Avlea Folk Embroidery Bitkit Byzantine Star - Downloadable PDF

Avlea Folk Embroidery Byzantine Star Bitkit – Downloadable PDF Pattern by Krista West

About This Embroidery Pattern

The Avlea Folk Embroidery Byzantine Star Bitkit is a downloadable PDF embroidery pattern designed by Krista West of Avlea Folk Embroidery. Inspired by the rich textile traditions of the ancient Mediterranean world, this graceful counted thread design draws on the warm, earthy palette of historical madder dyestuffs — the natural plant-based dyes that gave antique textiles their characteristic reds, pinks, and coppers. The pattern is part of Avlea's celebrated BitKit series, which offers self-contained, beginner-friendly folk embroidery projects rooted in authentic regional design traditions.

The finished embroidery measures 5-3/4 inches by 8-1/2 inches, making it an ideal size for a table setting project such as a decorative mat, small textile accent, or framed piece. The design combines shell pink and copper tones, with the copper used specifically to outline the shell pink elements, a technique that emphasizes depth and definition in the star motif and echoes the layered color work seen in historic Mediterranean folk embroidery.

Design Inspiration and Style

The Byzantine Star motif reflects the visual language of Byzantine and broader Mediterranean folk art, where geometric star forms carried symbolic and decorative significance across centuries of textile production. Krista West and Avlea Folk Embroidery are known for researching and interpreting these traditional patterns for modern stitchers, making ancient design vocabulary accessible through carefully charted counted thread projects. The use of copper to outline shell pink directly references the way madder-dyed textiles displayed variations in hue depending on mordanting and dyeing depth — a historically grounded color choice that gives this piece an authentic, antique character.

Techniques Used

• Counted thread embroidery — the primary technique, worked from a charted grid where each square on the chart corresponds to a set number of fabric threads
• Cross-stitch or counted thread stitching on evenweave fabric — the pattern notes that counted thread fabrics work similarly to Aida cloth, with two threads equaling one square of Aida, making the transition straightforward for stitchers familiar with cross-stitch
• Outlining — the copper floss is used to outline the shell pink areas of the design, a classic folk embroidery technique that sharpens motif edges and adds visual contrast
• Work progresses right to left and top to bottom, following traditional counted thread conventions
• Stitchers are advised to begin 2 inches in from a corner on each side to center the design accurately on the fabric

Stitches Used

• Counted thread stitches worked over the evenweave grid, consistent with cross-stitch methodology
• Outline stitching in copper floss to define and frame the shell pink design elements

Materials Required

• Fabric: One piece of 13-count evenweave fabric, cut to 10 x 12 inches — a fine, evenly woven counted thread cloth that allows precise stitch placement
• Floss – DMC 918 (copper): 8 yards required; used for outlining and accent stitching throughout the design
• Floss – DMC shell pink: 4 yards required; used as the primary fill color of the Byzantine Star motif
• The pattern notes that stitchers should separate the strands of floss and work with an appropriate number to avoid overly bulky stitches on the 13-count fabric

Difficulty Level and Format

This pattern is rated beginner level, making it an excellent introduction to Mediterranean folk embroidery and counted thread work. The limited two-color palette — DMC 918 copper and DMC shell pink — keeps the project approachable while still producing a striking, historically inspired result. The downloadable PDF