#m embroiders

[onbeinganangel]

a lamen, patrochilles and drarry wee matching set for @nv-md 🥰 a gift, for this year’s @fandomtrumpshate

ALI, my love, i cannot believe how incredibly generous your donation to the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund was and I am ridiculously pleased you picked (and by picked i mean you fought tooth and nail to remain at the top of that bidding spreadsheet lmao) me of all people to make you a little gift! you are wonderful and it was a pleasure to make you this little trio!!

this was truly a dream to work on! thank you for indulging me and letting me do EXACTLY the kind of work i love — super delicate stitching, lots of script and hands! on top of that, i got to embroider some non-drarry, which was a delight. thank you, thank you, thank you 🥺 i am chuffed to bits you get to hold these with your own hands now!!

[this is essentially all back stitch and whipped back stitch, using black pearl cotton for the script and traditional six-strand embroidery thread for the hands. all on plain white cotton and 20cm hoops. the quote on the Captive Prince hoop is C. S. Pacat’s own from Kings Rising, and the one on the Song of Achilles hoop is Madeline Miller’s. the Drarry hoop features a quote by our Ali herself, from her fic A Blanket Made of Stars. please zoom in because the stitching is dainty AF and tumblr is mean to me.]

[onbeinganangel]

embroidered fic recs 28/?

Among Ancient Pines by Theartfulldodger (aka @graymatters)

[useless technical shinfo: this one is all satin stitch with a little bit of back stitch for the trees at the bottom. all on plain white cotton, using 25 different shades of thread (this is the most i’ve ever used on one hoop only!!), and a 30cm hoop. all together it took about 35 hours.]

Good god, I’ve been waiting to make this one for aaaaaaaaaages! I first read Among Ancient Pines just about a week after it was first posted and I knew pretty much immediately (or immediately after I stopped crying about it, I guess) that I wanted to make a big beautiful hoop for it. When it finally came to it a few months ago, I knew it was time I tried my hand at a colour blocking embroidery style, which I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I still cannot believe how well it worked.

I have always loved Sara’s writing and to get to bask in its beauty for as long as this fic allowed me to was an absolute treat. The atmosphere is simply gorgeous and you won’t really get a choice but to get fully wrapped up in it and let yourself be taken for the ride.

Can’t go on without mentioning that this fic was written for the H/D Big Bang, which means two incredibly talented artists have made art for it already, so please allow me to direct you to @cambiodipolvere​’s post here with his AAP art, and to @onlytheheartknows​’s own post here! Both their styles fit so incredibly well with the story that I genuinely teared up about it at one point.

Part of the beauty of this fic are the characters in it and even though the Harry and the Draco in this are absolutely perfect (and I really mean perfect), the story goes so beyond them that it fills my heart. I think I can say without a doubt that if I had to pick original characters from any fic I’ve ever read to meet irl, I would pick characters from Among Ancient Pines. 

If you like a masterpiece in building tension absolutely out of control, delicious magical theory, absolutely heartbreaking attention to detail, a stunning Ginny & Draco friendship, beautiful OCs that you’ll be willing to die for, gorgeous setting and ultimately, a story about growing and making the right and wrong decisions, all I can say is, why the fuck haven’t you clicked that link yet?

[onbeinganangel]

artists self rec! when you get this, reply with your favourite five arts/sets/edits/gifs that you've done, then pass on to at least five other people. time to shine and spread some self-love and appreciation 🥰 <3

omg sia, hi!!! it feels so special to get this question from you, the very first person i ever chatted to when i first fell into the drarry rabbit hole 💛💛💛

i’ve not embroidered fic recs in a while (though i have just finished a GORGEOUS commission i can share soon!!) but i think about it a lot. so this is gonna be a bit of little end of the year introspective look at my work. here are my favourite five embroidery projects i’ve done:

fic rec for almost heaven by M0stlyVoid

(original post here) — i just love how this one came out! i love the simplicity of the hands and the wee plait that i made! i fucked up my entire back doing this in 6 hours because i’m a mess but i still think it was totally worth it. this is also responsible for my obsession with embroidering hands (may it live forever) so, again, totally worth it!!

fic rec for Running on Air by eleventy7

(original post here) — this fic will never not be special. these were a lot of work but they remind me of a very special summer and autumn of sitting in the park embroidering and i love that they’re a set of two, with the iconic landscapes. i just love how they are different but complement each other! it makes me think i’d love to make more matching sets actually 👀

3. fic rec for Who we are in the shadows by Quicksilvermaid

(original post here) — i think i love this one specifically because of how experimental it is. i love the gauzy base fabric, the cotton wool, the textured moon. i keep meaning to play with fabric more and haven’t done it as much as i wish, but i really enjoy looking at all the textures in this one

fic rec for Among Ancient Pines by Theartfulldodger

(original post here) — talk about texture!! this was one of those that took AGES and a lot of patience to keep going and going and going with the same bloody stitch. a lot of textile art is trusting the process, and this one put me through it a bit. i love the end result so much though! it's so colourful and bright and i love that i even made the wee trees at the bottom work, which was terrifying after spending so many hours on the base layer haha

fic rec for The Last of What the World Left You by xanthippe74

(original post here) — i mean, look at this wee fella, how could i not love him to death 🥺 i LOVE filling in colour with long and short stitch. satin stitch is satisfying but i just love the depth and dimension long and short stitch give pieces. until this piece though, i'd never dared do it in darker colours! i think it takes a lot more finesse and you can lose a lot of detail with the darker thread. i took a chance because i really, REALLY wanted to embroider HIM specifically for xanthippe's fic, and the effort absolutely paid off. i am no longer scared of darker colours and he makes me smile every time i see him

this got super long to no one's surprise but it was a pleasure to look at these! i think i tend to overanalyse (and worry over) my writing a lot more than i do my embroidery so this was really fun! thank you again <3

[onbeinganangel]

embroidered fic recs 27/?

The Last of What the World Left You by @xanthippe74

[useless technical shinfo: this one is mostly long and short stitch with some back stitching for the outer lines and a lone french knot for the eye. as usual, on plain white cotton, using 8 different shades of thread, and a 20cm hoop. all together it took about 22 hours.]

It is almost embarrassing to admit that I read this fic at the end of May last year while on holiday and it's taken me this long to actually make something for it. Truth is, I actually drew (and started stitching) three different hoops for this fic before I settled on this little guy. There are just so many gorgeous moments that come alive in Xan's stunning writing and I really wanted to embroider them all.

The Last of What the World Left You is full of rich prose and gorgeous descriptions that pull you into this world in such a way you won't ever want to leave. It was pure luck that I picked this out of my MFL list as a holiday read, and I ended up surrounded by gorgeous green fields and the most stunning landscape as I read. It made for the most immersive read ever, and I can't imagine a better way to experience this masterpiece.

If I am confessing embarrassing truths I may as well tell you that it has been ten months since I read this fic and I still haven't managed to comment on the last chapter because I simply cannot figure out how to convey my feelings about it. If I think about it too hard, I still get all choked up. What do you say to the perfect fic?

If you like an impeccable Draco voice, beautiful and hopeful mutual growth, touched starved Drarry slowly accepting each other, proper enemies to lovers, an incredible perspective on Master of Death!Harry, and just the most captivating slow burn: run, don't walk.

[onbeinganangel]

embroidered fic recs 23/?

Two Zinnias and the Scent of Lemon by thestarryknight

[useless technical shinfo: i used a lot of long and short stitch, satin stitch and back stitch for this one. it's plain white cotton and fourteen different shades of thread on a 15cm hoop. all together it took about 18 hours.]

Full disclosure: embroidering these days is just blatant self indulgence. I just look at my little list of to-embroider, find the next birthday and go to town on whatever my obsession is at that moment. Right now, I'm all about texture and rule-breaking. And that is how this book cover style hoop has come to exist.

My darling @sitp-recs and I are of one mind and I could never write a rec for Two Zinnias as brilliant as a eloquent as she did right here, but I had the absolute pleasure of getting my grubby little hands on this fic well before it ever saw the light of day and seeing Starry's brilliant mind at work shaping it into what it is now, and I couldn't help but stitch something up for it. In fact, I remember the exact moment @the-starryknight said to me "I had an idea for Wireless" and started telling me about it and I knew I was witnessing the birth of something incredible.

Two Zinnias and the Scent of Lemon feels like a 100k fic. It's an immersive world in a very Starry way, and a whirlwind of plot, of action, and, at the same time, of romance and trust and softness. I don't often get my anti-establishment feelings served with a side of Victorian flower code but, after reading this, I'd say that's definitely how I prefer them.

My darling Starry, I've already gushed at you plenty about how wonderful you are so I'll just end it here by telling you what an honour it is, to know you deeply.

[onbeinganangel]

embroidered fic recs 26/?

Breathe You In and Steal/Keep by @shealwaysreads

[useless technical shinfo: this has my usual bastardised version of a long and short stitch, back stitch and some wee French knots. i used raw unbleached cotton, 20 different shades of thread, and tiny 4cm hoops. all together it took about 16 hours.]

My first double fic feature! It's no secret I have a wild writerly crush on @shealwaysreads so when I found out I got to make her a wee christmas present, I knew I had to go all out.

There are so many Bella fics I could have picked for this and that I love but I feel like these two perfectly represent her style and incredible range: soft, tender, ingenious, scorching. Plus, she's one of the wonderful brains behind @hdsudsfest so it all made sense in my head.

Breathe You In is a perfect stolen moment in time that I have reread many, many times in the last year for a bit of peace in my heart. It's one of those fics you read and it leaves you knowing you want that kind of peace for them, so badly. It's just a beautiful, tender, perfect fic.

Steal/Keep took my breath away the moment I saw @babooshkart's art for it and I was so not ready for what I was about to read. The most amazing little heist fic, with perfect pacing that keeps you on the edge of your seat for what's next and delicious side pairings to boot.

Both of these fics are lush and decadent, with the most vivid imagery and so, so full of love that you can't help but come out of it with your heart full of warmth. Such is the magic of anything @shealwaysreads writes. 💕

[onbeinganangel]

embroidered fic recs 24/?

Last Offices by tackytiger

[useless technical shinfo: this is all back stitch and long and short stitch, on black cotton, and using six different shades of thread on a 30cm hoop. it took me about 8 hours.]

It really was only a matter of time until I embroidered something for this fic. The heart wants what it wants.

Lovely @tackytigerfic, I know you said not to make you anything and you can be as cross as you wish to but it rather sounds to me like a waste of your birthday time. Totally up to you though.

I feel like everyone on the planet has heard me go on and on and on and on about this fic. Oh well. Sit tight, I’m gonna do it again.

MCD is a prickly theme. Death, grief and losing someone are tough subjects and that is what makes this fic so, so good. Tacky takes us through Harry’s loss with a hand that could never be light — not with this loss so raw and blatant and fresh — but is gentle.

I’ve said it several times before, I couldn’t get myself to comment on it immediately, cried about it to everyone who would hear it and promptly put myself to bed before five o’clock after reading this fic. It isn’t a happy read. But is a very nostalgic, immersive and real take on grief.

The closed-up setting forces you to face this grief head on and see how it goes so beyond Harry. Pansy, in particular, is heartbreaking in this fic.

Each memory of the past paints a tender, vivid image of Draco and their life together and the tone of the fic itself, the journey we take with Draco’s body as a map is much more than about loss. It’s about reverence, it’s about care and (dare I say it) it’s about romance.

Happy birthday, Tacky. Not a day goes by since I first read this fic that I don’t think about the specific line that inspired this hoop. Such is the power of your words. ✨

[onbeinganangel]

embroidered fic rec 14/?

oxygen by MaesterChill

[useless technical shinfo: i used mostly a backstitch a few little french knots because i can't stop myself when it comes to those and some strips of see-through grey fabric for the smoke, all on plain white cotton fabric, three different shades of thread and a 20cm hoop. all together this took about 6 hours]

Never have I ever experience so much angst over picking a fic to embroider out of someone's whole catalogue. In the end this choice was totally self-indulgent as it's perhaps one of my favourites of Maesterchill's and well... it meant I could embroider hands again!

Happiest of birthdays, @maesterchill! Here's a little treat to say thank you for all your wonderful words, your wonderful art and just your wonderful presence in fandom in general. This doesn't do your beautiful Draco art any justice but I hope you like it!

I remember the first time I read oxygen (I've probably reread at least three or four times since then) and I was absolutely knocked sideways by it. An actual masterclass in the use of Second Person POV and just... so. much. yearning.

I am arse over tit for Draco's characterisation in this — his inner speech is so him and so rich and so moving. There's such raw feeling and history packed into these neat 4k words and the atmosphere is just absolutely breathtaking. Fair warning: it may make you want a cigarette right after. That's what happened to me — it was totally worth it 🤭