Weaving Stitches into My Art: How Embroidery Enhances My Illustrations
Embroidery has been a part of my life since childhood. I fondly remember stitching cross-stitch patterns as a kid and still have a couple of those pieces tucked away. But my love for embroidery has had its quiet moments—sometimes forgotten, sometimes rediscovered—until recently, when I found a way to weave it into my illustration practice.
A Forgotten Craft, Reimagined
About ten years ago, when my mother-in-law passed away, I inherited a collection of craft books and a box of embroidery floss. For years, it sat untouched under the bed, waiting for its moment. Over time, I dabbled here and there—trying embroidery kits and making felt Christmas ornaments—but nothing quite stuck.
Then, a couple of years ago, I was revisiting some of my past illustration work and stumbled upon a series of vegetable sketches done in ink and nib. I had experimented with ways to add color to them, even turning a few into printed tea towels, but something always felt off. No matter what medium I tried, the color never quite captured the essence of the original sketches. Frustrated, I tucked them away in a cupboard and moved on—until embroidery came calling.
Stitching Life into My Illustrations
One day, I pulled out a printed illustration of peas. Ironically, peas are never in our home because my husband is highly allergic, but they were small enough to test this new idea. I had no real plan—just an instinct to experiment. First, I figured out how to make holes in the card to stitch through. Then, using simple embroidery stitches, I started threading the design. To my surprise, I loved how it turned out! Encouraged, I moved on to embroidering a leek illustration, and the result was just as exciting. I attempted a tomato next, but the card tore, and I gave up on that one. The final success was a potato illustration—by then, I had three embroidered artworks that were full of texture, color, and uniqueness.
That experiment sparked something in me. I wanted to explore embroidery further, not just as an embellishment but as an integral part of my artistic process.
Embracing Fabric as a Medium
At some point, I realized that embroidering on card was too tricky—not because of the stitching itself, but because punching the holes was too labor-intensive. So I pivoted to fabric. I printed an illustration of an orange onto water-soluble stabilizer, stuck it onto fabric, and embroidered over it. It was a beautiful piece—until I washed it to dissolve the stabilizer, and disaster struck. The colors bled, ruining the entire piece. I’m still not sure if it was my printer ink or the old thread I used, but it was a valuable lesson in material testing!
Where Embroidery Fits into My Work Today
Now, embroidery is a tool I reach for whenever I want to add dimension, texture, or simply have fun with a project. It brings a meditative, tactile quality to my work, making my illustrations feel more personal and engaging. While I don’t consider myself an embroidery artist, I do see myself as an illustrator who incorporates embroidery into my creative process.
This year, I’ve set myself a new embroidery challenge: creating 12 hand-stitched patches for my daughter Cora’s backpack. Each one is based on my illustrations of things she loves. The first patch? A flake ice cream design, which you might recognize from my Ice Cream Tea Towel!
Follow the Journey
If you love embroidery, are curious about my process, or want to follow along as I create these 12 patches, I’d love for you to join me! Sign up for my newsletter to get behind-the-scenes insights, work-in-progress updates, and a closer look at my creative methodology. I’d also love to hear from you—feel free to leave a comment below or drop me an email to share your own embroidery experiences or ask any questions!
Embroidery has brought new life to my illustrations—maybe it will inspire something in you, too!
