Small rose. Free cross stitch pattern - Part 3 Petit point

In the 1800’s the economic situation in the Western world began to change, and with more and more families becoming what we refer to now as ‘middle class’ there grew a need for respectable past-times for the ladies of households who had time to spare and few activities to indulge in. 

Labor was cheap, and most families with means would employ cooks, maids and governesses; thus freeing the women of the house from most of the common chores of housekeeping. 

The home was everything, and the lady of the house would take great pride in tastefully decorating her sitting room, and home with beautiful and skillfully worked cushions, curtains, chair covers, runners and all sorts of handmade dainty things to show of her skill and diligence.

Not all day was spent in leisure, but much of it would have been employed with something or another to do with a needle and thread. Before off the rack fashion, private tailors were (and still are) a luxury, so dress making, mending and making layettes for babies, or trousseaus for a soon to be bride would take priority, but when that was done then the more fun and frivolous projects could be worked on – and became known as ‘fancy work’.

And of all fancy work, none could rival in popularity Berlin woolwork. 
  

Counted patterns for Berlin woolwork and other embroidery were easily available, and though the best ones were pricey and would be shared or traded between friends. Lower quality, yet still lovely designs were often included in publications and periodicals of the time

Counted patterns are relatively easy to follow, and were eventually criticized  by the arts-and-craft movement for being vulgar and inferior to older forms of embroidery. But no matter what they said about them, counted patterns are here to stay, with cross stitch being probably the most practiced form of embroidery today.

----------------------------------------------

The third flower is stitched with both petit point and cross stitch, a classic favorite for bringing out delicate details in flowers or faces/hands. 

I simply replaced each ‘cross stitch’ space with four petit point stitches. The rose is quite small, so it was easy. But if you would use this technique in a larger pattern, be sure to concentrate and count, count, count! Unstitching mistakes in petit-point is not fun, and can damage the cloth and surrounding stitches.

Three roses, three different styles of counted embroidery

Petit point and cross stitch

Small rose part 1 - Cross stitch
Small rose part 2 - Gobelin stitch

The small rose pattern is available as a free instant download on my website, see link below. 

I would like to challenge you to also try out different techniques and styles of embroidery, needlework or other crafts that can be worked from counted patterns. The possibilities are endless, and lot’s of fun. 

Be sure to tag your work with #smallrosechallenge  or #rolanddesigns

 

The rose was stitched with 2 threads over two threads on 28 ct linen.

The free pattern can be downloaded here:  http://www.roland-designs.com/free-patterns