Blackwork diamond frame hand embroidery pattern

Easy · 1 color · 3 kinds of stitch

Blackwork diamond frame: preview of the stitched design

A square blackwork frame is worked in one navy thread round an open middle. A band of sixteen diamonds runs round it, outlined in stem stitch. The diamonds at the four corners and in the middle of each side are parted in four by lines of back stitch, and the eight between them hold a French knot each. Outside the band an edging of back stitch points runs between two stem stitch lines, the middle line and the outer line, with a French knot in each corner. An inner line of stem stitch runs round the open middle, which takes an initial or a date.

Size and details

Easy. Simple stitches in one color.

1 color of floss and 3 kinds of stitch, all of them line stitches and knots:

The stitched size, by hoop
Hoop	Inches	Centimeters
3 in (8 cm)	1.3 × 1.3 in	3.3 × 3.3 cm
4 in (10 cm)	2 × 2 in	5.1 × 5.1 cm
5 in (13 cm)	2.7 × 2.7 in	6.9 × 6.9 cm
6 in (15 cm)	3.3 × 3.3 in	8.4 × 8.4 cm
8 in (20 cm)	4.7 × 4.7 in	11.9 × 11.9 cm

In a 3 or 4 inch hoop the French knots are drawn smaller than about 2 mm (a little over 1/16 in). Use one strand of floss for them there, or choose a larger hoop.

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

What you need

DMC 336 Navy BlueLines that part the diamonds, knots in the diamonds, diamonds, points in the edging, knots in the corners of the edging, inner line, middle line and outer line

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

Back stitch 2 strandsLines that part the diamonds, points in the edging
French knot 2 strands, two wrapsKnots in the diamonds, knots in the corners of the edging
Stem stitch 2 or 3 strandsDiamonds, inner line, middle line, outer line

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.