If you ask my husband one motif that I would like for sure, he would answer Fleur de Lis. It’s not like I am an avid Fleur de Lis collector though. Occasionally however, I will pick up a stationary or two if I like the design and the colors. Since my girl scout days, I have been in love with the design. The Florentine Fleur de Lis is my most favorite of them all.
This project started with a swap. I am part of a lovely swap group on Flickr where we make tiny 3″ quilt blocks. The theme of the month was piecing with embroidery and I made this nine-patch quilt block with Fleur de Lis embroidered on it. It makes me think of colored glass windows.
Here’s a picture of the bunch together. This was my first time ever making nine-patch blocks and I had to cut 1″ squares!!
Then I got to work on a larger version of the design for the Florentine Fleur de Lis with a combination of chain and back stitch.
A few tips on using DMC satin – I used DMC satin embroidery floss for the brightness it offers. I never used it before and I found out very quickly that it is not a very beginner-friendly floss.
- It has very little cohesion. For the chain stitch, I had to use the thumb of my left hand to hold the floss down to keep the stitch in place while working with my right hand.
- It frays very easily. I had to keep on trimming the loose ends so they wouldn’t knot up as I pulled the floss through the fabric.
- This embroidery floss left a lot of lint on the fabric. I used a lint roller to clean up the finished piece.
The file includes both patterns: the simple one and the Florentine one for personal and non-profit use.
Mine is going to be a present for my husband as a remembrance of our first overseas trip and the wonderful time we had in Florence!
Enjoy!
-Soma
22 thoughts on “Fleur de Lis Free Pattern”
Leanne Parsons March 29, 2014 at 07:19
It is beautiful! I’ve always liked the fleur-de-lis too and yours is a great rendition. Thanks for linking to TGIFF.
Soma Acharya March 29, 2014 at 17:36
I am in love with this classic motif. Thank you so much, Leanne!!
-Soma
Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation March 28, 2014 at 13:01
I love Fleur de Lis too (how could I not, being from Louisiana!) beautiful pattern!
Thanks so much for showing this off at Needle and Thread Thursday!
:) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
Soma Acharya March 28, 2014 at 15:06
Of course!! You can’t think of Lousiana and not think of Fleur de lis!! I am so glad you liked it :)
Have a wonderful weekend!
-Soma
Lorna McMahon March 27, 2014 at 13:14
Your hand work is incredible, Soma. You must have so much patience! Those tiny 9 patches are beautiful. So generous of you to share the design. Thank you!
Soma Acharya March 27, 2014 at 17:47
Thank you, Lorna!! That is so very nice of you to say!! I fidget a lot when I don’t have my hands busy and you are seeing the result here :)
I hope you get to use the pattern on one of your beautiful creations :)
-Soma
Susan in OK March 27, 2014 at 10:39
Thanks for the free pattern. One of my daughter’s college sorority’s emblems is the fleur-de-lis. She wants me to make her a t-shirt quilt. She wants it very plain, so I might embroider this and put it on the back of the quilt. You are very generous with your designs.
Soma Acharya March 27, 2014 at 17:44
You are very welcome! That sounds like a wonderful idea to embroider the fleur de lis on the back of the quilt. It will be nice two-sided quilt then :)
-Soma
Vera March 25, 2014 at 14:20
Oh, I like the picture of those little ones as well. Looking so pretty all together!
Soma Acharya March 26, 2014 at 18:33
Thank you so much, Vera! I like that picture too :)
Hope you are having a great week!
-Soma
Cheryl March 24, 2014 at 05:26
Lovely pattern, those 9 patch blocks are so cute! I was a girl scout too :)
Soma Acharya March 24, 2014 at 20:00
Thank you so much, Cheryl! Since I wanted to make this for so long, the swap gave me the perfect excuse.
Oh wow! That’s pretty awesome that you were a girl scout too :)
-Soma
Krislovesfabric March 23, 2014 at 13:53
Oh, fun!! Beautiful tiny piecing and the embroidery looks great!
Soma Acharya March 24, 2014 at 19:51
Thanks so much, Kris! I am enjoying embroidery, something different than quilting :)
-Soma
Saucy Chick Sherry March 22, 2014 at 11:01
Thank you for this lovely Fleur de Lis pattern. My sister adores Fleur de Lis everything. This will make a wonderful idea for her Christmas gift. Creative Bliss…
Soma Acharya March 22, 2014 at 20:48
I am so glad that you will be able to use this pattern. Sounds like a perfect gift for her, a fellow Fleur de Lis lover :)
-Soma
Janine March 21, 2014 at 03:13
This has turned out beautifully. It really is an classic and enduring design and your red and white version is stunning :)
Soma Acharya March 22, 2014 at 20:45
Thank you, Janine! I wanted to make an embroidered Fleur de Lis for so long.
-Soma
Susie March 20, 2014 at 11:12
I love those little 9 patch blocks with the Fleur De Lis…. you are so very patient embroidering them all!
What method did you put the pattern onto the block before embroidering it?
Thank you for the patterns. They are very classic!
Soma Acharya March 20, 2014 at 19:54
Thanks so much, Susie!!
Wash away foundation piecing paper is very easy to tear, so I sometimes use that for embroidering on small pieces. I don’t wash the finished piece, simply tear the paper away.
Since I was making so many of the small ones, I used the paper for them. I printed the design out, basted the paper on the fabric and then stitched on the lines. I sometimes use this method for designs with straight lines as well, so my embroidery is also straight.
Only problem is – embroidery hoop will tear the paper too quickly. So you have to without embroidery hoop with this method. Also when you tear, be careful not to pull on the stitches.
For the large one, I traced the design with a blue water soluble quilting marker. I traced the design before I ironed the stabilizer/interfacing on to the back. That way the design was nicely visible from under the fabric.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
-Soma :)
Fleurette March 20, 2014 at 10:40
So pretty! Thank you for the pattern. Love Fleur De Lis, Its one of my favourite designs too.
Soma Acharya March 20, 2014 at 19:30
Thank you!! I am so glad to share this pattern with another Fleur de Lis lover.
Enjoy!
-Soma