Botanical Embroidery - The Next Big Sewing Trend?

We know that, like Jane Austen herself, a lot of our readers enjoy sewing. As such, when we came across the work of artist Olga Prinku this week and discovered botanical embroidery, we knew that we had to share it with you. Botanical embroidery allows you to put any dried flowers you have to good use by threading the flowers through tulle, creating a delicate, romantic twist on a classic hobby. Olga Prinku, a graphic designer, crafter and maker, dreamed up the idea back in 2016.

Surprisingly, it all began with wreaths, not embroidery. I came up with the technique by accident, through sheer experimentation with floral crowns, wreaths, and generally playing with flower styling for my Instagram feed.

I noticed that I could position the flowers through the mesh of the [garden] sieve, achieving something halfway between a wreath and the floral flat-lay that is so popular on Instagram.

[I] happened to see tulle fabric in passing. I made the connection with the sieve and thought, 'I must try to use it in the same way; all I’d need is something to stretch it with.' That’s how I started using the embroidery hoop, as it made using the tulle easier.

What a fantastic idea! Maybe it could be the next big sewing trend? (If you feel like giving it a go, but don't want to go it alone, then Prinku created tutorials to help with the process.)