Echo star hand embroidery pattern

Intermediate · 2 colors · 4 kinds of stitch

Echo star: preview of the stitched design

A five-point star holds three smaller stars nested inside it, one within the next, down to a solid star at the center. The outline is stem stitch, the second star is running stitch with two stitches meeting in every point, the third is back stitch and the center star is satin stitch. Each of the four stars has a stitch of its own.

Size and details

Intermediate. Stem stitch, running stitch and back stitch, with a little satin stitch; from a 6 inch hoop up the satin stitches are long.

2 colors of floss and 4 kinds of stitch:

The stitched size and the widest satin stitch, by hoop
Hoop	Inches	Centimeters	Satin stitch up to
3 in (8 cm)	1.7 × 1.6 in	4.3 × 4.1 cm	1/8 in (3 mm)
4 in (10 cm)	2.5 × 2.4 in	6.4 × 6.1 cm	1/4 in (6 mm)
5 in (13 cm)	3.4 × 3.2 in	8.6 × 8.1 cm	5/16 in (8 mm)
6 in (15 cm)	4.2 × 4 in	10.7 × 10.2 cm	3/8 in (10 mm)
8 in (20 cm)	5.9 × 5.6 in	15 × 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 3852 Very Dark StrawStar outline and center star
DMC 922 Light CopperSecond star and third star

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 strandsStar outline
Running stitch 3 strandsSecond star
Back stitch 2 strandsThird star
Satin stitch 2 strandsCenter star

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.