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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: Pomegranate in the Round

 

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Here’s a free hand embroidery pattern, from yesterday’s sketching.

As I mentioned yesterday, my plan is to create an embroidery design that I can use across several embroidery techniques. These stylized pomegranate thingamabobs are always a favorite of mine, and I find they pop up a lot in my designs. They are particularly suitable for silk shading and for goldwork, but I think they’d transfer to other types of embroider as well. I think this one, for example, would look pretty nice in whitework, especially on a colored fabric.

There’s one style of embroidery, though, that I don’t think this will transfer well to, and that’s casual, free-style surface stitching. Stylized pomegranates seem to be a bit too formal to go the casual route, in my mind. What do you think?

Free hand embroidery pattern: pomegranate in the round

You can click on the above for a larger version, or you can print the PDF below. The design on the PDF will print at approximately 5″ square.

Pomegranate in the Round: A Design for Hand Embroidery (PDF)

I’m not sure if I’ll embroider this design for my upcoming series, but maybe someday, I’ll use it for something. In the meantime, maybe you can find a use for it!

By the way, you can reduce the busy-ness of the lattice work in the center by removing every other line in both directions, if you don’t like the crowded lattice. That would open it up for a bead or spangle in the middle of the diamonds.

And finally, I think I should be more forthcoming about the rooster. He isn’t finished. I’m going to go work on him right NOW.

This design ended up as a goldwork embroidery project, and you can follow all the step-by-step articles in the series of completing the project by visiting the following links, which are arranged in the order of the project’s development:

Stylized Pomegranate Pattern used for this project
Setting up the Project on a Frame
Preparing the Ground Fabric with Felt Padding
Selecting Colors of Silk for the Project
The Stitching Begins – SIlk Shading
Continuing the silk shading – the left side
Finishing the silk shading
The Goldwork Begins: Smooth Passing Thread
Check Thread for Outlining
Chip Work Filling with Check Purl
Outlining with Stretched Pearl Purl
Filling the Bowl with Passing Thread
Finishing the Tips with Passing Thread
Finishing the Fruit
Beginning the Stem
Continuing with the Green on the Stem
Almost finished! Chip work on the Stem
The Finished Goldwork Pomegranate

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(19) Comments

  1. Thank you for the design. I can visualize it in whitework with a lot of pulled stitches. I continue to enjoy your website! By the way, Access launched my newest needlebook design. You can see it on the Blog. Hope you approve!!

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  2. I like the pomegranate and I agree that it would be suitable for a number of techniques.

    I remember there was a design in a magazine several years ago that I thought I would like to embroidery in lots of differnt was. Needless to say I never got around to it. I just looked out the design but it doesn't appeal as much to me as it did in 2002.

    Now then, how's that rooster coming along?

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  3. Hi, Bobbi! Oooo – I just saw it! It's VERY nice. Can't wait to see it in the shops!

    Carol-Anne – Isn't it funny how our tastes completely change, and sometimes, in a relative short time! Yeah. The rooster. The ROOSTER. I'm workin' on it! 🙂

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  4. G'day Mary,

    The design is perfect. The neck band is just right. Sometime I just might learn to wait before thinking aloud. Never mind, It wouldn't be good to let all my 'thinks' get cooped up together in my head for very long. I'd have UNtangleable tangles, whatever about the zen.

    I reckon the competition sounds good. I'd be shy to submit (if I ever came up with anything) but would try to have a go. The best part would be seeing the designs of others.

    Thanks for giving us the Pomegranate in the Round design. It's special. I like the title too.

    Cheers, Kath.

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  5. Mary, an after thought, again.

    In commenting on the design competition, I mentioned it would be good seeing the designs. The thought just occured to me that if you go ahead with the copmetition you may not intend to show the enteries, just the winner. That's fine, would be very interesting anyway.

    Bye, Kath.

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  6. Thank you for the nice design. When I first saw it, I thought immediately "Jacobean". I was looking forward to seeing the different techniques you used. I guess I'll have to give it a try myself.

    The competition would be nice. If I can come up with something I like, I would be willing to submit it.

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  7. Very nice design; thank you!

    While I agree that this pomegranate is quite formal the motif itself has long been seen on all sorts of goods. It was a favorite for a time in early American crewel-worked bedcovers and hangings and as I was restoring a pomegranate (or sometimes, an artichoke) originally stitched in chilly New England I often found myself wondering how/what they really knew about foods so exotic to the stitcher's location.

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  8. I love the design, the day I can actually turn my ideas into actual drawings I'll start showing you all the flowerish things I'd like to embroider!
    About the contest, I think we could create a Flickr group and ask people to embroider the design as they wish… then add the photos there. Set a final date for entering, and then all readers can vote. If you're planning another give-away, this could be it!
    I'd like to see what everyone does with the design – so no suggestions from Mary anymore! 😉

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  9. A competition would be interesting in that you could point out why a design might not be suitable for surface embroidery, but more suited to another technique.

    ….having an urge to leap towards my Meyer Handbook of Ornaments ….

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  10. I really like this design and just the right size for me. I would consider entering your contest if you have one.
    Maria in Kansas

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  11. hey I just wanted to let you know I instantly started upona crewel work version of this patterns soon as I saw it… I love sooo many of your designs!!! I just need to get better at tracing the, 😛 you can see the start and the post inwhich I talk about this project on my blog http://brooklynnemichelle.com cheers!

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  12. See today what I have done with your design!
    NB I just noticed that I put my work on the wrong side and I have to take another photos, I will change the photos later.

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  13. Mary, I want to give this project a go. It is beautiful and I want to expand my goldwork experience. I don’t see a Materials list for this stylized pomegranate. Do you have one readily available?

    Kind regards,
    Elizabeth

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    1. Hi, Elizabeth – When I was writing about this project, I just mentioned the things that I used as the project developed within the articles. This was early days, and I didn’t think far enough ahead to organize an actual materials list. The project unfolded rather organically on the website! Sorry about that!

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