Tulip trio cross stitch pattern

About this design

Three tulips stand side by side, with the pink one in the middle a head taller than the others. Each flower has its own palette: true red 321 with a 666 highlight, rose pink 899 with 3326, and lemon 444 with 445. Each also has a matching darker outline, so the colours stay clean rather than sharing one brown or black. Lighter lines inside each cup mark where the petals overlap. The leaves are soft grey-greens, the way real tulip leaves look, and the stems and grass line are darker greens.

How to work it

Start with the tall middle stem, which runs almost the full height of the chart and makes a good reference line. Stitch each flower head next: outline, then the main colour, then the highlights down the left side and in the petal seams. Change thread for each flower rather than working one colour across all three, because the colours are close in places. The leaves are mirrored pairs, so once you have stitched the first one the others follow the same pattern. The grass line goes in last.

Finishing ideas

At 36 × 31 stitches the trio is about 2.6 × 2.2 inches on 14-count and 2 × 1.7 inches on 18-count. It sits well in a 4-inch hoop and looks good on an Easter or Mother’s Day card. Repeat the three flowers along a longer strip of Aida for a border on a tea towel or a shelf edge.

Colour plan

DMC 986 Forest Green Vy Dk does the most work, 33% of the 517 stitches, followed by DMC 989 Forest Green at 10%. Every colour is used at least 10 times, so there are no tiny one-off details to hunt for. 54% of the grid is left empty.

Working notes

54 squares stand alone in their colour, with no same-coloured neighbour along a side; stitch those as you pass rather than starting a new thread for each. The busiest row changes colour 33 times.