Backpack with two pencils hand embroidery pattern

Easy · 5 colors · 2 kinds of stitch

Backpack with two pencils: preview of the stitched design

A school backpack is seen from the front. The bag outline has a tan grab handle arched over its top and a curved line across it for the lid. Two tan straps run down to two gold buckles on that line, and a strap end hangs below each buckle. Below, the front pocket outline holds a red heart. A side pocket is outlined low on each side of the bag, and in each stands a gold pencil with a gray ferrule, the band that holds the eraser, and a red eraser on top. The bag outline, the lid, the front pocket outline and the outlines of the side pockets are navy stem stitch, and all the other parts are satin stitch.

Size and details

Easy. In a hoop of 6 inches or less: short satin stitches, no shading; in a larger hoop the widest satin stitches are long.

5 colors of floss and 2 kinds of stitch:

The stitched size and the widest satin stitch, by hoop
Hoop	Inches	Centimeters	Satin stitch up to
3 in (8 cm)	1.4 × 1.6 in	3.6 × 4.1 cm	1/8 in (3 mm)
4 in (10 cm)	2 × 2.4 in	5.1 × 6.1 cm	3/16 in (5 mm)
5 in (13 cm)	2.7 × 3.2 in	6.9 × 8.1 cm	1/4 in (6 mm)
6 in (15 cm)	3.4 × 4 in	8.6 × 10.2 cm	5/16 in (8 mm)
8 in (20 cm)	4.8 × 5.6 in	12.2 × 14.2 cm	1/2 in (13 mm)

In an 8 inch hoop the widest satin stitch shape is 1/2 in (13 mm) across. Satin stitches longer than about 12 mm (just under 1/2 in) tend to work loose: divide the shape into sections, or work it in long and short stitch.

The pattern is drawn inside a circle about half an inch (1.3 cm) smaller all around than the hoop.

What you need

DMC 304 Medium RedErasers and heart
DMC 414 Dark Steel GrayPencil ferrules
DMC 3852 Very Dark StrawPencils and buckles
DMC 336 Navy BlueOutlines of the side pockets, bag outline, lid and front pocket outline
DMC 3828 Hazelnut BrownGrab handle, straps and strap ends

The floss is six-strand cotton; the stitch guide says how many strands to use. You also need a hoop, an embroidery needle (a size 7 to 9 suits two or three strands) and plain cotton or linen fabric. To frame the piece in its hoop, cut a square 3 inches (8 cm) wider than the hoop: a 9 inch (23 cm) square for a 6 inch hoop.

Stitch guide

Satin stitch 2 strandsErasers, pencil ferrules, pencils, grab handle, straps, strap ends, buckles, heart
Stem stitch 2 or 3 strandsOutlines of the side pockets, bag outline, lid, front pocket outline

Getting it onto your fabric

The PDF holds the pattern twice at actual size: once as drawn, and once mirrored for an iron-on transfer pen. Print it at 100% with scaling off and check the one-inch square (25.4 mm) with a ruler before you trace. How to transfer a pattern explains tracing, carbon paper and the other ways. The files are under Downloads.