At long last, and as promised. Ensamplario Atlantio: Being a Collection of Filling Patterns Suitable for Blackwork Embroidery is here in PDF format!
I have to admit that my ambition ran away with me. The entire thing is 40 pages long, with 35 plates of designs – over 220 or so individual all-over or filling patterns for double running stitch embroidery. Some are very large repeats and would be better suited for free-use, others are smaller in scale and would work well as fillings in traditional outline/infilled blackwork (like on the pix of the cover, below):
The book ended up being SO large that I was unable to upload it, and downloading would be problematic for most people. So I have cut it up into four parts:
- Ensamplario-1.pdf (2.03 MB)
- Ensamplario-2.pdf (2.92 MB)
- Ensamplario-3.pdf (3.19 MB)
- Ensamplario-4.pdf (3.21 MB)
I would dearly love to see any projects that use fillings from the collection. Since I’m making this available as a free download, seeing what my pattern “children” are up to in the real world is my biggest reward.
And also a reminder – just because this is being made available freely doesn’t mean that I have relinquished my author’s rights. This book may not be re-issued, re-posted, or sold by others without my specific permission. I ask that needlework instructors wishing to use the thing get in touch with me so I can keep a log of by whom/when the book has been circulated.
UPDATE:
Longing for more? There’s a sequel. 200 more plates of designs – more fills, plus borders and even some neckline yokes. Also a free download. Pop over to this link to download.

Thank you so much for offering this as a free resource! I’m new to blackwork and am so fascinated by it.
Kim, May I use this as a source for the blackwork class I’m teaching this summer at Costume College? It’s a convention about costuming, with an educational focus, put on by Costumers’ Guild West. It’s normally in Woodland Hills, CA, but (no surprise!) online this year. I’ll probably have 15 – 20 students.
Hi Elizabeth! Sounds like fun. Let’s take this discussion off line. Please email me. My gmail addy is kbsalazar