Grains And Grasses in DMC - PAT0910 - Downloadable PDF

Grains and Grasses Embroidery Pattern by DMC – Free Downloadable PDF (PAT0910)

This free downloadable embroidery pattern from the DMC Library invites stitchers to recreate a delicate botanical composition featuring flowers, grains, and grasses. Published as part of DMC's celebrated #dmc1000patterns collection, this design is classified as advanced in difficulty, making it an ideal project for experienced embroiderers looking to refine their technique and expand their stitch vocabulary. The finished design measures approximately 15.5 cm × 14.4 cm, making it a beautifully detailed piece suitable for framing, hoop art, or textile embellishment.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a sophisticated botanical embroidery design depicting grains and grasses alongside floral elements. The composition uses a carefully structured colour guide and technical chart to map out each section of the design, with individual stitch codes assigned to specific areas. The layered, textural approach to the botanical subject matter gives the finished piece a naturalistic, almost three-dimensional quality — a hallmark of advanced surface embroidery work.

Techniques and Stitches Used

This pattern draws on a rich selection of classic hand embroidery stitches, each assigned a specific letter code within the colour guide and technical chart. The combination of these stitches is what gives the design its advanced rating, as several require careful tension control and practice to execute neatly. The stitches featured include:

• Stem Stitch (Point de tige) – A foundational outline stitch worked in a continuous overlapping motion, ideal for rendering the curved stems and linear elements of grasses and grain stalks.
• Padded Stitch (Point de plumetis) – A technique in which an initial layer of stitching is laid down as padding before a final layer is worked over the top, creating a raised, sculptural surface. This is particularly effective for rendering plump floral or grain forms.
• Satin Stitch (Passé plat) – Smooth, closely packed parallel stitches used to fill shapes with a flat, lustrous finish. Satin stitch requires precision to keep edges clean and coverage even.
• Straight Stitch (Point lancé) – Single isolated stitches used to suggest fine details such as individual grass blades, stamens, or delicate botanical accents.
• Bullion Stitch (Point de poste) – A coiled, textured stitch formed by wrapping thread multiple times around the needle before pulling it through the fabric. Bullion stitches are particularly well-suited to depicting grain heads, rosebuds, and rounded botanical forms, and they are one of the more technically demanding stitches in this collection.
• Chain Stitch (Point de chainette) – A looped stitch worked in a linked chain formation, useful for outlines, filling areas with texture, or creating flowing linear elements within the design.

The use of padded stitch and bullion stitch together is a strong indicator of the advanced skill level required. Both techniques demand an understanding of thread management, needle control, and the ability to build dimension on a flat fabric surface — skills that distinguish advanced embroidery from beginner or intermediate work.

Materials Required

The pattern specifies materials from the DMC range, ensuring colour accuracy and thread quality consistent with the original design. The required materials include:

• DMC Coton Perlé Art 115 – Available in sizes 3 and 5. Coton Perlé (also known as Pearl Cotton) is a twisted, non-divisible thread with a natural sheen, making it particularly well-suited to stitches like bullion and satin stitch where a smooth, lustrous finish is desirable.
• DMC Coton Perlé Art 116 – In size 8, which is a finer weight of the same pearl cotton thread, used for more delicate areas of the design requiring a lighter touch.
• The colour palette for this pattern is worked entirely in Blanc (White), with one skein each of sizes 8, 5, and 3 required for the stated design dimensions.
• A needle no. 12 is recommended, which is a fine needle appropriate for working with the specified thread weights on embroidery fabric.
• Fabric (toile) is required as the