Bullfinch on a rowan branch
- Medium
- 46×42 stitches
- 5 DMC colors
- ≈ 5 skeins
- Aida 14: 8.3×7.6 cm
A round bullfinch with a red breast on a rowan branch. A small winter bird in five DMC colours.
- Size
- 46×42
- Stitches
- 975
- DMC colors
- 5
- Skeins
- ≈ 5
- Level
- Medium
- Time
- ≈ 10 hours
No sign-up · colour and b/w · works with Pattern Keeper
Colors
- 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark×438
- 606 Orange Red Bright×288
- 414 Steel Gray Dark×128
- 347 Salmon Very Dark×83
- B5200 Snow White×38
Bullfinch on a rowan branch pattern: description
The centre of the chart sits where the lower edge of the wing meets the red breast. From there, follow the dark line in DMC 3799 up around the wing and over the cap, so the shape of the bird is on the fabric before any colour goes in. All the outlines are full cross stitches, and the cap, bill and tail are solid areas of the same thread.
In what order do the colours go?
Dark 3799 is the largest colour at 438 stitches, and the rest goes quickly once it is done. Orange red 606 comes next and fills the breast and cheek in one broad shape of 288 stitches with very little counting. Grey 414 follows for the back and wing. Leave snow white B5200 until the end, when there are only 38 stitches left to do on the wing bar and by the tail, so dark fluff has less chance to settle on it.
The two reds are easy to confuse. 606 is the bright orange red of the breast and 347 the deeper red of the rowan berries, so keep them on separate labelled bobbins.
Which parts are fiddly?
The wing has the most counting, since the grey feathers run in short rows broken by dark lines and the needle changes colour often. The berry cluster and the thin stalks above it also take patience, with small windows of bare fabric between the stalks. Thread carried behind those gaps will show through pale Aida.
Which fabric colour suits a bullfinch?
The drawing has a pale blue ground and the chart leaves the background as bare fabric, so Aida close to DMC 3841 gives the same frosty look. The white wing bar is stitched and stands out well on blue. On white Aida the bar blends into the cloth, although the dark outline still holds its shape. Pale grey is another good winter choice.
How can you finish it?
On Aida 14 the bird measures 8.3 by 7.6 cm, small enough for a Christmas card or a felt-backed ornament on the tree. A little hoop with a red ribbon makes a simple winter gift. A bullfinch and rowan berries are a winter scene with nothing tied to one date, so the piece can stay on the wall after the Christmas cross stitch patterns are packed away.
The main colours are DMC 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark (45%), DMC 606 Orange Red Bright (30%), and DMC 414 Steel Gray Dark (13%). On 14-count Aida it comes out at 8.3×7.6 cm, on 18-count at 6.5×5.9 cm. You'll need about 5 skeins of DMC floss.
Made in the PatternHoop editor: width 46, 5 colors. Photo and pattern under CC BY 4.0: share and use them, crediting «PatternHoop (patternhoop.com)».
- Where to start
- the centre: stitch 23, row 21
- Stitched area
- 8.3×7.6 cm on Aida 14
- Aida 14 to buy
- 18×18 cm
- Chart pages in the PDF
- 1 colour + 1 b/w
Shopping list
DMC floss for the Bullfinch on a rowan branch pattern
Tick the threads you already have at home.
| I have it | Color | DMC | Name | Stitches | Skeins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| symbol ■ | 3799 | Pewter Gray Very Dark | 43844.9% | 1 | |
| symbol □ | 606 | Orange Red Bright | 28829.5% | 1 | |
| symbol ▲ | 414 | Steel Gray Dark | 12813.1% | 1 | |
| symbol △ | 347 | Salmon Very Dark | 838.5% | 1 | |
| symbol ● | B5200 | Snow White | 383.9% | 1 |
- 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark1 skein
- 606 Orange Red Bright1 skein
- 414 Steel Gray Dark1 skein
- 347 Salmon Very Dark1 skein
- B5200 Snow White1 skein
Every DMC thread color with its number — in the palette
The Bullfinch on a rowan branch pattern by zones
It's easier to stitch in parts: here is what each third of the height holds.
Toprows 1–14
259 stitches · 27%
- DMC 3799 · 42% Pewter Gray Very Dark
- DMC 606 · 31% Orange Red Bright
- DMC 414 · 27% Steel Gray Dark
Middlerows 15–28
416 stitches · 43%
- DMC 606 · 48% Orange Red Bright
- DMC 3799 · 29% Pewter Gray Very Dark
- DMC 414 · 14% Steel Gray Dark
Bottomrows 29–42
300 stitches · 31%
- DMC 3799 · 69% Pewter Gray Very Dark
- DMC 347 · 28% Salmon Very Dark
- DMC 606 · 3% Orange Red Bright
The Bullfinch on a rowan branch pattern on different fabric
| Fabric | Embroidery | Inches | Fabric with margin | Strands | Needle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 11 | 10.6×9.7 cm | 4.2×3.8″ | 21×20 cm | 3 strands | size 22 |
| Aida 14 | 8.3×7.6 cm | 3.3×3″ | 18×18 cm | 2 strands | size 24 |
| Aida 16 | 7.3×6.7 cm | 2.9×2.6″ | 17×17 cm | 2 strands | size 26 |
| Aida 18 | 6.5×5.9 cm | 2.6×2.3″ | 16×16 cm | 2 strands | size 26 |
How to stitch the Bullfinch on a rowan branch pattern in 4 steps
Prepare the fabric
Cut Aida 14 to 18×18 cm: 5 cm of margin on every side.
Sort the threads
The pattern uses 5 DMC colors: lay the skeins out by the numbers in the table above.
Start in the centre
Find the middle of the fabric and of the chart: the PDF marks the centre with arrows on the page edges.
Mark your progress
Cross off finished areas on the printout, or open the PDF in Pattern Keeper.
Questions about the Bullfinch on a rowan branch pattern
5 DMC colors, about 5 skeins in all, stitched with 2 strands on 14-count Aida.
46×42 stitches: 8.3×7.6 cm on 14-count Aida, 6.5×5.9 cm on 18-count.
For Aida 14, a piece of 18×18 cm: the design plus 5 cm on every side for the hoop and framing.
The pattern has 975 stitches — roughly 10 hours at 100 stitches an hour.
Yes. The symbols in the PDF are text, so Pattern Keeper reads the chart and the legend.
Yes, in the PatternHoop editor: upload a photo, pick the size and the number of colours, and the pattern is ready in a second, for free.
