Three French hens in the grass, 12 days of Christmas cross stitch pattern

55 × 21 stitches 10 colors 3.9 × 1.5 in on 14-count

A PDF for 14-count on US Letter paper: overview, symbol charts and thread list. Change the count or paper

You will need

Fabric: 14-count Aida, cut 10 × 8 in (the design is 3.9 × 1.5 in; 14-count has 14 squares to the inch)
Needle: Tapestry, size 24
Thread: 10 DMC colors, 2 strands at a time (DMC is the thread maker whose color numbers charts use)

Your thread palette: 10 threads ↓

DMC 938 Ultra Dark Coffee Brown
DMC 3865 Winter White
DMC 921 Copper
DMC 931 Medium Antique Blue
DMC 989 Forest Green
DMC 919 Red Copper
DMC 930 Dark Antique Blue
DMC 415 Pearl Gray
DMC 321 Red
DMC 783 Medium Topaz

Want to make it yours? opens this chart in the pattern maker, where every stitch can be changed too. Or download it just as it is.

Fabric count and finished sizeCount is the number of squares per inch. Higher count makes the same design smaller; the stitches and thread colors stay the same. Sizes shown are the stitched area; allow extra fabric for finishing.

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About this pattern

Three plump hens standing in a row on a strip of grass: a slate blue one, a white one and a rust-colored one, for the three French hens of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Each has a red comb and wattle, a gold beak, a darker wing patch and tail and gold legs. The blue hen faces right and stands beak to beak with the white hen; the rust hen behind them faces left as well. No words or figures are drawn. Dark brown outline. Full crosses only. It is 55 by 21 stitches and uses ten thread colors.

55 stitches wide by 21 high: 672 full cross stitches in 10 DMC colors (Ultra Dark Coffee Brown 938, Winter White 3865, Copper 921 and 7 more).

Finished size by fabric count
Fabric	Inches	Centimeters
11-count Aida	5.0 × 1.9	12.7 × 4.8
14-count Aida, or 28-count over two	3.9 × 1.5	10.0 × 3.8
16-count Aida, or 32-count over two	3.4 × 1.3	8.7 × 3.3
18-count Aida	3.1 × 1.2	7.8 × 3.0
22-count Hardanger	2.5 × 1.0	6.3 × 2.4

Sizes are the stitched area. Add about 3 inches (7.5 cm) on every side when you cut your fabric.

The fabric color changes the preview only: every cross matches your chart.

Thread list & pattern notes

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“Find it” opens a search for that thread on Amazon, in a new tab. Floss Field is not affiliated with DMC or Amazon.

Symbol	Thread	Stitches	Buy
●	DMC 938 Ultra Dark Coffee Brown	174	Find it
X	DMC 3865 Winter White	94	Find it
▲	DMC 921 Copper	94	Find it
+	DMC 931 Medium Antique Blue	94	Find it
■	DMC 989 Forest Green	93	Find it
O	DMC 919 Red Copper	27	Find it
◆	DMC 930 Dark Antique Blue	27	Find it
=	DMC 415 Pearl Gray	27	Find it
★	DMC 321 Red	24	Find it
#	DMC 783 Medium Topaz	18	Find it

Suggested DMC colors. Screen colors are approximate. Previews show the exact chart.

Print the chart (opens the PDF in a new tab)

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New to cross stitch? How to cross stitch

Count is the number of squares to the inch: 14-count fabric has 14, and a higher count makes the same design smaller. DMC is the thread maker whose color numbers most charts use.