12 Days of Christmas – Partridge in a Pear Tree ITH Ornament Machine Embroidery Design - 3 Sizes
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Partridge in a Pear Tree is the first ornament in the Twelve Days of Christmas collection and a digital raw-edge ITH machine embroidery design. A red-and-blue partridge perches on a golden branch of a pear tree, surrounded by a green pear, leaves and scrolling baroque foliage. The vertical composition is designed for a flat felt Christmas tree ornament with a shaped exposed edge.
The placement line, front-piece tackdown, decorative embroidery and final joining seam are programmed into the files. The ornament is completed in the hoop and does not need turning, stuffing or hand-closing. The download includes three original sizes, cutting templates, production charts and illustrated assembly instructions.
In The Twelve Days of Christmas, each verse introduces a new gift. The first gift is a partridge in a pear tree. This design preserves the familiar lyric while turning it into a standalone baroque Christmas ornament that also works beautifully outside a complete twelve-piece display.
Sizes, Stitches and Formats
Size: 60.8x77.9 mm (2.39x3.07"), Stitches: 5000.
Size: 68.6x87.9 mm (2.70x3.46"), Stitches: 5700.
Size: 76.4x97.9 mm (3.01x3.85"), Stitches: 6400.Formats: .dat, .dst, .exp, .hus, .jef, .jef+, .jpx, .pec, .pes, .sew, .vip, .vp3, .vp4, .xxx
Measurements refer to the machine file. The hanging loop and optional decorative bow are not included in the listed dimensions. Estimated upper-thread use is approximately 16.38 m, 19.91 m and 23.61 m, or 17.9 yd, 21.8 yd and 25.8 yd.
Hoop Compatibility by Design Size
| Design size | Compatible hoop |
|---|---|
| 60.8x77.9 mm (2.39x3.07") | 80x80 mm (3x3") hoop or larger |
| 68.6x87.9 mm (2.70x3.46") | 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger |
| 76.4x97.9 mm (3.01x3.85") | 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger |
What the ZIP Download Includes
- machine files in three original sizes and all formats listed above;
- printable outlines for cutting matching front and back pieces;
- built-in placement, front-piece tackdown and final assembly stitches;
- production charts with dimensions, thread use and the 12-block sequence;
- illustrated instructions for raw-edge ITH ornaments.
This listing contains digital files only. A finished ornament, felt, ribbon, stabilizer and thread are not shipped.
In-the-Hoop Assembly Sequence
| Stage | Action | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Block 1 | Stitch the shaped placement line on hooped tear-away stabilizer. | The complete outline sits inside the usable embroidery field. |
| Block 2 | Align the front felt piece with the placement line and run the tackdown. | The felt lies flat and is not stretched along the vertical axis. |
| Blocks 3–6 | Stitch the foliage, pale areas of the partridge, gold branch and scrolls, and the pear. | The felt remains flat beneath the filled pear and large lower scroll. |
| Blocks 7–11 | Add the feet, red and blue feathers, gold accents and black definition. | Outlines register with the fills and the narrow beak and branch details are not distorted. |
| Before block 12 | Tape a folded hanging ribbon and the back felt piece to the reverse of the hoop. | Both ribbon ends cross the final seam while the loop stays clear of the needle. |
| Block 12 | Run the final shaped seam, remove the project from the hoop and tear away the stabilizer. | The front, back and both ribbon ends are joined around the entire edge. |
Open the Illustrated ITH Instructions
Madeira Classic 40 Color Map
The original files use 8 shades across 12 programmed blocks with 11 color changes. Repeated thread numbers perform different decorative and construction steps. Do not combine, rearrange or automatically color-sort these blocks.
| Block | Color | Madeira Classic 40 | Stitched element |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1140 — Olive Green | Shaped placement line on the stabilizer | |
| 2 | 1149 — Light Beige | Front-piece tackdown | |
| 3 | 1189 — Moss Green | Leaves and green foliage | |
| 4 | 1149 — Light Beige, repeat | Partridge face, neck and breast | |
| 5 | 1159 — Antique Gold | Branch, stem and large baroque scrolls | |
| 6 | 1140 — Olive Green, repeat | Pear fill | |
| 7 | 1191 — Warm Brown | Feet, dark branch details and pear outline | |
| 8 | 1037 — Tango Red | Head, back and tail of the partridge | |
| 9 | 1335 — Deep Blue | Blue wing | |
| 10 | 1159 — Antique Gold, repeat | Beak and gold wing accents | |
| 11 | 1006 — Diamond Black | Eye and final definition of the bird, branch and pear | |
| 12 | 1149 — Light Beige, repeat | Final seam joining the front, hanging loop and backing |
For block 12, wind a bobbin with thread close to Madeira 1149 because the shaped joining seam remains visible on the back. The color squares are screen approximations; use the Madeira number and a physical thread chart when purchasing thread.
Felt for the Tall Ornament Shape
| Option | Recommended felt | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Most predictable | Firm, evenly made polyester felt, 1–1.2 mm thick | Keeps the tall silhouette flat and supports the filled pear without curling. |
| Refined matte background | Smooth wool or wool-blend felt, 1–1.2 mm thick | The soft matte surface makes the rayon bird and gold branch appear brighter. |
| Background color | Ivory, warm cream, champagne or very pale beige | A light ground keeps the pale breast, black definition and olive pear visible together. |
Quick felt test: hold the sample vertically and bend the lower edge gently. Suitable felt returns to a flat position and does not split into layers. This matters more than it does with a circular ornament because the pear sits to one side and the large scroll concentrates stitching near the lower edge.
Avoid soft loose craft felt, adhesive-backed sheets, EVA foam and 2–3 mm thick material. They add unnecessary bulk under the final seam and may distort the narrow curves of the shaped frame.
Thread Options for the Partridge and Pear Tree
- Classic holiday sheen: Madeira Classic Rayon 40 follows the original chart and gives the feathers, pear and gold scrolls a polished finish.
- Greater durability: Madeira Polyneon 40 or Isacord 40 suits ornaments that will be handled, stored and reused for many seasons.
- Matte bird with bright gold: stitch the red, blue, green, olive and brown sections with Madeira Frosted Matt 40, while keeping blocks 5 and 10 in Classic Rayon 1159.
- One metallic accent: test metallic thread in the broad gold block 5 only. Standard 40-weight rayon is more reliable for the small beak and narrow wing lines in block 10.
When using metallic thread, fit a Metallic 90/14 needle, provide a smooth feed path and reduce the machine speed to approximately 500–600 stitches per minute. Test the block on the same felt and stabilizer planned for the ornament.
Materials for Accurate Assembly
| Supply | Recommended choice | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Felt | Two matching pieces of firm non-fraying felt, 1–1.2 mm thick | Forms the front and back of the ornament. |
| Stabilizer | One layer of Madeira Cotton Soft tear-away, approximately 50 g/m² | Supports the long shaped outline during embroidery. |
| Needle | Fresh 75/11 embroidery needle | Suitable for standard 40-weight thread and two thin felt layers. |
| Temporary hold | Gunold KK 100 or small pieces of low-tack painter's tape | Keeps the front, backing and ribbon from shifting. |
| Hanging loop | 15–20 cm (6–8") of narrow satin or grosgrain ribbon | Forms the loop secured by the final outline. |
More Designs from the Twelve Days of Christmas Collection
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Useful Embroidery Pages
- Twelve Days of Christmas machine embroidery collection
- In-the-hoop machine embroidery designs
- Choosing felt and other specialty fabrics
Digital Product and License
After purchase, download and extract the ZIP archive, then transfer only the required size and compatible format to your embroidery machine. Compare both dimensions with the usable embroidery field of your hoop before stitching.
You may sell finished physical ornaments stitched with this design in small quantities. The digital embroidery files, color charts and printable templates may not be resold, copied, shared, exchanged, gifted or redistributed. Factory mass production is not permitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the partridge and pear tree stitched as one file?
Yes. Each size creates one complete ornament containing the partridge, pear, branch, leaves and baroque scrolls. The pear is not supplied as a separate mini design.
Which file fits an 80x80 mm hoop?
Only the 60.8x77.9 mm (2.39x3.07") file fits an 80x80 mm (3x3") hoop. The 68.6x87.9 mm and 76.4x97.9 mm files require a 100x100 mm (4x4") hoop or larger.
Why are there 12 blocks when the design uses only 8 colors?
Light beige, olive and antique gold return for different parts of the design, and the final light-beige block assembles the ornament. Repeated colors must not be merged or reordered.
When are the backing and hanging ribbon added?
Add them after black block 11 and before block 12. The final light-beige seam joins both felt pieces and secures the two ribbon ends.
Can this file be stitched directly on clothing?
No. This file is digitized as an ITH construction with placement, felt tackdown and final assembly outlines. Use a separate flat embroidery motif when stitching directly on clothing.
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