Point de marque 5.9 in DMC - PAT0583 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Marking Stitch 5th Series – Point de Marque 5ème Série (PAT0583) by Thérèse de Dillmont

This free downloadable PDF pattern from the DMC Library (Bibliothèque DMC) presents Spread No. 9 (Planche 9) from the celebrated Marking Stitch 5th Series, originally authored by Thérèse de Dillmont. It is a classic cross stitch embroidery chart designed for beginners and offers a beautifully structured sampler-style design rich in traditional marking stitch motifs. The finished design measures 20.7 × 31.4 cm (approximately 8¼ × 12⅝ inches), making it a substantial and rewarding project for anyone learning or practising counted cross stitch.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a counted cross stitch embroidery piece in the tradition of historic marking samplers — the style of needlework historically used to record letters, numbers, and decorative motifs on household linens and personal items. The design is presented as a coloured cross stitch chart, allowing stitchers to follow the pattern square by square on Aida fabric. The result is an elegant, heirloom-quality embroidered panel suited to framing, display, or use as a decorative textile.

Techniques Used

The pattern incorporates several counted thread embroidery techniques, making it an excellent introduction to the full range of cross stitch methods:

• Full Cross Stitch – the foundational stitch of the design, worked over one square of Aida fabric to build the main motifs and colour blocks
• Backstitch (Point Arrière) – used to add fine outlines, detail, and definition to the design, giving crisp edges to motifs and lettering
• ¾ Stitch (3/4 Point de Croix) – a partial cross stitch covering three-quarters of a fabric square, used to create smoother curves and diagonal edges within the design
• ¼ + ¾ Stitch (1/4 + 3/4 Point de Croix) – a combination technique where two partial stitches share a single fabric square, allowing two colours to meet cleanly and producing refined, rounded shapes

Together, these techniques allow the stitcher to move beyond simple grid-based designs and achieve more nuanced, detailed imagery. The use of partial stitches is a hallmark of high-quality counted embroidery and gives the finished piece a polished, professional appearance.

Stitches Used

• Cross Stitch – the primary building block of the entire composition
• Backstitch – for outlining and fine linear detail
• ¾ Cross Stitch – for smooth curves and shaped edges
• ¼ + ¾ Cross Stitch combination – for refined two-colour transitions within a single fabric square

Colour Palette and DMC Thread References

The pattern is charted in full colour and specifies exact DMC Mouliné Spécial (117MC) thread shades. The colour palette referenced in the chart includes DMC shades 3064, 3746, 3371, 26, 825, 29, 3348, 320, 919, 962, 3011, and 3854, offering a warm and varied combination of tones that bring the traditional marking stitch motifs to life. Each symbol on the chart corresponds to a specific DMC colour number, making thread selection straightforward.

Materials Required

• DMC Mouliné Spécial embroidery thread (117MC) – the specified thread for this pattern, available in the exact shades listed on the chart
• Aida cross stitch fabric – the recommended ground fabric; beginners are advised to start with 14-count Aida, the most widely available count, which produces stitches of a comfortable working size. Note that the stated design dimensions are based on a specific fabric count — a higher count fabric will produce a smaller finished design, while a lower count will produce a larger one
• Cross stitch needle – a blunt-tipped tapestry needle appropriate for counted work on A