DMC Floral Bat Embroidery Pattern - PAT1765 - Downloadable PDF

DMC Floral Bat Embroidery Pattern (PAT1765) – Free Downloadable PDF

The DMC Floral Bat Embroidery Pattern (PAT1765) is a free, downloadable PDF from the DMC Library that guides embroiderers through the creation of a decorative floral bat design — known in French as chauve-souris florale. This enchanting motif combines the silhouette of a bat with intricate floral and botanical detailing, making it a striking piece for hoop art, textile decoration, or framed needlework. The pattern is rated as advanced beginner level, meaning it is accessible to those who have a foundational grasp of hand embroidery but are ready to explore more complex color work and multi-element compositions.

About the Design

The floral bat is a single cohesive design that merges nature-inspired imagery — the bat form — with richly layered floral elements. This style of embroidery, where an animal silhouette is filled or surrounded by botanical motifs, is a popular contemporary embroidery trend that blends folk art traditions with modern aesthetics. The result is a visually detailed and texturally rich piece that rewards careful stitching and thoughtful color placement.

The design is presented with both a colour guide / diagramme en couleur and a technical chart / diagramme technique, giving stitchers clear visual references for both thread placement and color allocation across the composition. The bilingual format (English and French) reflects DMC's international reach and the global appeal of this pattern.

Thread Colors and Materials

One of the most notable features of this pattern is its extensive and vibrant color palette. The colour guide references a wide range of DMC thread colors, organized across multiple color families and codes. The following thread references are specified within the pattern:

• A-series colors: A4, A7, A8, A9, A10, A11, A15
• B-series colors: B1, B3, B4, B5, B7, B14, B15, B16, B17, B19
• C-series colors: C1, C3, C7, C8, C9, C10, C11, C15, C17, C19
• D-series colors: D1, D12, D14, D15, D18, D19
• E-series colors: E2, E8, E9, E12, E14, E18, E19, E20
• F-series colors: F1, F4, F6, F7, F19
• G-series colors: G2, G7
• H-series colors: H8, H14, H16, H19
• I-series colors: I2, I18
• J-series colors: J3
• Special color: CC55

Several thread colors are marked with an asterisk (*) — including B3*, C1*, D1*, D12*, D18*, E19*, H14*, H16*, and B19* — which typically denotes specific usage notes, blending instructions, or special placement guidance within the technical chart. Stitchers should refer carefully to the technical diagram for these notations.

As a DMC pattern, this design is intended for use with DMC stranded cotton embroidery floss, the brand's signature six-strand divisible thread known for its colorfastness, sheen, and wide color range. Embroiderers will also need a hand embroidery needle — typically a crewel or embroidery needle in a size appropriate for the fabric count being used — along with an embroidery hoop to keep the fabric taut during stitching. A plain woven fabric such as cotton or linen is the standard ground fabric for this type of surface embroidery project.

Techniques and Stitches

As an advanced beginner embroidery pattern from DMC, the Floral Bat design is likely to incorporate a range of classic hand embroidery stitches commonly used in decorative surface embroidery. While the PDF's extracted content focuses primarily on the color and technical diagrams, the complexity of the floral bat motif and the large number of thread colors