Cardinal on Branch
Cardinal on Branch is a free machine embroidery design digitized at 30.0 × 29.4 mm with 1,578 stitches in 5 thread colors. Expect roughly 3 minutes of stitch-out time on a home machine. Download it below in DST format, ready to transfer to your machine.
Pattern Details
- Craft
- Machine Embroidery
- Colors
- 5
- Stitches
- 1,578
- Design Size
- 30 × 29.4 mm
- Recommended Hoop
- 4" × 4" (100 × 100 mm)
- Est. Stitch-Out Time
- ~3 min
- Color Changes
- 4
- Trims
- 5
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Download Files
Free for personal stitching. Need another format (DST, JEF, EXP…)? More formats are on the way. Design License →
Stitching Color Sequence
Thread order as programmed in the file — follow along at your machine. This file format doesn't store thread colors — the colors shown are a suggested palette. Swap in any threads you like.
| # | Thread | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 780 · Ultra Very Dark Topaz | 950 |
| 2 | 444 · Dark Lemon | 12 |
| 3 | 3777 · Very Dark Terra Cotta | 125 |
| 4 | 743 · Medium Yellow | 258 |
| 5 | 3607 · Light Plum | 221 |
About This Design
This bird design stitches out at 30.0 × 29.4 mm (1.2 × 1.2 in) and uses 5 thread colors across 4 color changes. Total count is 1,578 stitches at a density of about 178.9 stitches/cm².
At The Machine
- Estimated stitch-out time: ~3 minutes at 600 spm
- Color changes: 4, automatic trims: 5
- Follow the color sequence table above — thread numbers refer to the chart programmed in the file; match them to your brand by color.
Fabric & Hooping
At about 178.9 stitches/cm² this is a dense fill that pulls hard on the fabric. Back it with firm cut-away, add a water-soluble topping on towelling or fleece, and pick a stable woven over anything stretchy. At 30.0 × 29.4 mm it drops into the smallest hoop you own and suits multi-position frames for repeat placement.
Thread Colors in This Design
DST files store stitch data but no thread information, so the colors below are our suggested DMC match. Swap in whatever you have in a similar shade:
- 780 Ultra Very Dark Topaz
- 444 Dark Lemon
- 3777 Very Dark Terra Cotta
- 743 Medium Yellow
- 3607 Light Plum
Stitching Notes
With 5 colors and 4 changes you can pre-wind the whole set before you start and never leave the machine. DST stores stitch data only, which is why the color list is a suggestion rather than the digitizer's original choice.
What to Make With It
A picture-style design wants a flat, stable surface where it can be seen whole: a framed hoop piece, a quilt centre, a cushion front or the back of a jacket. Avoid stretchy garments, which distort the shape.
