Blackwork wreath of twelve squares hand embroidery pattern

Easy · 1 color · 3 kinds of stitch

Blackwork wreath of twelve squares: preview of the stitched design

A blackwork wreath is made of twelve squares set corner to corner in a ring, open in the middle and worked in one navy thread. Each square is filled with a close net of back stitch. The ring lies between two twelve-sided lines, the opening and the rim, both stem stitch like the sides of the squares. A French knot stands in every space between the squares, twelve round the opening and twelve round the rim. The open middle takes an initial.

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)	1.9 × 1.9 in	4.8 × 4.8 cm
4 in (10 cm)	2.8 × 2.8 in	7.1 × 7.1 cm
5 in (13 cm)	3.7 × 3.7 in	9.4 × 9.4 cm
6 in (15 cm)	4.7 × 4.7 in	11.9 × 11.9 cm
8 in (20 cm)	6.5 × 6.5 in	16.5 × 16.5 cm

In a 3 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 BlueClose net of the twelve squares, knots in the spaces round the opening, knots in the spaces round the rim, sides of the squares, opening and rim

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 strandsClose net of the twelve squares
French knot 2 strands, two wrapsKnots in the spaces round the opening, knots in the spaces round the rim
Stem stitch 2 or 3 strandsSides of the squares, opening, rim

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.