Embroidered Pet Portraits

Embroidered Pet Portraits

I love stitching commissioned pet portraits! Though they're stylistically very different than the stylized, geometric pieces I normally stitch, they're full of texture and interest given the layering of the stitches. I use a freeform thread painting technique in which I place straight stitches over one another to achieve gradients, dimension, and a furry appearance.

I begin by using reference photos supplied by my clients to create a line drawing, which I then transfer to fabric. I always start stitching the eyes first, since I feel like they're the most important and have to be just right. Then I move on to the nose, and then the rest. It's always so satisfying to watch these pieces come together, stitch by stitch.