Custom Blackwork

Custom Photorealistic Blackwork Patterns

There is no other service in the world that does what this one does.
Cross stitch portraits have existed for years. Photorealistic cross stitch conversion is a known and reasonably common service. Photorealistic blackwork conversion is not. The technique required to translate tonal photographic detail into the counted geometric language of blackwork did not exist as a commercial service before Urban Stitches made it exist. If you want a photograph converted into a blackwork embroidery pattern, this is the only place to come.
The Guild does not say this to be dramatic. It says it because it is true, and because you deserve to know what you are looking at.
What you get
A custom blackwork embroidery pattern created from your photograph. Built using a process developed specifically by Urban Stitches, combining manual image editing in Photoshop with custom conversion software to produce a charted blackwork pattern that captures the tonal detail of your original image. The pattern is yours alone. It will not appear in the shop. It cannot be purchased by anyone else. It is made for you and exists for you.
Patterns can be produced in black only, or in black and true greys for additional tonal depth. Double stranded stitches can be incorporated where they improve the quality of the final result. These decisions are made at the proof stage, in conversation with you, based on what your image actually needs.
All patterns contain full stitches only unless otherwise agreed.
The process
Purchase the custom pattern service from the shop. You will receive a download with instructions asking you to submit your chosen photograph by email. From there:
Mistress Stitches edits and prepares your image, then runs it through the Guild's custom conversion process. This produces a proof pattern which is sent to you -- usually within 14 days of receiving your photograph.
At the proof stage you can request amendments. You can ask for certain areas to be highlighted or simplified, backgrounds to be removed or reduced, or the overall pattern size to be adjusted. Increasing the size produces more detail. Decreasing it simplifies the design. Significant size changes may require the pattern to be reprocessed, which adds time.
Once you are happy with the proof, the final pattern is delivered to you as a digital PDF, ready to stitch.

Custom Photorealistic Blackwork Patterns

BLACKWORK JUST GOT PERSONAL
We all have photos that we love and that mean something special to us. From weddings to pets; that cute photo that caught your good side; that holiday you took with friends or family (the one where you backpacked across Europe); or the first time your mother held her first grandchild.
These special photos mean the world to us.
Now you can have your images converted into a high quality blackwork embroidery that is truly unique to you!
This is a special gift to your family, your best friend or yourself that you cannot get anywhere else.

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The hardest part is deciding which images to submit!

Examples using different patterns

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What it costs
Custom patterns cost more than my usual patterns. This reflects hours of skilled work per pattern - image editing, conversion, proofing, and delivery. It is, frankly, underpriced for what it involves, and the Guild is aware of this. It also means this service is for people who understand the value of something made specifically for them, and are looking for a gift or a personal project that cannot be found anywhere else.
If it is not within your budget right now, the Guild's standard pattern archive starts from free and contains over a hundred designs. You may find something there that speaks to you in the meantime.
Choosing a good photograph
This is the part that matters most, and the Guild will be direct with you about it.
The conversion process works by reading tonal differences within your photograph. It needs contrast to work with. A photograph where the main subject is very dark against a very dark background, or where fine repeating detail fills the whole frame, will produce a less satisfying result than one where light and shadow fall clearly across the main subject.
The images below show the difference. A black cat photographed with good contrast and visible highlights in the fur converts well. The same cat photographed in low light against a similarly dark background gives the process very little to work with, and the Guild cannot manufacture contrast that is not there.
Fine architectural detail -- a building covered in intricate gridwork, for example -- will lose much of that detail in conversion because blackwork operates at stitch level, not pixel level. Broader architectural subjects with clear tonal variation convert considerably better.
Portraits of people and pets both work well when the photograph has good contrast and clear definition on the main subject. The Guild has converted dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and a considerable number of humans with excellent results. What all the successful ones had in common was a photograph where the subject was clearly lit and the detail the customer cared about was visible.
If you are not sure whether your photograph will work, send it to the Guild before purchasing. The Guild would rather tell you honestly that a different photograph would serve you better than take your money and deliver something that disappoints.

Step 1
You will need to purchase Personalised Blackwork from the shop.
You will be contacted via email and will be asked to submit your image. You will be asked what the maximum pattern width/height size in stitches is (we default to 150 or 200 depending upon the quality of the final pattern). You will also be asked if you DO NOT want greys or double stranded stitches added. We default to using them only if it dramatically improves the quality of the final pattern.
Step 2
The turn around time between submitting your image to us sending you your digital proof is up to 14 days. At this point you will be able to request amendments, highlighting certain parts of the image or removing some of the background. You can request that the pattern size in increased or decreased. Increasing the size will make the final stitch more detailed. Large changes may impact the turn around time for your final proof.
If your image is unsuitable for creating a pattern from, we will let you know and you can either submit a different image or you will receive a full refund.
Step 3
From agreeing on the proof to receiving the final PDF with your pattern will take up to 14 additional days. The PDF will be emailed to you on the email address you have supplied.
There is no physical item, this is a digital item only.
The patterns are for personal use and not for resale.

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Multicolumn

What makes a good photo
The best images are submitted in colour. This allows us to see where the natural highlights are within the photo.

There needs to be tonal differences within the main subject of the photo. For example in this case the main subject is the cat and not the background. We can work with both black or white animals. If you cannot see much detail of the fur baby within the photo supplied, we are unable to create this within the blackwork pattern for you. Photos with lots of contrast on the main subject are the best type to submit.