A dark moustache cuts across the bearded reedling's grey face beside its golden bill. This digital embroidery pattern extends well beyond that small facial area into an amber blade fan and full down-right tail.
Scale and fabric planning
Artwork canvas: 232 x 300 mm, portrait, including the open background areas. Print the separate A3 transfer at Actual Size / 100% and check the 50 mm control bar. Guide previews are reduced. These are canvas dimensions, not a finished hoop, cushion or bag size. The Stitch Guide itself uses US Letter pages.
Which details need the closest attention?
The small facial fields and golden beak are more compact than the reed planes. The full tail and two seed panicles need room beyond that close facial area.
From outlines to shaded surfaces
The guide maps 12 working regions with local stitch direction, strand count and DMC colour recipes. Use the region key and recommended sequence to follow the overlaps and changes in shading. Mapped techniques include split and shaded stem fill, fine split and couching, curved long-and-short.
Included with this design
The package contains the 16-page Stitch Guide PDF, a full-size A3 transfer PDF, SVG linework, white and transparent 600 dpi linework PNGs, a colour reference JPG, the thread-and-region CSV, READ_ME instructions and the Hand Embroidery Stitch Sampler, Essential Needlework Handbook PDF.
Choosing the ground fabric
Suggested fabric: deep plum linen. The palette proposes 16 DMC shades for stranded cotton. Supply your own needles, hoop or frame and a transfer method suitable for the cloth. Test the transfer and physical thread colours on a small swatch first.
The design on cloth
Bearded Reedling in the Amber Fan places a delicate face above a long, tapered silhouette. Let the amber blades fan individually, keep both seed panicles attached, and finish the moustache and short bill with a lighter hand.
Download format and licence
Digital files only. No fabric, thread, tools or finished embroidery is supplied. Colour references and lifestyle mockups show design and presentation ideas. For personal, non-commercial use. Do not share, redistribute or resell the digital files.
