There’s something irresistible about a little garden bird caught mid-perch, and this design leans all the way into it — a bold black cap, a soft white cheek, and wings that shade from forest green into deep midnight blue, finished off with tail feathers that flash red, orange, and gold like they’ve been dipped in a sunset. It’s the kind of piece that looks complicated on the wall and is genuinely satisfying to stitch square by square.
Below you’ll find the full color key, a preview of the chart, and free downloads for both the full-color pattern and the black & white symbol version — plus a few tips that make working with this many thread colors a lot less overwhelming.
Table of Contents
Pattern At a Glance
- DifficultyAdvanced
- Fabric14-count Aida (recommended)
- Stitch Count200 × 134 stitches
- Finished Size≈14.3″ × 9.6″ on 14-count
- Colors60 DMC colors
- Estimated Time25–35 hours
Pattern Preview
Here’s a look at the finished design — the full chart includes every shaded feather and the mottled watercolor-style background behind the bird.
Materials / Supplies
Both the full-color chart and the black & white symbol chart are included in the free download, so pick whichever you find easier to follow (or print both — plenty of stitchers use the color version for reference and the symbol version at the hoop).
- 14-count Aida cloth, at least 18″ × 14″ (gives a comfortable border around the 200 × 134 stitch design)
- DMC embroidery floss in all 60 colors listed in the key below
- Size 24–26 tapestry needle
- Embroidery hoop or frame, sized to your fabric
- Small scissors and a floss organizer or bobbins (strongly recommended — see tips below)
- Good lighting or a magnifier lamp, since several of the blues and grays are close in tone
Tips for This Pattern
- Sort your floss first. With 60 colors in play, winding each skein onto a labeled bobbin before you start saves hours of digging later.
- Work in sections, not colors. Because so many colors only appear a handful of times, it’s usually faster to complete one area of the bird at a time (head, then wing, then tail) rather than hunting for every stitch of a single color across the whole piece.
- Start from the center. Find the center of your fabric and the center of the chart and work outward — it keeps the design centered on your fabric with even margins on all sides.
- Watch the near-matching shades. Several blues and grays in the key are only one or two shades apart — double-check the DMC number against your bobbin label before stitching a large block.
- Press pause on the branch. The multicolor branch at the bottom uses many of the same warm tones as the tail — save it for once your eye is used to telling those shades apart.
Color & Symbol Guide
Color chart shown is for DMC brand thread. The number next to each color is the total stitch count for that color in the pattern.
Free Downloads
🎨 Full Color Pattern
Includes the full-color charted pages, exactly as shown in the preview above.
Watch Ad to Unlock Download⚫⚪ Black & White Pattern
Same design charted with symbols instead of color blocks — easier on ink and often easier to follow at the hoop.
Watch Ad to Unlock DownloadFAQ
What fabric should I use for this pattern?
14-count Aida is the easiest starting point and gives a finished piece of about 14.3″ × 9.6″. If you’d rather work smaller, 16-count brings it down to roughly 12.5″ × 8.4″, and 18-count (or evenweave stitched over two) gives you around 11.1″ × 7.4″. The stitch count itself — 200 × 134 — stays the same no matter which fabric you choose; only the finished size changes.
How long does this pattern take to stitch?
Budget somewhere in the 25–35 hour range. That’s a wide window because so much of the time depends on how quickly you can switch between 60 different colors — stitchers who pre-sort their floss onto labeled bobbins tend to land toward the faster end.
Do I need all 60 colors, or can I simplify it?
You can substitute nearby shades to cut down your color count, but a lot of this design’s realism comes from the subtle shading in the wings and tail, so simplifying too aggressively will flatten that gradient look. If you want to reduce colors, start by merging the shades that only appear a handful of times (check the stitch counts in the key).
Is this pattern good for beginners?
It’s rated Advanced mainly because of the color count and the fine shading, not because the stitches themselves are difficult — it’s entirely worked in full cross stitch. A confident beginner who’s comfortable reading a chart and doesn’t mind a longer project could still take it on with some patience.
What’s the difference between the color and black & white versions?
The color version shows each square filled with its actual thread color, which is handy for seeing the design at a glance. The black & white version uses symbols instead, referenced against the same key — better for printing at home and, for a lot of stitchers, easier to see clearly at the hoop under any lighting.
Conclusion
This is a project that rewards patience — 60 colors and a fair number of hours, but every session brings the bird a little more to life, especially once those iridescent wing feathers start coming together. Sort your floss, take it section by section, and it comes together far more smoothly than the chart might suggest at first glance.
Grab your free copy above, and if you make one, we’d love to see it. Happy stitching!
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