Checkered Christmas Ball with Bow Machine Embroidery Design

Checkered Christmas Ball with Bow Machine Embroidery Design features a black-and-white diamond pattern, gold accents, a red ribbon bow and symmetrical green branches. This dense filled design is suitable for Christmas towels, table linens, cushion covers, decorative panels and fabric gift bags.

The open background allows the fabric to remain visible around the ornament and branches. For the clearest checkerboard pattern, choose a stable medium-weight fabric and keep strong contrast between the light and dark diamond sections.

• Size: 128.0x116.0 mm (5.04x4.57"). Stitches: 21353
• Formats: .pes, .pec, .hus, .vip, .dst, .exp, .sew, .dat, .vp3, .jef, .xxx

Hoop Requirement

Fabric and Stabilizer Recommendations

For cotton, linen and blended decorative fabrics weighing approximately 160–240 g/m², use a medium-weight cut-away stabilizer or fusible no-show mesh reinforced with tear-away stabilizer. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together without stretching either layer.

When stitching the design on terry towels, place water-soluble topping over the fabric so the filled diamonds, narrow branches and small gold accents remain above the loops. A firm cut-away stabilizer underneath provides better control than topping alone.

Use a new 75/11 embroidery needle for smooth woven fabric. An 80/12 embroidery needle is more suitable for heavier fabric or layered projects. Test the complete design on a fabric and stabilizer combination similar to the final item.

Companion Checkered Christmas Designs

These coordinating designs use the same checkered holiday style and can be combined on table linens, pillows, towels or a matching Christmas textile collection.

Checkered Christmas Toy with Bow

Checkered Oblong Christmas Toy with Bow

Checkered Christmas Star with Bow

Checkered Christmas Ball with Holly

Madeira Classic 40 Thread Chart

The original color chart specifies five Madeira Classic 40 colors. The color numbers below follow the programmed stitching sequence.

Color-block sequence: 1003 → 1199 → 1159 → 1168 → 1039.

Conversions between thread brands are approximate. Compare the selected thread with a physical shade card and test it on the project fabric before stitching the final item.

Find the nearest thread equivalents

Practical Stitching Tips

Begin with the light checkerboard section and keep the fabric supported until all dense fills and outlines are complete. Do not stretch the fabric while hooping; tension added during hooping is a common cause of puckering after the project is removed.

On loosely woven linen, fuse a lightweight woven interfacing to the reverse before adding the embroidery stabilizer. This prevents the fabric from opening between the contrasting diamond fills.

The design works especially well as the central motif on a guest towel. Place it approximately 75–100 mm (3–4") above the lower decorative edge, depending on the towel proportions, and make sure the ornament remains visible when the towel is folded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the gold accents be stitched with metallic thread?
Yes. Replace Madeira Classic 1159 with a suitable gold metallic embroidery thread. Use a Metallic 80/12 or 90/14 needle, reduce the stitching speed to approximately 400–500 stitches per minute and allow the thread to unwind through a longer, unrestricted thread path.

How can I prevent gaps in the black-and-white checkered sections?
Use a stable fabric, sufficient cut-away support and a new embroidery needle. Hoop the fabric without stretching it and avoid changing the original design size. Test the upper-thread tension before stitching the final project.

Can this design be embroidered on a terry towel?
Yes. Use firm stabilizer underneath and water-soluble topping above the towel. The topping keeps the checkerboard edges, narrow branches and small gold details from sinking into the loops.

Can I change the original color palette?
Yes. Keep a clear tonal difference between the two checkerboard colors so the diamond pattern remains readable. The bow, greenery and gold details may be coordinated with the colors of your Christmas décor.

Should the design be resized in the embroidery machine?
Resizing is not recommended because it can change fill density, outline registration and satin-stitch width. Use the supplied file at its original dimensions.

Explore More Holiday Designs

Browse holiday machine embroidery designs or explore the complete collection of winter machine embroidery designs.

Please note: This is a downloadable digital machine embroidery design. A finished embroidered item, fabric, thread and stabilizer are not included.