Set up the two swallows so they cross mid-flight, one angled up-left and one down-right, wings fully spread. The bird bodies use four grey tones from near-black charcoal down to almost white, which gives the feathers real depth. You can pick out the individual wing segments and the streaky tail feathers in each bird. Small red outline hearts hang off each one like theyre trailing ribbons, and below the whole composition sits a larger red heart outline. The grey-to-red contrast is very tattoo-flash and very deliberate.
My friend who does custom jackets told me this is the design she reaches for when someone wants something that reads vintage but not old-fashioned. The swallow motif has always had that quality. I think it works because the shading keeps it serious-looking, and the hearts stop it from being too serious.
Eight thread colours total. Dont skip any of the grey colour stops or the feather graduation flattens out completely. Use a medium-weight cutaway under anything woven so the dense satin sections dont distort the base fabric. Run tearaway under felt or thick canvas where you need it to come away cleanly. Nine sizes from 3.50 x 3.21 inches to 7.50 x 6.89 inches. Dm me if you get stuck with the colour sequence and I'll walk you through it.
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.
- Denim jacket back panels or chest pocketsThe 5-inch size fits the upper back panel of most denim jackets without touching the side seams.
- Canvas tote bags for a vintage or tattoo-inspired aestheticGrey and red thread reads clearly against dark navy or black canvas tote fabric.
- Couples gifts, matching hoodies or sweatshirtsStitch a matching pair on two hoodies for a couples look using the same size from each download.
- Leather or faux-leather zip pouchesUse a topping of water-soluble film on faux leather to keep the fine grey lines sharp.
- Valentine's Day pillows and cushion coversThe red heart base element alone reads as Valentine-appropriate even on a plain cushion.
- Framed hoop art for a bedroom gallery wallFrame in a 7-inch hoop with dark fabric backing for a striking vintage-style wall piece.
- Oversized sweatshirt front panels for streetwear stylingPlaced centre-chest on an oversized crewneck the design lands right at eye level.
Dimensions
9 sizes included. Stitch counts shown for the largest colorway.
| Size (in) | Stitches |
|---|---|
| 3.50 × 3.21 in | 14,824 |
| 4.00 × 3.67 in | 17,073 |
| 4.50 × 4.13 in | 19,449 |
| 5.00 × 4.59 in | 21,826 |
| 5.50 × 5.05 in | 24,167 |
| 6.00 × 5.51 in | 26,830 |
| 6.50 × 5.97 in | 29,310 |
| 7.00 × 6.43 in | 31,913 |
| 7.50 × 6.89 in | 34,586 |
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.
