Free Designs

for You to Try

 Small Designs to Stitch

Are you ready to give Brazilian embroidery a try?  We plan to bring you, on a regular basis, small projects using the basic stitches shown on this website.  If any new stitches are used, they will be explained in the instructions.  Each of these new, original designs is copyrighted by the designer, and we ask that you respect copyright laws.  You are free to stitch the piece, but not to copy the design or instructions for resale or any other purpose without written permission from the designer.  

Golden Wattle
Australia's National Flower

A Brazilian embroidery design by Delma Moore of Blackberry Lane

Due to some file transfer difficulties, you will find instructions for this lovely Golden Wattle as a PDF page only. Please go to the PDF file to learn how it is stitched.  Delma is one of our Australian member designers. 

Felicity

A Brazilian embroidery design by Gayl Ratigan

Stem: Iris. Stem Stitch

Leaflets: Iris. Fern-like couching

            Couched Leaflet

1. Lay the floss out for a short distance, coming up at A down at B.
2. Ease this straight line out to form a soft curve.
3. At this point couch, or overcast, the floss to hold it in place (D-1)
4. Continue using this method until the leaflet is pleasing to the eye. (D-2)
 

Daisies:        Pistil Stitch or Long-Tailed Knot

Pistil-stitch daisies have off-side centers.  (D-3) requiring shorter tails on some knots; longer on others.  The bottom center flower is spent and as a result is dropping some petals, which can be placed anywhere the artist desires. 

Daisy centers are 1-wrap French knots.  Note: Some flower centers have a knot missing to indicte a little spot of light. 

Star-Fill:      Five-point star filling stitched developed by Rosalie Wakefield.

All straight stitches.  Follow the numbering; have faith.

• Up at 1.  Down at 2.

• Up at 3. Down at 4.

• Up at 5.  Down at 6. (D-4)

• Up at 7.  Down at 8.

• Up at 9.  Down at 10  (D-4)

Star can be whipped together in the center, or left alone with all lines showing.

Ground Effect:       Bouclé, Iris, Glory, green.

• Bouclé.  Straight stitches across base of flower.  Refer to photo.

• Glory. Embellish the ground with 3 straight stitches as shown for grass blades.

• Iris. Make 2 groups of 3 Knotted Lazy Daisy Stitches.

Click here for a PDF copy of this design, that when downloaded and printed, will have the design pattern the correct size. 

Simplicity

A Brazilian  embroidery design by Gayl Ratigan

Stems:  Use stem stitch and Iris thread.

Leaves: Use the leaf stitch on the smaller leaves, but you may try the Fishbone stitch leaf  for the larger two leaves. 

The fishbone stitch leaf is similar to the alternating satin stitch leaf, so keep the stitches close together. 

Draw 2 lines parallel to the center leaf vein (V) Line R is on the right; line L is on the left.

Needle up at A, down at the base of V. This action hides the beginning knot. )

• Needle up at 1; down at V  (same hole).

• Needle up at 2; down at V (same hole).

• Needle up at 3; cross over the V line to the top of the R line.

• Down at R; up at 4.

• Cross over the V line to the top of the L line.

• Down at L; up at 5.

• Cross over the V line to R. (Work down these lines as you would the vein line of the alternating satin stitch.)

• Up at 6.

• Continue in this manner, alternating right and left sides with the stitching. 

Note that stitches will go down right, up right, down left, up left.  Maintain parallel lines with the floss as they cross the V lines.  This leaf stitch pads the center section of the leaf, and helps with the fullness.  When finished, look at the backside of the leaf and fabric.  See the void area down the center. 

Cast-on Daisy  Stitch with Iris.

This Cast-on Daisy is divided for 16 cast-on petals with 12 cast-on for each petal. 
Begin each cast-on petal on the outside margin; set petal on the inside margin.  See diagram D-1
The procedure will be counterclockwise, as numbered in D-2
Note:  Points1 and 2 are at the quarter marks after which the space is filled.

For  this procedure you will lay the cast-on to the left (or down); this does not require placing the floss behind the needle.

The difference is in the way the cast-on stitches are placed.  Ordinarily we lay the cast-on toward the right, or clockwise after pulling the needle and floss through.  That involves rotating the fabric counter-clockwise to insure the proper placement.

 

With this procedure, the cast-on is placed "down" by using the left hand, two finger pinch (thumb and forefinger) to hold on the casts  under the working floss.  Be sure to place the floss over your left hand (thumb) and wrist.  Flip the casts down toward the center of the flower, or the second point by turning your hand toward your chest.  Set at point 4. D-3 

Finish with a pearl bead in the center.

 

Lazy Daisy Star  Stitch with Iris.

The design has double circles plus the center circle, The Diameter of the outer circle is ½".  The inner circle measure ³/8".

• Work from the center circle toward the outside. (D-4).

• The bite for the lazy daisy will be short, from the center margin to the inner circle. (A to C).

• Add one bullion type wrap.

• Set at outer perimeter

• Make a 1 or 2 wrap French knot for center.

This stitch is known as the Knotted Lazy Daisy.  Here is a full description of the stitch.  (For this flower you will only put one wrap on the needle)

• Bring the needle up at A. Pull all floss through.(D-5).

• Enter the needle into the fabric very close to the right of A. This will be B. Scoop up a small bite of fabric to point C.

• Push the needle part way through the fabric until only ½" of the eye end of the needle remains at B.

• Pick up the floss as it come from the fabric (fff) and place or lay it parallel to the needle, then cross under the needle tip so floss is on the right side.  Keep the floss snug.

• Place index finger of other hand under needle at C to hold needle away from fabric.

• Continue to wrap the floss, carry it left over the needle tip. (One wrap made).

• Place the floss under to the right and over to the left. (Two wraps made).  Several wraps can be made before the next step, but 3 wraps is average. 

• Hold the wraps lightly but firmly with a finger-thumb pinch and pull the needle through the fabric and the wraps. 

• Bring all the floss through and continue to stretch the stitch away from the A-B-C points until the wraps lie smoothly on the fabric.

• To finish this stitch, stab down through the fabric just one or two fabric threads beyond the end of the wraps.  Pull all the floss down and out.

Ground

• Using Bouclé, place straight stitches randomly around the base of the stem.

• With Iris group 3 pistil stitches as pictured. 

• Add two green glory straight stitches on each side of the grouping for grass blades.

Click here for a PDF copy of this design, that when downloaded and printed, will have the design pattern the correct size. 

Minuet

A Brazilian dimensional embroidery design by Rosalie Wakefield of Millefiori

Stitches Used:  Leaf Stitch, Pistil Stitch, Double Cast-on, Double Cast-on Drizzle, Cast-on, Couching

• Leaves. Iris. Leaf stitch.

• Fine Growth: Glory. Couch swirls. Begin by bringing needle up near design center. Make a long stitch to the end of each “branch,” couch into a graceful curve with tiny stitches. Do not pull the couching stitches tight; this prevents kinks and elbows. 

• Flower Center: Lola. 3 pistil stitches, each with 3 wraps.

• Side Petals (2): Lola. Double cast-on 8 sets (8 loops on each side of the needle). Bring needle up near flower center to  start. This will hide the floss tails. One double cast-on is placed on each side of the pistil stitches.

• Center Petal (1): Lola. On the short line above the double cast-on stitches, place a double cast-on drizzle stitch with 8 sets (8 loops on each side of the needle).

• Top Petals (2): Lola. Cast-on 12 for each petal. These stitches are placed on the curved lines

The design area is 1½" by 2".   You may need to adjust the size if it prints off too large or small.  

But better still, click here for the instructions as a PDF file for printing. 

Rhapsody

A Brazilian dimensional embroidery design by Rosalie Wakefield of Millefiori

Stitches Used:  Leaf Stitch, Bullions, Detached Buttonhole Stitch, Couching, French Knots

Leaves and Stems:  Stitch in Iris using the Leaf stitch and Stem stitch.

Flower Center:  Yellow Lola.  3 Bullions left to right: 10 wraps, 15 wraps 10 wraps. 
Bring needle up at lower end of the first bullion to hide floss tail.

Flower Petals (3):  Lola.  Detached buttonhole stitch, as follows:

Make straight stitches (bars) on the 3 short lines just below the bullions.
Now work each petal separately.
Row 1:  Working clockwise (or left to right) place 5 detached buttonhole stitches (DBh) on the bar.
Row 2: Work counterclockwise, place 7 DBh on the loops of  Row 1.  To do this, increase one stitch at the beginning and end of the row.
Row 3: The last row of DBh stitches is worked clockwise, or left to right.  Increase one stitch in the first and last loops for a total of 9 DBh loops.  Weave floss along the edge of the petal down to the fabric and out. 
Complete the 2 remaining petals in the same manner. 

Fine Growth:  Glory.  Referring to photo, couch twiggy branches around the flower.  With a contrasting color Glory, add 1-wrap French knots. 

The design area is 1" by 2".   You may need to adjust the size if it prints off too large or small.  

But better still, click here for the instructions as a PDF file for printing.