12 Days of Christmas Lady Dancing ITH Ornament Machine Embroidery Design - 3 Sizes
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Lady Dancing ITH Ornament Machine Embroidery Design turns the ninth gift from The Twelve Days of Christmas into a flat, shaped decoration made directly in the hoop. The single baroque dancer lifts one arm above her head while the layered green skirt and curling gold foliage create movement across the ornament.
This is a raw-edge ITH project rather than a standard decorative motif. The machine file includes the placement line, front-piece tackdown, character embroidery and final assembly seam. The ornament stays flat; it does not need turning, stuffing or a hand-sewn opening.
Exact sizes, stitches and formats
Size: 62.9x78.0 mm (2.48x3.07"), Stitches: 5320
Size: 72.7x90.0 mm (2.86x3.54"), Stitches: 6134
Size: 79.1x98.0 mm (3.11x3.86"), Stitches: 6679Formats: .dat, .dst, .exp, .hus, .jef, .jef+, .jpx, .pec, .pes, .sew, .vip, .vp3, .vp4, .xxx
The programmed dimensions do not include the hanging ribbon or an optional bow. The production sheet estimates approximately 17.07 m of upper thread for the smallest size; actual use varies with machine settings, trimming and thread tension.
Design size and hoop compatibility
| Design size | Hoop |
|---|---|
| 62.9x78.0 mm (2.48x3.07") | 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger |
| 72.7x90.0 mm (2.86x3.54") | 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger |
| 79.1x98.0 mm (3.11x3.86") | 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger |
Inside the download
- three tested machine files with the Lady Dancing scene and baroque foliage;
- printable outlines for cutting matching front and back pieces;
- built-in placement, tackdown and assembly stitches;
- the RPE-3797-fr9 production chart with 11 programmed blocks;
- the machine formats listed above, supplied in one ZIP archive.
This listing contains digital files only. The stitched ornament, felt, ribbon, stabilizer, thread and other physical supplies are not shipped.
How the ornament is built in the hoop
Print the supplied cutting outline at 100% scale and prepare two matching pieces from stable, non-fraying fabric. The outer edge remains visible after assembly, so accurate cutting is part of the finished appearance.
Open the illustrated ITH instructions
| Machine block | Your action | Alignment check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stitch the shaped placement line on hooped tear-away stabilizer. | The entire outline sits inside the hoop with clear space around it. |
| 2 | Position the front piece over the guide and run the tackdown. | The top point, side curves and lower point follow the stitched guide. |
| 3–10 | Embroider the gold scroll, dancer, dress layers and final black details. | Block 10 meets the raised arm, face and curved skirt without shifting. |
| Before block 11 | Secure a folded ribbon and the back piece behind the hoop. | Both ribbon ends cross the seam while the loop stays away from the needle path. |
| 11 | Run the off-white assembly border and remove the project from the hoop. | The seam catches the front, backing and both ribbon ends all the way around. |
Madeira Classic Rayon 40 color sequence
The RPE-3797-fr9 chart uses 8 shades across 11 programmed blocks. Shades 1170, 1159 and 1004 appear more than once because they perform separate decorative or construction jobs. Keep every repeat in its saved position instead of merging identical colors.
| Block | Color | Madeira Classic Rayon 40 | Stitched element |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1170 — olive green | Shaped front-piece placement line | |
| 2 | 1004 — off-white | Front-piece tackdown outline | |
| 3 | 1159 — antique gold | Curling baroque foliage beside the dancer | |
| 4 | 1149 — light beige | Face, arms and pale panels of the skirt | |
| 5 | 1087 — silver gray | Silver-gray bodice and hair details | |
| 6 | 1145 — dark brown | Hair, shadows and dark costume details | |
| 7 | 1037 — rich red | Bodice, shoes and red accents | |
| 8 | 1170 — olive green, repeated | Main green layers of the sweeping skirt | |
| 9 | 1159 — antique gold, repeated | Gold edging and dress trim | |
| 10 | 1006 — black | Face, arm, dress outlines and fine definition | |
| 11 | 1004 — off-white, repeated | Final seam joining the backing and ribbon |
The written color names describe the visual appearance of the chart. Use the Madeira number when matching branded thread. For block 11, wind the bobbin with a thread that matches upper thread 1004 because the joining seam remains visible on the back.
Materials for a clean shaped edge
| Supply | Recommended choice | Purpose in this project |
|---|---|---|
| Front and back | Two pieces of firm felt or another stable, non-fraying fabric | The material holds the narrow upper curves and needs no edge finishing. |
| Stabilizer | Madeira Cotton Soft tear-away, 50 g/m² | It supports the layered skirt and tears away cleanly after assembly. |
| Needle | Schmetz Embroidery 75/11 | A fresh needle helps the fine raised-arm outline register cleanly. |
| Upper thread | Madeira Classic Rayon 40 or quality 40-weight embroidery thread | The original density and small details are digitized for this weight. |
| Temporary hold | Gunold KK 100 or small pieces of low-tack painter’s tape | The cut piece stays aligned between placement and tackdown. |
| Hanging loop | 15–20 cm of narrow satin or grosgrain ribbon | Both ends are caught securely by the final outline. |
| Scissors | Sharp straight scissors or pinking shears | Decorative-edge scissors can give the exposed felt a more finished appearance. |
Keep the dancer’s fine details registered
- Use firm felt and keep the stabilizer taut. Soft, stretchy craft felt allows the raised arm and facial outline to drift.
- For the small figure, a moderate speed of about 500–600 stitches per minute gives the narrow arm and bodice time to form cleanly.
- Do not reorder blocks 4–10. The black definition is designed to meet the completed beige, red, green and gold areas.
- Check the fabric before block 10. The dress must remain flat where the long green layers overlap the pale underskirt.
- Place the backing without pulling it toward the ribbon. Distortion is most visible on the asymmetric side beside the gold scroll.
- Leave several millimeters of felt outside the final seam. Never trim into the joining stitches.
The ninth gift: Nine Ladies Dancing
The ninth verse of The Twelve Days of Christmas names Nine Ladies Dancing. This file isolates one elegant dancer as an individual ornament, using her lifted arm, turned torso and sweeping skirt to suggest motion within a compact 4x4-hoop composition.
Use the finished piece on a Christmas tree, garland, gift package or textile Advent calendar. Its red, green and antique-gold palette coordinates naturally with the Lords a-Leaping, Bagpiper and Drummer ornaments from the same baroque series.
Continue the Twelve Days collection
 Christmas Lords a-Leaping ITH3 sizes |
 Christmas Drummer ITH Ornament3 sizes |
 Christmas Bagpiper ITH Ornament3 sizes |
 Christmas Milkmaid3 sizes |
Useful links
- Raw-Edge Ornaments In-the-Hoop Instructions
- In-the-Hoop Machine Embroidery Designs
- Twelve Days of Christmas Machine Embroidery Designs
- Madeira Thread Converter
- Online ZIP File Extractor
Digital download and license
Download the ZIP archive after purchase, extract it, and transfer only the selected size and compatible format to your embroidery machine. Always compare both dimensions of the design with the usable field of your hoop before stitching. The published sizes are the tested originals; reducing them in machine software may affect stitch quality.
You may sell finished physical ornaments embroidered with this design in small quantities. The original or altered digital files and templates may not be sold, copied, shared, gifted, exchanged or redistributed. The standard license does not cover factory mass production.
Frequently asked questions
Do all three Lady Dancing sizes fit a 4x4 hoop?
Yes. The 62.9x78.0, 72.7x90.0 and 79.1x98.0 mm files fit a 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger.
Why is the dancer connected with the ninth day of Christmas?
The ninth verse of The Twelve Days of Christmas names Nine Ladies Dancing. This ornament presents one baroque lady as an individual character from that verse.
Why does the chart have 11 blocks but only 8 shades?
Olive green and antique gold return for separate decorative areas. Off-white appears first as the front-piece tackdown and again as the final assembly seam. These repeats must remain in place.
Can I recolor the dancer’s red and green dress?
Yes. Replace the costume colors while preserving the programmed block order. Keep enough contrast between the dress, pale skin and skirt panels, gold scroll and black definition.
How can I keep the raised arm and black outline aligned?
Use stable felt, a firmly hooped tear-away stabilizer, a fresh 75/11 embroidery needle and moderate speed. Do not stretch or reposition the front piece after block 2.
Which bobbin thread should I use for the final border?
Use a bobbin thread that matches Madeira Classic 1004. The block 11 seam remains visible on the back and will look cleaner when the upper and bobbin colors match.
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