My mum stitched this onto a beach tote last summer and got asked about it four times in one afternoon. Thats not an exaggeration, she told me about it and I was genuinely suprised. The circular shape is a big part of why it travels well on fabric. The wave border closes it into a medallion so it reads as a finished contained piece rather than just a picture of dolphins floating on nothing.
Its 7 colours and theyre all in the blue family, so the thread changes are quick and the colour transitions look gradual rather than harsh. Deep navy to cobalt to cerulean to aqua, the progression stitches out really smoothly. industry software gave me precise control over the wave fill density, which sits at 1179 and keeps the blue sections crisp without looking overworked. White fills on the dolphin undersides and wave crests give you that sense of light catching moving water. Stitch a test swatch on your actual fabric first so you can check the blue gradations look right before committing to the full piece. Add a topping layer on terry or waffle cloth so the fill sections dont sink into the texture.
Run a medium-weight cutaway under anything stretchy. The design is nearly square at 7 inches wide by 7.5 high, good for hooping stability, but those long satin fill areas need a solid base or youll get shifting. On structured canvas or denim youre fine without a cutaway, but dont skip the stabiliser entirely. Pick a tearaway weight that matches your fabric and youll hoop clean every time.
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.
- Beach bags and canvas totes for coastal shops and marketsThe circular medallion shape sits perfectly centered on a beach tote without needing any repositioning.
- Kids swimming gear: rashguards, swim bags, towelsKids swim bags and towels are a natural fit; the design reads clearly on terry cloth with a stable backing.
- Nautical home decor: cushion covers and throw pillow frontsCushion covers in navy or white linen look really sharp with this circular design centered on the front.
- Surfing and ocean sports clubs for team shirts and capsOcean sports clubs order team gear with marine wildlife designs pretty regularly, especially for camps.
- Aquarium gift shop merchandise and staff polosAquariums and marine centres use dolphin imagery on just about everything; this one is more design-forward.
- Baby nursery decor with an under-the-sea themeA set of ocean-themed nursery hoops works well, this is a great anchor piece for a blue-themed room.
- Custom patches for diving and snorkelling clubsOval or circular patches suit the composition; great for a dive club vest or equipment bag.
- Coastal holiday accommodation guest towels and robesHoliday let properties near the coast often commission guest towels and robes with local wildlife themes.
Dimensions
9 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.28 × 3.50 in | 23,211 |
| 3.74 × 4.00 in | 25,994 |
| 4.21 × 4.50 in | 32,225 |
| 4.68 × 5.00 in | 34,772 |
| 5.15 × 5.50 in | 39,234 |
| 5.62 × 6.00 in | 44,594 |
| 6.08 × 6.50 in | 50,052 |
| 6.55 × 7.00 in | 53,667 |
| 7.02 × 7.50 in | 62,069 |
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.
