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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Heart o’ Flowers

 

Amazon Books

I was doodling a bit with Inkscape, playing with the new spiro path option, when I decided a hand embroidery pattern for a heart was appropriate for this time of year, St. Valentine’s Day coming up and all. (Well, this is what happens when your spiro path ends up looking like half a mangled heart!) This little design, though, would be suitable for any time of year, really. Kids especially might like the design for embroidery on … well, anything, even clothes.

I titled the hand embroidery pattern “Heart o’ Flowers” for various and sundry reasons, one more striking reason being the fact that it is a heart … full of flowers. The other reason is kind of obscure. When I was growing up, my best friend and I would always say, “In my heart o’ hearts….” whenever we expressed a wish for something or whatever. I don’t know why we said that, but we did. It wasn’t “in my heart OF hearts” – no, that would not be nearly dramatic enough. It was definitely “in my heart o’ hearts.” This design reminded me of that.

(I was just a kid. Don’t hold it against me…)

But in my heart o’ hearts, I’m sure you’ll find a use for this pattern if you like it. If it’s not quite your style, feel free to skip it!

Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Heart o' Flowers

And here’s a handy-dandy PDF of the same pattern. It prints about 4.5″ x 4.5″

Heart o’ Flowers Hand Embroidery Pattern – PDF

Enjoy!

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(37) Comments

  1. What a sweet design Mary. I really enjoy how you have an inspiration and share it with us. Thank you for another beautiful idea.

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  2. Hi Mary. We used to say "heart o' hearts" as well πŸ™‚

    In my heart o' hearts, I wish you had posted this a few days ago when I needed a heart design to embroider for a Valentine swap. I can just picture this one in 70's colours. I will blog about my much simpler heart design when my swap partner has received it.

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  3. Mary, thanks for the darling heart design. I love it! What a great litttle piece to try out some new stitches and threads on. I can see it worked in either crewel wools or silks. Sandi

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  4. Hi, All –

    Glad you like the pattern! Carol-Anne, I agree, it has a kind of 70's flavor to it. I was thinking it'd look cute in bright reds and pinks, with a semi-bright lime green for the leaves. Maybe some corals in there, too….

    Melissa, good idea. It'd make a neat quilling design, actually, wouldn't it?

    Thanks again for your comments!

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  5. Hi Mary, While reading your latest newsletter I noticed you mentioned designing it on a program called Inkscape. So I decided I would look into it to see if it was something I might desire to purchase. WELL!, to my wonderful surprise it's a FREE download and there are tutorials that I can actually go to. I am in no way even a novice with graphic design programs so this one I can following and understand. Wish me luck while I play and see what I can come up with. As always I just love your website and am thinking of just what to use your heart o' hearts design in. Glad to see your feeling better, missed your newsletter while you were under the weather. πŸ™‚ Liz

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  6. G'day Mary,

    The design is delightful. Definitly flower power. Mock patch on jeans etc but so very adapable for modern applications. I can visulize a reduced size around the hem of my grand daughter's pinafore and one on the bib of it. Besides pincushions, drawstring bags, sofa and bed cushions even a teddy's tummy would be tickled to have this happy design.He could sit on a chair and match the cushions!

    And in my "heart o' hearts" I think you really could be one of Anne of Green Gables kindred spirits. Iv'e wondered.

    Thanks for the cheery design.
    Bye for now, Kath.

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  7. It does remind me of the 70's as well. Ah, I remember the good old psychedelic days of flower power. What I like about this one is that you added some leaves to the right and that keeps it from being too old fashioned. Not sure why but those leaves make a difference to me. I like someone's suggestion about making it into a card. I may try that too.

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  8. Hi, All – Thanks again for the comments, and glad you like the pattern!

    Sarah – The PDF works from my end. Do you have Adobe Acrobat on your computer?

    MC

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  9. Mary, this is fabulous!
    I downloaded it right away and printed several copies. I would like to color with my colored pencils first, and then see what threads I can try to match to the scheme I come up with. I suppose this kind of limits me, as there are more DMC colors than I have pencils, but it's a place to get started.
    I am a bit of a novice to embroidery, so I really only have DMC cotton floss on hand, and as I have promised myself to work on my knitting, crocheting, and embroidery out of my stash, that settles that question. I hope people will post pictures (or send them to you for posting)of how they work this up. I'd love to see it sized up and down, different fabrics, threads and color combos. And used for different things – apparel, framed art, pillow tops, etc. I am picture it padded, on top of a heart-shaped fabric box! Not that I am that ambitious, but gee, somebody might be!
    Thanks for the inspiration!
    WendyBee

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  10. Hi, all yours works it’s very very pretty…. thanks for share I take this heart…
    Ahh.. please, excuse my english, but i speak spanish…. and now i`m learn english…

    Kisses and hugs

    Daphne

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  11. Hello!

    Many thanks for the pattern! I’m only learning needle painting. When I saw your pattern I knew at once that I want to do something fairy-tale-ish and in bright colors. I worked non-stop, selecting thread colors and stitch types in the process.

    I visit your website often. Your works are a source of inspiration and adoration for me! I’m most certainly going to use your patterns and stitch types when learning both Blackwork and Jacobean techniques.

    My work can be wiewed here – http://starakalamarka.blogspot.ru/2013/02/blog-post_5226.html

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  12. I loved the heart, I have to say everything I want, but I have recently started to embroider if someone already post to finish what could give me an idea of how it is. they are most grateful.
    Everything he does is beautiful Mary.
    Thanks Mary

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  13. I love this pattern! It’ll be perfect for my up-and-coming car trip, where I wanted something small but amazing. It’s small and amazing! In fact, I’m about to transfer it to fabric now… πŸ™‚

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    1. Hi, Tami – after you print it out, you trace it onto the fabric you want to embroider. You can use a pencil and trace the lines lightly. I usually spray starch my fabric first, then trace with pencil, because it’s easier to wash the pencil out if the fabric’s been starched. Once that’s done, put it in a hoop, and you’re ready to stitch!

  14. Thank you Mary. You are so generous with your patterns. I look forward to my afternoon’s stitching.

    I belong to a stitching group and I am the ‘go to’ person / teacher to those wanting to learn or extend their knowledge of embroidery or just require assistance – often getting a knot out of their thread. I always advise those in the group to look at your posts as they can learn so much from you.

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