suit their décor or preference — from soft muted tones to rich, saturated botanical palettes.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a hand-embroidered magnolia floral design worked on fabric. The composition includes magnolia petals, pollen balls, and pollen stalks, creating a naturalistic and botanically inspired motif. Because three separate colour options are provided, the same design can be stitched in completely different colourways, making this pattern versatile and repeatable.

Colour Options

• Option 1 uses DMC Mouliné Spécial shades 3743, 155, 3834, 154, 224, 356, 3857, and 3371 — a palette moving through soft lavenders, muted purples, and deep aubergine tones.
• Option 2 uses shades 224, 3687, 355, 777, 677, 469, 986, and 934 — blending dusty pinks and roses with deep burgundy and rich forest greens for a classic botanical feel.
• Option 3 uses shades 613, 422, 166, 469, 563, 505, 890, and 166 — a fresh, nature-forward palette of warm tans, olive greens, and deep emerald tones.

Each colour option requires one skein per shade, making this an economical project to complete.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs four core embroidery stitches, each assigned a code letter in the technical chart to guide placement precisely across the design:

• Stem Stitch (Code A) — used for the pollen stalks, stem stitch creates a smooth, rope-like line ideal for botanical stems and outlines. It is worked by bringing the needle up along the line of the design and overlapping each stitch slightly to build a continuous, flowing stroke.
• French Knot (Code B) — used for all pollen balls, French knots are small, textured raised dots formed by wrapping the thread around the needle before inserting it back into the fabric. They add tactile dimension and are a hallmark of traditional floral embroidery.
• Satin Stitch (Code C) — used extensively across the petal areas, satin stitch fills shapes with smooth, parallel threads laid closely together to create a flat, lustrous surface. Worked neatly, it gives petals a polished, almost painted appearance.
• Long and Short Stitch (Code D) — used to blend colours across petal sections, long and short stitch alternates stitch lengths to allow colours to interlock and transition naturally. It is particularly well suited to shading botanical forms and is a key technique in intermediate-level embroidery.

Techniques Used

The design uses a colour-coded technical chart alongside a full colour diagram to direct the placement of each stitch and thread. Shading is achieved through the strategic combination of long and short stitch with carefully selected DMC thread codes that progress from light to dark across each petal. The pollen detail is built up using clusters of French knots in a single designated shade, while the stalks connecting the pollen are outlined in stem stitch for clean, defined lines.

The design is transferred to fabric using a Magic Sheet, transfer pen, or transfer paper — all standard embroidery transfer methods that allow the motif to be accurately reproduced onto the base fabric before stitching begins.

Materials Required

• Thread: DMC Mouliné Spécial ART 117 — six-stranded cotton embroidery floss, used at varying strand counts depending on the needle size and area being stitched
• Needles: Size 1