Embroidery is a fascinating pastime that has roots deep in human history. The art form, which has been around for tens of thousands of years, continues to wow and inspire people to this very day. While it’s just a hobby for some, others have pushed the boundaries of their needle-and-thread creativity above and beyond anyone’s expectations.
The r/Embroidery online community is a great place to find inspiration and support for hobbyists all around the globe. Today, we’re featuring some of the community’s latest and most creative and coolest projects. Scroll down to check them out, and be sure to show some love for your favorite ones.
#1 I’m Used To Working On Pet Portraits With Just Their Faces Showing, But For This Wedding Ring Holder The Lady Wanted The Whole Picture, Including Their Bodies Because Of Their Cute Pose. I Decided To Tackle It, And After 49 Colors Of Thread And 67 Hours Of Stitching Here It Is! ?♥️
Image credits: monsterboxxx
#2 Embroidered My University Bag
Image credits: FAThusky45
#3 Remembering Summer… My Latest Ribbon Embroidery Work
Image credits: RibbonPalette
The r/Embroidery online community was created all the way back in February 2010. Over the past decade and a half, the group has grown by drawing in embroidery enthusiasts—amateur and veteran alike—from all corners of the world. Currently, the subreddit is home to a whopping 893k members.
Originally, the community was created as a place for embroiderers to share tips, techniques, resources, and ideas, whether they work by hand or use machines.
#4 Meet Stanley, My “I’m Bored, Let’s Try Something With All The Stitches!” Project. I’m Biased, But I Think He’s Pretty Majestic
Image credits: five_foot_nothing
#5 Pomegranate Embroidery Club?
Image credits: FerusSiv
#6 All My Iridescent Bird Embroidery!
Image credits: FulmarusGlacialis
The moderators are very light on the rules, all of which are straightforward and common sense.
Broadly speaking, they expect all members to respect each other, give credit where it’s due if they’re sharing projects that aren’t theirs, and keep self-promotion to a minimum. If you want to promote yourself and your embroidery, you can do so either in the moderator-posted mega threads or share your work in other online communities.
#7 Thread Painting Of The Geri-Freki Glacier On The Olympic Peninsula
Image credits: Kevensen34
#8 Jup’s Finished Portrait! ???
Image credits: monsterboxxx
#9 I Embroidered A Sardine Tin That Opens ???
Image credits: bluehydrangea
According to married artist couple Charles and Elin, embroidery is an ancient art form that traces its origins back to somewhere around the year 30,000 BC. Embroidery has been practiced across different cultures and classes throughout the ages. For the nobility, decorative embroidery was a pleasurable pastime.
Meanwhile, the members of the working class would use their needle-and-thread skills mainly for mending clothes, quilting, and marking things like sheets, napkins, and tablecloths with letters and numbers.
#10 ???
Image credits: dreamscaperer
#11 2 Years And Finally
Image credits: tinanotfromchina
#12 12-String Celtic Harp Across Three Hoops - I Call This Piece “Trinity”
Image credits: colormuse
As per Carrie Brummer, fossilized clothing from around 30,000 BC (the Cro-Magnon era) shows decorative stitching in clothing, boots, and hats. Advanced Printwear notes that examples of embroidery have been unearthed by archeologists pretty much everywhere around the globe. Of course, different cultures had different attitudes to embroidery that changed over time.
#13 A Wheatfield With Cypresses - Vincent Van Gogh ?
Image credits: rollupstar
#14 Alphonse Mucha Embroidery
Image credits: NinavMoria
#15 Gift For My Girlfriend Is Almost Done :)
Image credits: Freyguy9
However, it was only in the mid-1800s that embroidery took on a drastically different scale. The very first embroidery machines made in France automated part of the work and changed the process. In the late 20th century, cultural attitudes to embroidery changed, too, and it became an activity that even men of high social standing gladly took up in public.
#16 Finished
Image credits: EverWhatever202
#17 ???
Image credits: kenz024
#18 Clippy Always Knows ??
Image credits: kenz024
Starting any new hobby can be tough, but a growth-oriented mentality can make the entire process more pleasant. People tend to enjoy doing the things they’re good at and shy away from stuff they’re not skilled at. It’s only natural.
So, it can be daunting to pick up a needle for the very first time. But if you focus on having fun and the process itself rather than the end result, you can avoid a lot of anxiety.
#19 One Of My Best Embroideries To Date: A Wedding Anniversary
Image credits: santoyotecanto
#20 For My Roommate ?
Image credits: blueeyebookworm25
#21 A Pair Of Beaded Budgie Buddies
Image credits: hvalur87
To get started with embroidery, all you really need is a basic kit that includes a hoop, some fabric, a needle, and thread. But more than all the physical equipment, the most important things are having a bit of patience, the willingness to experiment, and reframing ‘failure’ as a learning opportunity, instead of something to be ‘ashamed’ of.
Add a dash of research and a willingness to be part of the vast community of embroiderers, and you’ve got a good start.
#22 Floral Dog Paw
Image credits: lavender_haze_1988
#23 Finished My Hoodie
Image credits: turnthemoonup
#24 Added A Bit Of Stitching To My Favorite Pair Of Overalls ?⬛
Image credits: colormuse
When you’re part of a community of like-minded hobbyists, it’s far easier to move past any failure, burnout, and roadblocks. Not only can you get emotional support when the going gets tough, but you can always rely on veterans to share some bits of advice that helped them deal with the challenges that you’re now facing.
#25 A Little Fishy Friend
Image credits: hvalur87
#26 Whale Finished
Image credits: Wordswovenin
#27 I Embroidered A Portrait Of The Most Soulful Lab
Image credits: cremepat
No matter the art form, no matter the issues you’re facing, you’re never really alone. And that’s an inspiring thought in and of itself. If you genuinely enjoy the hobby and it fulfills you, with a bit of persistence (and a helping hand!), you’ll get back in the swing of things. It’s human to be disappointed in your results once in a while. But don’t let that demotivate you or push you away from doing something you love.
#28 12” Hand Embroidery Of My Parents’ House
Image credits: facelessbich47
#29 Just Finished A 12” Hoop Of A New Zealand Harrier Hawk (Kāhu)
Image credits: sinistersista
#30 New Project Finished!!
Image credits: MarianaMolina
Which of these embroidery projects impressed you the most, Pandas? Which of these did you love so much that you’d be happy to hang it up on the wall at home? Have you ever tried your hand at embroidery? If so, how did you enjoy it? Do you still find time for your hobby? On the flip side, maybe you’ve tried a similar hobby like crochet?
We can’t wait to hear from you. Let us know what you think in the comments! And for awesome new embroidery pics, be sure to follow r/Embroidery.
#31 Flow
Image credits: rosie578
#32 Another Emotional Tribute And Keepsake..?
Image credits: ThecraftyneedleGoods
#33 My 1st Piece
Image credits: peenutbuttajellytime
#34 My Two Loves, Pretty Frames And Insects. These Are A Few Of My Favorites I've Stitched Recently! ??
Image credits: bluehydrangea
#35 Snoopy’s Morning Routine
Image credits: Sa1tyWaffles
#36 My Husband And I Have Been Married 10 Years Today So I Stitched Him This Anniversary Present. He’s My Very Favorite Person. ?
Image credits: colormuse
#37 Just Finished This Floral Piece
Image credits: ImMxWorld
#38 My One Halloween Hoop For The Year! ?
Image credits: jlskkslj
#39 Made These Mini Monogram Embroideries For My Daughter's Classmates As Year End Gifts
Image credits: ThecraftyneedleGoods
#40 I Made A Mini Terrarium And I'm Obsessed With How Cute It Turned Out ?
Image credits: bluehydrangea
#41 Had A Go At Turning One Of My Own Ink Drawings Into An Embroidery. Black Shuck, The 'Straunge And Terrible Wunder' Of East Anglia!
Image credits: Reddishyroo
#42 "Pull Me Back In," 14" Hoop
Image credits: taub_taube
#43 My 4-Yr-Old Daughter Calls Shredded Cheddar “Cheese Sprinkles” And Grated Parmesan “Sprinkle Cheese” And It Can Get Confusing, So I Stitched This Handy Guide To Hang In Our Kitchen
Image credits: colormuse
#44 2.5 Months Of My Life
Image credits: Occufood
#45 Some Detail Shots Of Recent Work
Image credits: taub_taube
#46 After +10k Hours Of Practice, 4 Years Ago When I Started Thread Painting vs. Now
Image credits: Miuembroidery
#47 The Last Unicorn Is Alive(Finished)!!
Image credits: Askget
#48 Ocean Eye - Framed Embroidery
Image credits: epallos
#49 Beep Beep! Can You Spot The Coyote?
Image credits: msmonocles
#50 Present For A Y2k Themed Birthday
Image credits: stephstephstephi
