Knocked out a swallowtail butterfly in three-quarter profile and its not what youd expect from a silhouette. Its not a flat solid block of thread: an open lattice grid runs through both sets of wings, proper vein lines crossing in a structured pattern that leaves open sections between them. So when you stitch it theres a lacy, almost stained-glass quality across the surface rather than a dense fill. Body and antennae are solid. Wings are a framework. One colour, whatever thread you choose.
Upper wings are larger with a curved trailing edge tapering to a soft point. Lower wings are smaller and rounder with a scalloped bottom edge. The vein pattern changes between the two sets, coarser grid on the upper, tighter and more curved on the lower. Antennae curve out from the head with small round clubs at the tips. All of it holds cleanly even at the 1.46-inch width which is genuinely small for a design with this much internal detail. 12k stitches at the large 5.35-inch size, barely 3.5k at the smallest so it stitches fast.
Ive seen this one used in ways I didnt plan for when I built it. A customer messaged me last march saying shed used 6 of the 2-inch versions spaced along a cream linen curtain hem and it looked like something from a proper interior design shoot, which I was well chuffed to hear.
Best on smooth medium-weight woven fabric where the open vein sections stay crisp and dont fill with surface fluff. Avoid fleece or any napped surface since the grid disappears into the pile. A light cutaway works fine here as the stitch count is low. Pick thread in black, dark navy, deep plum, forest green or burgundy. Float on water-soluble topping over linen to keep those fine grid lines sitting up sharp. Hoop firmly even though its a small piece so the open sections stay square all the way through the run. Text me if theres a registration issue with the vein grid and Ill rebuild the registration for you.
What people are using this design for
A starting point. The design works for plenty more than just this list, this is what folks have stitched it onto most.
- Curtain or tablecloth hem border repeating patternRun 5 or 6 of the 2-inch size spaced evenly along a curtain hem for a subtle garden-theme bedroom border
- Shirt sleeve or collar accent detailAdd the small size to a shirt sleeve hem or collar edge for a discreet nature detail that reads as handmade
- Wedding favour pouch or gift bag embroideryStitch on a small organza pouch and use it as a wedding favour bag holding dried petals or confetti
- Botanical journal cover fabric panelEmbroider on a thick cotton fabric panel, trim the edges and hand-stitch it onto a hardcover journal as a fabric spine detail
- Kids party dress hem decorationPlace 3 of the small sizes scattered across the hem of a girls party dress for a nature theme birthday look
- Tote bag scatter pattern with multiple sizesRun several sizes in the same thread on a plain canvas tote, arranging them at different angles for a scattered butterfly pattern
- Linen napkin corner embroideryPlace a medium piece on a white linen napkin corner for a spring or garden party table setting
Dimensions
5 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 1.46 × 1.51 in | 3,510 |
| 2.43 × 2.51 in | 5,700 |
| 3.40 × 3.51 in | 7,812 |
| 4.38 × 4.51 in | 10,109 |
| 5.35 × 5.51 in | 12,466 |
Files & Formats
Eight machine formats included in one zip. Whichever your machine reads, its in the pack.
Plus a color chart for thread matching. See full format guide.
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About the artist
Reyazul Masud Riham, hand-drawing every design on this site
Every design on Re Embroidery is hand-digitized by one person. Each file gets sketched, color-matched, and stitch-tested on real fabric before it earns a place in the shop. No team. No auto-conversion from images. Just slow, deliberate work, sometimes three or four days per design.
That's the joy I work for.
The hard part is finding my designs re-uploaded and resold elsewhere. So when you buy from Re Embroidery, you're paying one real person for the file you're about to download. That matters.
