I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! One of my favorite things to do in the summer (ok, pretty much all year round) is explore new ice cream parlors and try unusual flavors. Cinnamon Bourbon. Tahitian Vanilla. Lavender and Honey. Mmmmmmm. I’m not quite sure when I became such an ice cream addict, but it definitely influenced the creation of my most recent patterns!

Tossing a bit of fabric, thread and a needle in a bag with a hoop makes embroidery a great take-along craft during times when we are traveling, whether it’s a day trip to the beach or a week-long vacation. So when you want to take a break from your summer reading, grab this go-to craft for some creative relaxation.

This freebie pattern actually includes three different variations of this favorite frozen treat, and the best part about it is it’s a very simple embroidery pattern. I think it took me less than an hour to stitch the outline and these patterns can be used in a number of ways.

Embroider your ice cream cone and paint your favorite flavors

In this post I’ve shared some simple tips for combining embroidery and watercolors. Applying watercolors to fabric is a fun and quick way to add a splash of color to a black and white outline.

Another fun way to color your embroidered project is with acrylic or craft paint. In the video below I actually took a beat up pair of jeans and embroidered my ice cream cone onto a piece of the old fabric. The worn denim is soft and makes a great canvas for acrylic paint. After I embroidered the black outline, I added a light layer of white Liquitex Basics acrylic and then pops of color with Plaid FolkArt acrylic paint. Finally I’ll stretch this in a hoop, or perhaps frame it!

Embroider the ice cream cone shape and let your kids color it

If you have children under 12, they may be too young to stitch this pattern themselves, but they can add crayon to the project after you stitch it, or color it with fabric markers. This embroidery project will be a fun one for you to work on together, and you can hang it in the bedroom or playroom when it’s done!

Teach an older child hand embroidery for a fun DIY craft

If you have an older child (12+) who loves crafts, this is the perfect opportunity for them to learn something new! This trio of patterns uses very simple stitches and will be easy to learn and fun to finish. They can customize the ice cream cone with watercolor, glitter paint or even beads!

Head over to this page to watch my how-to embroidery videos if you are brand new to this craft, or are teaching one of your kiddos.

"Paint" your ice cream cone with thread

If you’re feeling ambitious and want more of a challenge, embroider the whole ice cream pattern with fill stitches instead of painting it! Learn even more stitches to use here.

You can download all three of the ice cream cone embroidery patterns here and start stitching today!