Nutcracker soldier
- Medium
- 34×67 stitches
- 6 DMC colors
- ≈ 6 skeins
- Aida 14: 6.2×12.2 cm
A wooden nutcracker in a red coat with a white beard and gold buttons. Tall, narrow format in six DMC colours.
- Size
- 34×67
- Stitches
- 1,816
- DMC colors
- 6
- Skeins
- ≈ 6
- Level
- Medium
- Time
- ≈ 18 hours
No sign-up · colour and b/w · works with Pattern Keeper
Colors
- 310 Black×528
- 304 Red Medium×506
- B5200 Snow White×206
- 19 Autumn Gold medium Light×202
- 939 Navy Blue Very Dark×196
- 3856 Mahogany Ultra Very Light×178
Nutcracker soldier pattern: description
A wooden nutcracker in a red coat and tall hat is a familiar figure among Christmas cross stitch patterns, and this free nutcracker chart keeps him to six DMC colours in flat blocks. It is a medium project, with simple shapes and a face that needs careful counting.
Where to start on the nutcracker
The figure is narrow and tall, 34 stitches across and 67 down, so working from the top keeps things orderly. Begin with the outline of the hat in black DMC 310. Its sides are long straight columns that are easy to count, and everything below lines up under them: the face and hair, then the coat, the belt, the legs and the boots.
The order of the colours
Black 310 and red 304 take the most stitches, at 528 and 506. In each block stitch the black lines first, then fill with red, navy 939 or gold 19. The straight stripes on the hat, the cuffs and the belt go quickly and make a pleasant change after a slow patch.
Hair and beard are the exception to black first. Black floss sheds fine fibres that show on white, so put in the B5200 for the beard and the curls before the moustache next to them, and before the surrounding outline if you can. The 3856 on the face and hands covers a small area, 178 stitches, and can go in last.
The face takes the most care. Each eye is only a few stitches, the moustache sits right below them, and a shift of one square changes his expression. Count from the centre line of the face and check both sides. The three gold buttons on the chest also sit close together, each ringed in black.
Fabric and finishing
The background stays unstitched, and the white hair needs a fabric it can stand out from. Pale blue works best, and light grey or cream are also fine. On white Aida the black outline holds the shape but the hair blends into the cloth, and on dark fabric the outline vanishes.
The finished soldier is 6.2 by 12.2 cm on 14-count Aida and takes about 18 hours. The tall format suits a portrait Christmas card, a narrow frame or a hanging ornament with a felt back. Two or three side by side in a long frame make a small parade for a shelf.
The main colours are DMC 310 Black (29%), DMC 304 Red Medium (28%), and DMC B5200 Snow White (11%). On 14-count Aida it comes out at 6.2×12.2 cm, on 18-count at 4.8×9.5 cm. You'll need about 6 skeins of DMC floss.
Made in the PatternHoop editor: width 34, 6 colors. Photo and pattern under CC BY 4.0: share and use them, crediting «PatternHoop (patternhoop.com)».
- Where to start
- the centre: stitch 17, row 34
- Stitched area
- 6.2×12.2 cm on Aida 14
- Aida 14 to buy
- 16×22 cm
- Chart pages in the PDF
- 1 colour + 1 b/w
Shopping list
DMC floss for the Nutcracker soldier pattern
Tick the threads you already have at home.
| I have it | Color | DMC | Name | Stitches | Skeins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| symbol ■ | 310 | Black | 52829.1% | 1 | |
| symbol □ | 304 | Red Medium | 50627.9% | 1 | |
| symbol ▲ | B5200 | Snow White | 20611.3% | 1 | |
| symbol △ | 19 | Autumn Gold medium Light | 20211.1% | 1 | |
| symbol ● | 939 | Navy Blue Very Dark | 19610.8% | 1 | |
| symbol ○ | 3856 | Mahogany Ultra Very Light | 1789.8% | 1 |
- 310 Black1 skein
- 304 Red Medium1 skein
- B5200 Snow White1 skein
- 19 Autumn Gold medium Light1 skein
- 939 Navy Blue Very Dark1 skein
- 3856 Mahogany Ultra Very Light1 skein
Every DMC thread color with its number — in the palette
The Nutcracker soldier pattern by zones
It's easier to stitch in parts: here is what each third of the height holds.
Toprows 1–22
518 stitches · 29%
- DMC 304 · 30% Red Medium
- DMC 310 · 27% Black
- DMC 939 · 23% Navy Blue Very Dark
Middlerows 23–45
736 stitches · 41%
- DMC B5200 · 28% Snow White
- DMC 304 · 27% Red Medium
- DMC 310 · 26% Black
Bottomrows 46–67
562 stitches · 31%
- DMC 310 · 35% Black
- DMC 304 · 27% Red Medium
- DMC 19 · 19% Autumn Gold medium Light
The Nutcracker soldier pattern on different fabric
| Fabric | Embroidery | Inches | Fabric with margin | Strands | Needle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 11 | 7.9×15.5 cm | 3.1×6.1″ | 18×25 cm | 3 strands | size 22 |
| Aida 14 | 6.2×12.2 cm | 2.4×4.8″ | 16×22 cm | 2 strands | size 24 |
| Aida 16 | 5.4×10.6 cm | 2.1×4.2″ | 15×21 cm | 2 strands | size 26 |
| Aida 18 | 4.8×9.5 cm | 1.9×3.7″ | 15×19 cm | 2 strands | size 26 |
How to stitch the Nutcracker soldier pattern in 4 steps
Prepare the fabric
Cut Aida 14 to 16×22 cm: 5 cm of margin on every side.
Sort the threads
The pattern uses 6 DMC colors: lay the skeins out by the numbers in the table above.
Start in the centre
Find the middle of the fabric and of the chart: the PDF marks the centre with arrows on the page edges.
Mark your progress
Cross off finished areas on the printout, or open the PDF in Pattern Keeper.
Questions about the Nutcracker soldier pattern
6 DMC colors, about 6 skeins in all, stitched with 2 strands on 14-count Aida.
34×67 stitches: 6.2×12.2 cm on 14-count Aida, 4.8×9.5 cm on 18-count.
For Aida 14, a piece of 16×22 cm: the design plus 5 cm on every side for the hoop and framing.
The pattern has 1,816 stitches — roughly 18 hours at 100 stitches an hour.
Yes. The symbols in the PDF are text, so Pattern Keeper reads the chart and the legend.
Yes, in the PatternHoop editor: upload a photo, pick the size and the number of colours, and the pattern is ready in a second, for free.
