Since another World Embroidery Day is just around the corner, I updated this 2018 post and added more information about the embroidery artists and what they’ve been up to lately. Also, since it is World Embroidery Day, I listed what countries they are from and/or living in.
—S
In honor of the upcoming World Embroidery Day (July 30), here are 18 modern embroidery art pieces and patterns!
1. Travel memories.
Charles Henry and Elin Petronella (a.k.a. “Le Kadre”) embroider scenes from places they travel.
Artists: Charles Henry and Elin Petronella
Countries: France and Sweden
Currently…
- Still together, but no longer going by Le Kadre, the artistic couple’s new website is simply charlesandelin.com.
- They’ve also created the Charles and Elin Academy, where they offer online courses in modern hand embroidery.
2. Intricate blooms.
Brannon Addison of Happy Cactus Designs does spontaneous freehand embroidery of tiny flowers, leaves, and ferns. Doesn’t this piece just look so joyful?! (h/t Brown Paper Bag)
Artist: Brannon Addison
Country: USA
Currently…
- Happy Cactus Designs is her line of framed, one-of-a-kind pieces that she has embroidered by hand.
- High quality photos of some of her work become the front of cheerful, blank greeting cards.
3. Geometric heart.
Busy Being Jennifer explains how to sew your own “geo style” embroidery art, like the heart she made.
Artist: Jennifer Jayne
Country: Canada
Currently…
- Jennifer continues to write about DIY and craft projects, food, health, and a variety of other topics.
- She recently posted about what to see during a romantic weekend in Verona, Italy!
4. Solar system on a string.
Alice of Cut and Rum created this fanciful piece that shows the planets on cat’s cradle strings. She teaches hand embroidery classes on Skillshare.
Artist: Alice Mitev
Countries: from Brazil, living in Germany
Currently… Her Instagram bio includes a link to get 2 free months of Skillshare Premium!
5. Artist trading cards.
iHanna made these sunny embroidered artist trading cards on fabric with painted backgrounds.
Artist: Hanna Andersson
Country: Sweden
Currently…
- Hanna created her first short film! It’s called “Winter.”
- Other media she has been exploring recently include watercolor, collage, and art journalling.
- She continues to share her latest projects on her site, Studio iHanna.
6. Coffee
Emily Lewin, whose travel photography we featured in a previous post, uses embroidery to embellish her photos with subjects ranging from landscapes to latte art.
Artist: Emily Lewin Bose
Country: USA
Currently…
- She got married! Search “Emily Bose” to find her on social media.
- While she’s no longer selling on Etsy, you can find links to her book, past podcast episodes, and other projects at EmilyLewin.com.
7. Fabled.
Another find via Brown Paper Bag were these fanciful embroidered interpretations of Aesop’s Fables by Mika Hirasa (also known as MICAO).
Artist: Mika Hirasa / MICAO
Country: Japan
Currently…
- You can see MICAO’s latest projects on Behance.
- She has started writing and illustrating children’s books!
- The first book she published, Boring Sunday, uses embroidery in an inventive way that is also key to the story.
8. Stitched paintings.
Marna Lunt used stitches like brushstrokes to create her detailed, one-of-a-kind works.
Artist: Marna Lunt
Country: U.K. (northeast England)
Currently…
- Marna Lunt’s focus now is oil painting, often inspired by the North Yorkshire moors where she grew up.
- She no longer does embroidery or makes textile art.
9. Embroidered maps.
Mary Bryning makes embroidered maps of places, primarily near her home in northwestern England.
Artist: Mary Bryning
Country: U.K. (Wirral Peninsula)
Currently… She continues creating fiber art maps and nature-inspired pieces.
10. Pineapples.
These pineapples were stitched by Yumiko Higuchi, with help from her cat, Bona. To see more of Bona on Instagram, check out hashtag #樋口ボナ or #BonaHiguchi.
Artist: Yumiko Higuchi
Country: Japan (Tokyo)
Currently…
- Yumiko Higuchi’s latest book is Embroidery in Everyday Life. (It’s in Japanese with an English translation is in progress.)
- Several of her other books have been translated into English, as well as some into Korean, French, and German.
11. I love you.
Make + Do Crew offers this embroidery pattern of the ASL sign for “I love you” free to subscribers of their email list.
Artist: Jess Coppom
Country: USA (Colorado)
Currently…
- The Make + Do Crew is made up of Jess Coppom, along with her mother and sisters.
- Although this is an embroidery design, their focus is on creating crochet patterns that are easy to follow and make cozy items.
12. Donutotoros!
Phoenix artist IggyStarpup whipped up a dozen donut-shaped Totoros!
Artist: IggyStarpup / Courtney Doom
Country: USA (Arizona)
Currently…
- Courtney Doom recently created a new Animal Crossing Collection.
- She carries more of her embroidery art, stickers, and pins in her Etsy shop.
13. Mountain scene postcard.
GrannyAbell upcycles paper grocery bags into postcards with designs embroidered onto them. There’s white cardstock on the back, so your writing will show up clearly!
Artist: Alicia Hubbell (F.K.A. Granny Abell)
Country: USA (from Navajo Nation, living in Illinois)
Currently… Now Alicia Hubbell sells her embroidery, paper, and bead art as Loveabell Studio.
14. Fox.
Helen Richman of The Bluebird Embroidery Company creates original embroidery of lovely, realistic-looking forest animals.
Artist: Helen Richman
Country: U.K. (Somerset, England)
Currently…
- In addition to her original embroidered artwork, she sells embroidery kits, greeting cards and prints of her original designs.
- She also takes commissions for pet portraits and other subjects.
15. Winged heart.
Constanza created this puffy heart with couched embroidery, ribbon, fibers – and two days’ work.
Artist: Constanza Berger Silva
Countries: Chile / USA / England
Currently… Constanza Berger sells her art, as well as vintage and antique items in her Etsy shop, Peregrine Blue.
16. Swallow galaxy.
There’s a magical quality to this swallow with a tail of stars trailing behind it by Juno Embroidery.
Artist: juno (ユノ)
Country: Japan
Currently…
- Earlier this summer, her embroidery art was on display at Hyakuchomori, a children’s book and toy store in Shizuoka, Japan.
- She created the poster art for ArtMACHI creators’ conference for 2024, Year of the Dragon.
17. Tiny feather necklaces.
These cute little embroidery hoops by Jenny Vantland might get lost on your wall, but they’re a great size for necklaces!
Artist: Jenny Vantland
Country: USA (coastal Georgia)
Currently…
- Jenny Vantland’s personal Instagram (where these necklaces were featured) is now private.
- You can follow Goldie, her new brand of embroidered caps celebrating the Golden Isles of Georgia.
- To purchase one, DM her via @goldie.merch on Instagram.
- In person, you can find her merch at Viola’s Market on St. Simons Island or Makers in Brunswick, Georgia.
18. We’re all human.
Sarah K. Benning designed this pattern with a simple and powerful message. It’s available for purchase, and all proceeds go to RAICES Texas.
Artist: Sarah K. Benning
Country: USA (Maryland)
Currently…
…Donations
- This pattern is not online anymore.
- You can still donate directly to RAICES to support their work advocating for immigrants and refugees.
- Sarah K. Benning is taking a break from Etsy and no longer creates or sells DIY embroidery patterns.
- You can find her stunning embroidery artwork on her site and at Apartment 528.
- She’s the subject of an entire book! Embroidered Life: The Art of Sarah K. Benning by Sara Barnes.
…Sara Barnes
- Besides authoring Embroidered Life, Sara Barnes writes about great illustration (which often includes embroidery) on her site, Brown Paper Bag.
- Her site is where I learned about two of the artists I featured above, Brannon Addison (#2) and MICAO (#7). (So we’ve kind of come full circle!)
Updated July 2024.
Originally posted July 2018.
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