Honey bee design and shes drawn realistic from above, almost like an old textbook plate. Wings spread wide on either side with delicate line work inside showing the transparent vein pattern. Six legs dangling underneath. Fuzzy black thorax and round head, big black eye dots, and an orange and black striped abdomen with sharp clean bands.
Just two colour changes total which keeps it fast to stitch, classic black for the body wings outlines and legs, plus that bright marmalade orange for the abdomen bands. The wing detail uses fine running stitch lines so the wings read as see-through veins and not solid blocks. Thorax and head use directional fill so the fuzz reads as actual hair, not a flat patch. Honestly the wings are what take this design from cartoon to scientific drawing.
Bin digitising bee designs for ages now and this realistic style is honestly my favourite, the veins drawn inside the wings is what sells it. Theres a tiny detail I really love. The legs are bent a touch differently on each side so the bee reads alive rather than pinned.
I get messages alot from customers stitching this on garden aprons, beekeeper gifts and a few honey jar fabric covers. Last summer one buyer ordered the largest size for a back panel on a denim chore jacket for her beekeeper husband birthday, she sent me a pic and it looked sharp on the indigo.
Comes in 5 sizes from 2.35 inches tall up to 5.04 inches tall. Stitches lovely on cream linen, natural canvas, oatmeal cotton, light denim and pale waffle weave. Pop tearaway behind any woven cotton, use cutaway behind any stretchy knit. Switch the orange thread for a deeper amber on cream fabric if youre wanting to lean even more vintage botanical. Honestly thats my favourite thread swap on this one, itll feel even more like a vintage natural history plate.
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 apron chest panelCentred on a natural canvas garden apron the bee reads as a botanical detail without the apron looking like a cartoon piece.
- Beekeeper gift tea towelStitched on the corner of a cream waffle tea towel makes the perfect handmade gift for a beekeeping friend or honey lover.
- Botanical canvas totePop the medium size on a heavy cotton tote and use it as a farmers market bag for honey jars seeds and garden veg.
- Honey jar fabric topperA small bee on a square of muslin tied over a honey jar lid turns a plain pantry jar into a country kitchen detail.
- Denim jacket back patchThe largest size centred on the back panel of a denim chore jacket gives a beekeeper a one of one piece for weekends.
- Nature journal canvas coverStitched on the front cover of a canvas wrapped nature journal it makes a thoughtful birthday gift for a botanist friend.
- Kitchen pot holder accentSew a small bee on a quilted cotton pot holder for a country kitchen and pair it with matching tea towels for hostess gifts.
- Bookish library cushionCentred on a cream linen cushion cover the bee adds a bookish library room or reading nook a botanical touch.
Dimensions
5 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.50 × 2.35 in | 7,018 |
| 4.50 × 3.02 in | 9,360 |
| 5.50 × 3.70 in | 12,092 |
| 6.50 × 4.37 in | 15,090 |
| 7.50 × 5.04 in | 18,366 |
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.
