Butterflies and Pomegranate Cross Stitch Pattern (Free PDF)
Butterflies and a pomegranate branch from Maria Sibylla Merian, the naturalist whose book on the insects of Suriname appeared in 1705. The paper ground is left out of the chart, so the fabric shows through and the butterflies seem to float on it.
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What you need
The full chart is 86 stitches wide and 114 high: 3,941 full cross stitches in 28 DMC colors, rated intermediate. On 14-count Aida, cut a piece at least 12.5 × 14.5 in (31 × 36 cm), which leaves 3 in spare on every side, and a 12-in hoop holds the whole design. One skein of each color is enough.
| DMC thread | Stitches | Spread over | Thread | Of a skein | If it is out of stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 610 Drab Brown Dark | 361 | 48 areas | 4.8 m | 20 % | 3781 Mocha Brown Dark |
| 3023 Brown Gray Light | 305 | 98 areas | 4.1 m | 17 % | 647 Beaver Gray Medium |
| 3830 Terra Cotta | 287 | 21 areas | 3.8 m | 16 % | 22 Alizarin |
| 840 Beige Brown Medium | 226 | 81 areas | 3.0 m | 13 % | 611 Drab Brown |
| 370 Mustard Medium | 213 | 43 areas | 2.8 m | 12 % | 371 Mustard |
| 3011 Khaki Green Dark | 194 | 27 areas | 2.6 m | 11 % | 3364 Pine Green |
| 3782 Mocha Brown Light | 181 | 55 areas | 2.4 m | 10 % | 842 Beige Brown Very Light |
| 3768 Gray Green Dark | 173 | 10 areas | 2.3 m | 10 % | 3809 Turquoise Vy Dark |
| 642 Beige Gray Dark | 170 | 47 areas | 2.3 m | 9 % | 3032 Mocha Brown Medium |
| 720 Orange Spice Dark | 168 | 17 areas | 2.2 m | 9 % | 946 Burnt Orange Medium |
| 3022 Brown Gray Medium | 162 | 52 areas | 2.2 m | 9 % | 522 Fern Green |
| 3790 Beige Gray Ultra Dark | 143 | 54 areas | 1.9 m | 8 % | 3862 Mocha Beige Dark |
| 3052 Green Gray Medium | 126 | 37 areas | 1.7 m | 7 % | 3364 Pine Green |
| 841 Beige Brown Light | 115 | 39 areas | 1.5 m | 6 % | 612 Drab Brown Light |
| 3863 Mocha Beige Medium | 115 | 30 areas | 1.5 m | 6 % | 167 Yellow Beige Very Dark |
| 839 Beige Brown Dark | 113 | 19 areas | 1.5 m | 6 % | 3781 Mocha Brown Dark |
| 3864 Mocha Beige Light | 109 | 37 areas | 1.5 m | 6 % | 842 Beige Brown Very Light |
| 3773 Desert Sand Dark | 108 | 29 areas | 1.4 m | 6 % | 435 Brown Very Light |
| 372 Mustard Light | 92 | 35 areas | 1.2 m | 5 % | 834 Golden Olive Very Light |
| 3363 Pine Green Medium | 91 | 29 areas | 1.2 m | 5 % | 988 Forest Green Medium |
| 520 Fern Green Dark | 83 | 29 areas | 1.1 m | 5 % | 3051 Green Gray Dark |
| 3726 Antique Mauve Dark | 81 | 14 areas | 1.1 m | 4 % | 3721 Shell Pink Dark |
| 223 Shell Pink Light | 71 | 17 areas | 0.9 m | 4 % | 3778 Terra Cotta Light |
| 3053 Green Gray | 64 | 24 areas | 0.9 m | 4 % | 522 Fern Green |
| 926 Gray Green Medium | 62 | 14 areas | 0.8 m | 3 % | 598 Turquoise Light |
| 3861 Cocoa Light | 54 | 13 areas | 0.7 m | 3 % | 3859 Rosewood Light |
| 3808 Turquoise Ultra Very Dark | 51 | 7 areas | 0.7 m | 3 % | 3809 Turquoise Vy Dark |
| 21 Alizarin Light | 23 | 14 areas | 0.3 m | 1 % | 3064 Desert Sand |
Thread for 2 strands on 14-count (how it is worked out).
Reading this chart
The center of the chart is column 43, row 57, a Brown Gray Medium stitch.
Terra Cotta has the largest connected block, 115 stitches. Brown Gray Light is the most scattered: 305 stitches in 98 separate spots, 47 of them single stitches.
A row uses about 18.5 separate runs of thread on average; the busiest is row 23, with 34. 60 % of the grid stays bare fabric, which makes this one quick for its size.
Budget roughly 19.5 hours to 39.5 hours (how we estimate that). New to charts? Read how to read one.
Finished size
| Fabric | Finished size | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 11-count | 7.8 × 10.4 in | 19.9 × 26.3 cm |
| 14-count | 6.1 × 8.1 in | 15.6 × 20.7 cm |
| 16-count | 5.4 × 7.1 in | 13.7 × 18.1 cm |
| 18-count | 4.8 × 6.3 in | 12.1 × 16.1 cm |
Ideas for using it
- Natural history print for a study
- Gift for a butterfly lover
- Pair with our vintage botanical rose
Stitching tips
- Stitch on cream fabric for the look of an old book plate.
- Do the bright orange flowers first, as they anchor the design.
- A backstitch line around the wings will sharpen them if you want more detail.
About the artwork
This chart is based on Plate from Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium by Maria Sibylla Merian (1705), which is in the public domain. Image source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain). We made the chart with our own pattern maker, which reduces the picture to a grid of stitches and a set of DMC threads, so expect a simplified version of the original rather than an exact copy. It has not been stitched by us, so check the preview and try a small area first.
Free for personal use, and you may sell a few pieces you stitched yourself. Details in the terms.
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