DMC Spooky Woodland Embroidery Pattern - PAT1762 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Spooky Woodland Embroidery Pattern (PAT1762) – Free Downloadable PDF

The DMC Spooky Woodland Embroidery Pattern (PAT1762) is a free downloadable PDF from the DMC Library that guides embroiderers through creating a richly detailed, atmospheric woodland scene with a spooky seasonal theme. Designed at a finished size of approximately 17 cm × 17 cm, this pattern is well-suited to advanced beginners who are comfortable following a colour-coded chart and working with multiple thread colours and strand counts simultaneously.

What Is Being Made

The finished piece is a hand-embroidered Spooky Woodland design — a decorative needlework composition evoking an eerie forest atmosphere. With its wide palette of earthy, muted, and accent tones, the design is ideal for framing, hoop art display, or incorporating into seasonal home décor projects. The pattern is bilingual, presented in both English and French, reflecting DMC's international heritage.

Materials Required

• Threads: DMC Mouliné Spécial Art 117 (standard six-strand cotton embroidery floss) in 22 colours, including shades such as 3865, 822, 610, 369, 522, 3011, 3824, 3341, 351, 355, 783, 535, 3799, 611, and several others listed in the colour guide. One skein of each colour is sufficient for the stated design size.
• Specialty Thread: DMC Light Effects Flos Art 317W, specifically shade E5200, which adds a subtle shimmer or glow effect to select areas of the design — a particularly fitting touch for a spooky, moonlit woodland scene.
• Needle: A No. 12 needle is recommended, suitable for fine embroidery work on fabric.
• Fabric: The pattern calls for an embroidery fabric or toile; the specific fabric type is left to the embroiderer's preference, though an evenweave or plain-weave cotton is typical for this style of work.

Strand Counts and Thread Usage

The pattern specifies two different strand counts depending on the thread type being used:

• 4 strands of DMC Mouliné Spécial Art 117 are used for the main body of the design, creating good coverage and a bold, textured appearance at the 17 cm × 17 cm finished size.
• 2 strands are used for finer detail work or for the DMC Light Effects thread, allowing the metallic or luminescent quality of the specialty thread to remain delicate and refined rather than overpowering.

Colour Palette and Design Complexity

The colour guide references 22 distinct thread colours, spanning a broad tonal range. Earthy neutrals such as 822 (light beige-grey), 610 (dark drab brown), and 3011 (dark khaki green) anchor the woodland atmosphere, while warmer accent tones like 3341 (apricot), 351 (coral), and 783 (medium topaz) introduce warmth and visual interest. Deeper, darker shades such as 3799 (very dark pewter grey) and 535 (very light ash grey) contribute to the shadowy, mysterious mood of the scene. The inclusion of E5200 from the DMC Light Effects range adds a magical, glowing highlight that elevates the finished piece beyond a standard embroidery project.

Techniques Used

While the PDF's technical chart does not enumerate every stitch by name in the extracted content, the design is characteristic of DMC's illustrated embroidery patterns, which typically employ a combination of the following surface embroidery techniques:

• Satin stitch – used to fill solid areas of colour smoothly, such as foliage, tree trunks, or background elements
• Stem stitch or outline stitch – commonly used to define the edges of shapes and create fine linear details like branches and twigs