Christmas Tree - Forest Animals in DMC - PAT0878 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Christmas Tree – Forest Animals Cross Stitch Pattern (PAT0878)

This free downloadable PDF embroidery pattern from DMC invites stitchers to create a charming Christmas tree decorated with forest animals, presented as a full coloured cross stitch chart. Released as part of the DMC Library – Bibliothèque DMC collection, it is a festive design perfectly suited to the holiday season. The finished design measures 10.5 × 16.2 cm (approximately 4.13 × 6.37 inches), making it an ideal size for framing, greeting cards, ornaments, or seasonal home décor projects.

What Is Being Made

The finished piece depicts a Christmas tree featuring forest animals as its central decorative theme. The design is worked entirely in cross stitch on fabric, producing a detailed, colourful image suitable for display as a standalone artwork or incorporated into a larger festive project such as a cushion cover, hoop art, or a framed gift.

Techniques Used

• Cross stitch – the primary and sole technique specified in this pattern. Each stitch is formed by two diagonal stitches crossing at the centre to create a small X shape on the fabric grid.
• Chart reading – the pattern is presented as a coloured cross stitch chart, meaning stitchers follow a colour-coded grid where each symbol or colour block corresponds to a specific DMC thread shade.
• Counted cross stitch – stitchers count squares on the Aida fabric to place each stitch accurately, without a pre-printed design on the cloth. This is the defining characteristic of counted cross stitch and requires careful attention to the grid.

Stitches Used

• Full cross stitch – the foundational stitch of the entire design, used to build up the image square by square across the fabric.

Materials Required

• DMC Mouliné Spécial Étoile™ embroidery thread – the pattern specifically calls for 617 fils Mouliné Spécial Étoile™ threads, DMC's premium six-strand divisible cotton embroidery floss, known for its consistent colour quality and wide palette of shades.
• DMC Cross Stitch Fabric / Aida (toile Aida) – the recommended ground fabric is Aida, a woven evenweave cloth with an open, regular grid of holes that makes counting and placing stitches straightforward. The pattern notes that the count of the fabric (the number of stitches per inch) will directly affect the final size of the design: a higher count produces smaller, finer stitches and a more compact finished piece, while a lower count yields larger stitches and a bigger overall design.
• Cross stitch needle (aiguille) – a blunt-tipped tapestry needle is used so that it passes cleanly through the holes in the Aida fabric without splitting the fibres.
• Embroidery hoop (tambour, optional) – a round or oval hoop can be used to keep the fabric taut and even during stitching, helping to maintain consistent tension across the finished piece.
• Scissors (ciseaux) – for trimming thread ends neatly.

Difficulty Level and Who It Is For

This pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty. While cross stitch itself is an accessible needlecraft, the level of detail in a festive pictorial design such as this — with its forest animal motifs and Christmas tree imagery — means that some prior experience with counted cross stitch charts is helpful. Stitchers who are comfortable reading a colour-coded grid and managing multiple thread colours will find this pattern an enjoyable and rewarding seasonal project. Beginners who have already completed a simpler counted piece will also find it an excellent next step.

Format and Availability

The pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF directly from the DMC Library. The PDF includes both a coloured cross stitch chart and a black-and-white symbol chart (diagramme point de croix), giving stitchers flexibility in how they reference the design while working. The bilingual presentation in English and French reflects DMC's international heritage and makes the pattern accessible to a broad audience of embroid