Greek key frame hand embroidery pattern

Easy · 2 colors · 2 kinds of stitch

Greek key frame: preview of the stitched design

A square frame of Greek key is drawn as one unbroken line that winds into a squared spiral, comes out again and runs on to the next, with a spiral sitting in each of the four corners and a plain rail inside and outside the band. The key is stem stitch and the two rails are back stitch.

Size and details

Easy. Line stitches only, but a good deal of line to work.

2 colors of floss and 2 kinds of stitch, all of them line stitches:

The stitched size, by hoop
Hoop	Inches	Centimeters
3 in (8 cm)	1.4 × 1.4 in	3.6 × 3.6 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)	3.4 × 3.4 in	8.6 × 8.6 cm
8 in (20 cm)	4.7 × 4.7 in	11.9 × 11.9 cm

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 BlueGreek key
DMC 3852 Very Dark StrawOuter rail and inner rail

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

Stem stitch 2 or 3 strandsGreek key
Back stitch 2 strandsOuter rail, inner rail

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.