There’s something enchanting about Miyuki Sakai’s freestyle machine embroidery illustrations. With a delicate balance of realism and whimsy, her work brings a vivid new perspective to everyday objects and views.
Her works has graced the pages and advertising campaigns of some of the world’s most high-profile clients — among them Hitachi, Mazda, Sony, Microsoft, Martha Stewart Living, and The New York Times Magazine.
Growing up in Osaka, Japan, Miyuki developed her stitching style with the sewing machine her mother used to make her family’s clothes. She went to art school in Kyoto, then worked as a freelance illustrator in Tokyo, and now lives in San Francisco. Her work shows elements of Eastern and Western daily life, rendering down-to-earth subject matter in rich, colorful detail.
Got an appetite for more of Miyuki Sakai’s gorgeous stitchery? Peruse her work at http://www.miyukisakai.com/
What Technique Is This?
This is free machine embroidery and if you want to find out more about it, check out our dedicated post!

Gear Threads is brought to you from the offbeat gals at Urban Threads. Created by illustrator Niamh O’Connor, Urban Threads is revolutionizing machine embroidery one edgy, elegant, innovative, and/or offbeat design at a time. Discover the future of digital stitchery at www.urbanthreads.com.