DMC Starry Night - PAT1426 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Starry Night Cross Stitch Pattern (PAT1426) – Free Downloadable PDF

The DMC Starry Night pattern (PAT1426) is a free downloadable PDF cross stitch design from DMC, one of the world's most trusted names in embroidery threads and needlework. Inspired by the iconic imagery of a starry night sky, this charming square design measures 20.18 × 20.18 cm (7.94 × 7.94 inches) when stitched on the recommended fabric, making it a satisfying intermediate-level project suitable for stitchers who are comfortable with basic cross stitch and ready to add detail work through backstitch.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a coloured cross stitch embroidery piece depicting a starry night scene. The finished design is a near-perfect square, ideal for framing, displaying in an embroidery hoop, or incorporating into a handmade gift. The pattern is presented as a coloured cross stitch chart with backstitch, meaning stitchers receive both a colour-coded diagram to guide thread placement and a backstitch diagram to add fine outlines and detail that bring the design to life.

Techniques Used

• Cross Stitch (Point de Croix): The primary technique used throughout the design. Cross stitch involves forming small X-shaped stitches over the woven grid of an evenweave or Aida fabric. Each square on the chart corresponds to one cross stitch on the fabric, allowing stitchers to build up the image colour by colour.
• Backstitch (Point Arrière): Used as a detail and outlining technique to define edges, add fine lines, and enhance the overall crispness of the finished design. Backstitch is worked after the cross stitch is complete and is a hallmark of intermediate-level embroidery projects.

Stitches Used

• Cross stitch – the foundational stitch forming the body of the design
• Backstitch – used for outlining and fine detail work within the composition

Materials Required

The pattern specifies a carefully curated set of DMC materials to achieve the intended result:

• DMC Mouliné Spécial Thread Art. 117 MC – the classic 6-strand divisible cotton embroidery floss used for the cross stitch portions of the design. Specific thread colours referenced in the chart include B5200 (Snow White), D415 (Pearl Grey), 3325 (Baby Blue Light), 312 (Navy Blue Very Light), and 3332, among others, creating the characteristic cool, celestial palette of a night sky.
• DMC Diamant Art. 380 – DMC's specialty metallic thread, which adds a sparkling, luminous quality to the stars and other highlight elements of the design, perfectly suited to the starry night theme.
• DMC Cross Stitch Fabric Col. 336 / Aida – the recommended evenweave Aida fabric in colour 336. The design size is based on 14-count Aida, the most widely used cross stitch fabric, which offers 14 stitches per inch and is the standard recommendation for intermediate stitchers. The fabric count directly determines the finished size of the design; a higher count produces smaller stitches and a smaller finished piece.
• Cross stitch needle – a blunt-tipped tapestry needle appropriate for working through the holes of Aida fabric without splitting the weave.
• Embroidery hoop – listed as optional but recommended to keep the fabric taut and stitches even during the embroidery process.
• Scissors – for trimming threads neatly between colour changes.

Difficulty and Suitability

This pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty. While the cross stitch technique itself is accessible to beginners, the inclusion of backstitch detail work and the use of DMC Diamant metallic thread — which requires a slightly different handling technique compared to standard cotton floss — elevates this project beyond a purely beginner level. Stitchers who have completed at least one or two basic cross stitch projects and are comfortable managing multiple thread colours will find this a rewarding and achievable challenge.