Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Tropical Bird Cross Stitch Patterns

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The weather is hot where I live as I write this, which has me thinking of the beach and more tropical climates, because if you’re going to be hot at least you should be somewhere pretty, right?

If a tropical vacation isn’t in the cards for you, maybe you can stitch up some colorful birds instead? These would be great for a beach-themed room or as part of your summer decor no matter where you live.

This collection started with the Lovebirds pattern from DMC, available from LoveCrafts. These pretty parrots are worked in hues of red, yellow and orange, but you could make them with cooler colors as well. They’re sitting on a tree branch and surrounded by flowers.

The watercolor look of this rainbow colored parrot from Laser Arts Designs on Etsy makes it look so fun to stitch. The pattern listing doesn’t say how many colors it uses but does note their patterns use 20-25 colors max. The design is 151 by 205 stitches, which comes out to 10.8 by 14.6 inches or 27.4 by 37.2 cm on 14 count fabric.

This toucan pattern from Sam Xstitch is nice and cooling to look at because of all the greens. It is 97 by 97 stitches and uses 22 colors. On 14 count fabric that comes out to just under 7 inches, or 17.6 cm on each side.

A cockatiel is another classic tropical bird, but if you don’t want one for a pet you can stitch one up with this pattern from Stitch Junction. I love how realistic it looks, particularly the branch the bird is sitting on. This pattern uses a whopping 60 colors to get that super-realistic look, so maybe if you start it now it will be ready to hang next summer. The design is 200 by 200 stitches and comes out to 14.29 inches or 36.29 cm on each side if you use 14 count fabric. The pattern includes sizing all the way down to 32 count if you want to go that small.

Winter Birds Cross Stitch Pattern

Two Birds on a Branch

Have you read?

Designer Spotlight: Stitching Elf Store

Stitching Elf Store is a small Etsy shop based in Ukraine with patterns that tend toward the floral, with lots of Christmas patterns and a few cats along the way, too. 

The largest category in the shop is “flowery pattern,” which includes floral designs, samplers and a few seasonal projects with text. I liked this Enchanted Poppies design because it reminds me of the colors of Ukraine. 

The pattern is 68 by 145 stitches and uses 24 colors, thanks to the kind of watercolor effect of the petals and leaves. On 14 count fabric it comes out to 4.9 by 10.4 inches, or 12.3 by 26.3 cm. 

Another large collection is Christmas patterns, which is heavy on sampler style designs, a couple of Christmas trees with different designs in the layers, some Christmas-themed biscornu patterns and a stocking with a chat and a bird on it. 

Other pattern highlights include a scattering of Valentine’s Day, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter patterns. The simply flowers series includes large, graphic flowers in bold colors. There are two sampler projects with a bird and a cat along with traditional flowers, and the purr cats patterns include larger cats with big, fluffy tails and more big, bold flowers. 

I particularly like the St. Patrick’s Day designs that feature shamrocks and thistles and Irish blessings. They’re traditional looking but also different enough to be interesting, if that makes sense. 

You’ll also find a few more biscornu patterns (see more about biscornu here) and a couple of Ukrainian floral bookmarks. 

The patterns are pretty, with a mix of traditional designs and more modern designs. Give them a look over at Stitching Elf Store on Etsy. 

Do you have a favorite cross stitch designer (or design patterns yourself) who should be in the spotlight? Let me know by leaving a comment with their shop link and a little bit about why you love them. 

[Photo: Stitching Elf Store]