The bird takes up most of the frame and its honestly one of the sharpest cardinal designs Ive seen at this stitch count. The body is built from overlapping directional satin passes that go from bright fire-engine red on the chest to a slightly deeper brick red along the back, so you actually get the illusion of feathers and not just a flat fill. Crest is upright and peaked the way a real male cardinal holds it when hes alert. Black mask sits cleanly over the face and throat, edged with a fine outline so it reads sharp even on the smallest size.
The teal pine branch underneath is what makes the whole thing pop. Its a cluster of loose needle sprays fanning left and right behind the bird, done in a cool aqua-teal that sits opposite the red on the colour wheel. And thats exactly why it works. The beak and the three-toed feet come in a warm amber-gold, which ties everything together without being showy. Eight colours total, properly layered with underlay passes on each section so nothing sinks or gaps on knit or woven fabric.
Five sizes run from 3.49 by 2.09 inches up to 7.48 by 4.48 inches. Smallest is a neat patch size, biggest works as a centrepiece on a tote or throw. Stitch count runs from around 14,700 on the small to 34,400 on the large, so plan your stabiliser accordingly. Use a cutaway on stretchy fabric, tearaway on woven cotton or linen. Skip terry or velour on the small size since the needle spray clusters can bridge into deep pile and lose that sharp edge.
Last December a customer sent photos of the 5-inch version stitched on a grey canvas tote she gave her birdwatcher sister for Christmas, and the teal branch sat so clean against the fabric it looked like a printed piece, not machine embroidery. Ive had it on doorstop cushions, baby blanket corners, and a denim jacket chest. The teal keeps it from reading as a purely seasonal piece so it stays relevant well past the winter months. Holler at me if a colour run pulls or a needle cluster gaps and Ill swap a thread shade.
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.
- Winter throw pillow centrepiece on cream or ivory fabricCentre the 6-inch piece on a oat throw pillow and the vivid red reads as a sharp focal point against neutral upholstery
- Canvas zip pouch gift for a birdwatcherStitch the 4-in run on a canvas zip pouch for a birdwatcher who has every field guide but nothing this personal
- Nature-themed corner accent on a baby blanketPlace the small size on a blanket corner for a baby whose nursery runs nature-themed rather than cartoon prints
- Patch-style embroidery on a denim jacket chestIron the 3.5-inch onto a denim jacket chest pocket for a subtle wildlife detail that doesnt read seasonal
- Doorstop cushion with a wintery wildlife themeFill a doorstop cushion cover with the large size and the cardinal becomes a proper focal point on a hallway shelf
- hoop wall art piece for cabin or rustic living roomHoop a piece of natural linen with the 5-inch and frame it for a cabin bedroom or rustic home office
- Tote bag front panel for a nature loverPut the 7-inch on a canvas tote and the teal branch reads as bold botanical art rather than a bird print
- Cotton tea towel corner accent for a winter kitchenStitch the small size on a cream cotton tea towel corner for a winter kitchen that skips the obvious snowflake route
Dimensions
5 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.49 × 2.09 in | 14,744 |
| 4.50 × 2.70 in | 18,527 |
| 5.49 × 3.29 in | 23,521 |
| 6.49 × 3.88 in | 28,786 |
| 7.48 × 4.48 in | 34,433 |
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.
