Garden Flower
A pink bloom on a stem with two leaves, 13×18 stitches.
Free Flower Cross Stitch Patterns
Flowers, leaves and potted plants in small, symmetric charts. Stitch one as a card, repeat one as a border, or gather several into a botanical sampler.
6 free patterns · PDF, PNG and editable chart
Flowers & plants patterns
Autumn Leaf
A diagonal leaf with a light central vein, 13×13.
Potted Cactus
A flowering cactus in a terracotta pot, 13×16.
Red Tulip
A single tulip with a long stem and two leaves, 11×16.
Holly Sprig
Two spiky holly leaves over three red berries, 15×13.
Poinsettia
A red poinsettia with eight pointed bracts and green leaves, 17×17.
Simple botanicals that repeat well
Most of these designs are symmetric, which makes them easy to count: one half is the mirror of the other, so a mistake shows up at once. It also makes them good building blocks. A tulip repeated five times with two empty squares between each becomes a border for a towel or a bookmark.
The greens are shared across the set, so stems and leaves match when you combine motifs. Petal colours are easy to change in the Studio if you want yellow tulips or a white flower on coloured fabric.
Sizes and stitching time
Smallest first. Finished size is on 14-count Aida; times assume about 120 full stitches an hour, a relaxed pace, so treat them as a guide and allow more for a first project.
| Pattern | Stitches (w × h) | On 14‑count | Colours | Total stitches | Rough time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Sprig | 15 × 13 | 1.1 × 0.9 in 2.7 × 2.4 cm | 5 | 91 | under 1 hour |
| Autumn Leaf | 13 × 13 | 0.9 × 0.9 in 2.4 × 2.4 cm | 4 | 95 | under 1 hour |
| Red Tulip | 11 × 16 | 0.8 × 1.1 in 2.0 × 2.9 cm | 5 | 98 | under 1 hour |
| Potted Cactus | 13 × 16 | 0.9 × 1.1 in 2.4 × 2.9 cm | 5 | 112 | about 1 hour |
| Garden Flower | 13 × 18 | 0.9 × 1.3 in 2.4 × 3.3 cm | 6 | 142 | about 1 hour |
| Poinsettia | 17 × 17 | 1.2 × 1.2 in 3.1 × 3.1 cm | 4 | 169 | about 1 hour |
Working with flower charts
- Start with the stem
- A stem is a straight column of stitches. Stitching it first gives you a fixed line to count the petals and leaves from.
- Shade with two close colours
- Several flowers use a mid and a light version of the same colour. Keep the two skeins labelled; similar shades are easy to confuse under warm lamps.
- Make a border
- In the Studio, copy a motif and paste it along a row, leaving the same gap each time. Check the total width with the size calculator before you cut the fabric.
- Wash gently before framing
- Hand-wash finished pieces in cool water, roll in a towel and press face down on a thick towel so the stitches stay raised.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the colours of a flower pattern?
Yes. Open the pattern in the Studio, select a colour in the palette and choose a new one. The chart, the key and the thread suggestions all update.
How do I turn a single flower into a repeating border?
Copy the motif in the Studio and paste it at regular intervals, or stitch the same chart several times, counting the same number of empty squares between each repeat.
Are the thread colours DMC colours?
Each colour shows its nearest DMC stranded cotton as a suggestion, and the Studio can snap a whole pattern to DMC colours. They are computed matches, so compare with real thread before buying a large quantity.