The Milkmaid cross stitch pattern

Free patterns · Famous painting · A kitchen maid pouring milk by a window, from Johannes Vermeer’s painting (about 1660).

The Milkmaid cross stitch chart, 107 by 120 stitches, 28 colors, DMC 543, 370, 3750, 310, 838, 09, 3864, 834, 3031, 3790, 938, 3023, 648, 898, 334, 644, 869, 3799, 3371, 801, 3787, 642, 797, 3782, 939, 3768, 3047, 422

stitches: 107 × 120
DMC colors: 28
on 14-count: 7.6 × 8.6 in

Want to fix a few stitches?

Draw, erase and fill single stitches, swap or merge colors, clean up strays, and check against your photo.

For when you have a few projects behind you: many colors and soft shading, made from a picture. Free to stitch for yourself, as a gift, or to sell the finished piece.

Stitching tip: Vermeer’s famous yellow and blue are the heart of the picture, so stitch the maid first. The pale wall behind her is many close creams: keep each one on a labeled card.

Made from a picture by Johannes Vermeer (public domain).

Thread key

Everything to buy for this pattern, by DMC number.

Symbol	DMC	Name	Stitches	Skeins
⊕	543	Beige Brown Ult Vy Lt	112	1
⊠	370	Mustard Medium	101	1
⌂	3750	Antique Blue Very Dk	43	1
■	310	Black	2114	2
□	838	Beige Brown Vy Dk	440	1
▣	09	Cocoa Very Dark	115	1
▬	3864	Mocha Beige Light	301	1
▮	834	Golden Olive Vy Lt	238	1
▲	3031	Mocha Brown Vy Dk	973	1
△	3790	Beige Gray Ult Dk	436	1
◆	938	Coffee Brown Ult Dk	880	1
◇	3023	Brown Gray Light	404	1
◉	648	Beaver Gray Lt	114	1
○	898	Coffee Brown Vy Dk	498	1
◎	334	Baby Blue Medium	28	1
●	644	Beige Gray Med	2462	2
◐	869	Hazelnut Brown V Dk	158	1
◧	3799	Pewter Gray Vy Dk	117	1
★	3371	Black Brown	850	1
☆	801	Coffee Brown Dk	339	1
♣	3787	Brown Gray Dark	190	1
♥	642	Beige Gray Dark	524	1
✓	797	Royal Blue	42	1
✖	3782	Mocha Brown Lt	584	1
✚	939	Navy Blue Very Dark	605	1
✱	3768	Gray Green Dark	33	1
⬡	3047	Yellow Beige Lt	60	1
⬢	422	Hazelnut Brown Lt	79	1

Finished size

How big it comes out on each Aida count. The cut size adds 3 inches on every side so the fabric fits the hoop.

Fabric	Finished	Cut
14-count Aida	7.6 × 8.6 in (19.4 × 21.8 cm)	13.6 × 14.6 in
16-count Aida	6.7 × 7.5 in (17.0 × 19.1 cm)	12.7 × 13.5 in
18-count Aida	5.9 × 6.7 in (15.1 × 16.9 cm)	11.9 × 12.7 in

How to stitch it

Fold the fabric in half both ways to find the middle, match it to the center of the chart, and work outward. Each square is one full cross in 2 strands of floss.

Thread key

Finished size

How to stitch it

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