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 Table of Contents
Introduction
Tools & Materials
Stitching Techniques
Finishing Touches
Step-by-Step Projects
Calliope Hummingbird
Cardinal
Keen-Billed Toucan
Wood Duck
American Flamingo
Kingfisher
Atlantic Puffin
Swallow
Barn Owl
Hoopoe
Raven
Eastern Bluebird
Pattern Templates
About the Author

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 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Beautiful Birds!
I’m so excited to have you along on this journey while
we stitch birds from across the world. This book is all
about making the detailed and expressive process of
thread painting more accessible, while simultaneously
celebrating so many lovely bird species. Birds and
feathers are one of my favorite things to stitch, and I’m
sure you’ll enjoy these patterns too. There’s a mix of
portraits, close-ups, and birds in flight—so there’s a lot
of different learning to do as you meet these birds
through stitching.

Birds are full of different textures, character, and detail,

so I’ve done my best to capture them all in their true
dapperness. If you’re new to stitching, this book walks
you through the basics and guides you with each
pattern step by step, including in-depth color guides
and photos of different stages. If you’re a stitching pro,
enjoy some new patterns and add your own flare
wherever you fancy. This book is all about taking it
slow and working through each pattern a few stitches
at a time, making it as easy to follow as possible and
giving you the tools to start feeling more confident with
creating your own intricate nature embroideries.

Let’s get started!

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 Tools & Materials

For each pattern, you’ll need an 8" x 8" inch (or larger) square of white,
cream, or light-colored fabric. I often find muslin and linen to be the best
types of fabric to work with. You’ll need sharp scissors to cut your fabric
and thread, embroidery thread (refer to the color key in each pattern for
color palettes; color reference numbers are based on DMC® embroidery
threads), an embroidery needle, an embroidery hoop, and a well-lit, comfy
spot. These patterns are designed for 6-inch embroidery hoops, but you can
use larger hoops if you wish. When sourcing thread, look for six-strand
embroidery thread, ideally made by DMC. For embroidery needles, I
recommend size 1, but smaller or larger needles will work, if preferred.
For these patterns you’ll need to use thin thread, which can be easily made
by dividing the six-strand thread into three parts of two strands each. To do
this, take a length of embroidery thread (usually about an arm’s length) and
rub one end between your index finger and thumb until it separates into six
strands, and then pull two strands away from the rest to stitch with. Repeat
this until you have three sets of two strands. The threads should separate
easily, but if not, try again with a shorter length of thread.

Transferring Patterns
To transfer a pattern, choose the bird you want to stitch from the pattern
section at the back of this book, and cut that pattern out. Lay the fabric over
the pattern and check its positioning to make sure the bird will be in the
right place within the hoop. For these patterns, it often works best to place
the bird in the center of the hoop. Attach the fabric to your pattern either
with masking tape or a couple of pins at the top and bottom. With one hand,
hold the fabric and pattern still and firm against a bright, sunny window or
light box; with the other, use a sharp, soft (B–3B) pencil, thin pen, or
washable fabric pen to trace the outline of the pattern. Aim to get the main
details sketched onto your fabric, like the outlines and main lines of the
template; you can add the smaller details later if it’s easier. When you’ve
finished tracing the pattern onto the fabric, take your fabric off the paper
pattern template. If your pattern is faint or not clearly visible, place the
fabric on a flat surface and go over the pattern with a pencil or pen to make
the lines more visible and/or sharper. Once you’re happy with your pattern
template, load your fabric into the hoop (to learn how, see the next page).
You can reuse your paper pattern template as many times as you like.
Setting Up Your Fabric & Hoop
When you’ve transferred your pattern onto the fabric, separate your hoop
into two parts that look like rings, one without the screw and one with the
screw. Place the ring without the screw on a flat surface, and then place
your fabric on top of it. At this point (once you have transferred your
pattern), you can roughly place the fabric in a way that captures the pattern
where you want it in the circular frame of the hoop. Place the second ring of
the hoop with the screw on top of the fabric and other ring, so that the fabric
fits snugly between the hoops.

You want the fabric to be taut in the hoops and stretched flat. If there are
wrinkles in the fabric, you can loosen the screw slightly and pull at the skirt
of fabric outside of the hoop near the wrinkle until it is flat. You want at
least 1 inch of fabric-skirt around the outside of the hoop. If you like, you
can trim the fabric around the hoop into a circular shape before or after
loading it in the hoop, so it’s easier to stitch.

At this point, you may want to adjust the fabric placement by tightening
and/or loosening the screw until you have a good, tight fit and placement.
For most of the patterns in this book I recommend placing the bird in the
center of your hoop. For the close-up patterns, like the flamingo, align the
circular edge of the pattern with the edge of the hoop, as shown here.
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 Stitching Techniques

Blending Colors
Where there are several colors in an area of the pattern, you can blend
stitches to create color gradients. When blending colors in smaller parts of a
pattern where there are two colors, you can create a stripe-like effect by
alternating the colors of your stitches with rows of teeny stitches, like in the
hummingbird pattern on this page. These images show the stages of using
the pattern color guide to see where the combined colors are before
stitching these stripe-like parts toward the hummingbird’s shoulder.
When blending colors, it’s easiest to start with one color, leaving gaps
between your stitches for the second color. Leave bigger gaps where there
are three colors in an area of the pattern, and alternate between adding
different stitch colors across the area you’re stitching until you are happy
with the balance. When you want one color to be more dominant, add more
stitches of that color. If you want to blend even further, you can make the
thread thinner by using the same separating process as with two-strand
thread, pulling one strand away from the rest, instead of two. Then, with the
single-strand thread, add more stitches of the color in the area where you
want more of it, in the same way you might add dabs of different colors
when painting. Thread painting works in layers, so the great news is, you
can keep adding layers of color until your heart is content. Shown is another
example of blending with a larger area in the wood duck pattern.
STRAIGHT STITCH
Straight stitches are the simplest form of stitches; you start by threading
your needle and thread up through your fabric where you want the stitch to
start, returning back down through the fabric where you want the stitch to
end. Once you have finished your first stitch, you can then repeat this
process where you want the next stitch to be, leaving gaps between stitches
or not, depending on the effect you want to create. Straight stitches can be
stitched in any direction on your embroidery. This stitch is great for creating
fur or feathers and can be used in a spontaneous way to cover an area or in
an organized way to stitch small patterns.
RUNNING STITCH
Running stitch is a super simple stitch. You simply make a row of short
stitches, creating a dashed line across your embroidery fabric. This stitch is
also used for gathering the back of your fabric around your hoop when
you’ve finished stitching (see “Finishing Touches” on this page).
FRENCH KNOTS
Some of the patterns in this book require French knots. French knots can be
used to create dotlike patterns with knotted stitches. Start by threading your
needle and thread up through the fabric where you want the French knot to
be with one hand. Then, with your other hand, hold the thread taut above
your fabric. With your sewing hand, loop the thread around your needle
once before returning your needle and thread back at the point where you
came up through your fabric. For true French knots, you wind the thread
around your needle twice, but I often find once is easiest at first and works
for these patterns. Let the thread run slowly through your finger and thumb
as you pull the needle through the fabric with your sewing hand, allowing a
knot to form on the fabric surface.
SATIN STITCH
Satin stitches can be used when you want a smooth area of one color. To
satin stitch, start with a straight stitch and then with the following stitch,
come up through the fabric right next to the beginning of your first stitch,
repeating this process until you’ve covered the section you’re working on.
You are aiming to create a row of stitches that are nice and snug, with no
gaps.
Staged & Scattered Stitching
Many of these patterns ask for staged or scattered stitches. Staged stitching
refers to a series of short rows of stitches on top of each other. I refer to this
way of stitching as “staged stitching” because you work in stages, adding
rows as you go and creating a sense of the short feathers often found on
birds’ chests, necks, and bellies. As you stitch your way down the pattern in
short rows, follow the stitching flow directions for the pattern you’re
working on. These photos show this process, as well as how you can sketch
lines onto your fabric to guide you as you go. Staged stitching is used for
the back of the toucan’s head, neck, and chest.

Scattered stitching involves lots of small stitches stitched randomly in

relation to each other, rather than close together or in rows. Use the
stitching flow directions to guide you with rough directions to aim for as
you scatter your stitches. Imagine you are throwing seeds out to birds, with
the seeds falling in a scattered way. These stitches work well when blending
colors as well, creating a more natural gradient of color in feather-like
patterns rather than rows.

Scattered stitching is used to blend cream and white stitches on the puffin’s belly.
Tips for Stitching Birds
All birds have similar features, and practicing these features for one bird
can help with stitching others. Let’s take a look at some of these similar
features.
EYE-RING
Many birds have rings of color or thin markings of defining color around
their eyes, known as the eye-ring. The color or colors of these vary, but you
can use similar series of stitches for each bird. Use the photos and color
guides in each pattern to guide you with these small details. For more
defined, circular eye-rings, like in the raven pattern shown here, start by
following the outer circle of the eye with a series of very short stitches.
When you have stitched the first series of stitches, add a series of short
stitches that overlap the first set, with each starting and ending in the middle
of your first stitches. Overlapping stitches in this way creates a smoother
line for the circle.
FEATHERS
Feathers are one of the coolest things about birds, but they can seem tricky
to stitch at first, with all the texture and different directions. In this book
you’ll find stitching flow directions diagrams for each pattern; use these to
guide you with which angle to stitch as you stitch the different areas of the
bird’s feathers. For the shorter, soft feathers on birds’ necks, chests, and
bellies, create series of short rows of stitches or short scattered stitches. For
larger feathers, imagine how a real feather looks, with a central bone-like
spine, called the “rachis” or “shaft,” where super-thin fibers of the feather
grow outward diagonally on either side in branch-like formations. For many
of the larger feathers in these bird patterns, you can use straight or diagonal
series of satin stitches, referring to the stitching flow diagrams to guide you.
The raven pattern is a great example of the central structure in feathers and
how to use satin stitch for feathers.
WINGS
Finally, almost all birds all have wings. The texture and color of bird wings
vary quite a bit, but the essential structure of the wings is often similar.
Birds’ wings are often made up of interlocking thinner feathers that can be
seen more clearly when birds are in flight. For outstretched wings that are
in mid-flight, it can help to create lines across the wings that outline the
structure of feathers before filling in the stitches that make up the feather
color or texture. The pattern instructions will guide you through these
stitches in stages, usually stitching one wing first before the other. You can
see this process of stitching the upper-wing structure first in this photo of
the Eastern bluebird pattern.
Using the Color Guides & Stitching Flow Diagrams
In this book, you’ll find four color guides for each pattern, which
correspond to different parts of the bird you’ll be stitching, and a color key
to guide you. These guides work in a color-by-numbers style—the numbers
in the color key correspond with the thread colors you’ll be using and show
you where to stitch which colors on your embroidery. For each pattern, use
the color guides as you stitch. The black lines on the color guides represent
the lines of the pattern already marked on your pattern template, and the
dark gray lines show you where there is a change in color that isn't marked
on the pattern template. When stitching different parts of the pattern, you
can sketch these gray lines onto your fabric as you go if it is helpful.

The numbers and lines in the color guides show you which colors go where.
Throughout this book, I refer to all of the shapes that make up the pattern
template as sections, so one of these shapes is a “section.” Where there are
two or three numbers in a section you can blend the colors together in the
area; see “Blending Colors” (here) for how to work with several colors.
When the lines in the color guides point directly to the lines in the pattern,
as shown above, you should stitch the lines in the color numbers indicated.

For each pattern you’ll find a stitching flow diagram, with the flow of
stitches marked with blue arrows. As you stitch each part of the pattern,
refer back to the diagram and angle your stitches to match the directions of
the arrows. This doesn’t have to be exact, but the diagrams give you an idea
of the stitching angles to aim for; the arrows in the stitching flow diagrams
mirror the natural flow of feathers for each bird in real life. For patterns
with lots of smaller sections that make up larger sections, there may be
different angles to work on close together—just take each part step by step,
and you’ll be stitching like a pro in no time.

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 Finishing Touches
When you’ve finished your embroidery, tidy up the fabric at the back of
your hoop. Start by chopping off any loose ends, without cutting your
knots. For any loose or baggy stitches, hook the baggy stitch at the back of
your embroidery with your needle, before fixing it down with a few stitches
on the back of the embroidery. To gather the back of your fabric around
your hoop, turn your finished embroidery over. Take a length of thread and
make a double knot at one end of the thread and thread your needle through
the top of the skirt of fabric around the hoop near the screw, about ½ inch
away from the edge of your hoop. Then create a row of short running
stitches all the way around the edge of your hoop, staying about ½ inch
away from the edge of the hoop. When you reach the knot where you
started, pull your thread tight, so that the fabric ruffles up into the middle of
the back of your hoop. Then stitch a few small stitches where you finished,
near the knot, to hold the thread tight. Note that in the diagram I’ve used
blue thread so it’s easy to see; however, generally you want to use a color
that matches the fabric as closely as possible so that it doesn’t show
through.
This will add a neat finish to your hoop and a smooth line if you want to
hang your finished piece on the wall. If you want to turn your bird
embroidery into a patch or keep it in a square fabric shape, you can unscrew
your hoop and remove the embroidery before turning it into whatever you
fancy.

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 ◁ Calliope Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are speedy little birds found flying
around many mountain and tropical regions. The
calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird in the United
States. Hummingbirds have many curved feathers,
creating little shell-like patterns. As hummingbird
feathers are so small and shiny, they often light up in
myriad colors, so this is a particularly colorful pattern. It
may feel a little fiddly in parts, but it’s so worth it to get
the full-jeweled beauty of these amazing little
creatures!
 THREAD COLOR GUIDE

1 DMC 310

2 DMC B5200

3 DMC 746

4 DMC 645

5 DMC 169

6 DMC 966

7 DMC 437

8 DMC 164

9 DMC 943

10 DMC 815

11 DMC 3801

12 DMC 992

13 DMC 840

Stitching Flow Directions

 Color Guide 1

TIP

The hummingbird’s face may feel like the fiddliest bit on this
pattern. Just take it one step at a time, and you’ll be done before
you know it!
STEP 1
Start by stitching the hummingbird’s face, beak, and eyes, using Color
Guide 1 for reference. The feathers on the hummingbird’s face are very
small, so use staged stitching (see here) as you work on various parts of the
pattern. For the dotted markings under the eyes, you just need a couple of
teeny, stacked stitches for each dot in Light Pewter (169). Then, in between
these dotted markings, stitch another row of dots in Very Dark Beaver Gray
(645). Follow the gray lines in Color Guide 1 as you add the smaller details
to the hummingbird’s face, such the Medium Beige Brown (840) line above
the hummingbird’s eye, and where you change colors, such as between the
Snow White (B5200) and Light Forest Green (164) sections around the
eyes.
STEP 2
Finish this section by stitching the top of the hummingbird’s chest, using
staged stitching in Snow White (B5200).
STEP 3
Move on to the hummingbird’s shoulders and wings. Start with the
shoulders and the inner areas of the wings before working out to the upper
wings, following Color Guide 2 (see here). The wings are made up of
striped markings; it’s easiest to begin with the thinner stripes first. Start
with the Black (310) lines toward the bottom of the top wing, following the
lines on the template. Add the longer black lines before filling in the
sections between these lines.
Color Guide 2
STEP 4
Follow the gray lines in Color Guide 2 that indicate where to change colors
as you stitch the wings. For the lower wing, begin with single stitches in
Medium Beige Brown (840), following the pattern template.
STEP 5
Then, as you move toward the top of the wing, make these brown lines
thicker, as shown in Color Guide 2. Wahoo! You’re nearly there on the
wings; now you can work on the Medium Baby Green (966) and Off White
(746) sections between the lines.
Color Guide 3
STEP 6
The hummingbird’s chest and back are made up of many curved and dashed
markings. It helps to stitch the smaller, curved shapes first, before filling in
the spaces between them.
STEP 7
When you have finished the curved and dashed markings, start working on
the larger areas of color between them, referring to the gray lines in Color
Guide 3 that indicate where to place the different sections of color.
Color Guide 4
STEP 8
All that’s left are the hummingbird’s tail and feet. Use Color Guide 4 to
help with placement of colors on the tail. As with the wings, start with the
thinner lines of Light Tan (437) on the pattern template before adding the
Black (310) markings on either side and the tip of the hummingbird’s tail.
Finally, add the Snow White (B5200) section that makes the base of the
hummingbird’s tail.
STEP 9
Finish stitching the hummingbird’s feet, which are just made up of a series
of teeny straight stitches, following the shape on the pattern template in
Light Pewter (169), with even teenier Black (310) stitches to finish the
claws.
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 ◁ Cardinal
As the state bird of several states, cardinals are well-
recognized in the United States. They are often
spotted as beautiful flashes of scarlet red in woodland,
thickets, suburban gardens, and deserts.

THREAD COLOR GUIDE

1 DMC 310

2 DMC 746

3 DMC 350

4 DMC 351

5 DMC 666

6 DMC 3743

7 DMC 169

8 DMC 334

9 DMC 355

10 DMC 164

11 DMC 840

12 DMC B5200

Stitching Flow Directions

Color Guide 1
STEP 1
Start by stitching the cardinal’s eyes and the Black (310) area around the
beak. Refer to here for tips on stitching birds' eyes as you stitch the Light
Pewter (169) outline around the cardinal’s eyes. Next, work on the
cardinal’s beak. There are two Off White (746) lines to add, one covering
most of the beak’s centerline and the other about two-thirds of the way
down the top line of the beak. After adding these lines, add a very short
stitch in Light Pewter (169) near the upper tip of the beak. Then refer to the
gray lines in Color Guide 1 as you stitch the Medium Coral (350) and Coral
(351) sections.
STEP 2
Finish the cardinal’s face and dapper head tuft with the Bright Red (666)
stitches. You can also start stitching the first of the Very Light Antique
Violet (3743) dashed markings before filling in the Bright Red (666). You
may find it easiest to start by stitching all the Very Light Antique Violet
(3743) dashed stitches on the cardinal’s neck and wings before filling in the
stitches around them.
STEP 3
The wings are made up of lots of striped markings, which means lots of
skinny stitches, following the pattern template. Begin with the Very Light
Antique Violet (3743) dashed stitches before filling in the Coral (351)
stitches between and around these on the upper wings. Next, add the Bright
Red (666) markings on the mid-section of the wings before filling in the
Coral (351) stitches between these stripes.
STEP 4
Stitch the Light Pewter (169) lines on the mid-back section of the cardinal’s
wings and the small curved shape near the chest before stitching the Bright
Red (666) stitches in between.
Color Guide 2
STEP 5
For the next set of wing stripes, start with the Black (310) lines across the
bottom of the wings and the shorter Snow White (B5200) stitches in
between the black stitches. Under each of your black line stitches, add the
Medium Baby Blue (334) stitches, starting at the top of the white stripe
stitches and ending at the top of the black stitches.
STEP 6
Fill in the Bright Red (666) stitches and add the smaller Dark Terra Cotta
(355) markings, shown with the gray lines in Color Guide 2. Finally, stitch
the Very Light Antique Violet (3743) dashed markings.
Color Guide 3a
STEP 7
You are ready to start stitching the cardinal’s chest. Start with the Dark
Terra Cotta (355) lines marked on your template and in Color Guide 3a
before filling in the Bright Red (666) stitches around them using staged
stitching.
Color Guide 3b
STEP 8
Next, stitch the cardinal’s tail, using Color Guide 3b to help place the
colors. Start with the Light Pewter (169) stripes and Very Light Antique
Violet (3743) stitches before filling in the gaps with the Coral (351).
Color Guide 4
STEP 9
Lastly, stitch the cardinal’s legs and the branch and leaves. Start with the
legs, which are mostly Light Pewter (169) with Very Light Antique Violet
(3743) thin lines along the inner and outer edges of the left leg and the outer
edge of the right leg. Use Color Guide 4 to help you place these stitches.
Use several teeny stitches, following the shape of the cardinal’s feet. Then
stitch the Medium Beige Brown (840) branches and the Light Forest Green
(164) leaves. For the leaves, use a series of satin stitches following the
shape of each leaf.
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 ◁ Keen-Billed Toucan
Toucans are known for their beautiful, large, colorful
beaks. The keen-billed toucan has a particularly lovely
beak of chartreuse green, orange, turquoise, and red.
The keen-billed toucan is found in rainforest climates
across southern Mexico and South America. This
pattern is a closeup of this lovely bird, so the vibrant
colors can stand out in your embroidery.