Hi friends! We had so much fun creating this project. This is the first project in our yearlong collaboration with Canon USA! Today we're taking a few of our favorite photos, printing large black and white versions and adding stitches to create colorful, textural works of art! It's similar to this embroidered photo project we did, but we wanted to try a more abstract design and really play with color. Here's what we did…
Step 1: Print your photos! We used the Canon PRO-100 printer and their huge semi-gloss photo paper. As you can see, the quality is absolutely amazing! We were able to fit two 8×12 photos on one 13×19 piece of photo paper.
A few tips: We used the PRO-100, because of how rich the blacks are, but you could definitely pull this off with the MG6320. If you're using the PRO-100, be sure to load the paper so that the "good side" is facing up. Super obvious, I know, but we definitely made that mistake at first, since it's different than a lot of paper trays out there. 😉
Step 2: Start stitching! We used yarn and embroidery thread to cover the photo in fun, abstract stitches! Don't be shy—just go for it! Each photo took us about 4 hours to embroider, so we recommend doing this while watching TV or a movie for a few nights. Mad Men, anyone? ;)
A note about color: I find that using a limited color scheme (like all warm or all cool colors) on a black and white photo works really well! Whatever colors you choose, be sure to lay all the fibers out together before stitching to make sure you love the mix!
Step 3: Continue stitching until all of the "white space" in your photograph is filled with random stitches. Be sure to overlap some colors and add stitches in a variety of styles and directions.
Step 4: Framing! I purchased a floating frame set that was a little too large for my 8×12 prints. I added some balsa wood strips behind the photo and I love the detail it adds!
Done! I'm so excited to display these pieces in our home.
Enjoy your new artwork! Which photo will you choose for this project?
xo. Elsie
93 Comments
Oh, this is soo beautiful!
I would took a photo of my sister
http://www.windschlag.de
This looks amazing! Ireally love the birhgt colors against the black&white photos; what a creative idea!
Emily
http://www.growingwildginger.com
What a fun DIY. Thanks for sharing!
http://sarahthearchitect.com/
These are so freaking cute! What an awesome idea.
Love this so much! Where would I get the same supplies for framing?
This is such a creative idea! LOVE IT! The entire gallery looks so great together!
brandy j | http://www.prettyplainjanes.com
This is awesome!
I love the framing….where did you find the strips of wood for the background? Thanks for always inspiring me to be more creative!
Such a fun idea! I love it & your photos are gorgeous too:)
I love the idea, and the dogs are so cute. Maybe I should do something like this with my dog.
xx,
A
http://www.icouldlivehere.org
so cool! this really gives a great effect, I love it!
That looks so cool! I love the look of black and white photos, it really adds something!
xo Lisa
http://www.makinglifeslemons.com/
So cute !
Check out my new outfit post :
http://hidinginheaven.blogspot.fr/2013/05/the-one-with-acid-wash.html
OH! You guys are brilliant! You always have the most inspirational and wonderful ideas! I love that your projects are also budget friendly. Your blog helps me brainstorm how I’ll want to make my empty dorm look like home but without using a lot of money!
tessa lynn
ooh! these are awesome!
kw, http://www.ladiesinnavy.com
They turned out great! Something I definitely will have to try out – probably won’t look as good as this though!
http://www.dashofkate.blogspot.com
xo
Stitching photos. Genius. I swear you guys were given triple doses of creativity.
http://catherinedenton.com
My friend just recently lost her pug to old age. This would be a nice gift for her. Very pretty.
Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
This is really cute!! I’d love to do this for some of my friends!!
xo, Clare
http://thewanderingelefant.blogspot.com/
great post!
http://somebodyfromsomewhere.blogspot.com/
haha this project made me giggle, kind of goofy but quite adorable and unique 🙂
grace
http://herumbrella.com
This is such a CUTE D.I.Y!!!
Elly
http://ellysblogoffun.blogspot.com/
Awesome! What a fun idea.
By the way, I found something I bet you will love!! It involves pugs…:)
Check out http://www.etsy.com/listing/130776152/pug-wooden-collar-clips?ref=shop_home_active
(Ladybird Likes pug collar clips)
Cheers!
Lou xo
These are beautiful shots!
http://talisatalksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/clarins-gloss-prodige-04-candy.html
The cutest diy ever!
This art project looks creative. From a distance, the frames appear very neat… Something great to do with the kids. Thanks for sharing this idea. Keep it up!
Looks adorable and fun! 🙂
Really cute!
C’est superbe! Quelle bonne idée! Le résultat est très moderne 🙂
Bises,
Stephy
This is so cute! I can’t wait to try it on my favorite picture of our pup!
This is amazing! Love them!
Just love this! SO pretty.
X
http://kendra-genevieve-rose.blogspot.com
So cute! I have just the picture I can do this too. This project is now on my weekend diy list. 🙂
I find it hard to believe that each print took 4 hours to embroider?
This is such a cool idea!
Seaside Beauty http://seasidebeauty.blogspot.com/
Oh, man – I really love these!! 🙂 They remind me of your scrapbook pages! I was packing and came across your first book the other day and it brought me down a little scrapbook memory-lane. Yay!
Oh this is really cute. It looks so great. Another great project I have to try. Thank’s a lot for all those ideas.
These are cool!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
oh my god so cute! if only i had cute pets like yours to do this project to. I guess my 5 year old will have to suffice. 🙂
http://designthrift.blogspot.com
This is one of my favorite DIY’s you’ve done, hands down! I want to try this so badly!
i cant believe you come up with such amazing projects!
http://iamturquoise.com
Very cool! Reminds of the embroidery sets I had as a child.
This looks so awesome! So cute!
Love these! Such a brilliant and cute idea! 🙂 x
lemon-freckles.blogspot.co.uk
I love thisss! Such a great decoration would have never thought about this myself. Well done!
http://www.kotrynabass.com
l o v e i t ! S o c u t e! Great idea! xxx
These look great, such a good idea!
Lauren
livinginaboxx
these are so lovely, I like your colour scheme it makes the pictures work so well together
http://ahandfulofhope.blogspot.co.uk/
This is so amazing. You have the most brilliant ideas.
Carina xx
http://www.carstina.com/
Oh I love this project! I have some photos that need a little pizzazz and this would be great. I also really like how the balsa wood adds lovely texture to the whole look.
-Mollie
http://bloggingmollie.com
These are so cute! What a fun idea.
Hannah x
http://alovelylook.com
This is so amazing! That’s my project for this weekend! x
http://19thmainstreet.wordpress.com/
This is sooooo cute!!!!! I must try it with my dogs, or kids….but one question, how did you stitch the photo without bending it all up? Just wondering….
The pictures and colors you chose for this project are absolutely adorable. I am regular on your blog, you guys are always up to something!
McKenna.
snapofhershutter.wordpress.com
Super cute! I can’t wait to try this to add a little more to my apartment!
That looks like such a fun project! Love it.
theramblingfangirl.com
This is so great! I love the balsa wood too-gives it such awesome depth!
I love how this makes the black and white pictures pop!
This is a crazy brillant idea! Love it! You two always inspire me to think of bigger and better projects.
xo
Diana
http://unusuallylovely.com
I am DEFINITELY doing this for my cat! So pretty and neat!
So fun!!
I love how the yarn (or embroidery floss) adds not only color, but a cool texture as well. Thank you for always having such inspiring (and budget friendly) DIY’s!
Allison
http://www.alliray.com/
Very cute idea!
Love love love…the color, the dimension! So great! I am so inspired by this (and your last embroidered photo you did) and can’t wait to try it out! I have a black and white daisy I shot/edited the other day and might play around with it for fun.
This is such a cute idea!
Ohhhh puppies!! So cute!
I think I will try this project – it looks like a lot of fun, and is pretty straightforward. I’ve really wanted to try painting on my photographs, and this method has a similar aesthetic 🙂
Wow. LOVE this! Never would have thought of it 🙂
Cute pups!
This is such a fun project idea. I’ll definitely have to try it out! xo
This looks amazing! I’m going to have to come back to this page hone it’s time to move to my new place this fall! And love that you used a photo of the pup! Love ideas on home decor!
Very original !
we are fans !
Xxx
http://rockmafialeblog.blogspot.fr/
BLOG/SHOP
very nice color contras!
Love it! Such a great idea!
our-window.blogspot.co.uk
Love this idea!
I will try it this weekend!
I am so amazed!
that is way cool!
love the contrast with the black and white image and coloured stitching!
– Janine
http://theeoptimist.blogspot.com
Where did you get that multi-colored canvas behind the photos? Or is it a DIY? I’d love to know the details!
The photos on their own seemed a little off with the stitching to me, but once they’re framed that is crazy how good they look.
Such fun!
Elsie and Emma,
Do you know just how amazing you two are? Well you are amazing and oh so inspiring.
I am so thankful to have stumbled upon your amazing blog. I can’t pass a day without checking to see whats new.
xo Chelsea
ahhh such a good idea! I have a pug myself and will be borrowing this idea for some photos I’ve taken of her!
Oh my goodness these are darling! And so simple with a BIG pop. I would probably do one of our pup scout, my husband B, and myself all in a little row. xoxo, W
Altogether Smitten
cute idea! This would look great with smaller embroidering, too, although that would take a LOT longer! Love the color scheme.
Sarah
http://www.etsy.com/shop/owleyevintage
Love this! So creative! 🙂 xx
http://glitterylove.blogspot.co.uk/
wow those prints turned out great
Jessica
http://www.jumpintopuddles.com
So unique!
xox
Bailey
http://akabailey.blogspot.com
So so fun and cute! Lovely!
xoxo
Juliette Laura
juliettelaura.blogspot.com
Your photos turned out great! I did cross stitches on old postcards recently, but I think we need to try stitching on photos as well! Thank you for lots of fantastic inspiration.
Love from Sweden
What an adorable idea! I think this would make a great mother’s day gift for my Mom with pictures of my girls 🙂
xoxo,
ConstantlyAlice
Cool combination – old fashioned sewing/embroidery and digital photography. Now if we could only teach grandma to hold the camera steady…
amazing idea!
thanks for sharing 🙂
Oooohhhh! This gives me a gift idea. Yay! Thanks for posting this up.
I would love to see a full picture of the canvas behind the beautiful stitch pictures the one with the colours…do you have a post about it??
Ann-Marie,Dublin Ireland
This is SO CREATIVE! I love your blog. I just upgraded my camera from Canon T1i to T3i. I never learned everything the T1i could do, except the SLR’s take awesome pictures. I love you post about different lens. I just need to learn how to use them.
My dachshund and yorkie/poo are going to look good hanging in my sewing room with embroidery all over them! THANK YOU!