Flamingo Embroidery Design, Tropical Bird Machine Embroidery Pattern, Instant Download

I digitised this flamingo last february after a customer asked if Id do a full tropical bird series. Its a design that took longer than it looks, flamingos have that awkward neck-and-leg silhouette that makes hooping alignment really important, and getting the satin coverage consistent across 5 colour zones at density 128 required a lot of back-and-forth in Wilcom. But it came out well. The feather areas run directional stitches that follow the wing contour, so the coverage reads as plumage rather than a flat fill. And the legs use a narrow satin column that holds its shape even for the 3.5 build smallest size.

You get nine sizes, from 3.5 inches wide all the way to a 7.5 top, thats 1,058 stitches on the tiny end and 46,359 at full size. Five colours total. Drop polymesh under stretch fabrics, youre going to need that support under the leg columns especially. On woven cotton or canvas a tearaway works fine. Topping is a good idea if you're hooping on towelling or any textured ground cloth, it keeps the underlay from sinking. Pick a bobbin that matches your background fabric and the back will look clean.

One customer wrote me last march that shed stitched the 5-inch size on a set of linen tea towels for a beach house kitchen. She said the colours pulled together alot better than she expected against natural linen, which I thought was a nice detail. Stitch the body fill first, then the wing highlights, and leave the narrow satin work last so you can re-hoop for better tension if needed. Skip the topping on smooth poplin, its unnecessary and adds thread waste.

Add the 7.5-inch version to a canvas beach tote for a punchy tropical accent that doesnt look kitschy. Holler if the file gives you any trouble and Ill get it sorted for you.