Swallow hand embroidery pattern with a 20-page PDF stitch guide. This is a digital download for stitching by hand; no finished embroidery or supplies are included.
Spread wings and a forked tail carry the swallow above a low meadow. Rust at the face and ivory across the breast interrupt the blue-black plumage; the grass stays below the flight path.
Inside the guide
A numbered map divides the design into 7 working areas. The guide includes stitch direction and sequence, preparation, practice samples, finishing guidance and 20 suggested DMC shades.
Working areas: Low meadow sweep; Forked tail and streamers; Far wing rising left; Near wing descending right; Ivory breast and navy collar; Crown, rusty face and bill; Eye and final feather lights.
What gives the swallow its rising movement?
The two wings sit on different planes. The guide separates their feather groups and preserves the open tail fork, so the silhouette carries the movement before the smallest details are added.
Files included
- 20-page Stitch Guide PDF
- Hand Embroidery Stitch Sampler - Essential Needlework Handbook, 16-page bonus PDF
- Colour reference JPG
- Full-size A3 transfer PDF with a 50 mm print-control bar
- White-background and transparent line art PNGs at 600 dpi
- Dimensioned SVG linework
- 10 lifestyle concept JPGs for placement inspiration
Size and printing
The full design field is 30 × 23.2 cm, including margins, in landscape orientation. This is the drawing field, not the bird’s body length. Print the A3 PDF at Actual Size / 100% and measure the 50 mm control bar. Allow extra fabric beyond the field for mounting or sewing.
Before you stitch
Suggested level: intermediate to advanced. Use stable, even-weave linen, six-strand embroidery cotton, a fine needle and a frame that accommodates the design. The reference shows muted plum-brown linen. Test your transfer method and the suggested thread colours on your chosen cloth before starting; screen colours and thread dye lots vary.
File use
The PDF guide is in English. No physical item is shipped. The SVG contains linework, not machine-embroidery stitches. Lifestyle images do not include sewing patterns for the objects shown.
Personal, non-commercial use only. Do not resell, share or redistribute the files, linework or reference images.
Design note
AI tools were used in developing the design and reference visuals. Lifestyle images are digital placement concepts, not photographs of a stitched sample.
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