Worked up this one because people kept asking for a proper realistic bee, not the cartoon kind. The body is built up in alternating yellow and black bands with a peach-toned underbelly, and the thorax has this dense directional satin work that actually reads like fur once its on the fabric. I ran the wings in a lighter sage green thread at low density so they look semi-transparent on the fabric, which took the most back-and-forth to get right.
my professional tool did the satin run on the thorax sections, keeping the directional underlay locked in. The density sits at 843 stitches per square inch across the body fill, which keeps the bee from puffing up and distorting on medium-weight fabrics. You get 7 colour changes total with 89 trims, so its worth hooping something stable like a cotton twill or denim with a cutaway stabiliser underneath. Thats gonna give the filled sections the support they need.
Runs from 3.05 inches wide at the smallest to 6.53 inches at the largest, with stitch counts between 17,039 and 41,295 depending on size. A customer wanted the realistic look for an apiary tea-towel set last spring and ordered the 4.5-inch hoop for a canvas tote too, the wing veining came out completely clear. Stitch it on a navy or forest green base and the yellow really pops.
Best on heavier wovens and canvas, Im not gonna pretend it plays well on stretchy knits without a good topping layer. Skip the lightweight tear-away on this one. Add a thin film topping when youre going on a textured surface like terry cloth or fleece and the detail stays sharp.
Hit me up if you run into any trouble with the file and Ill resend it fast.
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.
- Garden-themed tote bags and market bagsThe detailed wing and body work reads well at larger sizes on canvas tote bags for farmers markets or garden centres
- Nature lover gift items like aprons and tea towelsA realistic bee sits nicely on a cream linen apron or a flour-sack style tea towel for nature-themed kitchen gifts
- Children's clothing patches for denim jacketsWorks as a patch on the back yoke of a denim jacket for kids who are into bugs and outdoor stuff
- Beekeeper gear and accessoriesBeekeepers use it on hats, gloves pouches, and carry bags as a practical personalisation
- Spring home decor pillows and table runnersAt the 5-6 inch size on a cream or sage linen pillow cover it reads like botanical illustration art
- Botanical art hoop displaysStitched into a 6-inch hoop on natural linen and left unframed it makes a simple standalone wall piece
Dimensions
5 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.05 × 3.50 in | 17,039 |
| 3.92 × 4.50 in | 22,352 |
| 4.79 × 5.50 in | 28,303 |
| 5.66 × 6.50 in | 34,521 |
| 6.53 × 7.50 in | 41,295 |
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.
