Anchor Grow Your Own Way - ANC0003-118 - Downloadable PDF

Anchor Grow Your Own Way Embroidery Pattern ANC0003-118 – Beginner Hand Embroidery PDF by Wild Earth Embroidery by Harriet Glenc

The Anchor Grow Your Own Way pattern (Design No. ANC0003-118) is a free downloadable PDF designed by Wild Earth Embroidery by Harriet Glenc and published by Anchor Crafts. It is rated Easy, making it an ideal project for beginner embroiderers who want to explore a variety of fundamental hand embroidery techniques through a charming, plant-themed hoop design. The finished piece is worked in a 20 cm (8 inch) embroidery hoop and features multiple distinct botanical elements stitched onto medium-thickness cotton fabric.

What Is Being Made

The design depicts a cheerful indoor plant scene complete with the hand-lettered phrase "Grow Your Own Way" as a central text element. The botanical illustrations include a potted cactus, a potted snake plant, a hanging Pilea, and a simple floor line that grounds the composition. Together, these elements create a cohesive, decorative embroidery hoop piece perfect for home décor or as a handmade gift.

Techniques and Stitches Used

This pattern is an excellent introduction to core hand embroidery stitches. Each element of the design calls upon a specific stitch to create texture, outline, and fill, giving beginners hands-on practice with a well-rounded set of techniques. All elements use 3 strands of thread or fewer, meaning the six-strand Anchor Stranded Cotton must be split before stitching begins.

• Back Stitch (Bst): The most frequently used stitch in this pattern. It is used to outline the cactus shapes, stitch the cactus spines, define the snake plant leaf outlines and darker leaf areas, fill in the intermediate leaf sections, complete the "Grow Your Own Way" lettering, and add detail to the hanging Pilea stems and leaves.
• Satin Stitch (Sst): Used to fill solid areas smoothly. The plant pot legs across multiple designs are worked in vertical Satin Stitch, the cactus pot is filled horizontally with Satin Stitch, the pink snake plant pot is worked in horizontal Satin Stitch, and the larger Pilea leaves are filled using Satin Stitch worked in a clockwise direction.
• Running Stitch (Rst): Used to create the simple floor line that anchors the scene, giving a clean, minimal ground beneath the plants.
• French Knots: Used to represent the smaller Pilea leaves, adding a delicate, dimensional texture that contrasts beautifully with the flat Satin Stitch of the larger leaves.

Design Elements in Detail

Potted Cactus

The cactus pot legs are worked in vertical Satin Stitch using 3 strands of Anchor colour #00374. The plant pot itself is stitched horizontally in Back Stitch using 3 strands each of #00362 and #00933, referencing the finished pattern image as a colour placement guide. The cactus outline is Back Stitched using 3 strands of #00261, stitching downward from the top of each cactus shape. The spines are then added in Back Stitch using 2 strands of #01050.

Potted Snake Plant

The pot legs are again Satin Stitched vertically in #00374. The pink pot is filled with horizontal Satin Stitch using 3 strands of #01021. The snake plant leaves are outlined in Back Stitch with 3 strands of #00297, with darker leaf areas added in #00261 and the intermediate sections filled using #00256. Varying stitch lengths are used deliberately to mimic the natural variegated appearance of a real snake plant leaf.

Hanging Pilea

The larger Pilea leaves are worked in Satin Stitch using 3 strands of #00238,