Free Bird Cross Stitch Patterns: Owls, Penguins, Swans, a Robin and a Chickadee
By The Editorial Team·Updated ·8 min read
Here are 12 free bird cross stitch patterns, compared side by side: owls, penguins, swans, a robin, a chickadee, a songbird made of flowers and a duckling. Four are small enough for a 7-inch hoop; the others are larger wall pieces. The quickest takes about 25 to 41 hours. Start with our top picks, then read the card for each pattern. Each one is a free PDF with the chart and the DMC thread list.
How we compared them: every number on this page is read from the pattern's own chart, the same one in the free PDF. Stitching times assume 60 to 100 stitches an hour. All of them use full cross stitches only.
An unimpressed olive owl with heavy-lidded eyes sitting on a pile of envelopes.
Good for: a desk, an office or anyone who dreads their inbox
Difficulty
Intermediate
Stitches
9,829 (112 x 132)
Finished size (14-count)
8.0" x 9.4"
Colors
10 DMC
Stitching time
98–164 hours
Fabric to cut
14" x 16"
What we like
Only 10 colors; three make up 87.5% of the stitches.
Sepia browns that match any room.
Keep in mind
9,829 stitches.
Needs three skeins of ECRU.
Stitching tip: Outline the envelopes in black before filling them, so you don't lose track of which envelope is which.
Which one should you stitch?
Quickest: the Owl on a Monogram Letter M, about 25 to 41 hours.
A small, simple bird: the Wizard Owl or the Penguin in a Hawaiian Shirt. Both fit a 7-inch hoop.
As a gift with an initial: the Owl on a Monogram Letter M.
For an office or a desk: the Grumpy Owl on a Pile of Letters.
For a neutral room: the Songbird in Bloom, with only 8 colors.
For a child’s room: the Wizard Owl. For a nursery wall, the Elf Child and Owl on the Moon.
For Christmas: the Celtic Yuletide Robin, the Chickadee in a Glass Ornament or the Ornament Birds on a Pine Bough. Start a big one a few months before you want it on the wall.
For Halloween: the Duckling in a Ghost Costume.
For a couple: the Penguin Proposal. For a wedding, the Bride and Groom Swans.
The fewest colors: the Songbird in Bloom, with 8.
What you need
Fabric: 14-count white Aida. The four small designs need a piece about 10“ x 12“ to 13“ x 12“. The Grumpy Owl needs 14“ x 16“, and the seven biggest designs need 18“ x 16“ (Swans) up to 21“ x 22“ (Robin).
Thread: the small designs need one skein of each color. The big ones need extra skeins of their main colors: 3 of DMC 3866 for the Robin, 3 of DMC 17 for the Duckling, 5 of DMC 312 for the Elf Child, 2 of DMC 648 for the Chickadee. The cross stitch thread guide shows how to count skeins.
Are these patterns really free?
Yes. Open a pattern, click “Get the Pattern”, and the PDF downloads. No account or email is needed. To print it at home, see how to print a cross stitch pattern.
Do you have garden birds like cardinals, bluebirds or hummingbirds?
Not at the moment. The garden birds here are the robin and the chickadee.
Which bird is best for a beginner?
Only the Owl on a Monogram Letter M is rated Beginner, and it is the best start: it is the smallest, and mostly browns. After it, try the Penguin in a Hawaiian Shirt; its navy and white body is easy to count. Read how to cross stitch for beginners first.
How long does a big one take?
At 60 to 100 stitches an hour, the Penguin Proposal takes about 117 to 196 hours and the Robin about 290 to 490. Start a big one a few months before you want it on the wall.
