12 Days of Christmas Swan ITH Ornament Machine Embroidery Design - 3 Sizes
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12 Days of Christmas Swan is a digital machine embroidery design for a flat raw-edge ITH ornament. A white swan glides above a deep-blue wave, framed by red wings, green Baroque foliage and antique-gold accents.
The subject represents Seven Swans a-Swimming, the seventh gift in The Twelve Days of Christmas. Placement, embroidery and final assembly are completed in the hoop; there is no turning or stuffing.
Sizes, Stitch Counts and Formats
Size: 63.8x78.0 mm (2.51x3.07"), Stitches: 5000
Size: 70.3x85.8 mm (2.77x3.38"), Stitches: 5600
Size: 77.3x94.4 mm (3.04x3.72"), Stitches: 6600Formats: .dat, .dst, .exp, .hus, .jef, .jef+, .jpx, .pec, .pes, .sew, .vip, .vp3, .vp4, .xxx
Measurements refer to the machine file. The hanging ribbon and bow are not included in the design height. The charts estimate approximately 19.75 / 23.28 / 25.69 m of upper thread.
Design Size and Hoop
| Design size | Hoop |
|---|---|
| 63.8x78.0 mm (2.51x3.07") | 4x4" (100x100 mm) hoop or larger |
| 70.3x85.8 mm (2.77x3.38") | 4x4" (100x100 mm) hoop or larger |
| 77.3x94.4 mm (3.04x3.72") | 4x4" (100x100 mm) hoop or larger |
What Is Included in the ZIP
- three machine files in different sizes;
- cutting templates for the front and back felt pieces;
- placement, tackdown and final assembly stitches;
- RPE-3797-fr7 color sequence with 10 programmed blocks;
- formats for the embroidery machines listed above.
This is a digital product. A finished ornament, felt, ribbon, stabilizer and thread are not shipped.
How to Stitch the Swan Ornament
Print the template at 100% and cut two pieces from 1–1.5 mm stiff polyester craft felt. Choose dense non-fraying felt or sewable glitter felt without an adhesive backing.
Open the step-by-step ITH instructions
| Block | Action | Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stitch the shaped placement line on hooped stabilizer. | The entire outline sits inside the hoop. |
| 2 | Position the front felt piece and stitch the tackdown line. | The felt lies flat without shifting. |
| 3–9 | Stitch the swan, wave and Baroque foliage in the charted order. | Do not merge repeated thread colors. |
| Before block 10 | Secure a folded ribbon loop and the back felt piece underneath the hoop. | Both ribbon ends cross the final seam and the loop stays clear of the needle. |
| 10 | Run the final assembly outline, remove the project and trim the edge. | The seam catches both felt layers and the ribbon ends. |
Madeira Classic 40 Color Sequence
RPE-3797-fr7 uses 7 thread shades, 10 programmed blocks and 9 color changes. Madeira 1170, 1004 and 1159 appear more than once for different construction or decorative steps, so keep the original sequence.
| Block | Color | Madeira Classic 40 thread | Stitched element |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1170 — Fern Green | Shaped placement line | |
| 2 | 1004 — Natural White | Front felt tackdown | |
| 3 | 1071 — Baby's Breath | Swan body, neck and head | |
| 4 | 1170 — Fern Green, repeat | Leaves and Baroque foliage | |
| 5 | 1335 — Dark Periwinkle | Wave below the swan | |
| 6 | 1159 — Mustard Yellow | Beak, wave trim and first gold wing details | |
| 7 | 1037 — Tango Red | Wings and red head accent | |
| 8 | 1159 — Mustard Yellow, repeat | Gold wing lines and decorative details | |
| 9 | 1006 — Diamond Black | Black outlines of the swan and ornament | |
| 10 | 1004 — Natural White, repeat | Final assembly seam, back and ribbon |
Use the Madeira number as the primary reference when buying thread. For block 10, wind the bobbin with a thread that matches 1004 because the final seam remains visible on the back.
Materials for the Ornament
| Material | Recommendation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Two pieces of 1–1.5 mm stiff polyester craft felt | Keeps the shaped outline firm and does not fray. |
| Stabilizer | Madeira Cotton Soft tear-away, 50 g/m² | Hooped by itself and removed after stitching. |
| Needle | Sharp sewing needle 75/11 | Passes cleanly through felt and stabilizer. |
| Top thread | Madeira Classic 40 rayon or quality 40-weight polyester | Matches the digitized density. |
| Temporary hold | Gunold KK 100 or small pieces of painter's tape | Keeps the front and back pieces aligned. |
| Ribbon | 15–20 cm narrow satin or grosgrain ribbon | Forms the hanging loop. |
| Scissors | Sharp straight or pinking shears | Finishes the exposed felt edge neatly. |
Choosing the Right Felt
Choose 1–1.5 mm stiff polyester craft felt, sold as stiff craft felt, stiffened felt or hard felt. Kunin Friendlyfelt is a useful reference; Kunin Friendly Glitter or an equivalent sewable product adds sparkle.
| Option | Front piece | Back piece | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic ivory | Stiff ivory felt | Matching ivory felt | A calm vintage background with clear black outlines. |
| Silver glitter | ✦Silver sewable glitter felt | White or silver stiff felt | Cool sparkle that works with the blue wave. |
| Champagne gold | ✦Light-gold sewable glitter felt | Beige or gold stiff felt | Warm Baroque shine without hiding the black outline. |
| Glitter back | Stiff ivory felt | ✦Gold or silver glitter felt | The swan stays easy to read while the reverse sparkles. |
Avoid soft, loose or see-through felt, 2–3 mm sheets, adhesive-backed felt and glitter EVA foam. Use a thin, firm, sewable, non-fraying material without glue. Leave a few millimeters of felt beyond the final seam and trim with straight or pinking shears.
The Seventh Day of Christmas
The swan represents Seven Swans a-Swimming from The Twelve Days of Christmas. One bird becomes a complete ornament, while the curved wave and foliage preserve the motion of the original verse.
Hang it on the tree, use it as a gift topper, add it to a twelve-design garland or place it in a textile Advent calendar. The red, blue, green and antique-gold palette links it to the other Baroque ornaments.
More Characters in the Series
 Lady Dancing ITH3 sizes |
 Lords a-Leaping ITH3 sizes |
 Christmas Bagpiper ITH3 sizes |
 Christmas Drummer ITH3 sizes |
Useful Pages
- Raw-edge ITH ornament instructions
- In-the-hoop machine embroidery designs
- Twelve Days of Christmas embroidery designs
- Machine embroidery thread color converter
- Unzip embroidery files online
Digital Product and License
After purchase, download and unzip the archive, then select the format supported by your embroidery machine. Check both dimensions of the chosen file against your hoop before transferring it.
You may sell finished physical items in small quantities. The digital files may not be resold, shared, copied, gifted, exchanged or distributed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all three sizes fit a 4x4 hoop?
Yes. The 63.8x78.0, 70.3x85.8 and 77.3x94.4 mm files fit a 4x4 inch (100x100 mm) hoop or larger.
Why is this the seventh day of Christmas?
The swan represents Seven Swans a-Swimming from The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Which felt should I use?
Use firm, even 1–1.5 mm polyester craft felt. Standard stiff felt or sewable glitter felt without adhesive works well.
Can I use silver or gold glitter felt?
Yes. Silver or light champagne-gold sewable glitter felt can be used. Choose a light shade that keeps the white swan and black outline visible.
When do I add the back and ribbon?
Add them after black block 9 and before block 10. The final Natural White seam secures both felt layers and the ribbon ends.
Does the ornament need turning or stuffing?
No. It is a flat raw-edge ITH project assembled in the hoop with an exposed decorative felt edge.
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