There’s nothing like a little backyard drama to make a cross stitch pattern memorable, and this one delivers it in full: a startled little mouse caught in the middle of a swarm of very unhappy bumblebees. The scene is packed with movement and personality, from the bees’ translucent wings to the mouse’s wide, wary eyes, making it a satisfying (if ambitious) piece for anyone who loves nature-inspired stitching with a bit of storytelling built in.
This is a large, full-coverage design with a generous 75-color palette, so it’s best suited to stitchers who already have a finished project or two under their belt and don’t mind settling in for the long haul. The payoff is a richly detailed, gallery-worthy piece that captures every whisker and wingtip.
In this article:
Pattern At a Glance
- DifficultyAdvanced (Large Project)
- Fabric14–28 ct Aida
- Stitch Count400 × 308 stitches
- Finished Size (14 ct)approx. 28.6 × 22.0 in / 72.6 × 55.9 cm
- Colors75 Gamma thread colors
- Estimated Time200–350 hours, depending on skill level and pace
Pattern Preview
Here’s a closer look at how the finished piece comes together — five bumblebees in mid-flight, wings caught in motion, closing in around a very startled mouse.
Materials & Supplies
- Aida fabric, 14–28 count, in White, Antique White, Cream, Ivory, Pale Blue, Soft Aqua, Light Oatmeal, or Natural Linen-Look
- Gamma brand embroidery thread (75 colors) — note this pattern uses Gamma threads, not DMC, so double-check your color numbers before substituting
- Tapestry needle, size 24–26
- Embroidery hoop or frame large enough to comfortably move around a 400 × 308 stitch design
- Embroidery scissors
- Thread organizer or bobbins (strongly recommended for a 75-color project)
Your download includes both the full-color chart and a black & white symbol-only chart, so you can work from whichever is easier on your eyes.
Tips for This Pattern
- With 75 colors in play, sort and label your floss onto bobbins before you start — you’ll save yourself constant back-and-forth with the key.
- This is a full-coverage design, so budget for it: work in small sections (a 10×10 grid at a time) rather than trying to take in the whole 400-stitch width at once.
- Because several bumblebee colors sit close together in value (the blues and dark greys especially), good lighting or a magnifier will help you keep them straight.
- Start from the center of the chart and work outward — it keeps the whole design aligned on a project this large.
- Stitch a small test swatch of two or three of the closest background shades first to make sure you’re happy with how they read together before committing to the full piece.
Color & Symbol Guide
All 75 colors below are Gamma brand threads. Each symbol in the chart corresponds to one color — the number in parentheses is how many stitches that color covers in the full design.
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What size fabric should I use?
At 400 × 308 stitches, your finished size depends on the fabric count you choose:
| Aida Count | Finished Size |
|---|---|
| 14 ct | 28.6 × 22.0 in / 72.6 × 55.9 cm |
| 16 ct | 25.0 × 19.3 in / 63.5 × 48.9 cm |
| 18 ct | 22.2 × 17.1 in / 56.4 × 43.5 cm |
| 20 ct | 20.0 × 15.4 in / 50.8 × 39.1 cm |
| 22 ct | 18.2 × 14.0 in / 46.2 × 35.6 cm |
| 25 ct | 16.0 × 12.3 in / 40.6 × 31.3 cm |
| 28 ct | 14.3 × 11.0 in / 36.3 × 27.9 cm |
Lower counts (14–16) give you larger, easier-to-see stitches; higher counts (22–28) give a finer, more detailed finish but are harder on the eyes over a project this size.
Is this pattern DMC or Gamma thread?
This pattern’s color chart is provided for Gamma brand threads, not DMC. If you’d rather stitch with DMC, you’ll want to find a Gamma-to-DMC conversion chart and cross-reference each of the 75 colors before you start, since the numbering systems don’t match up directly.
Is this a good pattern for beginners?
Not as a first project. This is rated Advanced due to its large size (400 × 308 stitches) and high color count (75 colors) — it’s better suited to stitchers who’ve already completed at least one or two smaller full-coverage patterns.
How long will this pattern take to finish?
Expect somewhere in the range of 200–350 hours, depending on your stitching speed and how many hours a week you can put in. Full-coverage designs like this one take noticeably longer than open-background patterns of a similar stitch count.
What’s included in the download?
You’ll get both a full-color chart and a black & white symbol-only chart, so you can pick whichever is more comfortable to stitch from.
Final Thoughts
This is the kind of pattern you take on when you want a real project — something to return to over weeks or months, with a finished piece dramatic enough to justify the time. The mix of soft, fuzzy bumblebees against the mouse’s wide-eyed expression gives it real personality on the fabric, not just technical detail.
If you give it a try, we’d love to see how your color choices bring the scene to life — every stitcher’s palette instincts end up a little different, even working from the same chart.
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