Fall Wreath - PDF

Fall Wreath Cross Stitch Pattern — Kooler Design Studio (KDS# 1618)

The Fall Wreath is a beautifully detailed counted cross stitch design created by Nancy Rossi for Kooler Design Studio, a well-established independent design house based in Lafayette, California. Released in 2013 as part of the Kooler Classic Charts collection, this pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, making it instantly accessible for stitchers who want to begin their project right away. The finished piece depicts a lush autumn wreath, making it an ideal decorative embroidery project for the fall season — perfect for framing, displaying in the home, or giving as a seasonal gift.

About the Design

This is a single-design pattern featuring one large, richly composed autumn wreath motif. The design is substantial in size and carries a high level of detail, capturing the warm tones and layered textures characteristic of fall foliage, berries, and seasonal botanicals. The wreath format is a classic decorative shape well-suited to home décor embroidery, and the autumnal color palette — suggested by the extensive floss and symbol listing included in the chart — gives the finished piece a rich, seasonal warmth.

The pattern is rated at an intermediate difficulty level, making it most suitable for stitchers who are already comfortable with the fundamentals of counted cross stitch and are ready to work on a larger, more complex project. Beginners with some experience may also find it achievable with patience and careful attention to the chart.

Stitches Used

The Fall Wreath pattern employs two core embroidery techniques standard to counted cross stitch:

• Full Cross Stitches: The primary stitch used to build the body of the design. Each full cross stitch is formed by two diagonal stitches crossing at the center, filling a single square on the fabric grid. These stitches create the solid areas of color that define the wreath's shapes, leaves, and decorative elements.
• Backstitching: Used to add fine outlines, definition, and detail on top of the completed cross stitches. Backstitch lines give the design crisp edges and help individual elements stand out clearly against one another, which is especially important in a complex, layered composition like a wreath.

Together, these two techniques are the foundation of traditional counted cross stitch embroidery. Full stitches provide coverage and color, while backstitching adds the fine linework that elevates a design from flat blocks of color to a polished, illustrative finished piece.

Techniques and Construction

This is a counted cross stitch project, meaning the stitcher works directly from a printed or digital chart grid, counting threads on the fabric to place each stitch accurately. There is no stamped or pre-printed design on the fabric — the chart itself serves as the complete guide, with symbols representing individual thread colors across the grid.

The chart includes a full floss and symbol listing, which maps each symbol used in the grid to a specific thread color. Stitchers use this key to organize their threads and follow the design accurately. The use of multiple symbols across a large stitch count means careful color management is an important part of working this pattern, which contributes to its intermediate classification.

Strand Usage

• Full Stitches: Worked using 3 strands of embroidery floss, which provides good coverage on the recommended fabric count.
• Backstitching: Worked using 1 strand of embroidery floss, creating fine, precise lines that add detail without overwhelming the cross stitch coverage beneath.

Materials

Fabric

The design is specified to be stitched on 14 Count White Aida cloth. Aida is the most widely used fabric for counted cross stitch, featuring an even weave with clearly defined holes that make it easy to count and place stitches consistently. The 14 count designation means there are 14 stitches per inch, which is the most popular count for intermediate-level projects — fine enough to capture detail, but not so small as to strain the eyes.

The pattern also provides stitch size information for alternative fabric counts, allowing stitchers to adjust the finished size of the piece:

• 14 Count: Approximately 11-3/8 inches wide × 11 inches high
• 16 Count: