Birthday Faeries April - PDF

Birthday Faeries April – Cross Stitch Pattern by Kooler Design Studio (KDS# 1371)

Birthday Faeries April is a charming counted cross stitch pattern designed by Barbara Baatz Hillman for Kooler Design Studio (KDS# 1371), published in 2012 as part of the Kooler Classic Charts series. This delightful embroidery design features an April-themed birthday faerie, making it a perfect decorative piece for celebrations, seasonal displays, nursery décor, or a thoughtful handmade gift for anyone with an April birthday. The finished piece is well-suited for framing, finishing as a greeting card insert, or incorporating into a variety of decorative projects.

What Is Being Made

Stitchers will create a decorative embroidery piece depicting an April Birthday Faerie — a whimsical, illustrated faerie character rendered in soft, warm floss colors with delicate details. The design is part of a broader Birthday Faeries series from Kooler Design Studio, making it a collectible chart for fans of the collection. Once completed, the stitched piece can be displayed as home décor, used as a seasonal decoration, or gifted as a personalized keepsake.

Design Size and Stitch Count

The design has a stitch count of 70 stitches wide by 97 stitches high. Depending on the fabric count chosen, the finished stitched area will measure approximately:

• 10 Count Aida: 6¼ inches wide × 8¾ inches high
• 14 Count Aida: 5 inches wide × 6⅞ inches high
• 16 Count Aida: 4⅜ inches wide × 6 inches high
• 18 Count Aida: 3⅞ inches wide × 5⅜ inches high

It is recommended to add 4 to 6 inches to each measurement when cutting fabric to allow sufficient border for framing or finishing.

Recommended Fabric

The design is intended to be stitched on 14 Count White Aida fabric, which is one of the most popular and beginner-friendly evenweave fabrics available. Aida cloth features a clearly defined grid of holes that makes it easy to count stitches accurately, making this pattern accessible even to those new to counted cross stitch. Other fabric counts listed above can be used to adjust the finished size of the piece.

Techniques Used

This pattern incorporates several classic embroidery techniques commonly used in counted cross stitch:

• Full Cross Stitch: The primary stitch used to fill in the design, worked with 3 strands of floss for solid, well-covered stitches on 14 Count Aida.
• Quarter Stitch (¼ Stitch): Used to add refined detail and smoother curves to the design, also worked with 3 strands of floss. Quarter stitches travel from a corner of the fabric square to the center hole, allowing for more precise shaping of curved or detailed areas such as the faerie's features and wings.
• Backstitch: Used for outlining, defining edges, and adding fine detail lines throughout the design. Backstitching is worked with either 1 or 2 strands of floss depending on the area being outlined, creating crisp, clean definition that brings the faerie illustration to life.
• French Knots: Small, textured knots worked with 2 strands of floss, used to add dimensional detail — typically for eyes, flower centers, or decorative accents within the design.

Materials – Floss and Thread

The pattern calls for DMC stranded cotton embroidery floss in a carefully curated palette of soft pinks, warm yellows, greens, and corals that evoke a springtime, birthday celebration mood. The full list of DMC colors used includes:

• DMC 469 – used for full cross stitch and backstitch
• DMC 519 – used for full cross stitch and quarter stitch
• DMC 605 – full cross stitch