How do you capture memories of your furry friend? For some, that’s done with a camera. Others might use a paintbrush. But one Richmond artist does so with thread.
With just a needle, thread and fabric, freehand embroiderer Elena Aracri distinctively captures a pet’s personality. Whether a cat elegantly nestled in flowers or a goofy trio of dog siblings, Aracri preserves some of our most precious pet memories in a special way.
Stitchmond, the official name of her business, has been around since 2018. After receiving a pet photo and discussing certain elements with a client, Aracri gets to work meticulously crafting a custom piece.
First, an image is sketched out on her iPad’s ProCreate. “It’s easier to translate to fabric,” she says. “After that, I do my own thing with string.”
Most work is done on muslin or cotton fabric. DMC thread is also heavily relied on. “It’s very nice and has a satiny finish that holds in light more so it shines,” she says. It’s tedious work that can take anywhere from a day or two to a week depending on Aracri’s schedule. Her projects currently come in six, eight or 10-inch hoops but she’s open to doing smaller or larger ones.
Aracri, a Richmond native, has always had a passion for the arts. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University for creative advertising and currently works with social media but dabbles in all types of mediums, ranging from photography to interior design. She and her husband created and run the quirky animal-themed Yellow Tiger’s Den on Airbnb. The fascination for embroidery came along in 2017.
“I first got interested in the process after my friend bought an embroidery-related item from Etsy,” says Aracri. “I really liked it and thought I could potentially do that myself.” After scouring Instagram for inspiration, she later bought a DIY kit and the passion stuck.
“Unlike cross stitch which is very grid-like, embroidery is an organic form of textile,” she says. “You can make images however you’d like them to be.”
While Stitchmond has now become iconic for its pet portraits, Aracri never actually intended to do pets – it’s just something that fell into place.
“I had a friend interested in having their pet done,” she says. Her husband, who is a tattoo artist, helped her draw something up that follows tattooing’s traditional outline style to make the process easier. Ever since, pets have been Stitchmond’s signature offering.
While there are numerous pet embroiderers, what sets Aracri’s work apart is her style. “My pet portraits have a cartoony look,” she says. “Everything is outlined in black thread versus a more realistic style.”
She also paints the animal’s eyes on the fabric not only to add variety but to fully capture the window into the pet’s soul. “Eyes are so unique and it’s fun to mimic the colors with paint,” she says. “It’s something that might not always translate with thread.”
Out of her over 100 completed projects, some of her favorites have been those that feature a distinctive animal. “I’ve had a great experience creating animals that are unique looking, especially since so many look similar,” she says. “I once had a booking to do a one-eyed cat piece,” she says. “That’s not something you see every day!”
Aracri would love to challenge herself and do some breeds she hasn’t woven before, like Weimaraners and Great Danes. She also strives to try different backgrounds. “I typically do florals or greenery so I’d like to try something new.” Besides this, Aracri has a personal goal of completing individual embroidery portraits of her three orange tabby cats to decorate her baby’s nursery with.
For those who are also creatively inclined or curious about the embroidery world, this local artist offers a custom do-it-yourself kit. People can send in a picture of their pet and Aracri will put everything together so one can attempt a pet project themselves; although be warned, it can be a bit tedious if you’ve never done needlework before.
“Everything required is in the kit,” she says. “It’s hard practice but can be done if you’re really dedicated to it.”
While pets are Aracri’s main focus, she’s not afraid to venture into other themes should someone desire something else. “I’m definitely open to hearing what people have to say to see if it’s possible,” she says.
At the moment, Aracri’s work is displayed mainly through her site and Instagram, but her pieces can sometimes be found around town, including at the Richmond SPCA’s Fur Ball auction. And she has great aspirations to expand.
“It would be cool to do a gallery show not just of pets but of pet-related things,” she says. “Something that’s smaller scale.”
Aracri would love to potentially bring her work to Pamplemousse Gallery and Quirk – all of which could help ignite a new appreciation for an ancient art form.
“Embroidery has been around for centuries. It’s gone from being traditional and delicate to something more creative and unique,” she says. “The amount of people doing embroidery these days and with their own niche is wild.”
But until then, Aracri continues with her mission of encouraging others to invest in handcrafted art: “It’s so fun to have something specifically yours and to make it whatever you want it to be.”
To learn more, visit the Stitchmond website.
