Openwork pattern

Filling Pattern – No. 582

category: openwork filling pattern with Cable stitch grid
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 30 for the Cable stitches and No. 20 for the Rose stitches
stitches used: Cable and Rose stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (square)
one pattern segment: 48 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish an openwork grid with a square (an intersection of withdrawn thread lines) in the center by cutting 2, leaving 2 both vertically and horizontally.

Stabilize the established grid with Single Faggot stitches worked from the back side of the fabric. Please remember that Single Faggot stitch worked on the back side will look like Cable stitch viewed from the front.

Start in the fourth square below the center. The end of the working thread remains on the front side for now.

Work a rose stitch into this square. It’s a good idea to place the first part of the rose stitch in the direction you want to continue stitching later—i.e., the first partial stitch upwards if you want to work additional rose stitches above; the first partial stitch to the left if you want to work additional rose stitches to the left, and so on. This ensures that the square’s area is well covered.

After completing the first rose stitch, move the needle diagonally one square to the top right and from there work three rose stitches to the left.

In the square above the middle rose stitch, embroider another rose stitch, then emerge a square diagonally to the top right

and from there work three rose stitches to the left. After completing the third rose stitch, emerge a square above,

from there, embroider four rose stitches to the left.

Then move the needle diagonally one square to the right and one square down.
There, work a rose stitch, and then move the needle two squares up. There, work another rose stitch.

Leave 1 square remaining free to the right (to ensure that the square in between remains well defined and open, slide the working thread through a cable stitch on the back).

From there, work three rose stitches to the right. Over the middle of the three stitches, work a cross of one, three, and one rose stitches. The working thread is brought back to the square to the right of the center on the back.

From there, four rose stitches are worked to the right and then the needle is moved diagonally one square to the left and one square down.

There work a rose stitch and then move the needle up two squares. There work another rose stitch.

The first element of the pattern is finished.

An identical element is embroidered at intervals of three empty squares.

From the middle of the three remaining squares, leave one more square free and then embroider further elements to the left and right.

In this way fill the entire area.

An extraordinary pattern emerges,

which appears particularly effective in large areas, as here on a tablecloth from 1927.

Filling Pattern – No. 581

category: openwork filling pattern with Cable stitch grid
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 30 for the Cable stitches and No. 20 for the Rose stitches
stitches used: Cable and Rose stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (square)
one pattern segment: 34 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish an openwork grid with a square (an intersection of withdrawn thread lines) in the center by cutting 2, leaving 2 both vertically and horizontally.

Stabilize the established grid with Single Faggot stitches worked from the back side of the fabric. Please remember that Single Faggot stitch worked on the back side will look like Cable stitch viewed from the front.

Bring the needle up in the second square below the center. The end of the working thread remains on the front side for now.

Work a Rose stitch into this square. It’s a good idea to place the first part of the Rose stitch in the direction you want to continue stitching later—i.e., the first partial stitch upwards if you want to work additional Rose stitches above; the first partial stitch to the left if you want to work additional Rose stitches to the left, and so on. This ensures that the square’s area is well covered.

After completing the first Rose stitch, move the needle diagonally one square to the top right

and from there work three Rose stitches to the left.

In the square above the third Rose stitch and the one to the left of it, embroider two more Rose stitches, then emerge one square diagonally to the top right

and from there, work three Rose stitches to the right. After completing the third Rose stitch, emerge one square diagonally to the top left.

In this square work one Rose stitch and then move the needle diagonally one square to the right and two squares down.

From there, work two Rose stitches to the right and then move the needle one square up and two squares to the right.

To ensure that the surrounding squares remain well defined and open, the working thread is slided through a Cable stitch on the back.

The first element of the pattern is complete. From the new starting point, stitch Rose stitches diagonally to the top left.

four in total.

A second,

a third and

a fourth row of four Rose stitches each follows. This completes the second element of the pattern.

Move the needle diagonally one square to the right and two squares down and start embroidering the first element from there.

On the diagonal, element 1 and element 2 alternate constantly. If the first thread is too short and is secured, the starting thread can also be pulled to the back and secured there.

A very beautiful pattern is created,

which appears particularly effective in large areas, as here on a tablecloth from 1927.

Filling Pattern – No. 577

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: Back-, Straight- and Satin stitches
center: center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (in other shapes or motifs: longitudinal axis = withdrawn thread line)
one pattern segment = 12 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape in the end of this article.

First, establish a Limet grid with a withdrawn thread line as the longitudinal axis by alternately cutting 1, leaving 3, vertically and horizontally.

Turn the motif 90° counterclockwise and embroider Backstitches over 3 fabric threads each along the central longitudinal axis.

At the end of the row, after completing the last Backstitch, bring needle up one square diagonally to the top left.

Cross under the working thread of the first Backstitch,

insert the needle 2 squares below the emerging point and move the needle up two squares and one square to the right and bring it up there.

*Cross under the working thread of the next free Backstitch,

insert the needle 2 squares below the emerging point and move the needle up two squares and one square to the right and bring it up there.*

Repeat these three steps (*) until the row is finished.

In this pattern I want to add a row of Satin stitches between the rows of Back- and Straightstitches. Since it is easier to start the Back- and the Straight stitches always from the same side, all of these rows are embroidered first.

To do this, leave a space of two squares between a finished row and the next row of Backstitches.

Work the row there with Backstitches and the row back with Straightstitches in the manner previously described until the entire area is filled.
When turned back to the original position, the pattern looks like this:

Then embroider Satin stitch bars over the remaining 3-thread columns.

This pattern is particularly suitable for motifs that taper towards the bottom, such as hearts,

but can also be used as a horizontal stripe pattern.

category: openwork filling pattern with Cable stitch grid
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 30 for the Cable stitches and No. 20 for the Rose stitches
stitches used: Cable and Rose stitches
center: intersection of pairs of fabric threads
one pattern segment: = 40 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish an openwork grid with an intersection of pairs of threads in the center by cutting 2, leaving 2 both vertically and horizontally.

Stabilize the established grid with Single Faggot stitches worked from the back side of the fabric. Please remember that Single Faggot stitch worked on the back side will look like Cable stitch viewed from the front.

Then the desired pattern – made up of Rose stitches in squares of 4 x 4 stitches in a grid of intersecting diagonal rows of rose stitches – is embroidered into the grid.

Therefore bring needle up in the second square diagonally from the center

and embroider a square of 4 x 4 Rose stitches around the center square of 2 x 2 remaining free squares.

From one corner of the resulting square, embroider one Rose stitch diagonally outwards.

The next Tose stitch on this diagonal is the corner point of the next 4 x 4 Rose stitch square.

If the working thread is still long enough after completing the square, you could work a diagonal row of Rose stitches starting from the single Rose stitch.

However, you can get a better overview of the pattern run if you connect one Rose stitch diagonally outwards from the 4 x 4 Rose stitch squares at each corner point and then work the next 4 x 4 Rose stitch square. This is the best way to avoid mistakes.

If the Rose stitch squares are embroidered like a checkerboard over the entire area,

The diagonal rows of Rose stitches – marked by the individual Rose stitches – are worked, initially in one diagonal direction

then also in the crossing.

An attractive filling pattern for larger areas has been created, which can be used very well in motifs in the straight of grain as well as those on the bias.

category: openwork filling pattern without Cable stitch grid
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20 for the Rose and the Satin stitches
stitches used: Rose and Satin stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (square)
one pattern segment: 18 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. Here you can see it used in a shape.
First, establish an openwork grid with a square (an intersection of withdrawn thread lines) in the center by cutting 2, leaving 2 both vertically and horizontally.

At a distance of one empty square below the center square, begin to embroider rose stitches in a diagonal row to the top left.

Turn the work and embroider a second row at a distance of three empty squares – counted in a horizontal row – parallel to the first.

Further parallel rows are embroidered at the same distance until the entire area is filled.

Then work a Rose stitch in the square to the right below the center square. Then bring the needle up in the center square.

Wrap the right pair of threads on the square from right to left,

three times in all.

After the third stitch, move the needle under the intersection of threads to the square above the center.

From there wrap the upper pair of threads of the center square from bottom to top, again a total of three times.

After the third stitch, move the needle under the intersection of threads to the next square diagonally to the top left.

From there work a Rose stitch again, starting with the stitch to the left.

In the established way alternately work one Rose stitch and 2 x 3 Satin stitches.

Turn the work 180° and embroider in the established way three Satin stitches over the remaining free vertical

and three Satin stitches over the remaining free horizontal thread pair.

After the third stitch, move the needle undercrossing the Rose stitch into the next empty square.

In this way work 2 x 3 Satin stitches over the remaining free pairs of threads until the row is filled.

The other remaining free rows are embroidered in the established way, making sure that the rose stitches of the adjacent rows are in one line.

(A similar, but slightly more nondescript, pattern can be achieved by working the Rose stitch grid into a Cable stitch grid. This saves the need for Satin stitches, but requires securing the entire grid with Cable stitches first. I’ve browsed through my vast collection of patterns to show you the difference. Unfortunately, not a single pattern worked in this way was included.)